The County Scene - Week 22: Oval and Out

Hooray! We have reached our centenary post. I have to say when we started off in March we probably had more people doubting we'd get this far than we have followers now. But we've got there through sheer will to prove people wrong and through a love of our subject. Long may it continue.

Anyway, to the cricket. Owing to a trip to Paris (without a romantic attachment, I blog on sport for Christ's sake, I have no time for a relationship!), I was unable to keep proper tabs on the games. So, here is the setup for one week only. As I watch the highlights of the 3rd Test, I'll put up my thoughts on each day's play, culminating with the final score. It should keep things relatively interesting for those of you who actually stumble across this when you Google something else and nice and easy for me.

Day 1 - Pakistan close on 48-1 having bowled England out for 233. It's not really as though England batted horrendously today, although not for the first time it took one man to bail them out of what would have been a really bad spot. Matt Prior stood up again today with a lovely 84*, his technique continuing to look solid but not getting in the way of his naturally muscular stroke play. Stuart Broad supported with 48, looking to play his shots as well but for once managing to keep the good deliveries out as well. And there were plenty of them from Pakistan's bowlers, looking refreshed after making four changes from Edgbaston, some based on form, others on fitness. The standout was the debutant Wahab Riaz. A bustling and busy approach to the crease results in a heavy ball bowled, with the added "awkward" left-arm angle to keep batsmen honest. The Oval pitch offered added bounce to that of the previous pitches in this series but England did not seem to account for this and gave plenty of catches behind the wicket as a result of the extra lift. Which the fielders failed to drop for once! Riaz reminds me a bit of Zaheer Khan - it will be interesting to see if he can get as much reverse swing as Zaheer when he bowls with an older ball on the subcontinent. Asif, Aamer and Ajmal all looked capable as well to limit England to a score well below par. Alastair Cook looks in a nasty place technically and probably has one innings left to save his spot on the plane to Australia.

Day 2 - Pakistan were bowled out for 308, a first-innings lead of 75. England 6-1 at the close. A spirited effort from Pakistan's batsmen - particularly the returning Mohammad Yousuf. Having been cut from the captaincy after the disastrous tour of Australia at the turn of the year, the prolific Yousuf retired from all forms of cricket. Only to be called back when the selectors realised that the lineup was too green to cope against the swinging ball. He started looking pretty rusty but soon began manoevuring the ball with his usual wristy brilliance - he's a bit of a throwback player, never overhitting the ball and it's clear that Pakistan would rather move on without him but they really need him. He made 56 before chipping back to the infamous cat rescuer himself Graeme Swann. All of England's bowlers acquitted themselves reasonably with less assistance than they'd previously enjoyed this series. Pakistan's 308 was a much greater indication of the nature of the pitch than England's 233, but was still no more than par. Yousuf's influence seemed to rub off on young Azhar Ali, who hit a test best 92* and really deserved a ton for a well-paced innings but it's difficult when you have to rely on Mohammad Asif to get you there! His cover driving off the back foot was glorious and his defence was solid, despite the extra bounce that the bowlers found. Still, England can be grateful that the first innings lead established was as small as it was.

Day 3 - Was it ever in any doubt? Alastair Cook strode out to the middle with his place in the side under serious threat for the first time in five years, having seemingly struggled with his technique over a long period of time. He then proceeds to make the best hundred of his career. Rather than fighting his deficiencies, he decided to play his shots to get back into form and succeeded with admirable courage. Sure, he rode his luck a bit at times but he needs to play in this way every time and his footwork will return to where it should be naturally. I've never seen a player reach a ton so hilariously. On 97, Cook blocked the ball back to Mohammad Asif, who threw back to the keeper so wildly that it pinged over his head and ran away for 4! They all count. In contrast, Jonathan Trott dug another trench in making 38, criticised for the speed at which he scores runs. I don't buy this. With Cook playing fluently, you needed a man to dig in and play watchfully, defending and leaving the ball - too often this summer have the top order got out playing at balls they needn't have. And Pakistan bowled pretty well again. Mohammad Aamer was reverse swinging the ball beautifully - Matt Prior did well to get a nick on the ball that dismissed him. And Saeed Ajmal showed why he is a much better option than Danish Kaneria - not for the first time, the batsmen simply could not read his subtle variations. Now that the pressure is temporarily off Cook, can we please focus on Collingwood, who looked fucking horrendous today and has a poor average this summer, and Pietersen. KP is so narrow-minded about his technique and insists on getting forward to everything, irrespective of length. You cannot do that on a true Oval track. Today, he left a gate so wide for Ajmal to exploit that you could have driven cattle through it. I know he is a talisman but is his style really for the greater good of the team? Ian Bell must come back for the Ashes for one of these two (although it'll probably be Eoin Morgan!). England closed on 221-9, 146 runs ahead.

Day 4 - Pakistan successfully chase 148 to win the test match. With a slight wobble, making things more exciting than they needed to be! This actually was a really good match, with plenty of strong individual performances but the best all-round team winning through. England's batting simply wasn't good enough to win at the Oval. Strauss' captaincy defied logic for a while, instructing his seamers to bowl outside off stump, rather than a more attacking line. This defensive strategy is not the greatest option when you have a small total to play with. The batsmen hung in there are were got out rather than throwing it all away - Swann was again outstanding but seemingly the whole team were reliant on him winning the match. Mohammad Aamer picked up his 5th wicket when Stuart Broad spooned to mid-on and was there at the end with Umar Akmal. Man of the Match and a LAD. I wouldn't worry too much about this game from England's perspective - the problems posed by Pakistan are very different to those facing them in the near future. However, it is always nice to win every match you play - sadly they were not good enough to do so on this occasion.

Pakistan 308 (Azhar Ali 92*, Mohammad Yousuf 56, Swann 4-68) and 148-6 beat England 233 (Prior 84*, Wahab Riaz 5-63) and 222 (Cook 110, Mohammad Aamer 5-52, Saeed Ajmal 4-71) by 4 wickets. Series 2-1 England with one to play (starts Thursday at Lord's)

RM