3rd Test England v Pakistan, Edgbaston, Aug 3-7.

[mikesiva]

What's the plan? Bat for half an hour and then declaration?

[Dr Cricket]

I don't think Ali will get a ton.

Swinging at everything. He'll nick one to the keeper soon.

yep he probably doesn't care about the ton really, reckon he just going for the target Cook had in mind.
Also Warne is a *modded* as well.
Reckon Cook actually meant in the press they got enough but we still need to get 30-50 runs more to out bat pakistan, only an idiot would declare and set any team 310 on this pitch.
if pakistan bat the 90 overs they would have gotten 310 or get close to it.
Why risk a loss when you can get a draw and still have overs to get the win.
Getting 30-50 extra runs in 6-7 overs literally makes no difference to the game.

[backfootpunch]

Woakes can't get the ball off the square

Just wasting time

[hopeforthebest]

Batted one over too many. Now the game begins.

[Dr Cricket]

Pakistan got 84 overs to survive or 69 overs to bat out the draw if both team agree to end the game early.

Reckon england need about 3 wickets in the first 20-25 overs to have a genuine chance of winning this game.

[backfootpunch]

Expect quick runs tomorrow but they will declare around 400-450 depending how quick they score runs they probably want about 70 overs at Pakistan maybe more.

They won't give Pakistan a sniff of victory.
Draw is probably the likely results since the pitch is horrible and placid and slow,

Surely another 30 is plenty

340 in 85

Then you get 5 overs with a second new ball at the end of the day

I was pretty much spot on

[Dr Cricket]

yep well done, didn't expect Cook to set pakistan a target of 4 runs an over.
quite a brave/attacking declaration from Cook.
Reckon pakistan would have loved Warne/Clarke/Aussie captaining here since they would be 2-1 up now lol.
Could imagine the aussie losing this game going for a win lol.

Can't see pakistan chasing 340ish but they might have gone for the 300 total if they had wickets in hand.

[Durhamfootman]

a good game to win.

[alfie]

Expect quick runs tomorrow but they will declare around 400-450 depending how quick they score runs they probably want about 70 overs at Pakistan maybe more.

They won't give Pakistan a sniff of victory.
Draw is probably the likely results since the pitch is horrible and placid and slow,

Surely another 30 is plenty

340 in 85

Then you get 5 overs with a second new ball at the end of the day

I was pretty much spot on

That you were

And I reckon that is a good declaration. Draw probably favorite on this bland pitch ; but early wickets and England will fancy it.

Good day in prospect.

[backfootpunch]

yep well done, didn't expect Cook to set pakistan a target of 4 runs an over.
quite a brave/attacking declaration from Cook.
Reckon pakistan would have loved Warne/Clarke/Aussie captaining here since they would be 2-1 up now lol.
Could imagine the aussie losing this game going for a win lol.

Can't see pakistan chasing 340ish but they might have gone for the 300 total if they had wickets in hand.

343 in 84 is 4 an over

[backfootpunch]

This game is perfectly set up for one of Stuart broads spells

[Dr Cricket]

yep well done, didn't expect Cook to set pakistan a target of 4 runs an over.
quite a brave/attacking declaration from Cook.
Reckon pakistan would have loved Warne/Clarke/Aussie captaining here since they would be 2-1 up now lol.
Could imagine the aussie losing this game going for a win lol.

Can't see pakistan chasing 340ish but they might have gone for the 300 total if they had wickets in hand.

343 in 84 is 4 an over

yes that is why I said I didn't expect cook to set pakistan a target of 4 runs an over, thought it would be closer to 5 or 4.7 etc.
pretty brave call from cook and he normally isn't this brave in setting declarations.

think cook said he wasn't a fan of the Clarke ideology in the 2013 ashes.

[backfootpunch]

yep well done, didn't expect Cook to set pakistan a target of 4 runs an over.
quite a brave/attacking declaration from Cook.
Reckon pakistan would have loved Warne/Clarke/Aussie captaining here since they would be 2-1 up now lol.
Could imagine the aussie losing this game going for a win lol.

Can't see pakistan chasing 340ish but they might have gone for the 300 total if they had wickets in hand.

343 in 84 is 4 an over

yes that is why I said I didn't expect cook to set pakistan a target of 4 runs an over, thought it would be closer to 5 or 4.7 etc.

Pakistan hid the ball outside off all of yesterday and Yasir bowled outside leg

They are gonna play for the draw

[hopeforthebest]

I hope Broad lives up to his captain's confidence that he's a new ball bowler.

[Durhamfootman]

They are gonna play for the draw

Pakistan will probably fancy winning at the Oval, so a draw here would suit them, I think