Pakistan vs England 1st ODI - Abu Dhabi

Here we go then, can England score well against the spin heavy attack of Pakistan?

England to bat first. Bresnan isn't fit so James Anderson plays. Otherwise, as expected.

Prediction? Pakistan by 4 wickets.

Morning Fists. Hope all's well. Have damaged my knee again - clearly doing too much running, so it's a day in front of the compy working on the thesis for me - whilst following every ball of the match!

I reckon Pakistan win by 6 wickets. England to put in a good performance with the bat, but still not enough to trouble Pakistan's middle order, who score the bulk of the runs.

Bopara in ahead of Buttler. Sigh. Form counts for nothing then? I hope he gets at least one game in this ODI series or I will be seriously unimpressed with the ODI selection policy. He might fail but given what form he is in and what form Bopara is in, he deserves a go. I'm guessing Ravi is only in for the extra bowling option.

Anyway, the game. England limp to 210 and then Pakistan knock it off for 4 wickets down with 4 overs to go.

But if Ravi is the extra bowling option, why do they also have Samit Patel in the side?

Methinks you're right JD. I would have been tempted to go with Bairstow, but Buttler is clearly an excellent choice as well.

Buttler is injured, guys. Cut webbing to his hand.

Simon Taufel take a bow, that is an outstanding not out decision. Go on, hands up everyone who thought it was plumb on first viewing? (puts hand up)

Mike was that the decision that caused Pakistan to use up their review? No moving pictures for me sadly!

Still, not a bad start for England.

I think england is going to surprise you all today. They will have been retrospective of their test series and the difference in ODI's are firstly that you need to bat more aggressive anyway. this will no doubt help them agains the Pakistan spinners.

BuLioli wrote:Mike was that the decision that caused Pakistan to use up their review? No moving pictures for me sadly!

Still, not a bad start for England.

Yep. Straight on with the shine of the new ball, Pietersen played inside the line, hit him on the back leg half an inch outside off. Don't blame Pakistan for reviewing it personally, it looked stone dead.

The one Pietersen was given out on and reviewed successfully looked high in real time to me as well I have to say.

Very negative against Hafeez, disappointing!

Fair enough Fists, I knew he had done something to his hand and that was why he didn't play in the game against the Lions but I just assumed it wasn't overly serious and he'd be back for this game. Decent start so far for England.

Wonder if England will have taken some advice from Afghanistan? They had some success against the spinners by using their feet and a few reverse sweeps!

Should have kept quiet, that was a shocker from Tauffel (who looked disgusted with himself when he heard whatever the 3rd umpire told him).

Afridi's first over looked dangerous but we're going OK atm, can see a flurry of wickets following the first when it falls though. Pietersen could do with playing a shot or two as well, 14 off 32 is awful.

They were saying on Cricinfo that Cook's ODI average is 48 over the last couple of years. And a strike rate of 92 to boot as well. Which isn't bad going.

And as I write this, Pietersen departs....

Pietersen gone, bowled Afridi, after a struggle. The big man looks low on confidence.

Told ya! 2 in 2 for Afridi.

Trott first ball...Afridi on a hat-trick

KP's forgettable tour continues...

And Trott too ... great bowling from Afridi !

Just when things were going well ...

No worries - Ravi to the rescue now

alfie wrote:KP's forgettable tour continues...

And Trott too ... great bowling from Afridi !

Just when things were going well ...

No worries - Ravi to the rescue now

And as we mock and criticise Bopara, this will probably be the one day where he stands up and puts in a match-winning innings!

Two very good balls from Afridi, in fairness.

BuLioli wrote:

alfie wrote:KP's forgettable tour continues...

And Trott too ... great bowling from Afridi !

Just when things were going well ...

No worries - Ravi to the rescue now

And as we mock and criticise Bopara, this will probably be the one day where he stands up and puts in a match-winning innings!

find some wood, NOW!

Bopara should have been out twice already.

England really relies on Cook heavily in the UAE this tour.

Well he's survived a stone dead lbw , seems the stars are aligning for Bopara today...

I really don't want to mock Ravi , I am quite happy to see him in the team today and would love to see him succeed. Couldn't resist a little gentle comment on his well timed arrival at the crease though.

Afridi looking dangerous ... wonder what a "good" score is today?

Ajmal hasn't even bowled yet, we might struggle to reach 150!

They were two good balls, but that's going to happen as long as you keep allowing bowlers to bowl at you without ever changing anything up.

The other problem being that the run rate is down to a crawl now - just 13 from the last 5 overs. This will give Ajmal some license to attack.

50 for Cook, superb innings. He'll need to be there at the end for us to have a good score.

Nice 50 for Cook

Given his record since he became ODI skipper , it is beyond me why so many people don't want him in the team at all...nothing wrong with his strike rate either.

I'm sorry but there's no way Hafeez should have been allowed to bowl 10 overs for 30, he isn't that good. No intent whatsoever to get after him or exploit the field being in.

Pathetic isn't it, Carrot, and England seem to be doing their best to make that part-time off-spinner that barely turns the ball look like a peak Lance Gibbs.

I know it's not just England though as he is number 2 in the world in ODI bowling rankings. I don't get it, he's just a standard off spinner who doesn't really turn it and is reasonably accurate. Pietersen was the main culprit, never once tried to attack.

England are probably going to have to really attack Wahab Riaz's bowling at this rate if they want a decent score. I get the feeling they're not going to hit out to start out with against Saeed Ajmal...

BuLioli wrote:England are probably going to have to really attack Wahab Riaz's bowling at this rate if they want a decent score. I get the feeling they're not going to hit out to start out with against Saeed Ajmal...

How many overs will Wahab get? I presume they'll use Malik for a few.

Kiwireddevil wrote:

BuLioli wrote:England are probably going to have to really attack Wahab Riaz's bowling at this rate if they want a decent score. I get the feeling they're not going to hit out to start out with against Saeed Ajmal...

How many overs will Wahab get? I presume they'll use Malik for a few.

Very true - I'd forgotten about Malik. Either way, a bit of aggression against both bowlers are going to be needed. Especially since the run rate has now dropped below 4 an over.

100 up, but that 2nd 50 took 80 balls. Snails have surely gone faster than that in a one-dayer....

riaz really is average. what happened to tanvir

Runs! A flood of runs for once! 12 off Riaz's last over - more overs like that needed.
113 scored at halfway. Aim for 260-270?

Bopara looks more comfortable now after his luck earlier on, need to keep pushing on and get the rr up to 5's.

cook might break the hold ajmal has over england today

150/2 , eighteen overs left ... have seen England mess up from these positions before , but it looks promising.

I won't see them mess up this time anyway as I have to work tomorrow and these night games are impossible to watch through in this time zone ... will leave the rest of you to it and hope you see a good game.

Well done Mr Cook! That's the Route One way to get to a hundred!

Thanks, Alfie.

Tremendous innings from Cook. Time for England to really play some shots now. Excellent support from the Ravster, too.

Brilliant innings from Cook, one of the best I've seen from an Englishman

270 should be on from here, 5 an over roughly, Bopara should be looking to accelerate here as we have Morgan next i would presume and we know what damage he can do given 10 overs or so

Right, 3 overs left in the Powerplay. Make them count England.

And in the process of scoring that hundred, Alistair Cook's one-day average is now back over 40. Well done that man.

Bopara gone, stumped off Ajmal. Shame, but not a bad thing if Morgan and Kies can get themselves in.

Think (without jinxing anything) that this just goes to show that these pitches aren't a minefield if you can just apply yourselves!

Fair play to Ravi, kind of sacrificed his wicket to get Morgan in, if he'd smacked it for 6 great, he was out so now our best 'finisher' is in for the last 12 overs. good innings though from Bopara, justifying his selection.

hodge wrote:270 should be on from here, 5 an over roughly, Bopara should be looking to accelerate here as we have Morgan next i would presume and we know what damage he can do given 10 overs or so