only four deliveries short, due to rashid making 36. the last two wickets added 49, which took them past 300. the run rate took a hit, but it should be a defendable total
England in Pakistan now. First test, a 5-dayer, Pakistan 500 odd first innings, Eng replying on 250/3 and going well. But, there's nobody there! I've never seen emptier stands except for a county dead rubber on a wet thursday afternoon. What's going on?
root's 35th test 100. he's passed cook into 5th place in the most test runs list. 6th on most test 100s.
clearly this is a batting wicket, but it's not unusual for a team to fold in the 3rd or 4th innings. england could have a 300 lead by the end of tomorrow and skittle pakistan on the final day. a 300 lead would mean an 850 total, which would be 3rd/4th highest ever test total, but on a pitch like this and with 7 wickets left, it could be done.
Well done Sir Joe Root, both last couple of days but mainly becoming the most prolific English batsman in 150 years of test cricket. I read an interesting article anticipating that he could actually carry on to score 401 (highest individual test score). However, under Bazball, we will want to go for a win. We’re not far short of 5 runs an over now, so would want to score at 6 tomorrow (can’t believe we are talking that run rate in a test match) if we batted until tea tomorrow at 6 per over, that would be another 350ish (so around 300 lead). If they had wickets in hand, they would likely bat on until nearer the close, knowing the wicket will deteriorate on the final day, so potential another 450 in the day. So, maybe somewhere in between the two. If he did bat throughout Root would likely score 200 (at a push) of the 450. Overall highly unlikely that he’d score 225 in a day needed for the record. Brook however, just 30 odd less overnight would be far more likely to score 260 during the day as he does naturally score at that rate. Highly Unlikely, but I would suggest more likely than Root. As the article I read stated, either could even be out first ball tomorrow.
I wonder if this more positive way of playing has been the answer ? In the past we’re have come in and done bugger all in places like this and wickets would have been nibbled away .
this is england's second highest test partnership. the highest one is two runs higher. may & cowdrey 411 v windies in 1957.
according to the commentary on cricinfo, this is now england's highest ever stand for the 4th wicket. according to me, it's the highest england stand for any wicket.
since lunch, brook has added 41 and root has added 1. they're almost on the same score. this is now the 4th highest test partnership. ever.
the highest partnership by an away team in tests. (the previous best was 451 by bradman and ponsford in 1934)
this is now england's third highest total. brooks has now scored more test runs in pakistan than he has in england!
