Bell dropped

Bell has one run off 24 balls. slow.

comment by Afridi14 (U2805)
posted 16 minutes ago
Dead and flat pitch... Why aren't England scoring at 3.5 - 4 win over?
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Ask Moeen and Bell. Captain Cook seems perfectly content (touch wood) scoring at a strike rate of around 60.

This has all the hallmarks of yet another dreadful innings by Ian Bell. Hopefully, finally, the selectors will realise this is the norm and the odd pretty 150 under no pressure is very much the exception.

Flatters to deceive more than bloody Spurs and Liverpool combined, does Ian Bell. Gonna be banging the "Bell out" drum even harder than usual this series, because every series he's still in the team is another series too far.

Surprise surprise the yawnfest continues. Absolutely riviting stuff this like

turgid

Its was nice that Ali got to Open on one of the flattest pitches you will ever see. Looks like He will be the new England Opener for at least 6 months.

Ahh well shame for Hayles as he could have gone to town on a pitch like this.

Hales will open against the Saffers. Rashid wont be playing and Ali will be back at 8.

Ask Moeen and Bell. Captain Cook seems perfectly content (touch wood) scoring at a strike rate of around 60.
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Bit harsh on bell he was only there for around 4 overs worth of balls.

Ali had a strike rate of 26 after over 100 balls

Paks had England on the hook on the last 40 mins of that session, next session will decide which way this test is going... Pakistan have shot themselves in the foot by not having a replacement spinner for Yasir shah....

Albion - agree not the greatest of games to date... But ffs do you need to tell us what we know every 30 mins... Being a supporter of west bum Albion, I would have thought your fairly used to boring, yawnfest and sleepy displays up that end. Pulis puts me to sleep after his first sentence in interviews, let alone the hoof ball he employs. So, when it comes to comments on boredom of sporting games, I'll take your comments seriously - experience!

comment by 🐑Serial🐑 (U20699)
posted less than a minute ago
Hales will open against the Saffers. Rashid wont be playing and Ali will be back at 8.
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So Hayles get the fortune of facing the great Steyn, Morklel, Philander on good bowling wickets wheras Ali got this featherbed nice.

You know it's a shttt game when west brom fans start to complain about being bored. Taking it to the next level that

Got to feel abit sorry for Rashid though, this was meant to be a spinners pitch but so far after 200 Overs the spinners havent taken a single wicket loll.

You think that Hales with his hard hands and tendancy to play early would be a success on this deck? Look how many times he chipped to mid wicket and cover in the ODI series recently.

Ali is the right choice for the conditions.

Yeah, Rashid has been harshly dealt with. But some of the other spinners are controlling the run-rate and that's what Rashid didn't do... Way too many loose balls

comment by BO$$™ (U6401)
posted 5 minutes ago
Ask Moeen and Bell. Captain Cook seems perfectly content (touch wood) scoring at a strike rate of around 60.
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Bit harsh on bell he was only there for around 4 overs worth of balls.

Ali had a strike rate of 26 after over 100 balls
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He's on 1 off 27 balls and has been a walking wicket. If anything, I'm being generous to him by lumping him in with Moeen - at least Moeen looked fairly secure.

I think bells 2 drops have got to his head... Mentally lost it. Needs to get himself in.

Would you rather he come out charging down the pitch just before lunch?

Would you rather he come out charging down the pitch just before lunch?
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If he did that the haters would just says he threw his wicket away b4 lunch and should have defended.

It you want someone to blame for the poor scoring rate play the 2 that had been there for 45 overs. not 5.

Just popped on for a second...England don't attack the spinners. Its not how England play cricket..
And Ian Bell is getting to the end now. If he fails in this series. cant see him going to South Africa.
Hes mentally gone.hes always had the personality of a wet fish anyways

Serial, I agree mostly with what you said. But would rather Moeen went to 6 rather than 8. Stokes is not a number 6 neither is Buttler.

comment by BO$$™ (U6401)
posted 2 minutes ago
Would you rather he come out charging down the pitch just before lunch?
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If he did that the haters would just says he threw his wicket away b4 lunch and should have defended.

It you want someone to blame for the poor scoring rate play the 2 that had been there for 45 overs. not 5.
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I'll blame the groundsman and most likely the Pakistan captain and board

comment by englandwhoelse (U16825)
posted 25 seconds ago
Serial, I agree mostly with what you said. But would rather Moeen went to 6 rather than 8. Stokes is not a number 6 neither is Buttler.
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Buttler will lose the gloves unless he does something to seriously turn around his own slump. I like Stokes at 6. What you have to accept with him and it was the same with Flintoff, he's not going to be hugely consistent, but will win you matches.

You can't have it both ways lads... Sayings it's a flat track (which it is) but at the same time not scoring at a decent rate despite apparently it not doing anything for the bowlers... Where's the fine line?

But flintoff was not a number 6 either.his record was poor there. I would rather we actually had a top 6.. Moeen is half decent spinner but that's about it. Think hes likely to get more runs at 6 than Stokes.