How will our batting fare on this wicket?

[Amjid Javed]

The wicket at start of the match has had something in it for both seam and spin bowlers. The damp slowness of the pitch early on has allowed for quite alot of swing and also there has been alot more turn on day 1 compared to pitches used in 1st and 2nd tests. England are currently on 248/6 and ideally pakistan would look to bowl them out for under 300.

However whats a good score on this pitch?

Geoff boyvott has always said you can only tell what a pitch is like after both sides have batted on it.

nasser hussain has always said that one bad inns in asian conditions can cause you to lose a match.

ian botham has harked on about how 1st inns totals are so important in these conditions.

so how will are batting fair? - The pitch seems slow and the ball doesnt seem to be coming on to much which has meant alot of mistimed shots going in the air. I blv the pitch will be best for batting over next two days as it drys out more. I cant see it breaking up much but it will get uneven as match goes on.

Inzi and s butt are in good form but we cant depend on those alone. Asim kamal has returned after poor domestic form, hasan raza has another chance to try and impress after being exposed in 1st test. shoaib malik has to prove he can go on and score more than 20/30s he has in this series and finally its time moyo scored more than 1 meaningful knock a series. On paper we have batsmen who can occupy the crease, wether that holds true in reality has to be seen yet.

I can see pakistan taking 20 wkts in this match. The final overall result i blv will depend on our batting, espcially in 1st inns if we get england out for 300 or less.

Pakistan need to learn from englands mistakes as most of englands batsmen gifted their wickets away today.

[Nauman]

AJ which game are you watching, the pitch is no where near slow and the bounce is also true and is comming onto the bat, the spinners get quite a bit of assistance in terms of both spin and bounce but we have good players of spin in the side namely Raza, Kamal and ofcourse Inzi so I am not too worried about the spin factor.

[Imy]

Amjid you are spot on batting will get easier , i am happy that we did not get England all out today. If England can bat for an hour tomorrow and we bowl them out for 270 then all the morning bite in the pitch will have gone away and the pitch will get better and lower as the sun bakes it some more . What Pakistan (especially Butt and Malik) need to do is not to hook and pull. England will try to bounce Pakistan out if we dont pull and hook I think the game is for the taking. I thought the pitch after lunch got very easy to bat on and got better and better. Altough uneven bounce will come to play in the last day or two,

[Rob H]

I'd love to say b/s but i will let the players do the talking for me.

[Nauman]

Originally Posted by RH I'd love to say b/s but i will let the players do the talking for me.

You mean let Hair do the talking for you?

[Amjid Javed]

Originally Posted by Nauman AJ which game are you watching, the pitch is no where near slow and the bounce is also true and is comming onto the bat, the spinners get quite a bit of assistance in terms of both spin and bounce but we have good players of spin in the side namely Raza, Kamal and ofcourse Inzi so I am not too worried about the spin factor.

The one on skysports. which game were u watching?

[sehsan]

RH:as your players did a lot in first 2 tests

B/w looks a good wickets with a bounce, harminson and flintoff can give a problem. I reallly think hassan is raza is going to score big in this match inshallah

[zulfiqar]

so how will are batting fair. lol.

[Nauman]

Originally Posted by Amjid Javed The one on skysports. which game were u watching?

The one on TenSports and ARY, mind you that was live coverage

[zulfiqar]

I think our batsmen should be ok.. sure Akmal and Raza have come into the side but Kamal is hardly inexperienced; he was a regular part of our team before this series when he was dropped so I think he should be ok although #3 he hasn't tried much int'ly. Hasan raza will be a big ? and it's upto him to pull his own weight becuase inzi can't fire every time! Also expecting yoyo to show grit n contribute to big partnerships... Once again though if openers see off the new ball then we should be set for a 300+ score!

[Amjid Javed]

Originally Posted by Nauman The one on TenSports and ARY, mind you that was live coverage

so you got two tvs? nice!

[Saj]

Harmison worries me. He'll get some steep bounce on this track and that could be awkward for some of our batsmen.

Shot selection will be very very important on this track.

[Cartman]

This wicket does have hidden demons, the bounce has not been true... and with the sort of bounce Rana and Shoaib constantly generated even with the old ball, I fear the wors for our batting.


Good news is ball swings in the early hours of the morning in Lahore. which gives us another shot at wrapping up England quickly and then bat through the more batsman friendly time of the day.

[Green-Machine]

The pitch looks like it has a tinge of green. Looking at the highlights, there appears to be bounce also.

There us help for the spinners and pacers,

According to Mr 3-0, the pitch is 2 paced and hard to score on (I will take his comment with a pinch of salt).

According to S. Malik , the pitch is spongy - hence helping the spinners.

I know for a fact that Pak bowlers bowled 2 short this morning.

I also know that England CAN put Pak in big trouble on this wicket IF they bowl well.

This is a result wicket. If someone told me now that Pak wil score 350 runs in 1st inns, I would snap their hands off.

[zaf1986]

Mr. 3-0 is now Mr. 1-1

[Amjid Javed]

well judging by two shocking shots played thus far it aint looking to clever for pakistan!

[Cartman]

Originally Posted by Cartman This wicket does have hidden demons, the bounce has not been true... and with the sort of bounce Rana and Shoaib constantly generated even with the old ball, I fear the wors for our batting. Good news is ball swings in the early hours of the morning in Lahore. which gives us another shot at wrapping up England quickly and then bat through the more batsman friendly time of the day.

guess i was right .. the ball did swing a lot early for hoggard.. i am feelin uneasy for us now

[Officer Barbrady]

It's got bounce and 300 is a good total on this track. But it gives you value for shots too..

[Nauman]

This is what I posted in the commentary thread


I dont think its such a good pitch to bowl on, if England got out cheaply its their own doing, I cant remember a single wicket apart from that of Udal which has been taken on a good delivery in England innings or for that matter bought all the wickets were gifted to Pakistan. England bowlers didnt even look threatning in the short burst before lunch just Malik's and Kamal's own wrong doing.

[Amjid Javed]

Originally Posted by Nauman This is what I posted in the commentary thread I dont think its such a good pitch to bowl on, if England got out cheaply its their own doing, I cant remember a single wicket apart from that of Udal which has been taken on a good delivery in England innings or for that matter bought all the wickets were gifted to Pakistan. England bowlers didnt even look threatning in the short burst before lunch just Malik's and Kamal's own wrong doing.

I think wicket has something in it for the bowlers. As far as wickets go both batsmen gave them away!

[Nauman]

Originally Posted by Amjid Javed I think wicket has something in it for the bowlers. As far as wickets go both batsmen gave them away!

True that, specially Malik.

[Officer Barbrady]

I agree, it's a good wicket and will reward good bowling. Pakistan looked threatening with the ball almost all day, just weren't lucky enough to get the wickets on most good balls.

it will give value for strokes too. Good pitch..

[Amjid Javed]

Originally Posted by Nauman True that, specially Malik.

well i said right @ start of series malik wasnt an opener. all i heard was hes better than the fisherman & brainless brigade. maliks a trier etc...

facts are hes not any better. i was gona say a flat track bully! then agen hes not even scoring on flat tracks!