Beautiful performance from Dubois last night. He pulverised Joshua from start to finish. He now deserves his shot at the winner of Fury and Usyk. The lad has a big future ahead of him. The undercard was poor, it must be said. And what a dirge Liam Gallagher served up. Simply awful.
I’ve been setting the alarm for 5.45am to watch the Test Match in Multan. What a credit to the country Joe Root is Today he became the leading run scorer in the history of English Test cricket. He still has another 3,000 plus runs to get to surpass Tendulkar, and become the greatest Test batsman of all time, but at the age of 33 there is every chance that he will do it.
The pitch in Multan is a road. Pitches like that will kill Test cricket stone dead. You have to try to produce a pitch that gives a bit of help to the bowlers. That way the best batsmen are rewarded. Root is a fantastic batsman and character. He has a good few years left in him should he want to carry on. I am very impressed with Duckett and Brooks. Less so with Pope.
Re: the pitch. I am sure the groundsman will dump tonnes of water on it overnight. Either that, or it will start to break up. The big factor in this Test is not the state of the wicket, but the heat. It’s 34 degrees in the shade out there today. It’s a real feat of endurance to put together a score in such conditions.
I think a big factor in this Test is the pitch. But the heat does play a big role in the Sub Continent. It tests your concentration and fitness.
I think we will quickly look to draw level with them & then throw the bat for a 100-150 lead. Still every chance of a result here.
How bad is Pakistan’s batting in the third innings? England look a decent Test side with Archer, Wood and Stokes to come back. If everyone stays fit we might get a chance in Oz.
Pakistan ranked bottom of the 2024 Test rankings for a reason this will be their 6th defeat in a row.
What a fantastic Test match. Joe Root is a near genius. He was a poor Captain, but left to concentrate on his batting he is a once in a lifetime player. One cloud on the horizon - this year, and basically playing dunmies all season, is meant to be a prep for the Ashes in 2025. With Ben Stokes the Chuks Aneke of cricket, and Ollie Pope one of the weak links in the team, I fear that the selectors could turn to Harry Brook as a potential skipper …which we don’t need when the bloke averages 60 in Test cricket.
I would play Stokes, if fit, instead of Pope. Pope is too in and out, but England are in a good place.
Not a massive fan off cricket but did watch this test or at least the bits after 8am and amazed at 3 things 1. how good is Joe root 2. How badly Pakistan wilted. 3. Why was nobody at the game.
That's the most worrying question of all. In the near future crowds of real people at sporting events simply won't matter. Here comes the future of elite football as well. A European Super League, with only a smattering of the super-rich plus corporate hospitality guests (Sir Keir & chums) actually at matches, and 'atmosphere' provided by special effects - like those we saw during lockdown - fake crowd noises and sights. All totally at the mercy of media manipulators, who'll show crowds of diverse non-people as part of the window dressing to encourage pay-TV subscriptions. A fantasy product that is totally controlled and totally fake. I wonder how long it will be* before the TV gurus decide to replicate the circumstances of England's record-breaking result in Pakistan, in the hope of another triple century partnership etc. *Oh wait a minute. The week after next.
