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Loading ...If the pressure is apparently off in this dead rubber game, do you think Tresco will go on to make a big score or will he plonk out again? Same question of KP.
Live chat: Eng v Pak, 4th Test, The Oval, 1st day
By Will 2 years ago, mid-August Leave a comment on this post
It’s the first day of the final Test, and not the dead-rubber it might appear. In short, this Test is as much an audition for England’s Ashes hopefuls as the summer’s finale. The players are all dead-batting their insistence that their focus remains on beating Pakistan but, come on…some of them must have half an eye (or maybe even a whole one) on their chances of making the trip to Australia.
It’s all very exciting. Pakistan are in a bit of a mess, but don’t you dare write them off; they could burst back into life very quickly and very easily. Ergo - chat away! I’ll be on ball-by-ball tomorrow (I’m posting this in advance) and will be “on the air” from about 9.50am BST. Keep an eye on it for the score and more; sod the boss, he won’t even know what Cricinfo is anyway.
And get chatting. By stumps, I expect to see a whole tirade of excitable, angry or downright bizarre comments to summarise the day’s proceedings!
Tags: england, pakistan, pakistan-in-england, the-oval |
32 Responses to “Live chat: Eng v Pak, 4th Test, The Oval, 1st day”
August 17th, 2006 at 11.03 am
August 17th, 2006 at 12.52 pm
Go and read Sean Ingle’s interview with Bumble over at the Guardian. It is hilarious, particularly his phonecall from Boycott. And, …. “oh, Lulu!”
If it ever stops raining, I’d like some of England’s senior players to show a bit of form — Trescothick, Hoggard, Harmison. And I’d also like to see Pakistan play well — their bowling looked a lot more menacing first up today.
August 17th, 2006 at 12.55 pm
Bell and Collingwood competing for one place in the Ashes side one suspects, assuming Freddie will slot back in at No6? Or dare we contemplate playing all 3 with Flintoff at 7 and Read at 8, in a side with just 4 front line bowlers?
August 17th, 2006 at 1.57 pm
I kinew it, Tres goes for 6 off 43 balls. What a bloody waste. I had a bet with myself that he’d edge one to slips, but gully wasn’t far wrong.
Anyone know if Bumble’s accepted the Stones ticket?
August 17th, 2006 at 2.23 pm
and KP gone first ball. What a plonker 
August 17th, 2006 at 2.42 pm
Uh oh . . . not enjoying this much tonight . . . What’s going on guys?
August 17th, 2006 at 2.51 pm
I think what’s going on is that they are facing some very good bowling.
It’s damn near 2am here and I keep falling asleep and every time the Pakistanis appeal, it jerks me awake! Better go to bed. God knows what the score will look like when I wake up.
August 17th, 2006 at 2.56 pm
I can’t even bear to refresh my cricinfo screen anymore, and that’s a first…
*sigh* They’re not just throwing away their wickets, they’re bloody putting them on a bonfire.
August 17th, 2006 at 2.57 pm
Kathy, is it 2am today or tomorrow for you? Are you in NZ or something? It’s bad enough for me staying awake at 10pm (oh don’t laugh, you young ‘uns - it has a lot to do with three small children)!
August 17th, 2006 at 3.00 pm
A mate of mine at the Oval told me this morning that it looked like a good bowling pitch and he agreed with Inzy’s decision to field first. According to one rumour of the day, most of the team were nursing hangovers this morning. While this may not be true, they sure are playing like it.
August 17th, 2006 at 3.07 pm
Hangovers, huh? Bit of complacency creeping in. Wonder what they were celebrating.
Caroline, it is tomorrow and it is NZ. We’re ahead of everybody. And I have two small children and tomorrow is not going to be fun. Why can’t they play Tests at a decent hour? Usually I tape most of it and watch it the next day, but when the wickets started to fall, I couldn’t drag myself away.
August 17th, 2006 at 3.20 pm
Total sympathy, Kathy. I am spoiled - my husband has set up an cable from the computer to the bedroom, with a spare speaker. I can lie in bed and listen to commentary from the other side of the world. Usually fall asleep around tea, then wake up some hours later with the Five Live jingle going round and round - well, it’s nearly perfect! That and the sound effects of him conquering the world or flying to the moon or something while I’m listening . . .
Wraye, I’ll be extremely pissed off if they are hungover - I was really enjoying the last two tests.
August 17th, 2006 at 3.28 pm
Mon dieu, this is looking very like Pakistan in the first innings at Old Trafford. The Bear within is very sad to see Ian Bell get out for so few - not that, considering the rest of the card, it looks likely he will be blamed. If another wicket goes down (with the score presently on 92-5) I’m tempted to suggest throwing the bat a bit and trying to make a go of the conditions ourselves. I will admit to being amused when Inzy put us in this morning - more fool me, obviously!
August 17th, 2006 at 3.41 pm
Hi girls, I’m pretty miffed at the boys myself. I was really hoping to see them grab the situation by the short and curlies. We’re going to be all out before the end of the day but think positive. Then it’s our turn to bowl … Any bets on how Monty will get Inzy out this time. How about handled the ball?
My sympathys too, ladies. My kids are grown up now and take care of themselves. It will be your turn to laugh in November when we are DownUnder. Am already looking forward to those sleepless nights 
August 17th, 2006 at 3.57 pm
Sigh. Well, here comes the tail - bets ladies and gents? I’m going to hold out for 150. Hopefully not too optimistic…
August 17th, 2006 at 4.10 pm
I’m listening to this on Radio 4. Not a lot of fun. If Reid (the last remaining proper batsman - it’s currently 117-6) gets a few that would be some consolation I guess.
Meanwhile to add to the torment, Boycott’s boring on about how we should go back to uncovered pitches. That’s got to be the deadest debate in sport, hasn’t it?
August 17th, 2006 at 4.56 pm
Most of Boycott’s debates tend to be among the deadest in cricket - but this might be why I tend to unmute Sky whenever TMS want to give him the time of day.
Nice to see that my last prediction has been overturned. Always good to see England defeating my more pessimistic of musings. Still, I’d hate to speak (or is it type?) too soon… but does anyone think we can make 200+?
I suppose we’ll probably know by the end of the session, extended as it is. Studentdom at least allows me to sit around all summer and actually ponder this kind of thing.
August 17th, 2006 at 5.09 pm
Afternoon all - am stopping off in Loughborough on the way up to Ayr. Luckily the family we are staying with have wireless internet so I’m in ther dining room being unsociable.
Read seems to be doing ok with The Hogster in tow - hope I’ve not just jinxed them.
I’d just like to say - this is an excellent test for England, good bowling conditions and Mohammed Asif back for Pak.
August 17th, 2006 at 5.15 pm
Not sure you can be blamed for commentator’s curse… At least we’re going to see Monty actually face a situation where every run he gets is important for the first time this series.
August 17th, 2006 at 5.35 pm
That’s Read gone, played on.
August 17th, 2006 at 5.36 pm
…and my 18 overs a side village match cancelled tonight due to this heavy rain. What a day !
August 17th, 2006 at 5.54 pm
I’ve been half asleep listening to it as well. Everytime I’ve woken, England have lost a wicket today. Lets hope it works on Pakistan!
I wrote a blog about the captaincy debate this morning if anyone wants a read:
dunksblog.blogspot.com
It made me laugh when they said Panesar had practised longer than anyone else in the nets on TMS. He promptly missed his first ball - what a waste of time!
August 17th, 2006 at 6.05 pm
I miss evening league - something decent to do after work.
August 17th, 2006 at 6.07 pm
See what I did with that last post? I assumed that he’d get runs. That’s what I did wrong. Sorry Monty.
I’m a little bit concerned by the lack of skittling going on with the (latest) Pakistani openers.
August 17th, 2006 at 6.09 pm
If I had a game to go to today, it’d be rained off - veritable midland monsoon. But no ‘real’ cricket for me until term starts.
August 17th, 2006 at 9.59 pm
What a cracking day. Go England. Woohoo.
“We’re fully focused and gonna win the last match” my nob. It just goes to prove that very few things have changed in the England camp.
OR, are they allowed the odd bad day now and then?
August 17th, 2006 at 10.12 pm
Not so much as allowed as inevitable I guess. Positivity is a good thing - right? But real point is: Pakistan bowled and fielded very well, for the first time this series. We really didn’t. Certainly there’s enough from this match to question to credibility of calls for a 4 man attack, just because we’re squeamish of dropping batsmen in form. At least Younis’ wicket has fallen - not much else to be chirpy about.
August 17th, 2006 at 10.17 pm
interesting day 1
saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaajid mahmooooooooooooooooooooooood
saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaajid mahmooooooooooooooooood
thers only 1 saaaaajid mahmoooooooood
x x x x
August 17th, 2006 at 11.09 pm
i’ve got it now.Doh!Reid has three first names.
August 17th, 2006 at 11.13 pm
Bring back Wheelie-Bin! He’d get some runs.
Worst thing was watching Trescothick disintegrate in the face of his own doubts, sharp bowling and chirping from short leg.
Pakistan finally pulled finger and deserved their first day. And it’s that old question — did England win the series because they were great or because Pakistan were crap?
August 17th, 2006 at 11.27 pm
England hav’nt a snowballs in Antartica of winning the Ashes.Great teams only appear occasionally.We might win the footy world cup in 2066 - but I doubt if there will be a -I mean there will be a world but nobody on it.Oh and nine lives.
August 18th, 2006 at 12.03 am
Hurry up! delta G = delta T-T delta S.
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