World champions England return to the scene of their famous triumph on Saturday when they meet Pakistan in the second ODI at Lord’s. They go there knowing a win will give them a second series win in as many weeks with a match to spare.
Pakistan looked like a side who had been cooped up in a hotel in the opening match of the series in Cardiff on Thursday and head to Lord’s knowing that they have to win if they are going to have a chance of claiming the series on Tuesday.
England
I think we can put to bed any talk that this is a weakened England side. It might not be their elite team but the squad they have got are still perfectly good enough to compete at this level as they showed in that opening match. When you consider how late that squad was put together and the circumstances around it, the display they produced deserves the utmost credit. You would think there is some improvement in them as we go through the series too.
England were excellent with the ball in that first match but what impressed me equally as much was that even though their batsmen were chasing a tiny total and could effectively have had a net in reaching it, they played with the same intensity and style that the strongest side would which highlights how deep rooted this English style is in the system. There is still plenty more to come from the batsmen too which bodes well.
Pakistan
We were never going to get the best version of Pakistan in that opening match but nobody expected them to be out of the contest before it had scarcely begun. That was the case though when they lost two of their top three in the opening three balls of the match and there was never going to be a way back from there. If there was a true disappointment it would come in the lack of fight that they showed with the bat. That needs to improve here for sure.
We can’t really judge the Pakistan bowling on their effort in the opening match because they were defending a nothing target, although you do wonder if they had the balance of their attack spot on. The attack was very much the same throughout and once the English batsmen got in they took full advantage. There will be lots of natural improvement in Pakistan now that they are on the grass but they are going to need all of it.
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Team News
England don’t need to change their side for this match but given that they pulled players out halfway through a county match you would think they would use everyone over the course of the three matches. They might look to rotate their bowlers in which case Tom Helm and David Payne will be hoping for debuts.
It remains to be seen whether Pakistan want to make any changes to their side. Most of their batsmen never got the chance to show what they can do but they were the reason the result went against them. Options are a little thin in that department though.
Betting
I took Pakistan in the opening match of the series because I thought England’s preparation was a little rushed to put in the kind of performance that they did but that won’t be the case for this match and I’m happy to switch allegiance and be behind England here. There is still more to come from them here though when you consider who didn’t bat and the fact that Ben Stokes only bowled one over in that opening match.
It might not be as easy for England to win this match although conditions are probably going to suit them with some morning rain likely to make everything a little slick. You would expect the English batsmen to play the moving ball better than their Pakistan opponents and that could be a big thing here if there is a delayed start. I’m expecting a shortened game here and I think that plays into the hands of an England side who bat a lot deeper so I’ll take them for this one.
Tips
Back England to beat Pakistan for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with William Hill
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