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

Google the difference between reign and rein.

Oh ok ok. Grammar police.

I had a f*cking long and alcohol fuelled night last night. Regn, rein, rain. Whatf*ckingever!

Henry wrote:Oh ok ok. Grammar police.

I had a f*cking long and alcohol fuelled night last night. Regn, rein, rain. Whatf*ckingever!

There's a slight difference between correcting grammar and using a word that has exactly the opposite meaning to which you are trying to imply.

Probably. Meh.

Pakistan used their referrals judiciously too but don't think they would be the world's #1 team just yet because their batting looks a bit fragile and they're still inclined to panic a bit in the field. But they're very well led, united and disciplined which is a credit to Misbah and their admin. after all the controversy.

Sky Sports - the Wikipedia of British TV - had it wrong yet again when they stated that the Wellington match in February 1978 was the only match, prior to yesterday, in which England had been bowled out needing 150 or less to win. There is an even more notable instance in the pre-TV era when, set only 85 to win, England were bowled out for 77.

This was, of course, "Spofforth's Match" at The Oval in August 1882 which resulted in the famous mock-obituary notice in The Sporting Times announcing the death of English cricket with, the body having been cremated, the ashes taken to Australia (despite the fact that it was a one-off Test which would no longer qualify as an Ashes contest nowadays).

Good times, I remember it like it was yesterday. The Demon was on fire.

Reportedly, one spectator chewed through the handle of his umbrella and one perished from a heart attack on that dramatic last (and 2nd) day. I blame you, Skully.

Here's the scorecard:

England v. Australia, Kennington Oval, 28-29 August 1882

Hornby's men did at least score more and get nearer their target than Straussy & Co did yesterday.

It was my great great grandfather doing the chewing, AD. I inherited said umbrella and have it framed on the wall.

Mine was the one who had the heart attack. I have him framed on the wall.

jim rich wrote:twattwattwattwattwat....The very same attack becomes mediocre when asked to play in conditions tailor-made for the game in Asia. Whitewash in the Emirates? Whitewash in SL? And then……? Here’s ten quid that says England will have crashed to three or below before April 2012. .....twattwattwattwattwattwat

Whoa whoa whoa The very same attack? Well, considering Bresnan was playing for most of last year blah blah blah.... but that's not even the point - what IS the point? I hear you ask... hmmm, discounting the 16/0 as our bowlers had no chance of getting them out Pakistan have managed to score 809 runs in three innings. I think that's around 269 per innings... oh yeah, they're climbing all over us.

Oh, also, I'll take your ten quid, cheers... it's not possible for us to be below three or even at three by April 2012. PM me for my bank details, y'c*ck.

Also, I think we all need to get a little context to this whole debacle. I think we all MUST NOT get all squealy and hyperbolic. I'm the first to criticise England and the likelihood is we'll recede... HOWEVER is YOUR team THAT good??? No is the answer. By 'you' I don't just mean Jim Bitch I'm on about any single one of you. So any allusions to some sort of dominance is frankly laughable. Your teams all have massive flaws that can most likely be exploited by England. And other teams. So, we've done our usual trick of losing in subcontinental conditions to some 'mystery'... How many times is that going to happen in the round-robin of Test cricket?

BM continues his entries for "Spirit of Cricket Forums" Award.

Allan D wrote:BM continues his entries for "Spirit of Cricket Forums" Award.

I don't mind if people deal in truths. People just need to get perspective. I'm here to try and steer them into an enlightened train of thought that will supercede any ex-colonial inferiority complexes that they let burnish deep within.

Good luck with that one then :ale: