England v Pakistan - Official First Test Match Thread

[Vrock]

Lord's will host the two sides for the first test match of four. Both sides will be eager to gain the early advantage and put themselves in the driving seat to dominate.

I think both sides have had mixed fortunes with injuries, some in the short-term and others in the long-term. However, they are both centered mainly within the bowling department, so I feel that neither side can claim to be at a disadvantage in respect to having a depleted attack - maybe the strength in depth of their reserve bowlers could be questionable but that is for their performances on the field to determine.

England are still unsure as to whether Matthew Hoggard will be fit to play. If he may need another day to rest up his hand would captain Strauss, if he gets the opportunity, choose to bat first even if conditions suit the bowling so that Hoggard can sit in the Pavillion whilst England try and bat for more than a day? - Thus allowing England's current premier bowler the chance to bowl at Pakistan's opening pair and cause more problems than any replacement would. If he is unavailable though, however big that loss is, Jon Lewis should fit into the side quite nicely - we can't expect him to work wonders but he would do a job.

Pakistan will be without Mohammad Asif for the first test, having hoped to spear-head a weaked attack with the loss of Shoaib Akhtar and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, this will leave Danish Kaneria the main threat to England's batsmen. Mohammad Sami and Umar Gul are likely to lead the pace attack, given their participation in all three warm-up matches - this will be a big step-up for the two bowlers who will be looking to stamp down a place which most likely only one of them will be filling once Asif returns.

The weather looks pretty good - I just hope that we get something like is predicted. The whole test is forecast to be mainly sitting in the sun, we might just see the pitch flatten out a tiny amount for the batsmen. Other than that it should be a bowling paradise, seaming throughout the match and the pitch becoming conducive to spin as the match wears on - you never know.

[mudney]

I'm thinking a lot rests on the side batting first. If they get a low score, I can see them losing, because I don't feel like either bowling attack could make up for a bad first batting effort. We'll have to see though. Key players for England are Strauss, Tresco and KP, to go with Harmy (pleasssse bowl well!!!) and maybe if the pitch turns, Panesar

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by mudney

Harmy (pleasssse bowl well!!!) and maybe if the pitch turns, Panesar

I think we will probably see a much improved performance from the one dayers against Sri Lanka, if we don't I will be wondering just how much damage the one day series did to the players.

Myself I think England should bounce back - they did it after being defeated in the home one day series against the Windies a couple of years ago.

[Vrock]

Matthew Hoggard is playing.

Andrew Strauss wins the toss and elects to bat.

It's all going England's way so far.

I'm a shocked to see Ian Bell down at number 6, not too sure he'll have the chance to really make the kind of innings we have known him for - gritty and steady, batting with the tail is a whole different bag of nuts.

[Collyisamackem]

Originally Posted by Vrock

a whole different bag of nuts.

That's a new one to me! Kettle of fish or bag of nuts, which is better guys? I like it Vrock.

Full teams:

England: Tresco, Strauss*, Cook, Pietersen, Collingwood, Bell, Jones+, Plunkett, Hoggard, Harmison, Panesar.

Pakistan: Butt, Farhat, Iqbal, Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Razzaq, Afridi, Akmal, Sami, Gul, Kaneria.

England off to an absolute flyer, the run rate is past seven an over and they are 48/0 after 6.4 overs! Strauss 28 off 27 balls so far and Gul especially is struggling with the slope and bowling dross.

[greg]

So far Pakistan have bowled as badly as England did during the recent one day series against Sri Lanka.England currently 49-0 after only 8 overs.

It looks a decent batting track but we can't be totally sure as Pakistan have been so bad with the ball.Kaneria could be on before the end of the first hour the way things are going.

[Wanderer]

Hmmm..no Shoaib Malik. Nice.

Happy to see Butt up there again.

50 up for England. RR still great.

[Vrock]

There have been two notable edges, one from Struass and the other from Trescothick.

Most of the runs have come through poor bowling, straying in line and length has contributed to some leg side deliveries and poor control of swing has resulted in wides and byes.

England look the more comfortable side and the scorecard shows this but they haven't been perfect.

[Collyisamackem]

Rats. Tresco gone, caught behind off Gul for 16.

[Vrock]

The ball was fairly wide outside off stump, he took a swipe and got a lovely edge to Akmal.

Umar Gul takes the wicket, congratulations to him.

England are 60-1.

Cooky monster in now, he won't be swiping outside off stump.