Cricket fred

[Banquo]

Appears to be doing pretty well with it - onto 24 at tea and not looking too troubled. His wicketkeeping's still not good enough, but he's justifying his position with his batting right now (although a quick loss of his wicket after the interval will change that opinion).

Puja

I think his lack of keeping ability is a little overstated, he's as good as Bairstow (better standing back, not as good standing up). Not as good as Foakes. That said he shouldn't be at 6, but he's knuckling down. They certainly are investing a lot in him though!

Cracking ton from creepy.

He's had a fair old run of mistakes this series and comparing him to Bairstow's keeping is not a compliment! Still, he has shown great improvement in his keeping and his batting is back to being good enough to keep him in the team regardless of the occasional wobble. 50 up while I'm typing!

Crawley looks an absolute belter - he just has such good technique. I'd want to keep him at 3 for the moment rather than even discuss him opening - he just brings a lot of other players down to a more comfortable position (Root at 4, Pope at 5, Stokes at 6, Buttler at 7), and Burns will regather form sooner or later.

Puja

Definitely wouldn't move Crawley- has he opened much?

Buttler had precious few mistakes prior to this summer, and even then it was one very bad innings. His keeping standing up needs work, but unsure how he gets that tbh. I do agree that neither he nor Bairstow are top class keepers- and I'm from the generation when keepers were specialists and batting a bonus; but a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then . Given a more stable upper order, Buttler's batting could be able to rival Gilchrists imo, maybe not quite as world class.

[Digby]

Score looks decent if we don't lose late wickets, but yet again most of the batting lineup has failed.

And whilst Root got a good nut today he's gone from a batsman who doesn't convert 50s into 100s to a player who doesn't covert 20s into 50s

[Banquo]

Score looks decent if we don't lose late wickets, but yet again most of the batting lineup has failed.

And whilst Root got a good nut today he's gone from a batsman who doesn't convert 50s into 100s to a player who doesn't covert 20s into 50s

Yep- really only two have played well,but they have been brilliant. Both under some pressure, but a really very good partnership. Butler gave Crawley a lot of the strike early and rotated well- very good scoring rate.

But all of the others are a concern. Root particularly is so obviously a lesser batsman when captain.

[Digby]

The new ball hasn't done nowt. And with the pitch looking like it might get uneven in height we're in a great position

I know I'd said Pakistan were badly set up to defend in sensible fashion as a bowling unit, but they have been away from home in a lonely bubble for a long time now, this cannot be easy for them.

[Banquo]

I’d give a lot of credit to this pair- at 4 down, Pakistan’s strategy had gone well, despite Abbas having no luck. When the partnership got established, the lack of a real fifth bowler hurt. But these two have been brilliant.

Agree it’s very tough on Pakistan.

[Puja]

Superb effort from Crawley. Not content with just a maiden century, he's seen the day out and he's now just a Joe Denly innings away from a double hundred.

Puja

[Big D]

Very good from the pair of them.

Was encouraging seeing Sibley trying something a little different from his norm. Shows he is trying to develop.

[Galfon]

Excellent showing by the pair of them, and the series should be put to bed.Crawley showing real class and Buttler redemption continues- Eng have a good group of young players building their credentials. Just need to build consistency and not let games drift to be a competitive unit.( Bess needs more opportunities in the right circumstances ).India will be interesting.

[fivepointer]

Outstanding partnership. We rarely see one that goes beyond 200 so hats off to Crawley and Buttler who came together at a very sticky moment.
Crawley timed the ball beautifully and Buttler has turned a corner.

[Banquo]

why not lunch during delay?

[Banquo]

Biff time for Buttler surely?

[Banquo]

Great knock- and unselfish at the end. Really good from all the Pakistan team in congratulating him too.

[Digby]

I don't love that dismissal of Crawley. It feels a little churlish to complain given some of our tactics from not so long ago under Hussain and even Vaughan with Giles bowling outside leg stump, but the rules had I thought changed in the interim, okay maybe if Shafiq was a leg spinner looking to rip a leg break out of the rough, but for an off spinner to be pitching there is... interesting. Maybe on the delivery in question he saw Crawley coming and did well to fire it wide, but plenty of balls have pitched outside leg today, enough I'd have been expecting more from the umps

[Digby]

Watching Buttler get out I was struck by the thought I could do that, but only the prod forward with no thought part, he gets a pass for the 150 in the bank before playing a tired shot

[Digby]

I assume we'll be bowling soon

[Digby]

Took longer to start bowling than I'd have liked, but Jimmy is doing the business

[Digby]

Confusion again from Archer, or maybe he was just using that over to warm up

[Puja]

And speaking of Buttler having worked on his keeping, he's taken some belters today. The one off Bess in the morning was the kind of sharp one he'd not even have got gloves to a year or so back. And the diving catch off Shah was an absolute worldie - full stretch, down the legside, one handed and taking it in the tips of his glove - if he cost us runs last test by dropping catches he should take, that was the utter reverse in taking one that no-one would blame him for not reaching or not holding onto. Credit where credit is absolutely due. Plus no crowd means we got the stump mic picking up Broad laughing at it and saying "What a catch that is! Ridiculous."

Pity no-one else was catching today though. Anderson has three catches dropped off his bowling in the space of two overs, with one of them being a candidate for Question of Sport - easy catch to Broad at mid-on which he spoons, the Pakistani batsmen are trying to sneak a single, and, in frustration, Broad hurls the ball at the stumps, scoring a direct hit which gets a runout.

Still, job eventually done, follow-on enforced and you'd like to think it's only the weather that'll keep us from the win.

Puja

[Digby]

They were pointing out for our dropped catches it was really dark out there, and too the slip cordon had come in close to try and prevent chances falling short. They might not have been quite the sitters they looked.

Buttler was brilliant though, much better footwork and glove-work outside those catches, and on the chances that one off Broad was outstanding, even down to adjusting the ball in the glove so it didn't spill out, Dujon would've been proud of that

[Banquo]

If Jimmy ends his career on 599, Broads drop will be even more embarrassing.

Amazing how Buttler has gone from being not up to the job to being a heroic keeper in the space of one innings.

[Puja]

If Jimmy ends his career on 599, Broads drop will be even more embarrassing.

Amazing how Buttler has gone from being not up to the job to being a heroic keeper in the space of one innings.

I will give him credit where it's due - he has clearly worked hard on his keeping across his career and, while the flurry of mistakes last test won't stop worrying me about his reliability going forward, he's played a blinder this game so far and showed great mental strength under pressure.

Puja

[Banquo]

If Jimmy ends his career on 599, Broads drop will be even more embarrassing.

Amazing how Buttler has gone from being not up to the job to being a heroic keeper in the space of one innings.

I will give him credit where it's due - he has clearly worked hard on his keeping across his career and, while the flurry of mistakes last test won't stop worrying me about his reliability going forward, he's played a blinder this game so far and showed great mental strength under pressure.

Puja

quickest volte face in history #justsaying

[Puja]

If Jimmy ends his career on 599, Broads drop will be even more embarrassing.

Amazing how Buttler has gone from being not up to the job to being a heroic keeper in the space of one innings.

I will give him credit where it's due - he has clearly worked hard on his keeping across his career and, while the flurry of mistakes last test won't stop worrying me about his reliability going forward, he's played a blinder this game so far and showed great mental strength under pressure.

Puja

quickest volte face in history #justsaying

I adjust my views when the evidence changes! I'm not jngf!

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Buttler now back to being the worst ‘keeper in the world. Anderson could be at 700 if they’d taken all their catches.

[Banquo]

I will give him credit where it's due - he has clearly worked hard on his keeping across his career and, while the flurry of mistakes last test won't stop worrying me about his reliability going forward, he's played a blinder this game so far and showed great mental strength under pressure.

Puja

quickest volte face in history #justsaying

I adjust my views when the evidence changes! I'm not jngf!

Puja