England vs Pakistan 1st Test Abu Dhabi

[spring hall convert]

Finn ruled out with injury after an impressive showing in the warm up, Rashid makes his debut, Mooen Ali will open and no room for James Taylor after he top scored in the warm up.

Impressive young Pakistani leg spinner Yasir Shah is out through injury.

Surprisingly, the pitch is flat and slow. There might be an argument that England could have lost a seamer and played 3 spinners.

England: Alastair Cook (capt), Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson.

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Shan Masood, Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Wahab Riaz, Zulfiqar Babar, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan (no not that one.)

Anderson took an early wicket but Pakistan now going smoothly at 46-1. Ian Bell dropped a dolly off Anderson to reprieve Hafeez on 7.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Is there a worse venue anywhere?

 

[Beach Hut]

On TMS someone is clearly trying to phone someone on the same live feed which is very irritating.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Pakistan 82-1 at lunch. Flat pitch.

 

[LlcoolJ]

Good start but bad drop by Bell and normal service since then on a very dull pitch.

 

[Greyrun]

When play started there were 56 people watching!

 

[pasty]

Oh FFS! A "wicket" chalked off for a no ball. Stuart Broad

It's going to be difficult enough out there to get wickets without bowling no balls.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Oh FFS! A "wicket" chalked off for a no ball. Stuart Broad

It's going to be difficult enough out there to get wickets without bowling no balls.

And Bell's dropped dolly catch when Hafeez was in single figures....we don't arf like making it difficult for ourselves....

 

[Nathan]

Hafeez gone for 98. 173/2.

 

[pasty]

Younis Khan c Cook b Broad 38

Pak 247/3

 

[Chicken Run]

Seeing as I'm In Dubai at present I can confirm this will have been a long hot day in the field for the boy's.

 

[spring hall convert]

Well done for hanging in there England, one more before close and it's our day, 251-4 as Anderson picks up Misbah.

30 overs for 133 from the spinners is a big worry though.

 

[Bold Seagull]

How on earth was Misbah given on the evidence they had to turn over the umpire's not out!?? Incredible decision really, no snicko or hotspot, can only presume 3rd umpire has done it on stump mic and video replays (which were inconclusive)...

 

[spring hall convert]

For god's sake get bell out of the slips.

That was even easier than the first one.

 

[The Birdman]

Catches win games poor old Ian Bell

 

[spring hall convert]

286-4 at close. A second slip with half an idea and it looks much better at 286-6. Even better if it wasn't for Broad's no ball wicket.

Even more so than usual on tracks like this, you have to take your chances.

 

[Bold Seagull]

He's got poor technique for a slip fielder. His body should be moving with his arms to the ball, not just stretching his arms out. Got to get him out of there...

 

[El Presidente]

Now 471-4

Rashid 0-160 off 33 overs, the worst debut figures for an England bowler EVER.

Just as well KP isn't playing, as without the great dressing room atmosphere we have under our dear leader Andrew Strauss Pakistan would be out of sight otherwise.

 

[maltaseagull]

Will we get 200 in our first innings?

 

[Luke93]

This is an incredibly tedious watch. Let's just hope Engalnd can bat on this dead surface.