[Match Thread] Zimbabwe Pakistan 2nd test

[betterdays]

Lead by 231 now. I still reckon 250 is the minimum we can feel comfortable about defending, if we could get it to the 270/280 mark then it gets into the realm of difficult for Pakistan.

I still feel 250 will not be enough - I wonder how influenced I am by years of crashing hopes - BUT, bowling is our strength and batting is not Pakistan's. they do have a few bats who compete well on the world stage but if Zim bowl well, as they have done all series, it will be hard going for Pakistan (I have had to adjust ... 280 just too far away now)

[brmtaylor.com admin]

The pitch is really starting to wreak havoc now. In the last over by Junaid it looked like 3 or 4 stayed unpredictably low.

Lead up to 235 now. More importantly, 3 minutes until lunch. So maybe one more over we need to get through.

[Jemisi]

2 for 50 would have been ok for that session. As it was Waller threw it away.

Taylor is clearly the key. If he can just match his fifty in the first dig, then Pakistan will struggle to chase the 280+ that would then be on the board. Especially as 2.5 rpo is looking tough to achieve on this wicket.

This is a big stage for Richmond. If he can hang in there and get somewhere near his top score that will be a massive innings under pressure with the game in the balance. His efforts at Rocks have shown that he is willing to bat long, he needs to bat for another session in alliance with Taylor here to set the game up.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

His efforts at Rocks have shown that he is willing to bat long, he needs to bat for another session in alliance with Taylor here to set the game up.

Good point about time. If Zimbabwe are still batting at tea then I think a win or a draw are the only two possible results. It will be hard enough to chase down 300 let alone at around 2.5 an over.

But that's a long way off... Pakistan are only one wicket away from the tail and the way this pitch is playing the tail could be cleaned up in minutes.

Come on Zimbabwe...

[jaybro]

1st over and already some intent shown good stuff .....

I cant wait to see our boys bowl for victory in the 4th hopefully we can get a lead of 280 -300 ....

[jaybro]

that hurts ....

[Jemisi]

Ahh. So much for lunch time hopes.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Damn it. Look, it was an important contribution but to really put pressure on Pakistan and put up an imposing total we needed someone to make at least a half-century and Taylor was our best chance of that.

A fair bit of pressure on Mutumbami now. I'd say he probably needs to farm the strike now.

[foreignfield]

Chatara has earned his elevation to no. 10. Keep blocking Chats!

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Good running between the wickets. The lead is above my magic 250 mark now.
This partnership is worth 11 runs so far... each run is like gold dust to steal an analogy used a few pages ago. Every ball faced, every extra run scored... makes it that bit more difficult for Pakistan.

The next milestone I want us to get to, 200 runs scored in the 2nd innings. 12 away, come on boys!