*Official* England vs Pakistan, NatWest Challenge Thread

[Cloete]

The game(+ lead-up) starts in 40 minutes on Fox over here. but i'll have to go downstairs to watch it, cause dat's where cable is. it finishes at 3:30AM here:O . so i dunno if i'll watch it all. o btw i'm wearing my england shirt i won

 

[Eclipse]

Pakistans batting line up really sucks 98/6

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Pakistans batting line up really sucks 98/6

Was the bowling bad or something?

 

[marc71178]

Kabir Ali in for Rikki Clarke for Tonight match

I would agree looking at the squad, but the selector's clearly didn't :!(

 

[marc71178]

Pakistans batting line up really sucks 98/6

Could it actually be England bowling well, or are you immune from praising them?

 

[Eclipse]

I am not basing this on just this match they have strugeld to make much over 200 for quite a while now at ODI level.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

152/7

The Clarkster bags Mahmood.

 

[Langeveldt]

Hmm im not really attracted to this series at all, dont know why because i should be......

Seems like

Mediocre England (With all class players retired) vs. Mediocre Pakistan (with all class players dropped)

Oh well

 

[Eclipse]

England seem quite capable of getting early break throughs but they seem to strugle in the death overs somtimes. Same with there batting in some respects.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

This may have been mentioned before and there's probably a very reasonable answer, but why is Razzaq batting at 9?

Latif averages 19podd (3 50's)
Mahmood averages 17podd (3 50's)
Razzaq averages 27podd (13 50's, 1 100)

I'm baffled by the logic.

 

[Eclipse]

ohhh!! hattrick to Anderson. this kid is really really deadly given the right conditions.

 

[Andre]

He looks the goods at the moment Anderson, a real golden run.

And good luck to him, first pom to take an ODI hat-trick.

 

[Eclipse]

Yeah he is a really potent bowler when he is getting the ball to swing.

I think the test will come on flat sub-contenent tracks were he is unlikley to get any swing and he may have to ajust his natrual attacking instinct in favor of line and length.

 

[luckyeddie]

What a stunning innings Trescothick played.

The six over third man was absolute genius.

 

[aussie_beater]

Pakistan is getting blown away...

The six over third man-ish area has now become a effective shot in ODIs to counter fast bowlers who stray a bit outside the off, after Sachin blasted Shoaib through that area in the world cup.

 

[luckyeddie]

Tresco MoM - superb knock.

I'd have gone for Anderson myself. First-ever English hat-trick in a ODI.

 

[V Reddy]

what a great knock by Trescothick.The old Trescothick is back. Also good bowling from Anderson and also crucial breakthroughs from Gough. Also Solanki has played well though he was lucky again. But he plays some great shots in between. But he looks a much more mature batsman now. Troughton failed but he was brilliant in the field. I hope they stick with him atleast till he gets a couple of matches against Zim. Great Performance from Eng and the batting was a pure joy to watch.

 

[luckyeddie]

Hmm im not really attracted to this series at all, dont know why because i should be......

Seems like

Mediocre England (With all class players retired) vs. Mediocre Pakistan (with all class players dropped)

Oh well

Oh well indeed.

It was a thoroughly superb performance - and well-watchable.
I didn't know that the English ODI players were going to play Twenty20.

 

[marc71178]

I think Shoaib's efforts deserve a special mention!

 

[luckyeddie]

I think Shoaib's efforts deserve a special mention!

In the context of the Pakistani attack, he was one of the more economical bowlers.

To tell the truth, he could have had 4 wickets