England vs Pakistan 1st Test Abu Dhabi

[spring hall convert]

Exactly.

Desperately short of quality opening batsmen.

Well, if he knocks off 2 or 3 tons on this tour then he'll force the selectors hand. Still don't think it would be a good idea though.

 

[spring hall convert]

Good start from England here - Cook moves to 50, England 106-0.

 

[Beach Hut]

116/1 Ali out

 

[spring hall convert]

Ali gone for 35 - 116/1 (Cook 74*)

 

[KZNSeagull]

122-1 at Lunch. Cap'n 78* Bell 1*. Sounds like Bell is having a shocker.

 

[Hiney]

Bell starting to play a bit now, but it's turgid stuff. Cook on 96*

Ian Botham is a bit of a **** isn't he? Obviously an incredible player but the impression he doesn't really know much about cricket.

 

[pasty]

Captain Cook 100*

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Ian Botham is a bit of a **** isn't he?

I have always thought so. Dyed in the wool Tory to boot I imagine.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Bell starting to play a bit now, but it's turgid stuff. Cook on 96*

Ian Botham is a bit of a **** isn't he? Obviously an incredible player but the impression he doesn't really know much about cricket.

I have always thought the same re Beefy.

Great 100 from the Cap'n again. Just another 6,500 runs to overtake Tendulkar.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Great stat on Cricinfo - 8: Test centuries by Cook in Asia - equal the most by any overseas batsman. Jacques Kallis also made eight hundreds in Asia.

 

[Simster]

I have always thought so. Dyed in the wool Tory to boot I imagine.

Funnily enough, yes he is.

 

[Mackenzie]

I have always thought the same re Beefy.

Great 100 from the Cap'n again. Just another 6,500 runs to overtake Tendulkar.

He might get them on this pitch.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Can we keep the politics out of this thread?!

Cook now the highest test runs scorer in calendar year 2015 so another milestone reached by the skipper.

I'm assuming that because it is not a Sussex cricket thread the same rules about tempting fate don't apply, in which case Cook has a rare chance to chase down his highest test score, provided he doesn't run out of partners and can see off the second new ball.

 

[KZNSeagull]

197-1 at Tiffin. Cook 116 Bell 31. New ball due in 5 overs. Sadly, no new pitch due.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

197-1 at Tiffin. Cook 116 Bell 31. New ball due in 5 overs. Sadly, no new pitch due.

I'm happy with this pitch, whilst we are batting..
Hoping it starts to break up just after we go past 600...... at some point on Day 5.

 

[pasty]

200 up

 

[Simster]

What a dull game.

Has Boycott mentioned batting with a stick of rhubarb yet or his granny able to bat on this? Surely only a matter of time.

 

[spring hall convert]

Ian Botham is a bit of a **** isn't he? Obviously an incredible player but the impression he doesn't really know much about cricket.

Yup. He knows a lot about Ian Botham though. He's like a version of Boycott that knows nothing about the game.

Still there's always that twitter cock picture if you fancy a laugh.

 

[spring hall convert]

Have England ever had a better batsman than Cook in these conditions (Asia, slow, low bounce and (though there hasn't been much sign of it here) turn.)?

Not in my lifetime.

 

[spring hall convert]

What a dull game.

Has Boycott mentioned batting with a stick of rhubarb yet or his granny able to bat on this? Surely only a matter of time.

Both within about 10 minutes yesterday. His whole family got a bat as it goes.