It looks like England's three Tests in the Emirates will start about 8am, making it perfect for UK viewers with some annual leave in the bank. Sri Lanka will test your motivation more with a 04.30 kick off. Power nap through lunch.
England will need wins even to maintain their present points level in the Test rankings. They have no history of playing in UAE, where pitches are promised to be flat heartbreakers.
But there are only two Test (Dubai and Abu Dhabi) there to go on. Both were draws, with plenty of runs, but not ridiculous scores. Morkel, Steyn and Harris took wickets for the South African 'away' side. Ajmal only played the second Test and didn't do that well. Gul didn't fire with reverse swing.
Difficult to know how this will go. Pakistan didn't look that great in West Indies and Zimbabwe this year, whereas England have been extraordinary. For England anyway.
Really can't see us (England) not taking one Test out of three.
Winter Sun.
posted on 16/9/11
No Umar Gul in Tests then?
posted on 16/9/11
Gul is too inconsistent for test cricket and someone like Wahab with the extra pace and angle is a better option. He has also said that he has been working with Akram in developing his inswinger. Also Gul is not known to ball long spells hence why I have said someone like Cheema or Tanvir can do that donkey work well with 2 spinners in UAE.
posted on 16/9/11
Cheema is 32 so probably quite experienced, which is a good way to go.
Good to see Imran Farhat is still around. Hopefully he'll be opening and fielding first slip.
posted on 16/9/11
Kash,
You really think pak will play with 2 spinners - i think 4!!
Ajmal
Rehman
Hafeez
Sho
Expect Malik to be in the team now that he's back. I think hafeez is under-rated (i know hes an all-rounder but still).
With them four as bowling options, wahab riaz as main pacer... is there a need for Gul?
posted on 16/9/11
Mildred if Farhat is playing expect an early wicket for Jimmy Anderson even on that desert.
Afridi I cant see Malik getting in the test team to be honest and with Rehman, Ajmal and Hafeez we dont need that extra spin option but we do still need to pace bowlers to ball with the new ball and both Wahab and Cheema are reverse swing at 90mph types of bowler (although good luck bowling 90mph in the UAE heat).
posted on 16/9/11
Pakistan fast bowling is a strength. Surely they'll play at least two. Against South Africa, Tanvir took a six-fer. Seamers took over half of the first innings wickets, despite bowling fewer overs.
Didn't take /any/ second innings wickets though.
posted on 16/9/11
There were actually 4/4 results at Sharjah. Why not playing there anymore? Pakistan beat WI 2/2, then lost 2/2 to Australia. Including being bowled out for under 60 twice in the same match.
posted on 16/9/11
Good series for Warne, the latter.
posted on 16/9/11
"Including being bowled out for under 60 twice in the same match"
This is not sour grapes but something tells me scoring under 60 twice and in Sharjah was very fishy.
posted on 16/9/11
Well, that crossed my mind. I think most of the fixing went on in ODIs though.
Result pitches otherwise though.