Pakistan v England 3rd Test, Sharjah, Nov 1-5

[hopeforthebest]

Not really. Wood & Stokes have been excellent in this series. Both outbowled Broad in the first 2 Tests in fact (in my opinion). There is Finn too.

There is not point picking 3 spinning allrounders. All are as good or bad as the other. All do a similar job. If there is no specialist spinner available, pick one of these spinning allrounders and replace the other 2 with a specialist batsman (an opener who is not Hales) and a specialist fast bowler (both Wood/Finn are good. I'm not suggesting you should pick Jordan etc).

I thought Wood was disappointing, though he had a good spell. Obviously the spinners have disappointed too. England have suffered from a lack of confidence in that department. McCullum got some impact from his rather limited spinners in UAE, maybe Cook could have too. Impossible to say. If England fielded two spinners who averaged 40 in the series, and went at 3rpo, that would have been very useful. To write off the use of spin in these conditions feels depressingly lacking in imagination, though that kind of thinking is endemic to the soul of English cricket. The sort of orthodoxy that routinely sends England to WCs in Asia with four right fast mediums.

Well, they've tried the unorthodox here and it hasn't worked here. Maybe, just maybe it depends on the quality of personnel available? Describing Wood as disappointing while pimping up the spinners is something I don't understand.

Shouldn't the word pimping be on the "modded" list.

[hopeforthebest]

The online link I'm using has decided to offer me a link to some revealing pornography, maybe they no me better than I know myself.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Picking four seamers hasn't worked either. Following those tactics hasn't any future and would have brought about the same result. Has brought about the same result. England went in with three specialist seamers, and it brought about 1-0 down after two. The time England challenged, was when a spinner was effective. England's attack needs spin, and ignoring the problem won't solve it.

Rashid had to be given a go, but as seemed likely, his lack of accuracy makes him a weakness at times. I suspect it's been worthwhile seeing how he'd do though.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Misbah can book himself in for bed and breakfast.


We won't get him out like this.

This is what happens when you expect all rounders to perform like bowlers.

But are there any better English spinners out there?

Then don't pick them. Pick fast bowlers. England looked much better with 4 quicks (and yes, I remember I was against it before this series).

Apart from Anderson and Broad they're in the same boat as with the spinners.

Got to give someone like Rashid a chance else how will he ever improve?

[hopeforthebest]

Timely wicket from Broad give England hope. Excellent delivery and plumb LBW.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Manners.

Sorted.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Is that it for Les Mis? It'll be sad to see him go.

[backfootpunch]

Misbah can book himself in for bed and breakfast.


We won't get him out like this.

This is what happens when you expect all rounders to perform like bowlers.

But are there any better English spinners out there?

Then don't pick them. Pick fast bowlers. England looked much better with 4 quicks (and yes, I remember I was against it before this series).

Apart from Anderson and Broad they're in the same boat as with the spinners.

Got to give someone like Rashid a chance else how will he ever improve?
Samit looks the best of the English spinning allrounders to me. Better control with the ball than the other 2 and a better batsman against spin (also plays the short ball better than Mo).

[/quote]
Rashid has the tools to succeed, I think he is worth investing time in

[shankycricket]

Picking four seamers hasn't worked either. Following those tactics hasn't any future and would have brought about the same result. Has brought about the same result. England went in with three specialist seamers, and it brought about 1-0 down after two. The time England challenged, was when a spinner was effective. England's attack needs spin, and ignoring the problem won't solve it.

Rashid had to be given a go, but as seemed likely, his lack of accuracy makes him a weakness at times. I suspect it's been worthwhile seeing how he'd do though.

And in this Test where some rank awful bowling from the spinners has singlehandedly undone all the good work from A&B as you like to call them. If they do win this Test (still an outside chance) would you put it down to picking 3 spinners or despite it?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Well done to Hafeez on the 150.

[Arthur Crabtree]

A&B as you like to call them

??

A&B carry the bowling too much. It's the nature of the England attack.

[Gingerfinch]

I think we'd be stupid not to pick two spinners for this test, though three (including two part timers) always looked one too many. Anyway, we're still in it....just.

[hopeforthebest]

Unless the run rate goes through the roof I see Pakistan batting to the close of play.

[shankycricket]

Misbah can book himself in for bed and breakfast.


We won't get him out like this.

This is what happens when you expect all rounders to perform like bowlers.

But are there any better English spinners out there?

Then don't pick them. Pick fast bowlers. England looked much better with 4 quicks (and yes, I remember I was against it before this series).

Apart from Anderson and Broad they're in the same boat as with the spinners.

Got to give someone like Rashid a chance else how will he ever improve?

No, they are not. Wood is averaging 28 in this series at a pretty good economy rate. He was better than Broad at least in the 2nd Test. Stokes, who has a reputation of being a run leaker has adapted to the conditions much better and whilst he has not run through lineups, he has kept it tight and maintained a very good economy rate even though his bowling was considered much less important than those of spinners. Thats the least a Test spinner could've been expected to do. There is Finn too, who has had success in the subcontinent in the past. He was a key member of the team that won at Kolkata & Colombo in 2012. Clearly, its not just Anderson & Broad. They might be the best (though IMO an in form Finn is better than Broad on flat tracks) but the back up seamers are still MILES better than any spinning options available.

[shankycricket]

A&B as you like to call them

??

A&B carry the bowling too much. It's the nature of the England attack.

Ha! I just found this new abbreviation you've given them to be funny. Wonder why no one ever thought of it before.