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

Have put on 4163 runs @ almost 43 with 11 100+ stands.

Not the greatest record, IMO.

Any changes for England? Surely they must be considering Monty. Pakistan have played both Swann and Panesar terribly at various times over the last 5 years. I think they actually enjoy facing Tremlett on these pitches. Drop Morgan, get Bopara in there at six. We wont lose anything batting-wise, and unlike Morgan, Bopara is a useful bowler.

Strauss(c)
Cook
Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Bopara
Prior+
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Panesar

Not the greatest record, IMO.

True. I expected it to be better. But I guess Strauss' dire form has dragged it down quite a bit.

SG wrote:
True. I expected it to be better. But I guess Strauss' dire form has dragged it down quite a bit.

Twice. They were both all kinds of crap around 2006-2008. A real liability.

I reckon Strauss and Cook are our two mentally toughest batsmen, though. Would want them in the trenches etc.....

Yeah, agreed. But I wouldn't want them to be playing cricket in the trenches.

Oh come on. Cook's allowed one bad test considering he averages something like 80 since August 2010. Strauss is struggling, but i've got a feeling he'll come good. I know we've been saying that for a while, but the feeling remains.

I think Trott is right alongside, if not further up, mentally. His debut is still surreal.

I reckon a few choice words and a barrage of short, quick bowling can rattle Trott a bit and get him hot under the collar, leading to him playing a shot he wouldn't normally play. The Saffies did that a bit when England toured there in late 2009. Cook is our mentally toughest batsman. I've never seen him lose it on the field. I've seen him struggle, but i've never seen a tactic or sledging barrage lead to him changing his game.

Should have mentioned more specifically, Trott possibly ahead of Strauss. Cook is the calmest.

Henry wrote:Oh come on. Cook's allowed one bad test considering he averages something like 80 since August 2010. Strauss is struggling, but i've got a feeling he'll come good. I know we've been saying that for a while, but the feeling remains.

OK. But he hasn't come good for quite a while. So if we're using the trenches analogy, no, I wouldn't closing the face and nicking off to first slip. Or playing all around a straightie. Or if he'd got in a little, slapping it to gully.

I'll leave Cook out of this for the time being.

Tremlett's an injury doubt, apparently.

But that's always been his default setting, so I don't know if this enlightening news or not.

I wouldn't have thought he was going to play anyhow.

Henry wrote:Cook is our mentally toughest batsman. I've never seen him lose it on the field. I've seen him struggle, but i've never seen a tactic or sledging barrage lead to him changing his game.

Yeah defo, which is why he has been making ridiculous scores when his technique is looking good.

Is his technique looking good because no bowler has been skilful enough to examine it of recent times?