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*Official* Pakistan in England 2020

Howe_zat

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Shan Masood looks a lot more assured than when he last toured, I thought Broad and Anderson would have him for breakfast from around the wicket. He's shown some patience and left well, much less angled bat fiddling.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
@BoyBrumby
Thoughts on Archer and Wood?
Nothing startlingly original, I'm afraid.

My take is Archer has the higher ceiling and more likelihood of a sustained career as (aside from him being 5 years younger) Wood's action looks like the physical embodiment of an MRI scan, literally bringing him to his knees on occasion, whereas Jofra's appears effortless and (crucially) easily repeatable.

Wood's a roaringly good lad though and I can understand why Ed appears to like the cut of his jib as Woakes, fearsome in home conditions, isn't likely to have the same kinda success with his trajectory and reliance on swing at the Gabba or in Perth. Wood's extra pace might be the ticket. Certainly went well in SA.

Interestingly and without looking I would imagine Woakes's and Wood's respective home and away records are mirror images of each other, actually.

I don't think there's any shame in picking the best bowlers to fit the conditions sometimes.
 

OverratedSanity

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Fan of Masood's work so far

Also, I selfishly want someone in the lineup (Shafiq maybe or even Azhar if he gets a pair) to stink it up badly enough to finally force them to pick fawad.
 

Howe_zat

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Interestingly and without looking I would imagine Woakes's and Wood's respective home and away records are mirror images of each other, actually.

I don't think there's any shame in picking the best bowlers to fit the conditions sometimes.
Home:
Wood 10 tests, 24 wickets at 45
Woakes 22 tests, 82 wickets at 22

Away:
Wood 4 tests 20 wickets at 18
Woakes 14 tests, 25 wickets at 51

I generally agree though I think the problem comes in when people assume that Wood is a superior option than Broad/Anderson/Archer away precisely because he doesn't get much swing. As though if you move the ball less you automatically make it faster. Wood was excellent in RSA but he also came in after the home team had started struggling, Anderson and Archer having already taken five-fors and Broad matching him throughout.
 

Howe_zat

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But its obvious though, if you can't move the ball off the straight, you gotta have something that makes you tough to face.
That doesn't mean the people who get less swing actually do bowl faster though. Sometimes they're just not as good.

Wood only sometimes bowls faster than Stuart Broad but a lot of people assume he always does, because he doesn't have Broad's seam position or accuracy.
 

vcs

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Wood did well in WI and SA away but both batting lineups are in their ultimate nadir ATM. Don't know how much can be read into those performances TBH. I did not watch him so can't comment if it was spectacular bowling or sub-par batting. I'd always be wary of putting too much faith in the durability of a guy who seems to fall over in his follow through at least a couple of times per spell.
 

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
That doesn't mean the people who get less swing actually do bowl faster though. Sometimes they're just not as good.

Wood only sometimes bowls faster than Stuart Broad but a lot of people assume he always does, because he doesn't have Broad's seam position or accuracy.
I dunno if he ALWAYS bowls faster but this version of Woods from the RSA tour onwards seems genuinely quick across all spells and stuff. So, there is that.
 

morgieb

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Wood did well in WI and SA away but both batting lineups are in their ultimate nadir ATM. Don't know how much can be read into those performances TBH. I did not watch him so can't comment if it was spectacular bowling or sub-par batting. I'd always be wary of putting too much faith in the durability of a guy who seems to fall over in his follow through at least a couple of times per spell.
Yeah hard to say how he'll do in "friendly conditions" until he tours ANZ. Those are better batting lineups and flatter decks. For someone like Wood playing West Indies and South Africa is pretty ideal for him as both sides have awful batting lineups and (especially in SA) have very pacy and bouncy decks.
 

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