Pakistan v England - 5th ODI

[Occasional Fan]

Starts tomorrow at 0600GMT in Rawalpindi, with England playing not only for pride but also for critical rating points. They are no longer certain to avoid the qualifying rounds of the ICCCT next year, and every rating point is vital in their efforts to avoid those extra games - so, in at least that sense, this is not a dead rubber.

For England, Steve Harmison, who was absent on Monday due to "flu", is listed as doubtful. (Of course, if he appears, it will demonstrate that he didn't have flu, only a cold, but let's leave that aside.) For Pakistan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shaoib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami may be rested having already put the series beyond England, making way for Yasir Hameed, Yasir Arafat and Mohammad Asif to get some experience ahead of the India v Pakistan series early next year.

BBC pre-match report here.

Please use this thread for your match comments.

[greg]

I hope that Ian Bell is given a chance in this game as the other bats aren't doing the business so it won't hurt to play him.Can't see anything other than another win for Pakistan.

[Uham]

I hope that Mohmmad asif does play for Shoiab Akhtar. I say that because he looks ver very tired. And I also think that Younis Khan should be captain. This is a good point to prove why he is vice cpt. I also think that Yasir Hammed will replace INZI. Eather Mohmmad Sami or Rana-Naved should get some rest. And I think the right choice is both of them leave for Araft and Arshad Khan[he bowled very well the 4th ODI he got a wicket his first over keep it up Arshad] , and or Danish Kaneria.


This Match for Pakistan is for pride ONLY and England to get in the top 6[LG Rankings].

[Occasional Fan]

Bell not even in the XII this time. Captain Trescothick leads from the front and is out for one run driving his fifth ball of the day. England 3-1 after 1.3 overs.

[sanizam]

.
M. Asif gets his first game.... Yasir Hameed and Arshad Khan are in place of Inzi, Shoaib Akhtar and M. Sami.... I just dont seem to understand England team selection.... Kabir Ali is drop, who played so well in the last game... still no Ian Bell... any other team would have realized their problem and would have played one keeper... i think Prior is a better bat than Jones... if i wuld have been England team selector i wuld have gone with this team....

1. Trescothick (c)
2. Prior (wk)
3. Strauss
4. Bell
5. Freddie
6. Colly
7. Solanki
8. Blackwell
9. Plunkett
10. Kabir Ali
11. Anderson
Super-Sub: Udal (If they r planning to bat second... as there was alot of turn in the last game)

I dont know who has more say in team selection..... Alot of people has stressed on this point here that England team management has assign roles to each player which i dont seem to be happening with England team... they havnt understood the ODI formula yet....
.

[greg]

52-3 Strauss out stumped.

Flintoff in,he won't bowl as he is carrying an ankle injury.So why is he playing at all in a dead rubber?

[Occasional Fan]

It is just mind-bogglingly stupid to send players with known injuries into battle. Quite apart from the fact that, if he breaks down, he will not be allowed a substitute, there is a risk of aggravating the injury. I do wish England would stop taking these chances: one day, they are going to end a man's career prematurely like this.

Your comment on the "dead rubber" is appropriate for the series, Greg, but as I said above, in the wider scheme of things England really need every rating point that is going, so they should be playing every game to win. Unfortunately, they are just arsing around as they have throughout in Pakistan.

[Zainub]

Ali by the looks of it hasn't been dropped, he's injured. Don't know how or when, but that's what one of the commentators said. Interesting team both England and Pakistan have picked today. Pitch is even drier then the one day before yesterday, so spinners will find assistance, it will be interesting to see how Udal does, Waqar Younus thought he should have played the one-day series to begin with, but I really have been impressed by Blackwell. Was he suggesting England played two spinners?

[Occasional Fan]

England 101-3 off thirty overs, which, using the rule of thumb that half the runs come in the last twenty sets Pakistan a target of nowhere near enough to be out of reach. I have to leave it there, but will check for a result later on - almost inevitably another win for Pakistan, I think. That means England will come home with one win under their belts from three tests and five ODIs. I don't think they'll be getting an open-top bus tour and Downing Street reception this side of Christmas somehow!

[Chuck Palumbo]

I think Udal should have played previously in this series. The fast bowlers have been cannon fodder on this pitch and it has been the slow bowlers that have kept the run rate down i.e Blackwell, Afridi, Arshad Khan, Malik etc so I definitely feel he should have been picked ahead of Harmison or Anderson. Udal is a better one day bowler than test one because he changes his pace well and his lack of ability of turning the ball isn't as big a factor in one day cricket.