There might be something wrong with Jacks but the fact that he has only bowled 8 overs in the match, as opposed to Root's 26, otherwise suggests that Stokes has reached the stage of not trusting Jacks. That does rather make Jacks superfluous as there's no point having two average off spinners in the side, one of which the skipper is reluctant to use.
However, with Stokes clearly unable or unwilling to bowl because of his knee (not one ball delivered by him in the match) we are in the situation of either bringing Foakes back or leaving Pope with the gloves for the final Test and playing Ahmed. I hope that we give the latter a chance but that has to be a short term solution so far as the gloves are concerned because, as much as Pope has done admirably well, he is no long term solution - too many balls are being clung to the chest as a precaution and doing the job clearly affected his ability to bat in his normal batting situation in the second innings.
Anderson has come on and found one edge that went through the slips and then Wood is on at the other end - without a single slip. But the plan to ball nothing but short stuff to Nawaz works as he gets a tickle down the leg side to Pope.
Same combo and same mode of dismissal. The ball might have touched the ground when in Pope's gloves but the 3rd Umpire gives Shakeel out and he has to go for an excellent 94
That's a 50/50 decision, reckon his finger might have been dislodged by the ground, maybe the ball stayed in his gloves though
Now here's the thing. I agree but the standing Umpire's soft signal only now applies if the technology isn't working so should the benefit have gone to the batsman? Pakistan probably believe so and I think we would too.
An excellent burst from Wood nevertheless in dismissing Pakistan's two potential match winners. It's lunch and Pakistan still require 64 runs with just 3 wickets in hand
In Pope's favour, in real time the ball would barely have had time to hit the ground before his dislodged finger came back and clasped it. But I don't envy the 3rd umpire there
That's a 50/50 decision, reckon his finger might have been dislodged by the ground, maybe the ball stayed in his gloves though
Now here's the thing. I agree but the standing Umpire's soft signal only now applies if the technology isn't working so should the benefit have gone to the batsman? Pakistan probably believe so and I think we would too.
An excellent burst from Wood nevertheless in dismissing Pakistan's two potential match winners. It's lunch and Pakistan still require 64 runs with just 3 wickets in hand
Fair enough. I didn't realise the rule had changed
Pope thought he caught it. The umpires thought he caught it. Slow motion replays failed to say he didn’t catch it, so zero problems. Far closer decisions than that have been given out previously. 3 wickets to get.
Pope thought he caught it. The umpires thought he caught it. Slow motion replays failed to say he didn’t catch it, so zero problems. Far closer decisions than that have been given out previously. 3 wickets to get.
Sorry but players almost always think they've caught it and it really is the case in situations where the glove hits the ground or when the ball is underneath them at the time of impact. These guys are there to win matches and whilst they aren't going to necessarily cheat, they certainly aren't going to admit that they think that the ball might have touched the ground - even if they could tell whether it had.
The standing Umpire's soft signal has no bearing whatsoever on the decision now unless the technology fails so it is exactly the same situation as any other review - it is in the hands of the 3rd Umpire to decide. And he decided it was out. But that's not to say that the ball didn't actually touch the ground and I'm sure had that been an England batsman in those circumstances we wouldn't have been quite so understanding.
We only have one review left because of that absurd decision to take one just before lunch when the ball wouldn't have hit two sets of stumps. We are almost in Tim Paine territory. But not quite.
If Ahmed has to carry the drinks in the next Test then it really is the case that he is there to make him feel part of the England squad and as a distraction for the offers he received to play T20 this winter. He might have to bat at 7 if Stokes can't bowl but he is a genuine all rounder and it's not as if Jacks has contributed massively in that regard (av 22.25)
Comments
210-5
However, with Stokes clearly unable or unwilling to bowl because of his knee (not one ball delivered by him in the match) we are in the situation of either bringing Foakes back or leaving Pope with the gloves for the final Test and playing Ahmed. I hope that we give the latter a chance but that has to be a short term solution so far as the gloves are concerned because, as much as Pope has done admirably well, he is no long term solution - too many balls are being clung to the chest as a precaution and doing the job clearly affected his ability to bat in his normal batting situation in the second innings.
England seamers: 18 wickets @ 24.94
England spinners: 17 wickets @ 49.18
Pakistan seamers: 10 wickets @ 57.30
Pakistan spinners: 25 wickets @ 35.04
Both sides' bowlers have taken 35 wickets but the difference in profile of what type of bowler is pretty obvious
290-6 with 65 required and Shakeel on 93*
291-7
An excellent burst from Wood nevertheless in dismissing Pakistan's two potential match winners. It's lunch and Pakistan still require 64 runs with just 3 wickets in hand
The standing Umpire's soft signal has no bearing whatsoever on the decision now unless the technology fails so it is exactly the same situation as any other review - it is in the hands of the 3rd Umpire to decide. And he decided it was out. But that's not to say that the ball didn't actually touch the ground and I'm sure had that been an England batsman in those circumstances we wouldn't have been quite so understanding.
Bowls Mahmood. 36 needed and just the one wicket to take/
England seamers: 23 wickets @ 21.91
England spinners: 17 wickets @ 49.82
Pakistan seamers: 10 wickets @ 57.30
Pakistan spinners: 25 wickets @ 35.04
If Ahmed has to carry the drinks in the next Test then it really is the case that he is there to make him feel part of the England squad and as a distraction for the offers he received to play T20 this winter. He might have to bat at 7 if Stokes can't bowl but he is a genuine all rounder and it's not as if Jacks has contributed massively in that regard (av 22.25)