Pakistan v England, 2nd Test, Abu Dhabi, 25-29 January, 2012

Changes? Get your noms in now.

England's only potential change one would think would be to omit Tremlett for either another spinner (Panesar) or another quick Onions.

My money's on no change

Luke Wright is now available.

This bloke is also available

"His parents are Welsh, he grew up in Australia and played Test cricket for England.

Now Geraint Jones will make a surprise return to the international cricket arena in March when he represents Papua New Guinea at the World Twenty20 qualifier in the UAE."

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Well? Give Prior a run for his money?

Ravi B for Ian B? If England go in with 4 regular bowlers he could share 5th spot with Trott. Although conventional wisdom says no change to batting line-up Graham Gooch, as batting coach and Ravi mentor, may prove influential, if not decisive.

They will never drop Bell full-stop. Let alone for just two failures in a row.

Word has it that Monty will play. At the expense of whom, one does not know.

Tremlett possibly?
Morgan has also done diddly squat with 53 runs in 5 innings this tour.

Most likely to be a double-change if Bopara's going to come in and aye it'd be Morgan and Tremlett out for Monty and Bopara.

I reckon Trembles must be the most likely on account of his fruitless return, but who knows with Pingland.

Miandad taunts Eng's no.1 ranking

This one takes the cake,

"England is mainly the top side without playing in Asia and you must give credit to Pakistan that they have been playing with no home advantage and still they are winning. England are now the No. 1 team because they had the home advantage and never lost in their backyard."

So Dubai isn't like home for Pak? Because thats where they've been winning of late. Only time they ventured out of Asia during last 1 year or so, they couldn't even defeat WI in WI. Which was the last top team did Pak beat in their backyard?

What exactly is Miandad blabbering about?

I agree Eng has lot to prove in subcon but that just doesn't imaprt any sense in whatever Miandad is saying because its not that Pak is alighting the world with their stellar display in alien conditions for them.

And this series is not yet half way its course and he is already counting his chickens?

Aye SG, most of them have played more there than a few of the England players have at various venues around our country. Add to this Pak's absolutely sh!t away record over the last couple of years (won 7 lost 10 which isn't bad but that includes series in Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and two series in NZ) and the fact that last year we beat Aus 3-1(Pak have won 4 Tests ever) in Aus and the year before that we drew 1-1 in SA (Pak managed that once ever) then Miandad sounds ever more like a hyperbolic twat.

I recently heard that England have only won only 1 out of the 18 matches in Asia(Bombay 2006). So in that regard England have a lot to prove to be the undisputed # 1 side.

Meh. There have only been two undisputed #1 sides in the last 30 years. Point is they've done more than enough to achieve the top spot in the rankings given the recent shitness of all the other sides. But I agree, England have been abysmal in Asia and have to do more than just winning there to be seen as the clear top team... including beating SA at home.