quizcustodiet

Sigh. It's all one word again, it appears - it's like now that the bowlers are ticking over again, the batsmen are insisting on their turn at being rubbish! Most depressing statistic for the day - Harmison and Panesar put on more runs for the tenth wicket than any other partnership during the innings. Jones is out for a duck again. Bell is apparently feeling nostalgic for the 2005 series, so has decided to reprise his much-admired bunny role. I wish there was some conclusion to be drawn, but I'm not sure there is - just that England seem to panic when they start doing well, and so stop doing well very quickly. At least they're back in their comfort zone..

Not England's best day on the cricket field, though I think the BBC's description of Pakistan having 'crushed' England is harsh - they had seven wickets in hand, yes, but only 4 overs left. Three cheers for Jon Lewis, though - he's had a rotten time this summer, time and again making it into the England squad and then being sent home on each first morning. In admittedly perfect conditions, he bowled a beautiful spell - 8 overs, 4 maidens, 2 wickets for 11 runs - which will hopefully keep him in the one day squad. Even, perhaps, the Test squad - it's like having Matthew Hoggard twice! How can it go wrong?