The Official Cricket Thread

[Jairzinho]

442-4 at the moment.

 

The figures for our spinners -

 

61 overs 0-259.

[lifetime fan]

Kev can't help himself, can he.

[Stickman]

England finish on 55 without loss...which is more than have watched the first two days of this match

[Jairzinho]

Found it a thrilling contest today to see what was flatter the pitch or the atmosphere.

[lifetime fan]

The track is a disgrace to test cricket.

[Champ]

Kev can't help himself, can he.

And, to fe fair, nor can we

[Frankenhooker]

Moeen goes for 35 and Bell nearly plays one on second ball.

 

Eng 117/1

[Yozzer]

Cook needs to get around 170 more runs to become the highest overseas run scorer in Asia. With this pitch, he'll get that this match.

[Spy Bee]

This is a fucking road. Massive bonus to win the toss and put scoreboard pressure on, but even with that England have looked fairly untroubled so far.

[Jairzinho]

This is a fucking road. Massive bonus to win the toss and put scoreboard pressure on, but even with that England have looked fairly untroubled so far.

 

Not sure the toss makes the blindest bit of difference. This is a draw pitch.

[Yozzer]

Not quite sure what has gone through the head of the groundsman. It's not like they're raking in any sort of money from crowd revenue, so there's little motive to create a pitch that lasts all five days. May as well create a pitch that spits bouncers off a good length and lets spinners turn it ninety degrees after day one; make Test cricket entertaining as possible.

[s(k)aturation]

Strange.

In a country with the highest skyscrapers, the biggest steaks, the most exotic fish tanks, the most lavish this and that, just about every possible cheap (or should I say, expensive) thrill you could want, manufactured and tailor-made to order... that they choose to facilitate the world's most boring cricket.

 

I'm told they like cricket over there. Perhaps the Sheikh doesn't.

 

Or maybe it's their little way of taking the piss.

[Spy Bee]

Not sure the toss makes the blindest bit of difference. This is a draw pitch.

I wouldn't have been at all surprised to see the side batting second and chasing well over 500 crumble under pressure. I'm actually impressed with England's mental strength, regardless of how flat the pitch is.

[Yozzer]

Strange.

 

It is when you look at the pitch created for the 2012 Test between England and Pakistan; a pitch that provided plenty for the spinners and some for the seamers.

 

I reckon all of us on this forum could bat out a session on this pitch, providing there was an IV attached to us at all times.

[Jairzinho]

I wouldn't have been at all surprised to see the side batting second and chasing well over 500 crumble under pressure. I'm actually impressed with England's mental strength, regardless of how flat the pitch is.

 

You're easily impressed. I'd be disappointed if I got out on this pitch.

[Spy Bee]

You're easily impressed. I'd be disappointed if I got out on this pitch.

Do you think so? Chasing over 500 is never easy even on a flat wicket. Many teams capitulate under the pressure.

[s(k)aturation]

It is when you look at the pitch created for the 2012 Test between England and Pakistan; a pitch that provided plenty for the spinners and some for the seamers.

 

Yeah, I remember, that was actually not a bad game.

[s(k)aturation]

Do you think so? Chasing over 500 is never easy even on a flat wicket. Many teams capitulate under the pressure.

 

Not many in the UAE perhaps.

[A_S]

I wouldn't have been at all surprised to see the side batting second and chasing well over 500 crumble under pressure. I'm actually impressed with England's mental strength, regardless of how flat the pitch is.

 

Hey don't look at me, I'm coming off a half-century first up for the season. Man in form! 

[s(k)aturation]

All out by lunch tomorrow.  Game on.

[Ian Sea]

Heavy going that today. I ended up with a ticket for the Chairman's box so all the free food and ale helped me get through it.

[s(k)aturation]

Heavy going that today. I ended up with a ticket for the Chairman's box so all the free food and ale helped me get through it.

 

Did the Sheikh have a couple?

[sir roger]

I like Wood but not sure why a night-watchman would be trying to square-cut a ball missing the stumps by a yard or more.

[Stickman]

Root really is a joy to watch....he's doing what world class batsmen do on a pitch like this

[A_S]

Call it off. What a dreadful game.