Rob Smyth's Blog, page 170

Manchester United 2-0 Southampton: Premier League – as it happened

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored both goals, the first a magnificent header, and Paul Pogba lasted 90 minutes as Manchester United eventually overcame a spirited Southampton

9.53pm BST

An eventually comfortable win for Manchester United, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring both goals – the first a thrilling, cavemanic header. Paul Pogba improved as the match progressed and showed his class with some penetrating runs and cocky passing.

Southampton had more of the ball and should not be remotely discouraged by their performance, the thought of which will keep their fans warm for at least 10 minutes of their 47-journey home. Thanks for your company; goodnight.

Related: Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic proves double trouble for Southampton

9.52pm BST

90+3 min In the last minute of added time, Pogba spanks wide of the near post from 18 yards after fine play from Mkhitaryan.

9.48pm BST

89 min Still no sign of Marcus Rashford, as Chris Smalling comes on to replace Wayne Rooney. He put in a good cross for the first goal but was otherwise ineffective.

9.47pm BST

88 min Targett’s low cross is curled a few yards wide of the near post by Tadic. That, as Alan Smith says on Sky, sums up their night – they have played some really good football but have not been efficient in the final third.

9.45pm BST

86 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Your other reader may not know that Pogba’s brother Mathias plays for Partick Thistle in the SPFL. I saw him play at Tannadice the other week in the League Cup. He’s not worth 100 million euros, but could his brother cut it at a wet and windy Tannadice in front of 4000 fans on a Tuesday night?”

9.42pm BST

84 min Southampton make their final substitution, with Jay Rodriguez replacing an aggrieved Shane Long.

9.42pm BST

83 min The sliding Bailly does well to intercept Targett’s dangerous low cross. Southampton have shown an admirable refusal to accept they have lost this game.

9.40pm BST

82 min Ander Herrera replaces Anthony Martial, which suggests a switch to 4-3-3 and a shutting up of shop.

9.39pm BST

80 min “Do you know what were the pre-season odds for Ibrahimovic to finish top scorer, or to win the Player of the Year awards?” asks David Wall. “For someone with his record there seemed more talk of him as someone merely doing a valedictory tour than of him as someone perhaps a little past his prime but still a bonafide star, game-changing, season-shaping player. Now he’s taking penalties as well as being United’s main striker he’s sure to be in the running to lead the goal-scoring tables (barring injury, of course).”

I don’t know the odds. But yes, for a team in transition it looks like an extremely smart short-term move. He’s 34 going on 29. The three behind him isn’t quite right yet, though.

9.37pm BST

79 min The game isn’t quite petering out - Southampton keep coming back for more - but there is a persuasive sense that it’s over as a contest.

9.36pm BST

77 min So what’s going on with Marcus Rashford then? If I were a United fan that would worry me a bit, because he is a glorious talent.

9.35pm BST

76 min Pogba marauds infield from the left and then curls well wide from just outside the box.

9.34pm BST

74 min Long flicks a near-post header just wide of the far post from Soares’s cross, and then Mata is replaced by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

9.32pm BST

73 min If it goes to 2-1 then Mourinho might take Pogba off but there’s no need at the moment, especially as he’s having his best period of the match with the ball. Tonight is all about Pogba and Ibrahimovic but Valencia has been a revelation going forward, close to his 2009-12 best.

9.29pm BST

69 min Pogba, who is starting to boss the game, gives it to Valencia on the right. He skins Targett and stands up a deep cross to Ibrahimovic, who rises imperiously and then completely mistimes a looping header back across goal. Rooney was flagged offside but it wasn’t going in anyway.

9.29pm BST

67 min “Rob,” says Mark Tuite, “who is this Tasic you keep banging on about?”

No idea. You’re welcome!

9.26pm BST

66 min United are playing some great stuff now. Pogba ignores the cries of “shooooot” and gives it wide to Ibrahimovic. He plays a deliberate chip all the way across the area to Martial, who dummies Soares by pulling it down on his chest but then seems to forget to shoot and is tackled by the recovering Soares. Moments later, Davis is replaced by Charlie Austin for Southampton.

9.24pm BST

65 min Martial scorches past Fonte and into the area, where his shot is outstandingly blocked by Van Dijk. The ball rebounds to Rooney, who chips it pitifully out of play. Moments later, Martial finds the underlapping Shaw in the area and his cutback is cleared. That was a great run from Shaw.

9.22pm BST

63 min Pogba beats Clasie beautifully without touching the ball to start a move that leads to a corner on the right. It’s curled in and headed over from six yards by Pogba, under pressure from a defender.

9.20pm BST

61 min A mistake from Zlatan allows Southampton to break. Van Dijk’s sot is blocked by Bailly and then Clasie splashes the follow-up miles wide from 20 yards. Southampton have done lots of things very well tonight; United have just been more efficient.

9.17pm BST

58 min Southampton continue to push forward. A cross from the right is flicked towards Redmond, who can’t quite get it out of his feet and eventually shoots wide under pressure from Mata. That was a decent opportunity.

In an unrelated development, it turns out the Tadic goal was disallowed, rightly, for offside.

9.13pm BST

55 min Pogba’s confidence is one of his greatest strengths. He’ll take the ball in any situation, no matter how tight or dangerous. There are still doubts as to whether he’s a better central-midfield option than Rafael and Ji-sung Park but he is a fascinating talent.

9.10pm BST

Zlatan makes it four goals in three games with a good penalty, sidefooting into the bottom-left corner before roaring to the crowd while flexing his muscles. He is a preposterous and magnificent man.

9.09pm BST

A daft trip by Clasie on Shaw, who was going nowhere. It’s a clear penalty.

9.09pm BST

50 min Martial comes infield from the left and hits a dangerous low shot that bounces just in front of Forster. He does well to palm it away and it’s lumped clear by a defender.

9.07pm BST

49 min Tasic has a goal disallowed for a foul on Bailly. His lack of complaint suggests it was fair enough, though we haven’t seen a replay. It was a smart flicked header but I think he shoved Bailly out of the way.

9.06pm BST

48 min “In Pogba it looks to me like Mourinho has finally got his hands on the Gerrard type player he’s wanted since he came to the Premier League,” says Phil Martin. “It’ll be interesting to see what he does with him, does he coach out the risks, or build his team around covering for them?” He’ll change him a bit but Pogba’s main weakness is decision-making and that should improve naturally. I can’t see Mourinho going the full Joe Cole, certainly. I’d imagine he’ll eventually play 4-3-3 and let Pogba run free.

9.05pm BST

47 min An intrepid run from the impressive Shaw takes him to the edge of the area before he is tackled. The ball runs to Mata, who wallops it into orbit from range.

9.05pm BST

46 min Southampton begin the second half, trailing to a moment of Zlatanic magic in a first half that they dominated.

8.57pm BST

Kipling latest “‘If you can concede to a ridiculous header from a certifiable genius, And still knock it about prettily in the middle of the park, You’ll be a man, my son,’” says Matt Dony of my 42nd-minute entry. “Of course, the implication being that ‘manhood’ is something to aspire to and inherently better than those weak women. Typical media sexism. You’ll be blaming the immigrants, next.”

Nigel Farage is my Rushmore, what of it?

8.53pm BST

Half-time reading

Related: Pep Guardiola will allow Joe Hart to leave Manchester City

8.48pm BST

United lead, slightly against the run of play, through a fierce header from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Paul Pogba has been brave and progressive in possession, though not always successfully. Southampton have had more of the ball and are certainly in this. See you in 10 minutes!

8.44pm BST

44 min Davis, who has probably had more of the ball than any midfielder on either side, drills over the top from 25 yards.

8.44pm BST

43 min Pogba thrills the crowd with a fine run straight down the centre of the pitch before playing the ball to Martial. His cross is disappointing, just as he has been so far. His unhappy Euro 2016 might have affected his confidence.

8.43pm BST

42 min Southampton have reacted to the goal in a manner that would please Kipling, resuming their confident possession football. They have been the better team, although let the record show that United seem happy enough playing on the counter-attack.

8.41pm BST

41 min “All the attributes of an English No9 allied to the nonchalant sills of a Balkan No10,” says Adam Hirst. “Wish he’d arrived six years ago.” What, about of Bebe? No thanks.

8.39pm BST

39 min “Judging purely from the Man Utd teamsheet, they don’t appear to have a midfield of any description,” says Ian Copestake. “Unless you count Fellaini as a midfield target man.”

8.37pm BST

United take the lead against the run of play with a belting header from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Valencia found Rooney on the right, and he did well to keep the ball in play. Then he curled a high, outswinging cross towards the far post, where Ibrahimovic beasted above Fonte and thumped a downward header into the net from 10 yards.

8.34pm BST

34 min A well-struck low shot from Rooney, 25 yards from goal, is comfortably saved by Forster.

8.33pm BST

32 min A chance for Southampton. Tadic sweeps an excellently early ball into the space behind Bailly to find Long in an inside-left position just outside the box. With Bailly making up the ground, Long hits a feeble low shot straight at De Gea. That was the best chance so far.

8.30pm BST

30 min Mata’s volleyed pass somehow finds its way to Ibrahimovic, whose cross from the right towards Rooney takes an important deflection off the sliding Van Dijk and goes behind for a corner.

8.29pm BST

29 min A Hollywood move from United: Pogba’s dink, Mata’s header across the box and Zlatan’s flying volley over the bar. It was a quarter-chance at best.

8.28pm BST

28 min Pass count: Man Utd 94-160 Southampton. United don’t really mind playing on the counter-attack, though having pace up front would help. Rooney is, sad to say, peripheral at best and embarrassing at worst.

8.27pm BST

26 min Davis’s flat, fast free-kick finds Van Dijk, whose volley is well blocked by Valencia. The ball comes to Long, who rattles it just wide of the near post. There were cheers from some of the Southampton fans, who thought it was in; a fleeting moment of joy before the reality of a 47-hour trip home with nothing but a bottle of warm Volvic to sustain them hit home once again.

8.24pm BST

25 min At the moment United look like a collection of players rather than a team. It’s a cliché but it’s true. The sooner they get Rashford in the side, for Mata, Rooney or even Martial, the better they will be. Southampton have a serious chance of winning this game.

8.22pm BST

23 min “Thanks for the MBM, it is the only way I have to follow the game while waiting for my flight in Ougadougou airport,” writes Danny Kelly. “Do you think Ferguson secretly hopes that Pogba will be a failure thus vindicating his, now infamous, decision not to offer him a better contract and keep him at the club?”

I thought the issue was playing time rather than the quality of his contract? Either way, I doubt Ferguson cares, at least not in terms of professional vindication. It might be different on a personal level. He can’t be happy about Pogba or Mourinho being at the club.

8.22pm BST

22 min Valencia has been United’s best attacker so far. Pogba has been up and down but with his usual willingness to take the risky option whenever possible. Rooney and Zlatan have been anonymous.

8.19pm BST

19 min Redmond spins neatly behind Bailly and into the area on the right. Tadic is free at the far post, a few yards from goal, but Redmond just overhits the cross. Southampton are, at the moment, playing like the home side.

8.18pm BST

18 min I certainly wouldn’t rule out a third consecutive Southampton win at Old Trafford. They have started this game very impressively, especially when you consider they were supposed to roll over.

8.16pm BST

17 min “Poor Rob,” says Ian Copestake. “I bet you would like to wet your whistle this footballing Friday night. Have Sky attached some epithet to this day of days? Super is obviously not applicable or alliterative enough, but it must be an f-word of sorts.”

Aren’t they just calling it FNF? Or, if you’re a Southampton fan who has to get home tonight, FFS.

8.15pm BST

15 min A cross from the left eventually bounces to Tadic, who volleys into orbit from a tight angle. This is a pretty open game. But then this is not a typical Jose Mourinho side; they are pretty top heavy.

8.14pm BST

13 min Ibrahimovic on the left eases the ball back to Pogba, who opens his body smartly just inside the box. and hits a decent shot that is patted down by Forster.

8.12pm BST

13 min “Hi,” says John. “Pogba’s headphones are P7 not P5.”

Typical embarrassing Grauniad error. Somebody deserves a P45 for that, and I’m not talking about headphones.

8.12pm BST

12 min Romeu is indeed replaced by Jordi Clasie. Mata’s corner is headed clear by Shane Long.

8.10pm BST

11 min Valencia combines well with Mata, whose return pass is put behind for a corner by Davis. Romeu is down again, and might need to be replaced before the corner is taken.

8.10pm BST

10 min “‘If two teams play a game of football and the media couldn’t give a flying toss about the smaller team, do they actually exist?’,” begins Tamara Hampton, quoting an earlier entry. “So does that make Southampton #SchrödingersTeam?”

In modern football, Schrödinger has a lot of teams.

8.09pm BST

9 min There’s a break in play while Romeu receives treatment. He’s fine.

8.07pm BST

7 min Southampton’s passing has been confident and assured in the early stages. It’s been a bright, breezy start to the game.

8.06pm BST

5 min Valencia, who has staked an early claim to be the surprise success of Mourinho’s first season, wins a corner with the kind of no-frills run he used to attempt all the time in the Ferguson years. Nowt comes from it but that was more promising for United.

8.04pm BST

4 min After a long spell of Southampton possession, United get to touch the ball. Pogba tries a cute pass to Ibrahimovic that is well cut out by Soares.

8.02pm BST

1 min Peep peep! United kick off from right to left. Pogba gives the ball away immediately and Southampton break dangerously to win a free-kick right on the edge of the box. It’s a fair way to the left of centre but well within shooting range. Tadic blasts it straight into the wall.

8.00pm BST

“Who is the ref?” asks Peter Nelson, politely highlight the inadequacy of my work thus far. It is Anthony Taylor, and he’s about to moisten his whistle.

7.56pm BST

“I don’t have any answers to the questions in your Preamble but the Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones Pogba is wearing are really great,” says Petter Settli,

chief executive of Bowers & Wilkins
. They are

7.49pm BST

Pre-match reading

Wouldn’t bother with the article but some of the comments are well banter.

Related: Golden Goal: David Beckham for Manchester United against Wimbledon (1996)

7.45pm BST

Here’s our man Ryan Dunne “Is it wrong to wonder where Fellaini-Pogba ranks on the most mismatched midfield pairings, talent-wise?”

I can’t believe you’re writing Pogba off already. Honk! Ho-honk! Honk? Actually I think Roy Keane and Michael Appleton played together against Swindon in 1996, which is a bit of a mismatch.

7.38pm BST

“Sky’s new show pretty much redefining the term ‘one-eyed’,” says Gary Naylor. “I don’t often find fault with Sky’s sports coverage, but this is ridiculous. There are two teams playing tonight.”

Ah, but you know what the philosophers say: if two teams play a game of football and the media couldn’t give a flying toss about the smaller team, do they actually exist?

7.01pm BST

Manchester United (4-2-3-1) De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Shaw; Fellaini, Pogba; Mata, Rooney, Martial; Ibrahimovic.
Substitutes: Romero, Smalling, Herrera, Schneiderlin, Young, Mkhitaryan, Rashford.

Southampton (4-D-2) Forster; Soares, Fonte, Van Dijk, Targett; Romeu; Hojbjerg, Davis; Tadic; Long, Redmond.
Substitutes: McCarthy, Yoshida, Clasie, Rodriguez, Austin, Ward-Prowse, Pied.

4.46pm BST

Hello. In the last few years Old Trafford has doubled up as a public nap station, but nobody will be getting 40 winks tonight. Manchester United host Southampton in a match that is full of talking points before a ball has been miskicked.

Will Paul Pogba start on his return to Old Trafford? Where is Stormzy watching the game? How will Zlatan fare on his home debut? Will Jose Mourinho be able to maintain as his poker face as he finally, finally lives his dream of walking down the Old Trafford touchline as Manchester United manager? Will he continue to ignore the otherworldly talent of Marcus Rashford so that he can postpone an awkward conversation with Wayne Rooney?

10.12am BST

Rob will be with you shortly. In the meantime, why not have a read of Sachin Nakrani on Friday night football and GIL! SCOTT! HERON!

Related: Friday night football: a new dawn that has left fans feeling Sky’s the limit

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Golden Goal: David Beckham for Manchester United against Wimbledon (1996)

It’s 20 years this week since a young midfielder brought the halfway-line goal into the mainstream – and rocketed himself towards superstardom

Goals change games. Occasionally, they change lives. Mario Götze, Toto Schillaci, Michael Thomas and hundreds of others would confirm that – as would David Beckham. Wednesday was the 20th anniversary of his goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon, a fork in the road that led to him becoming a cultural icon first and a footballer second. Probably an ambassador third.

Most goals that change lives do so because of their brilliance and especially their importance. They might win a World Cup or Golden Boot or a league title. Beckham’s came on the opening day of the season, in a match that was already over. The impact stemmed almost entirely from the audacity and originality of the goal. Even Pelé hadn’t been able to do it.

Related: Manchester United 2-2 Liverpool: the Class of 92, Spice Boys and Cantona’s return

Related: Golden Goal: Cristiano Ronaldo for Manchester United v Arsenal (2009) | Rob Smyth

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The Fiver | Sales of schadenfreude sandwiches

In today’s Fiver: Manchester City and the fruits of Lord Ferg’s long game

Big Cup is back, baby! And what better way to get in the mood for the drama and hype of Europe’s greatest club competition than with an earnest discussion of Joe Hart’s pass-completion statistics? Hart’s surprise exclusion from the Manchester City side to face Sunderland on Saturday was down to an inability with his feet rather than his hands. In the last three seasons, only 49% of his passes have been successful, as compared to 85% of Manuel Neuer’s, a striking discrepancy pointed out by various sports newsreaders with a solemnity previously reserved for the assassination of politicians.

Related: Yaya Touré left out of Manchester City squad in Champions League play-off

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Football transfer rumours: Cesc Fàbregas heading to Real Madrid?

Today’s gossip always wanted to be a Tenenbaum

The Mill knows from daily experience that there are different ways to react to adversity. You can fight, flee or – and this is generally our preferred option – sit in the corner rocking back and forth weeping solemnly until it all goes away. Cesc Fàbregas and Yaya Touré, who have been marginalised by their new coaches at Chelsea and Manchester City, have reacted differently to their changing circumstances.

If today’s rags are to be believed, Fàbregas wants to complete a dream move from Chelsea to Real Madrid after being left out of Monday night’s win over West Ham. Touré, however, wants to stay and fight for every last penny of his £11m contract, and to hell with playing any football for the next year.

Related: Watford close to £13m signing of Roberto Pereyra from Juventus

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Manchester City 2-1 Sunderland: Premier League – as it happened

City were unconvincing in their first match under Pep Guardiola but won the match thanks to the substitute Paddy McNair’s late own goal

Read Daniel Taylor’s match report from the Etihad Stadium

7.47pm BST

Read Daniel Taylor’s match report from the Etihad Stadium:

Related: Paddy McNair’s late own goal sees Manchester City edge out Sunderland

7.21pm BST

Peep peep! A scruffy win for City in their first match under Pep Guardiola, and the great perfectionist won’t be especially happy. Sunderland did a lot of good things despite barely seeing the football, and it needed an unfortunate late own goal from Paddy McNair to give City the three points. Thanks for your company, night!

7.18pm BST

90+2 min Van Aanholt’s gentle, dinked cross is chested down by McNair in the box but Caballero reacts smartly to grab the ball a few yards from goal.

7.17pm BST

90+1 min In the first of four added minutes, Kolarov is booked for a foul on Januzaj.

7.16pm BST

90 min Iheanacho has a great chance too make it 3-1 but his shot on the turn deflects just over the bar.

7.16pm BST

89 min “Re: Min 85,” says David Leech. “What is boring is this Guardiola love fest. Man City are a team of mercenaries. Guardiola, while good, is playing Championship Manager with an unlimited amount of money, and equally a mercenary. Boring, boring, boring. Want to prove you are the best coach, go and manage Stoke.”

I’ll tell you what’s boring: you.

7.15pm BST

Navas spanked a really dangerous low cross from the right. Mannone dived but could only deflect it towards the far post, where it hit the head of McNair before bouncing into the net. McNair had almost no reaction time, such was the pace of the cross.

7.14pm BST

A nightmare for Paddy McNair, who scores an own goal on his debut just after coming on. There was nothing he could do really.

7.11pm BST

85 min The camera cuts to a group of City fans who look thoroughly bored. It has not been a great game but it was naive to expect them to win 6-0 from the start of the season. They’ll be doing it by October.

7.09pm BST

84 min Sunderland bring on Paddy McNair for Jermain Defoe. With Love, McNair, Januzaj and O’Shea on the field, David Moyes must be thrilled to have a second chance at managing Manchester United.

7.08pm BST

83 min Delph’s cross is unwittingly headed over his own bar by Rodwell. Corner to City on the right, and Sagna heads it wide of the near post.

7.07pm BST

81 min Januzaj wins a corner off Kolarov, which he will take himself. It’s a poor one, headed clear at the near post.

7.06pm BST

80 min De Bruyne, teed up by Navas, whaps a shot high over the bar from 25 yards. Iheanacho then comes on to replace Clichy.

7.05pm BST

79 min Sterling, who has been really dangerous since moving to the left, wins a corner. Nothing comes of it, however, and City are reading Iheanacho.

7.04pm BST

78 min “I think leaving Hart out shows some ballsy balls from Pep, essentially mind-gaming 50,000 City supporters that ‘this is my team now so go and suck a lemon’,” says Chris Boylan. “But saying no-no to Yaya seems to have been a mistake. No power in midfield, none of those striding moves that draws the back line forward, really could have used him today.”

Didn’t he bin Toure when he was in his prime as well? I think it’s the right decision; he’s not a Guardiola player. The players just need a bit of time to learn Pepology.

7.02pm BST

76 min City’s main problem today, and the big surprise, has been the pace of their passing. It has, with a few exceptions, been really slow for a Guardiola side.

6.59pm BST

74 min Sunderland have a corner. They’re rampant! Stones heads it away very well under pressure.

6.58pm BST

Borini found Rodwell, who stabbed a short pass through the legs of John Stones on the edge of the area. Defoe, on the move as always, ran away from Sagna and drilled a crisp low shot into the net from 12 yards. Terrific goal.

6.57pm BST

Jermain Defoe knows how to score goals, and he’s done it yet again.

6.57pm BST

71 min Navas cleverly reads Khazri’s backheader to Mannone and almost gets there first. City are cruising.

6.56pm BST

69 min De Bruyne plays a huge crossfield pass to Navas of such brilliance that Navas raised his hand in acknowledgement long before it reaches him. Navas then makes a mess of the cross but well, no team’s perfect.

6.54pm BST

68 min The resulting free-kick is clipped over the wall by De Bruyne and beaten away by the diving Mannone. A decent save but one he’d expect to make.

6.53pm BST

66 min Khazri plays a bizarre crossfield pass back to Love, who miscontrols it and is robbed by Sterling. Love fouls him just outside the area and is booked.

6.50pm BST

64 min A double substitution for Sunderland: Januzaj and Khazri replace Watmore and Gooch. City make a change as well, with Fabian Delph coming on for David Silva, who was excellent in his new midfield role.

6.49pm BST

63 min “On the one hand, I feel like a fair-minded, educated, reasonable adult,” says Matt Dony. “Which just makes it so frustrating when I realise what a childish, tribal idiot football makes me. Steve McManaman went to Madrid and did well, which indirectly leads to me intensely disliking Pep. Yes, he is a wonderful coach, and he’s had a fantastic impact on the game as a whole. He’s influenced countless other coaches and teams, and he’s still potentially got so many years ahead of him. And yet, I do not like him. Hala Madrid, and it’s all Macca’s fault.”

6.47pm BST

61 min De Bruyne plays a nice cutback to Aguero, whose first-time shot is superbly blocked by the sliding Kone.

6.47pm BST

60 min That should have been 2-0. Sterling, on the left now, skinned Love with ease and moved into the box. He seemed to run it out of play before cutting it back but play went on and the ball eventually came to Aguero, who dragged a snapshot wide from 10 yards.

6.45pm BST

58 min A City substitution, with Jesus Navas replacing Nolito. Sterling will move to the left wing presumably. Nolito played like a foreign player in his first match in England. He’ll be fine once he acclimatises.

6.43pm BST

57 min Louis van Gaal will be loving this match.

6.42pm BST

55 min Sunderland are diligently defending their one-goal deficit. I jest, of course, 1-0 would be a good result for them and they have done pretty well in the circumstances.

6.39pm BST

53 min After that fast start to the half, City have slowed down again. This isn’t great. You know you’re not watching a match for the ages when the most interesting thing about it is the positioning of the full-backs.

6.34pm BST

48 min City’s vigorous start to the second half suggests Pep is in possession of a hairdryer. Aguero’s shot is blocked, De Bruyne’s dangerous cross is palmed away by Mannone and then Van Aanholt nervously concedes a corner.

6.31pm BST

46 min Peep peep! City begin the second half, passing from right to left.

6.24pm BST

Half-time reading

Related: Golden Goal: Roberto Baggio for Juventus against Internazionale (1992) | Rob Smyth

6.20pm BST

Half-time chit-chat

“Is it too soon to start saying, ‘It’s all about the money these days’,” says Gary Naylor, “or do Leicester need to lose another one?”

6.16pm BST

Pep Guardiola won’t be happy with that. City were given a goal after four minutes but, although they completely dominated possession with their 2-1-2-2-3 formation, they didn’t really create much. See you in 10 minutes!

6.15pm BST

45 min “Is Lynden Gooch really, as Wikipedia claims, Graham Gooch’s American-born son?!” writes Dan Lucas.

I would give my soul for that to be true, but I think the clue is in the word ‘Wikpedia’.

6.14pm BST

44 min Sunderland are finishing this half very strongly, with one corner soon followed by another. City’s passing was so hypnotic in the first 30 minutes that they seem to have put themselves to sleep.

6.12pm BST

42 min Gooch is booked for something or other.

6.12pm BST

41 min Sunderland’s best chance! City don’t clear the corner properly, and it bounces around for ages before Kone, on the edge of the box, heads it over the line of defenders. Defoe, alert as ever, gets there first and his volley with the outside of the right foot is instinctively saved by Caballero.

6.10pm BST

40 min A promising attack from Sunderland. Borini draws three men towards him and then finds Rodwell, whose 25-yard shot is deflected behind for a corner.

6.08pm BST

38 min Kolarov is penalised for bumping Watmore out of play. Sunderland are doing okay in the circumstances; City could easily be out of sight by now.

6.06pm BST

36 min The hitherto subdued De Bruyne receives possession from Nolito and belts a shot a few yards wide. Mannone had it covered.

6.05pm BST

35 min (part two) That moment when a man in his forties begins a sentence with “that moment when”.

6.04pm BST

35 min That moment when you realise Fabio Borini is on the pitch

6.04pm BST

34 min Love robs De Bruyne and wins a free-kick. He has started this match excellently.

6.01pm BST

32 min Defoe handles Love’s cross inside the City area and decides to chance his arm by appealing for a penalty because of Stones’ challenge from behind. No dice, solider.

6.01pm BST

31 min Kone intercepts a loose pass from Sterling, runs 20 yards and then places a long curving pass behind the defence towards Defoe. Caballero reads it well and runs out of his area to clear. It’ll be so interesting to so this City defence in tougher games. Somebody will put five past them this season.

5.59pm BST

30 min “Pep” hates passing for passing’s sake and, though City have not been guilty of that, there has been a whiff of sterile domination in the way the first half-hour has gone. It’s been interesting and boring at the same time. Clichy, Fernandinho and Silva have been very influential.

5.57pm BST

27 min “The type of people who are surprised by Pep dropping Hart are the same people who though England were contenders during the summer,” says David Flynn. “Deluded. The more interesting debate is where Hart goes from here given that you’d need to go down past the Europa League places to find a team who need a keeper. Best case scenario is that Klopp might come sniffing about.”

5.54pm BST

24 min Nice play from Nolito, who shimmers past Love and then, from a tight angle on the left side of the box, hits a booming curler not far wide of the far post.

5.52pm BST

22 min The only positive for Sunderland is that City haven’t created any clear chances apart from the goal. If it’s still 1-0 after 75 minutes, you never know. Okay, you do know, but I’m trying to be positive, work with me here.

5.51pm BST

21 min Jermain Defoe has done more defending than Stones and Kolarov so far.

5.49pm BST

18 min It’s all City, even if they haven’t created much. A promising move between Silva and Nolito loses impetus when Nolito runs into traffic, and eventually Sterling screws a shot high over the bar. City have had 82 per cent of the possession so far.

5.47pm BST

16 min Steve McManaman has pointed out that Clichy and Sagna are playing very centrally. It’s more of a 2-3-2-3 formation. Let’s see him try that fancy formation against Fashanu and Alan Cork, eh?

5.44pm BST

15 min How good must it be to play centre-half for a Guardiola team? John Stones and Kolarov are swaggering around like Beckenbauer and Scirea.

5.43pm BST

14 min “Well that was an early penalty,” says Michael Hood. “Was that a record?” No. You’re welcome!

5.42pm BST

12 min The penalty came from a brilliant angled header by Fernandinho, who deliberately thumped it 30 yards to put Sterling into space on the right. Sterling got into the box then came back the other way and was tripped by the sliding van Aanholt.

5.41pm BST

11 min Lynden Gooch has started well for Sunderland on the left wing. He runs at Sagna, then past him on the outside before clipping a dangerous low cross that goes right across the face of goal.

5.40pm BST

10 min Nolito tries to dribble past Love, who reads it and concedes a corner. It’s only half cleared by Kaboul to Aguero, who mishits a bobbling left-footed volley from 15 yards that is easily saved by Mannone.

5.38pm BST

8 min Silva’s dangerous pass is shanked over his own bar by Van Aanholt, who has had a triumphant start to the season.

5.37pm BST

7 min De Bruyne’s inswinging free-kick from the left wing is punched away by Mannone. Sunderland could get panelled here if they are not careful.

5.35pm BST

The first of many, many, many Manchester City goals under Pep Guardiola is scored by Sergio Aguero, who places a powerful penalty into the left corner of the net. Mannone went the right way but it was a beautiful finish.

5.34pm BST

It was a clear penalty, and a stupid tackle.

5.34pm BST

Their first attack under “Pep” brings a penalty when Van Aanholt brings down Sterling.

5.33pm BST

2 min Kolarov plays a dodgy square pass across the defence and Fernandinho is penalised for a foul on Defoe. The free-kick is 25 yards out, and van Aanholt’s deflected shot is awkwardly saved by the diving Caballero. The ball comes to Gooch, whose deep chipped cross is headed towards goal by Watmore and patted over the bar by Caballero. The referee gives a goal-kick.

5.31pm BST

1 min Peep peep! The Pep era is under way. Sunderland are kicking from right to left. They are in red and white; City are in blue.

5.27pm BST

In case you missed it, Joe Hart has been dropped

“Pep” is bang out of order. We invite him into our country and he does that to our No1. He might as well have called the Queen an old hag.

5.25pm BST

Matt Dony has finally sobered up after Wales’ Euro 2016 semi-final

Ah, football, you magnificent, beautiful mess. How I’ve missed you. You teased and tortured over the summer, then you went away. You made way for Big Sports Day, but now you’re back. League football started to get me excited last week, now I can get down to the sacred, time-honoured tradition of blind hopefulness, before reality comes crashing a back mid-October and I resign myself to the fact that one of the Manchester clubs will win the whole damn thing. Until then, though, it’s gonna be a helluva ride!

5.20pm BST

Aside from Joe Hart, feels telling that Yaya Toure not even among the subs for Pep Guardiola's first game. Toure fit, just not selected.

4.31pm BST

Manchester City (4-1-2-3) Caballero; Sagna, Stones, Kolarov, Clichy; Fernandinho; De Bruyne, Silva; Sterling, Aguero, Nolito.
Substitutes Hart, Zabaleta, Reges, Navas, Delph, Mangala, Iheanacho.

Sunderland (4-2-3-1) Mannone; Love, Kaboul, Kone, van Aanholt; O’Shea, Rodwell; Gooch, Watmore, Borini; Defoe.
Substitutes Djilobodji, Khazri, Pickford, Lens, McNair, Asoro, Januzaj.

4.09pm BST

Pep quiz, hotshot: what is Senor Guardiola’s win percentage as a coach in league football? The answer is a staggering 78 per cent, which is miles clear of any of the great managers in game’s history. Contrast that with Manchester City’s win percentage in the Premier League last season, a dismal 50 per cent, and it’s clear something has to give.

For once all that self-congratulatory muck about the unique challenge of the Premier League - with the implication that a front line of Pele, Cruyff and Maradona would have got little change out of Andy Thorn and Brian Gayle at Plough Lane in Wimbledon’s glory days - actually applies, because teams just don’t win 75 per cent of their matches in this country. Whatever happens at City, and both unprecedented dominance and a Pep meltdown after one inane question too many from the press-pack shouldn’t be discounted, it’s going to be fascinating to watch.

Continue reading...

Hull City 2-1 Leicester City: Premier League – as it happened

The superb Robert Snodgrass scored a cracking winning goal as Leicester’s title defence got off to a bad start

2.27pm BST

It’s the first time the defending champions have lost on the opening day of the season since 1989-90. Hull were outstanding, and that result may be enough for Mike Phelan to get the manager’s job. Leicester had enough chances but were a bit ragged.

Teams are allowed to lose games. There’s no point over-reacting. But then there’s no point telling people not to over-react, because mature, understated responses don’t cut it in 2016, grandad. That’s a worry for Leicester, who could be steadily undermined by external hot air. We’ll see. Thanks for your company, bye!

Related: Hull’s Robert Snodgrass starts Leicester title defence with shock defeat

2.22pm BST

A famous victory for Hull City! Who needs a permanent manager, new signings or more than 12 senior players? Hull have beaten the champions!

2.21pm BST

90+4 min Huddlestone is penalised for a hack at Mahrez 30 yards from goal. I think he got the ball actually. It doesn’t matter because the free-kick is cleared by Davies.

2.20pm BST

90+3 min Meyler picks up a loose ball, lumbers forward and crunches one just over the bar from 25 yards. Leicester can’t get the ball at the moment.

2.19pm BST

90+2 min It hasn’t been just honest endeavour from Hull, mind: both goals were excellent and Snodgrass especially has shown umpteen touches of class.

2.19pm BST

90+1 min Abel Hernandez wins a corner and then gulps in some air as he moves slowly into the box. Hull have put in such an admirable shift today.

2.18pm BST

90 min There will be five minutes of added time. Can Mike Dean conjure another opportunity to give a penalty?

2.17pm BST

89 min Mahrez moves the ball wide to Musa, who tries to run Elmohamady and is dispossessed. Vardy and Musa must be one of the fastest strike partnerships in football history.

2.16pm BST

88 min “I’m a Hull fan performing at a festival in Newquay,” writes RG Stephenson. “When the second Hull goal went in, I texted my mum to say I’d just ‘lost my sh*t in a pub in Cornwall.’ Cue a frantic phone call asking what I’d lost and if I was alright. I’ll stick to old people slang next time!”

2.15pm BST

87 min “From Champions to bottom of the League in one game,” says Mac Millings. “The triumphant haven’t fallen so far so fast since Mrs. Millings started laughing half way through our wedding vows.”

2.14pm BST

85 min Last season Leicester were so controlled and calm, as if they knew something the other teams didn’t. Today, although they have created plenty, they had a little ragged and desperate at both ends. The worry for them is that the spectacular over-reaction to this defeat in the media (if they lose) will create a negative mood that then starts to perpetuate itself. Leicester’s most dangerous opponent this season is their own subconscious.

2.11pm BST

84 min “You haven’t mentioned Mahrez for a while, Rob,” says Charles Antaki. “Is it all over for him now?”

Yeah, to be honest I think he’s taken Leicester as far as he can.

2.10pm BST

83 min Clucas is booked for a foul on Musa. Leicester make their final substitution, with Ulloa replacing Simpson.

2.09pm BST

82 min Snodgrass tries to catch Schmeichel out by whipping the free-kick towards the near post. He almost does, too, but Schmeichel jumps to his left to beat it away. Snodgreass has had a magnificent game.

2.08pm BST

81 min Huddlestone harasses Fuchs and wins a throw-in deep in Leicester’s half. Musa then concedes a needless free-kick on the right-wing...

2.07pm BST

78 min Hull are manoeuvring the bus on the edge of the area and will park it any second now. It’s all Leicester, though they haven’t troubled Jakupovic’s palms for a while.

2.05pm BST

77 min “I hate to be a pedant on the first day and first match of the season,” says Mike MacKenzie, “but ...Do you have many foreigners in UK who aren’t from abroad? (63 min comment) I hope English folks aren’t counting Scots, Welsh and Norn Irelanders as foreigners now.”

Please, pedantise all you like, especially when the mistake is deliberate. It gives me a little pang of joy.

2.03pm BST

76 min Leicester are having a good spell. Hull’s injury list is such that they have a load of kids on the bench, plus Shaun Maloney, so you would expect them to tire.

2.02pm BST

75 min Fuchs, Musa and Okazaki combine Okazaki mistakes himself for Jorg Albertz and blooters a left-footed shot high over the bar from long range.

2.02pm BST

74 min “Desperately hope that Leicester finish about thirteenth and get two points in their Champions League group,” chirps Christopher Faherty. “It was never a fairytale, their team is riven with thugs and the prejudiced. The train cannot come off the rails quickly enough.”

That’s heroically bitter. You can close the book for my favourite email of the season.

2.00pm BST

73 min The biggest disappointment for Leicester today has been Vardy. Not so much the missed chances; they can happen. He has just seemed a bit subdued.

1.59pm BST

72 min The free-kick, given the foul on Okazaki, is taken by Mahrez. It’s a good effort, over the wall and dipping towards the bottom corner, but Jakupovic gets across to fumble it behind for a corner.

1.58pm BST

71 min “Fencing update,” writes Tom Lutz. “USA have survived a fightback from Poland in the women’s team sabre, squeezing past their opponents 45-43 to reach the semi-finals. There they will play Russia, it’s fair to say there’s a little history in that one. Italy play Ukraine in the other match-up. The semis start in around 90 minutes (11.30am Rio time).”

1.58pm BST

70 min Mahrez breaks infield and then falls over. Mike Dean wags a finger imperiously in his direction and play continues, but he gives a foul moments later for a foul by Davies on Okazaki. Davies is booked.

1.55pm BST

67 min Leicester make a double substitution, with Okazaki and Amartey replacing Gray and King.

1.54pm BST

65 min “I’m Joost from the Netherlands,” writes Joost Teunissen. “Ahmed Musa might be the most interesting signing by Leicester this season. He had his European breakthrough at VVV-Venlo, then a minor club in the Dutch Eredivisie (Premier League). I remember him being one of the ‘darling’’ of Eredivisie watchers at the time. In June 2011 he kept VVV in the Dutch Premier League with a decider. At CSKA Moscow he won the cup in the 2012/2013 season scoring the only goal for his team and scored a penalty in the penalty shoot-out that decided the match. He could win Leicester some points this season.”

He’s been their best attacker today, certainly.

1.53pm BST

64 min Fuchs, who was booked in the first half, gets away with a late tackle on Snodgrass, who is now receiving treatment. Actually I think Mike Dean played the advantage, which is fair enough.

1.50pm BST

63 min Leicester have played some nice, intricate attacking football at times, and could easily have scored four or five. But they have been really scruffy at the back - all of them, not just Luis Hernandez, that new foreigner from abroad.

1.48pm BST

62 min “Good evening to you from Melbourne, where I’m watching an English football match in the top division, on free-to-air television for the first time in forever,” writes Neill Brown. “The match is obviously as terrible as the standard of the Premier League. As Danny Drinkwater lost the ball just before half-time, under minimal pressure, and had little clue as to what to do next, I thought ‘isn’t this the bloke who should have played for England at Euro 2016?’ This is a long-winded way of asking you to go back to the cricket, please. And stop football.”

Don’t worry, the Champions League starts soon. The Champions League of darts, that is.

1.47pm BST

60 min Snodgrass takes the free-kick, which hits the head of a defender in the wall and goes behind for a corner.

1.46pm BST

58 min Snodgrass has been outstanding today, the most dangerous player on the pitch along with Musa. It was sloppy from Leicester though, with Schmeichel’s poor throw-out eventually leading to the goal. And now Hull have a free-kick on the edge of the box after an almost entirely inept foul by Luis Hernandez on Diomande.

1.44pm BST

A cross from the right is only half cleared to Snodgrass, who bangs Hull into the lead with a terrific first-time shot from 16 yards! It was right in the corner and so beautifully struck.

1.42pm BST

55 min The Hull fans are booing Gray for his part in the penalty. He was clearly fouled, it’s so tedious. They really do have something to boo about when Musa flattens Snodgrass and is not penalised by Mike Dean.

1.39pm BST

52 min You want your big performers to impose themselves on a game and that’s exactly what Mike Dean is doing here.

1.36pm BST

48 min “I’m watching over 3G on a phone with my dad in a scorching hot cafe in Portugal,” says woe is Rob Wright. “A lifelong Leicester fan, he insists that survival is the first priority and anything else is a bonus. But things have changed now, I plead. You should be looking at top six no problem. He just gives me that ‘You’ve got a lot to learn’ look. And as I type this, Hull take the lead...”

1.35pm BST

Mahrez scores emphatically, pinging it straight down the middle.

1.34pm BST

It was a foul by Huddlestone on Gray, right on the line of the box. That decision could have gone either way; on second look I think it was correct but it’s hard to be sure.

1.33pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Mike Dean has given his first penalty of the season just 14 seconds into the second half!

1.23pm BST

It’s Diomande’s goal. Hernandez connected with his overhead kick but Diomande then kicked the ball a split-second later.

1.22pm BST

Related: Arsène Wenger the foreign trendsetter facing off against top-quality rivals | Paul Wilson

1.21pm BST

Saint and Greavsie are nodding sagely: football is indeed a funny old game.

1.19pm BST

It came from the second corner, taken by Snodgrass. Schmeichel made a spectacular but strange kind of save from Davies’s header, punching it away towards the far post. As it bounced up in the six-yard box both Hernandez and Diomande went for it - Hernandez with an overhead kick, Diomande from the other side - and it ended up going into the net off the bar. I have no idea whose goal that was as it seemed like they both connected. Of far more importance is that Hull are ahead.

1.16pm BST

Abel Hernandez
Diomande gives Hull the lead!

1.16pm BST

45 min Snodgrass, Hull’s best player in this half, wins a corner and will take it from the right once Mike Dean has administered a reprimand to Huddlestone and Luis Hernandez for wrestling. It’s a lovely dipping corner that draws Schmeichel from his line. He can’t get there and it skims off the head of King before going behind for another corner on the other side. From which...

1.14pm BST

43 min Vardy misses a sitter! Musa, who has been terrific, intercepted a poor pass from Diomande and vroomed past Davies into the area on the right. He looked up and played it back carefully to Vardy, whose first-time shot from 10 yards went miles over the bar. Although the bounce wasn’t entirely kind he should still have scored.

1.13pm BST

41 min Leicester almost score three times in the same attack. It was a gorgeous move. The left-back Fuchs played a double one-two, first with Gray and then with Musa, whose superb return pass put Fuchs clear on goal. His stabbed shot was blocked by Jakupovic; then Vardy’s follow up was blocked on the line by the stretching Livermore; and finally Mahrez danced across the area past a couple of defenders before driving just wide of the post.

1.10pm BST

39 min “I couldn’t be happier Rob,” says Fiona Pow. “It’s late in Sydney but the game is on free to air and I’m picking up tips for the Women’s Over 30 semi-final that i’m coaching tomorrow. I’m hoping to blend Hull’s early resilience with Leicester’s vim and vigour.” That’s an extremely generous interpretation of this first half.

1.08pm BST

37 min Not much is happening. I think we have to ask whether Claudio Ranieri has taken Leicester as far as he can.

1.05pm BST

35 min It’s especially important for unlikely champions to start the following season well. I think Blackburn lost five of the first eight in 1995-96 and that set an enduring tone.

1.03pm BST

34 min “It might not be a great game, but I’m watching it on a massive screen with my eldest son at our local small-town brewery’s English Premier League Opener Breakfast Event,” says Mac Millings. “No beer for me, though, as it’s 8 am, I’m trying to be a positive role model (yeah, I know), and I’m nursing a dreadful case of middle age.” There’s a cure for that you know. I think you can buy it at the bar.

1.03pm BST

33 min Simpson is booked for repeat offending, the most recent example of which was a foul on Meyler.

1.00pm BST

31 min “‘We go again’ is a great phrase and is in no way overused,” says Jez Smith. Just like when a manager talks about the number of cup finals a team has to play before the end of the season, which is also used when a team is unlikely to win anything like a cup final. Sadly, for some of the teams (probably more likely Hull rather than Leicester) it might be a matter of needing to play 38 cup finals in the Premier League this season.”

12.59pm BST

30 min Snodgrass takes the free-kick and shoots wide of the near post from a very tight angle.

12.59pm BST

29 min It’s an unforgettable moment in any Premier League season,:when Mike Dean first goes into his pocket. Christian Fuchs is the man to be punished for a foul on Snodgrass.

12.58pm BST

28 min Luis Hernandez’s long throw bounces dangerously around the Hull area before being lumped clear.

12.57pm BST

26 min This is not news, but Riyad Mahrez is a preposterous genius. He plays football in own time zone.

12.56pm BST

25 min Drinkwater almost gives Leicester the lead. Mahrez twisted Robertson’s blood on the right of the box and then served the ball back to Drinkwater, who curled a first-time outswinger across Jakupovic and just wide of the far post. That was a fine effort.

12.55pm BST

24 min Look, I can lie to most people but I can’t lie to you: this hasn’t been a great game so far.

12.52pm BST

22 min With the ball dropping out of the sky, Drinkwater-Bevilaqua screws a left-footed volley well wide from 20 yards.

12.52pm BST

21 min “Wow!” says Hubert O’Hearn. “Isn’t this the greatest season EVER!?! (I just thought I’d get that in now before future events reduce me into a sour cynic, muttering ‘Just wait til next year.’)”

12.51pm BST

19 min A double chance for Leicester. Musa breaks down the left at pace and pulls the ball back towards the edge of the area Vardy, who connects sweetly with fresh air. The ball runs on to Mahrez, who beats Robertson with a stepover but then drives high and wide at the near post. He thought it got a deflection; Mike Dean disagreed. End of conversation.

12.48pm BST

16 min A spectacular piece of refereeing from the ever entertaining Mike Dean, who signals for a routine free-kick with the kind of demonstrative silent gesture usually reserved for those in charge of a hostage scene.

12.44pm BST

14 min “EPL FFS,” writes Gary Naylor. “The Leicester City bubble burst / dream continued, as they unexpectedly lost to / comfortably beat the Premier League’s opening day surprise packet / predicted whipping boys Hull City, in a display unlikely to stir much in supporters’ pants / damp down excitement... (cont p.94). And so it starts...”

12.41pm BST

11 min Hull have started pretty well, certainly in view of all the pre-match negativity. They are defending very deep, as I’m sure most teams will against Vardy and Musa this season. That’s an issue for Leicester. Meanwhile, Fuchs’ long, flat throw is headed clear to Gray, who welts a snapshot into orbit from 20 yards.

12.38pm BST

9 min Drinkwater, who will surely become a key part of Sam Allardyce’s England, plays an excellent crossfield pass to start a promising Leicester attack. Mahrez then plays a clever pass into the area to the underlapping Simpson, but Clucas gets back to clear.

12.37pm BST

8 min Mahrez passes the ball straight into touch. Second-season syndrome.

12.36pm BST

7 min “They say Ahmed Musa is even quicker than Jamie Vardy” says Alan Smith on Sky. Who are ‘they’? They seem to know a helluva lot about everything. They make the Eggheads seem like a herd of ignoramuses.

12.36pm BST

6 min The first chance for Hull. Snodgrass’s outswinging corner from the left is met at the near post by the head of Davies, who flicks it not far wide of the far post.

12.34pm BST

4 min “Ah yes, ‘we go again’,” says Tom Gill. “As I recall it really came into currency after Steven Gerrard employed it, right before Liverpool’s title bid imploded. So not only is it trite and irritating, I suspect that whoever uses it is also unconsciously channeling a peculiarly British sense of glorious, headlong and desperate failure (over the top fellas!) betraying a lack of confidence that they can really win anything.”

Have you thought of becoming for prime minster? That’s the best summary of Britishness - or at least Englishness - I have read in ages.

12.33pm BST

3 min The highly talented left-winger Demarai Gray wins the ball 40 yards from goal and scoots towards the edge of the area. Eventually he hits a 25-yard curler that takes a deflection and loops onto the roof of the net. Jakupovic had it covered and the corner came to nowt.

12.32pm BST

2 min “Glad the Best League in the World™ is back?” asks Ruth Purdue. I suppose we all could have done with a slightly longer break after Euro 2016, another year or two, but yes, oh yes, I’m glad it’s back.

12.30pm BST

1 min Hull, in their bumblebee colours, kick off from right to left. Leicester City, the champions of England, are in blue.

12.28pm BST

The players are in the tunnel. Leicester look pretty relaxed, Schmeichel and Mahrez in particular. This season is a step into the unknown for them, and for most of the league, which is why this is the most keenly anticipated Premier League season in at least a decade. The tedious certainties of the Big Four era are long gone.

12.09pm BST

Pre-match reading

Related: Martin Tyler: 'Bohemian Rhapsody is the worst song in Christendom'

11.49am BST

Hull City (4-3-3) Jakupovic; Elmohamady, Livermore, Davies, Robertson; Huddlestone, Clucas, Meyler; Snodgrass, Abel Hernandez, Diomande.
Substitutes Kuciak, Maloney, Tymon, Bowen, Luer, Olley, Clackstone.

Leicester City (4-4-2) Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Luis Hernandez, Fuchs; Mahrez, Drinkwater, King, Gray; Musa, Vardy.
Substitutes Zieler, Chilwell, Albrighton, Amartey, Kapustka, Okazaki, Ulloa.

10.53am BST

I see football’s back, then. And on today of all days, one phrase will be used more than most: “we go again”. That’s fine for 19 of the Premier League clubs - beyond the legitimate concern that the phrase wasn’t that good in the first place and is now just an irritating cliche - but for Leicester City it’s not so easy. How do you go again when you’ve the last thing you did was the ultimate fairytale? Where do you even go?

Do you go for first, fourth, seventh or even 17th? There aren’t many precedents or frames of reference for Leicester. We know that most unlikely title winners of the modern era – from Sampdoria to Blackburn to Montpellier to Wolfsburg – have suffered a big comedown the following season. That has led to a raft of smug Leicester obituaries before the season has even started. I’m not sure it matters if they finish 20th with no points, no goals and no corners. In sport, you can’t lose immortality.

10.17am BST

Related: Hull City v Leicester City: match preview

Continue reading...

Martin Tyler: 'Bohemian Rhapsody is the worst song in Christendom'

The Sky Sports commentator on Sergio Agüero, weird dreams, his childhood crush and how Jimmy Hill changed his life

Hi Martin, how are you doing?

Hi Small Talk. I’m very well. We’ve been doing a few interviews today so I hope I have enough energy left to say something interesting. But please don’t ask me who’s going to win the league!

Related: Twitter links with Sky Sports to show Premier League highlights

Continue reading...

Rio Olympics 2016: Team GB wins its first gold as Phelps takes his 19th – live!

Olympics medal table and live results | Schedule for day three of GamesAdam Peaty scoops 100m breaststroke as US swimmers excel in poolTennis sees upsets with defeats for Djokovic and Williams sistersAll times are local to RioSign up for our daily email briefing – and read today’s here

9.04am BST

The good news for Brazil’s football team is that, whatever they do in this tournament, it cannot be as humiliating as their exit from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The bad news is that they were jeered during a 0-0 draw with Iraq and are now in serious danger of going out at the group stage.

Related: Brazil jeered by home support after Olympic stalemate with Iraq

8.52am BST

Woe is Baz

Was lucky enough to have this view from my outdoor office today. pic.twitter.com/dJPBMfbskZ

8.30am BST

It was not all gold and goodwill on the second day in Rio. There was plenty of controversy, both actual and perceived, and you can read all about it here.

Related: China says Australia is 'on fringes of civilisation' after swimmer Mack Horton attacks Sun Yang

Related: US Olympic medal hope Lilly King wags finger at 'drug cheat' Yuliya Efimova

Related: Israel protests after Lebanese athletes refuse to share Olympic bus

Related: Britain’s Lizzie Armitstead falters in Rio road race under the glare of suspicion | Barney Ronay

8.20am BST

Old people > young people, part 34209232423494636568

A grandma's delight - here's how Uttoxeter's #OlympicNan @Mavise42Mavis reacted when @adam_peaty won #Rio2016 goldhttps://t.co/S1y3gVMkFI

8.15am BST

Here are video highlights (UK only, I’m afraid) of Adam Peaty’s stirring victory in the 100m breaststroke.

7.59am BST

You want a visual replay? We’ve got a visual replay. Here’s how Katie Ledecky demolished her own world record in the 400m freestyle.

Related: How Katie Ledecky obliterated her own world record in the 400m freestyle

7.58am BST

Annemiek van Vleuten is recovering in hospital after that awful crash in the women’s road race yesterday. She was leading the field when she lost control on the steep descent. It was such a bad fall that Anna van der Breggen, who eventually took gold, thought she was dead.

Van Vleuten is being kept in intensive care overnight but tweeted that she is okay apart from a few fractures. You can read the full story here.

I am now in the hospital with some injuries and fractures, but will be fine. Most of all super disappointed after best race of my career.

7.50am BST

It’s almost 4am in Rio, so there won’t be any live action for a few hours. But there is plenty to catch up on, depending where you are in the world. Let’s start with this outstanding piece of writing from the great Andy Bull on the even greater Adam Peaty.

Related: Adam Peaty makes light work of pressure as hard work pays off in Rio pool | Andy Bull

7.49am BST

Jazz Carlin also won silver in the 400m freestyle - a race won spectacularly by the American Katie Ledecky, who shattered the world record and helped put Team USA top of the early medal table.

What an amazing snapchat photo @JazzCarlin @adam_peaty !!!! Olympic medalists!!! pic.twitter.com/tH51CawPaD

7.44am BST

Thanks to Claire for that comprehensive briefing, which has saved me a job while I jolt myself into life via the medium of coffee. We’ll come to the rest of the action in a moment, including the considerable matter of a 19th gold for Michael Phelps, but for Team GB the star of day two was

Mavis
Adam Peaty, who obliterated an excellent field in the 100m breaststroke to take gold and break his own world record.

His entirely adorable nan Mavis has just been interviewed on BBC1. Apparently when he was a child Adam hated water and would scream every time he was put in the bath. There’s a moral in that story somewhere, though I’ve no idea what it is.

Well you have done it @adam_peaty you have made it, your hard work paid off. Congratulations to you and @massivemel. So proud love Nan x

6.57am BST

It’s Monday in Rio at the end of a weekend that’s already seen fistfuls of medals, broken limbs, myths created and debunked, and wind. A lot of wind.

Find all our Olympics coverage here, the latest results and medals table here, and Monday’s full minute-by-minute schedule here. Once you’ve read all those, you might even have time to see some sport.

Así empezó su día @delpotrojuan: encerrado 40 minutos en un ascensor de la villa olímpica por un corte de luz. pic.twitter.com/AOcTGFxanM

Synchro warm up today with @danngoodfellow :) pic.twitter.com/gNs5XEGBIK

I’m not defending a gold medal. I will always keep that. That’s always going to be there. You don’t have to give it back.

Thank you all for your support.. My journey has been tough but you've all helped! Thank You pic.twitter.com/if0gGoeHKv

Wife of a Bears' lineman wins a bronze medal today in Rio Olympics https://t.co/kwZoGY0xAX pic.twitter.com/VZrjOvr80h

Continue reading...

England v Pakistan: third Test, day five – as it happened

A glorious team performance enabled England to go 2-1 up in the series with a famous 141-run victory at Edgbaston

5.35pm BST

I’m off to write a panel on England’s great comeback victories, a big dumb smile plastered over my big dumb face. England have come from behind to lead 2-1 in this excellent series, and the fourth and final Test is only five days’ away. See you then. Thanks for your company, bye!

5.32pm BST

This is a particularly rewarding victory for Moeen Ali and Steven Finn, two very different cricketers who have had some very difficult moments this summer. Today they took the breakthrough wickets in the afternoon session, and then Moeen took the final wicket. It was all delightfully schmaltzy.

5.31pm BST

England have had a few of these comeback victories in recent times: Trent Bridge 2011 and Lord’s 2015 stand out, and this can sit proudly alongside them. Sod the Olympics, this is the feelgood victory of the summer. It’s rare to see such a complete team performance. It’s easy to ensure there is no dead wood when there are two of you - Finchy and Brent, exhibit A - but in an 11-man game it’s extremely unusual.

5.26pm BST

A superb Test match ends at 5.23pm on the final day when Sohail smashes the ball straight back at Moeen, who holds on to a fine catch. That is a glorious win for England, and one of the best team performances in England’s recent history. There were no centuries, no five-fors, not even a four-for. All XI made vital contributions, and at least five of them have a case for the Man of the Match award.

5.24pm BST

Moeen wins the match with a superb return catch!

5.21pm BST

70th over: Pakistan 199-9 (Sohail 34, Rahat 15) Pakistan have 15 overs to survive. Sohail cuts Finn for four and then drives him to long-off for another! England are getting an irritating reminder that, no matter how well you play, you always have to hit that winning double.

5.15pm BST

69th over: Pakistan 190-9 (Sohail 25, Rahat 15) Rahat chips Moeen on the bounce to short extra. As much as England deserve to win for a wonderful performance, it would entirely hilarious if Sohail and Rahat batted 25 overs to secure a draw.

5.13pm BST

68th over: Pakistan 190-9 (Sohail 25, Rahat 15) Alastair Cook is a believer in cheesy happy endings: he has brought Steven Finn back into the attack. Whoever is in charge of these things, please let Finn finish it off by sending a stump or two flying. Not in that over, which is defended well by Rahat and Sohail. I think they are considering a draw for the first time. DANNY BLOODY MORRISON. England now have Moeen as a back stop for the top-edged hook. Back stop, suicide gully: this is some serious slap-bass captaincy from Alastair Cook.

5.09pm BST

67th over: Pakistan 189-9 (Sohail 25, Rahat 15) Moeen comes into the attack. Joe Root goes in at silly point without a helmet, remembers what happened to Nick Knight and then decides to protect his head. Sohail blazes Moeen miles in the air, with the ball just eluding Finn and bouncing away for four.

“Dislocating one’s finer is quite common in cricket,” says John Starbuck. “I’ve done it - or rather, I’ve had it happen to me - and all you need is someone confident enough to give the digit a sharp tug. It hurts like ******* for a couple of hours but not enough to put you out of the next game. In this case, though, Vince might be deemed ‘injured’ to allow Rashid to play his part at the Oval.”

5.05pm BST

66th over: Pakistan 185-9 (Sohail 21, Rahat 15) Rahat fresh-airs a vigorous swipe at Broad. Pakistan need 158 from 108 balls.

Here’s James Debens on who should replace James Vince if he misses the final Test with pain of the finger. “We need to try a spinner for India,” says James, “so it has to be wily Eddie Hemmings for Vince.” John Childs is bowling beautifully at the moment.

5.01pm BST

65th over: Pakistan 185-9 (Sohail 21, Rahat 15) England have bowled abysmally at this last pair, far too short and with unnecessary machismo. Not that it really matters. Their bowling earlier, when Pakistan went from 79 for one to 151 for nine, was exemplary. Pakistan didn’t collapse at all; England flattened them.

5.00pm BST

Yep, it was missing by a long way. Next!

4.59pm BST

Woakes dupes Sohail with a slower ball that zips onto the pad. Joel Wilson says not out, and I reckon it was sliding down leg. England have reviewed it but I suspect this will be umpire’s call at best.

4.55pm BST

64th over: Pakistan 179-9 (Sohail 15, Rahat 15) Rahat joins in the fun by wasting Broad for a couple of boundaries - one through the covers and one over the slips.

“Man of the match,” says Siraj Khan. “Sami Aslam...of the losing team.” His has been the best performance by a mile but the award almost always goes to somebody on the winning side, doesn’t it. This is the very short list of players who have been MotM in Test defeats.

4.51pm BST

63rd over: Pakistan 171-9 (Sohail 15, Rahat 7) Woakes replaces Anderson and is swatted for consecutive boundaries by Sohail, who then top-edges a hook for four more! Twelve from the over.

“Are you mad?” asks Chris Goater. “Man of the match is obviously Cook. Obdurate in the first innings, fluent in the second. Has marshaled his bowling attack beautifully. MoM for certain assuming England finish this off.” You’re right. In fact they’ve just stopped play to give it to him between deliveries.

4.47pm BST

62nd over: Pakistan 159-9 (Sohail 3, Rahat 7) England have been a bit overexcited in the last couple of overs, understandably enough as they chase the last wicket. Rahat is dropped by Vince at second slip off Broad, an extremely sharp chance that seems to have dislocated a finger on his left hand. He ran straight off the field and I suppose he must be a doubt for the final Test. Who would come in? I have no idea anymore. Rob Key?

4.41pm BST

61st over: Pakistan 154-9 (Sohail 2, Rahat 3) Can you give the Man of the Match award to an entire team? It’s hard to recall a better case for that than in this match. But if I had to pick one, I’d go for Moeen I think.

“Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Eff the football, eh? And the Olympics.” He didn’t really write ‘eff’.

4.37pm BST

60th over: Pakistan 151-9 (Sohail 2, Rahat 0) It’s a great point David makes in the previous over, and not just about the bowling performance. Usually in victories there is at least one person who is a bit down about their own performance but all of the XI have made significant contributions here. It’s been an absolutely wonderful performance. It’s a shame these are back-to-back Tests, as they all deserve a zealous night on the tiles.

4.35pm BST

Sohail flicks Broad through the diving Jimmy Anderson at leg gully. It was a spectacular effort from Anderson, who dived full length to his left like a goalkeeper but couldn’t quite hang on. Not that it matters, because now Amir has gone and England are one wicket away! He blazed a drive straight to short point, where Woakes took a lovely low catch with the minimum of fuss.

4.32pm BST

59th over: Pakistan 150-8 (Amir 16, Sohail 1) Sohail Khan is an interesting tailender, whose version of the MCC Coaching Manual came with nothing but blank pages. It’s hard to see him lasting long.

“I do like a scorecard with the wickets shared evenly across the bowlers,” says David Hopkins. “I sign of an attack working as a unit and a pretty strong team unit.” Very true, and all five bowled superbly in the afternoon session. Mind you, when it comes to scorecards, there’s a lot to be said for the Laker look as well.

4.29pm BST

58th over: Pakistan 149-8 (Amir 16, Sohail 0) Broad has a strangled shout for LBW against Amir. It’s a matter of when rather than if England win, just as it was at Auckland in 1997.

“Driving in a convertible mustang towards the Rockies in British Columbia.. trying desperately to find a stream of TMS that works in bloody Canada to catch the end of this one,” writes Keiran Betteley. “Life is seriously unfair sometimes... the Mrs (who actually has her hands on the wheel, for those with road safety concerns, is utterly unsympathetic to my plight. Then again she’s Brazilian and is only slowly coming to an understanding(tolerance) of cricket.. she at least knows Stokes as ‘the angry one’ and describes our great and glorious captain us ‘a manly version of Kaka’... )”

4.25pm BST

57th over: Pakistan 149-8 (Amir 16, Sohail 0) If only we could read John Woodcock’s thoughts on today’s play.

All hail! The great day is here.This is the ninetieth birthday of John Woodcock, the greatest cricket writer of all. The Sage of Longparish!

4.23pm BST

Jimmy Anderson strikes in the first over after tea. It was beautiful bowling, a yorker followed by a sharp lifter that took the splice and looped gently to gully. England are two wickets away from a whole heap of glory. They have played superbly for the last three days, but since lunch today they have been awesome.

4.08pm BST

Hello again. How effing good was that? Six wickets in the session, five in an hour, four for one run, and England are on the brink of a quite glorious victory. All five bowlers were just superb in the afternoon session as England took their traditional relationship with reverse swing and Pakistan and, well, reversed it.

The Moet moment was Steven Finn staging another Edgbaston exorcism, roaring like Eric Cantona after he dismissed Misbah-ul-Haq. It was his first Test wicket in 430 deliveries and, after all he has been through, almost brought a lump to the throat - as did the serene defiance of the 20-year-old Sami Aslam, who played astonishingly well to make 70 from 167 balls before he left one from Finn that jagged back to hit the off stump.

4.06pm BST

That’s it from me. Rob Smyth will be taking over in the next few minutes to report on the final few wickets/an incredible Pakistan fightback.

4.02pm BST

56th over: Pakistan 148-7 (Shah 7, Amir 15) More class through the off side for Amir. Finn’s bowling around the wicket and into him, so Amir can just wait for the ball, punching it through cover point for two and then four. As a result, Finn decides to come around the wicket and finds a single into the covers. And that is the session: 34 overs, 79 runs – six wickets. England need three more from the remaining 28 overs...

3.57pm BST

55th over: Pakistan 141-7 (Shah 7, Amir 8) A lovely straight drive from Yasir Shah takes out the nonstriker’s stumps for none. Here’s that Finn wicket of Aslam...

Brilliant from Finn - England have four wickets for just one run! #EngvPak https://t.co/M4KutIRmDn

3.53pm BST

54th over: Pakistan 139-7 (Yasir 5, Amir 8) Shah isn’t going to be bullied by Finn. And neither is Amir, who adds on a flourish at the end of his drive to bisect point and gully for four.

3.49pm BST

53rd over: Pakistan 134-7 (Yasir 4, Amir 4) Woakes is wicket-to-wicket and every other delivery seems to bring a whiff of an LBW appeal. The ones that do come through are just going down leg.

Is there a finer sight in cricket than this? pic.twitter.com/s1tzFiS6tY

3.44pm BST

52nd over: Pakistan 125-7 (Yasir 0, Amir 0) Quite the collapse, as Pakistan lose four wickets for a single run! “Finn bowling full and finally getting a wicket,” writes Adam Hirst. “Whoever woulda thunk it.” Cook has asked for the extra 15-minutes, thus delaying tea. Wise move - Pakistan are a mess.

3.43pm BST

Glorious delivery from Finn, who starts one wide from around the wicket and gets it to move in late and clip the top of Aslam’s off stump, who was leaving it well alone. The end of a cracking knock.

3.40pm BST

51st over: Pakistan 125-6 (Sami 70, Shah 0) Quality bit of bowling from Woakes, who nearly has two in two but is robbed of the second by timely bat.

3.38pm BST

Woakes thinks he has Yasir Shah first ball as Joel Wilson raises the finger for the LBW. Shah reviews straight away and there’s a healthy thick edge in there.

3.36pm BST

Woakes gets the ball to move off the seam this time, away from the right hander, and Root completes the dismissal with a fine low catch to his right.

3.32pm BST

50th over: Pakistan 125-5 (Aslam 70, Sarfraz 0) Sami Aslam keeps his head in line with off stump, while others lead across with theirs. Maiden.

3.28pm BST

49th over: Pakistan 125-5 (Aslam 70) Chris Woakes replaces Moeen Ali to make use of this 48-over-old ball, which is starting to show signs of reverse swing. He doesn’t control it well against Aslam but does get one to move into Asad Shafiq, whose front foot is already planted as the ball starts to move into him. And that’s a pair for Shafiq!

This is the first time in his career that Younis Khan has gone 8 Test innings without a score of 50 or more #Cricket #EngvPak

3.27pm BST

Another first over of the spell scalp for Chris Woakes, as he traps Asad Shafiq on the crease. The batsman sends it up to the third umpire but it’s making a mess of the virtual leg stump.

3.22pm BST

48th over: Pakistan 124-4 (Aslam 69, Shafiq 0) The scream after Bairstow took the catch said it all (so does that stat in the previous entry). The delivery to Shafiq, with a packed cordon for company, rears up and takes the glove. He’s ticking, too...

3.20pm BST

Exceptional from Finn as he goes full and gets one to move late away from Misbah and snare the edge.

After 414 balls in this series Steven Finn has his first wicket. #EngvPak

3.16pm BST

47th over: Pakistan 124-3 (Aslam 69, Misbah 10) There’s a lot to like about Sami Aslam, not least because he’s defending solidly and still giving England something to entice them. However, even when he plays his shots, he’s doing so with the conviction of a man who’s staying put. Like someone who’s rocked up to a Chinese buffet at 5pm and knows where the free water is. Two fours – one thumped down the ground on the move, the other behind point – keep Moeen honest.

3.12pm BST

46th over: Pakistan 115-3 (Sami 61, Misbah 9) Steven Finn into the attack and Misbah jumps off strike through gully. Around the wicket to Aslam, Finn angles one into the leftie forcing him to come forward, only for the ball to move away and beat him. Cue the “that’s more like it, Finny - just keep doing that! Gonna get you out of here, yeah?”

3.07pm BST

45th over: Pakistan 114-3 (Aslam 61, Misbah 8) That didn’t last long at all, as Misbah sweeps a delivery wide of off stump to bring Aslam back on strike. After a dab through the covers for two, Aslam rocks back and cuts, not totally convincingly but four.

3.04pm BST

44th over: Pakistan 107-3 (Aslam 55, Misbah 7) First time in three overs that Anderson has the chance to go at Aslam, who edges but low on the bat, through to Jonny Bairstow after a couple of bounces. What that means is that Ali has Misbah next up...

This is great watching. Why we should be thrilled when a Test gets to a fifth day, not trying to eliminate the very chance of it. #ENGvPAK

2.59pm BST

43rd over: Pakistan 106-3 (Aslam 55, Misbah 6) Far from convincing shot for runs from Sami. Moeen dips one and the left hander has to really shovel it over mid on. A few more shots tenderise Vince.

2.57pm BST

42nd over: Pakistan 102-3 (Aslam 51, Misbah 6) Misbah plays at a couple that arch in but beat his outside edge.

James Vince could do with Adam Voges' Test nous, but for now he should try and make do with his baggy jumper https://t.co/hxypnxRCYm

2.53pm BST

41st over: Pakistan 102-3 (Sami 51, Misbah 6) Sami Aslam, so careful against the seamers, develops a twitch when facing Moeen Ali. Maybe it’s down to a lack of respect – that he doesn’t feel he has anything to be worried about the off breaks coming his way. But, every now and again, he swings too hard and misses out on runs. Twice in that over he drives into James Vince, at silly point, trying to hit the red off the ball (and the whites off Vince).

Sami Aslam batting with Misbah-ul-Haq. Sami was just 3 years old when Misbah made his first class debut #Cricket #EngvPak

2.50pm BST

40th over: Pakistan 102-3 (Sami 51, Misbah 6) What a delivery to start the over! Jimmy, buoyed by the wicket, fizzes one into Misbah, between bat and pad. There’s a huge noise, but it’s just thigh pad. Misbah defends a few with the outside half of his bat before deliberately dabbing one to third man for four. Encouragingly from an England perspective, Anderson’s pace is up.

Sami Aslam the fourth Pakistan opener to hit twin fifties in a Test in England https://t.co/0YloVEZqJb #ENGvPAK

2.45pm BST

39th over: Pakistan 98-3 (Aslam 51, Misbah 2) A lot of chatter, a man under his nose, rising pressure and Sami Aslam relieves it momentarily with a thwack to midwicket to bring up his second fifty off the match, this one from 124 balls.

2.42pm BST

38th over: Pakistan 94-3 (target: 343; Sami 47, Misbah 2) Misbah is the new batsman. If England break this partnership soon, or even before tea, they will have genuine hope of victory. I’m off for a bit; Vish will take you through tea.

2.39pm BST

Gone! Anderson strikes with reverse swing. Younis didn’t know which way it was swinging, or even how to spell his first name, and pushed a long way outside off stump at a ball that took the edge and was well claimed by Jonny Bairstow. He moved a long way to his right and claimed it in front of Cook at first slip. Lovely stuff from Anderson; “an artist at work” says Bumble on Sky.

2.34pm BST

37th over: Pakistan 91-2 (target: 343; Sami 46, Younis 4) Moeen hasn’t built on that Azhar wicket, which came from a lovely spell. Cook gives him a fourth close fielder, a rare sighting of a silly point, and that’s his best over since the wicket, a flightful maiden to Younis.

2.31pm BST

36th over: Pakistan 91-2 (target: 343; Sami 46, Younis 4) “I need a suicide gully!” says Alastair Cook, so Joe Root dons the helmet and assumes the position. The crowd are trying to make something happen, with rhythmic applause as Anderson runs in. Sami is, or at least appears, completely unperturbed by it all and immaculately plays out a maiden. He has batted over six hours in the match without being dismissed by a bowler.

2.27pm BST

35th over: Pakistan 91-2 (target: 343; Sami 46, Younis 4)

2.25pm BST

34th over: Pakistan 89-2 (target: 343; Sami 45, Younis 3) Now this is interesting - replays show that the Broad yorker in the previous over actually hit Sami’s foot - or maybe even his shoelace - and then his bat. Had England reviewed - they didn’t even appeal - it would have been out. Anderson replaces Broad and beats Sami with a fine reverse outswinger; then Sami opens the face to steer a boundary to third man. Drift and reverse swing are giving England fresh hope of victory.

2.22pm BST

33rd over: Pakistan 85-2 (target: 343; Sami 41, Younis 3) Not such a good over from Moeen; three from it.

2.19pm BST

32nd over: Pakistan 82-2 (target: 343; Sami 39, Younis 2) England have been brilliant since lunch, with the ball at both ends but also in the field and even the crowd. The length of Pakistan’s tail means that they will be hopeful of victory even if Pakistan are only four down at tea. The key wickets are Misbah and first Sami Aslam, who is playing unbelievably well in the circumstances. When Broad goes around the wicket and spears in a yorker, Sami does very well to dig it out through backward square for a single. Broad has lovely figures of 10-5-9-1.

2.15pm BST

31st over: Pakistan 80-2 (target: 343; Sami 38, Younis 1) So nearly another one for Moeen! Sami got a big inside-edge onto the pad, with the ball dropping on the off side. Bairstow reacted smartly and dived forward in front of the stumps, but couldn’t quite get there. Moeen started this match with question-marks over his place; he might yetend it with the Man of the Match award.

2.11pm BST

This has been coming, and it’s a triumph both for Moeen and Alastair Cook. Azhar was tempted into the drive by a full delivery which drifted a fair way to take the edge, and Cook - who had moved himself to gully in the previous over - took a really smart reaction catch.

2.09pm BST

30th over: Pakistan 79-1 (target: 343; Sami 38, Azhar 38) Broad pings a short ball past the head of Sami, who ducks calmly. He seems to have an outstanding temperament. At the age of 20, I couldn’t even hide my emotions when cans of Coors were reduced to 50p; Sami is facing a superb seam attack yet remains completely inscrutable.

Is England's Gary Ballance joining the Ministry of Silly Walks? #ShotOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/dl4C84VCf4

2.04pm BST

29th over: Pakistan 79-1 (target: 343; Sami 38, Azhar 38) England appeal optimistically for LBW when Azhar offers no stroke to Moeen. It was missing off. He does look relatively uncomfortable against Moeen, however, and Cook decides to bring in both a gully and a short leg. A good maiden from Moeen.

2.01pm BST

28th over: Pakistan 79-1 (target: 343; Sami 38, Azhar 38) Before you can seize the moment you have to sense the moment. The great matchwinners like Curtly Ambrose and Stuart Broad are masters at it, and Broad is definitely putting more into this spell. He induces a false stroke with a slower ball to Azhar, who is desperate to get off strike and eventually does so from the fifth delivery.

1.57pm BST

27th over: Pakistan 78-1 (target: 343; Sami 38, Azhar 37) Azhar has been jittery at both ends since lunch but plays the majority of that Moeen over comfortably enough.

1.55pm BST

26th over: Pakistan 76-1 (target: 343; Sami 37, Azhar 36) There is a lot of intensity in this spell from Broad, the intensity we associate with those magic spells. He almost gets a wicket too when Azhar, feeling outside off stump, edges fractionally short of Cook at first slip. The follow-up is a beautiful short ball that rams into the glove as Azhar snaps his head back. That was a superb over.

1.51pm BST

25th over: Pakistan 76-1 (target: 343; Sami 37, Azhar 36) Sami Aslam’s performance in this match has been staggering. He’s a 20-year-old playing his first first-class match rhis year, in alien conditions and in a vital Test, and he’s batted like a Hanif Mohammad tribute act.

Meanwhile, England appeal for a stumping of Azhar, who is beaten by a fine delivery from Moeen. Bruce Oxenford plays it safe by going upstairs but Azhar’s back leg stayed grounded. Moeen is in the game here. It’s not ragging or anything but there is enough going on to make him a threat. Pakistan might need to counter-attack to try to disrupt his rhythm.

1.48pm BST

24th over: Pakistan 74-1 (target: 343; Sami 36, Azhar 35) If this is a draw, we’ll go into the final Test of the summer with the scores level for the first time since the 2009 Ashes. It used to happen a fair bit -

1989,
1992, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002 - but no so much any more. It would be quite an occasion, especially as Pakistan have a magnificent record on that ground. Anyway, Broad starts at the other end and zips a good delivery past the defensive grope of Azhar. I thought he’d nicked that for a second. A maiden.

“Rob, If you decide you’ll continue with the film riff - I know, we’ve done this before - then one way to judge The Greatest Film of All Time is how many quotes it generates,” says John Starbuck. “In which case, Young Frankenstein is our favourite.” Well that’s just, like, your opinion, man.

1.43pm BST

23rd over: Pakistan 74-1 (target: 343; Sami 36, Azhar 35) Moeen Ali starts after lunch. You would think Pakistan will have to go after him if they are to win, though that won’t be as easy as usual because there’s a bit of turn on this fifth-day pitch. Azhar edges all along the ground for four to get the scoreboard moving again.

Here’s an email from William Hargreaves. “Rumour has it KP wanted back into the team, appealed saying that he could now get on with Strauss and Cook, but was informed by the selectors that: ‘the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world...’ and that they politely declined.”

1.28pm BST

Hello folks. “Obviously way too early to call, but Pakistan have previous for chasing a daunting target relatively quickly,” says Nabeel Younas. “They chased down over 300 in around 60 overs against Sri Lanka not too long ago...”

I hope it goes to the last over with all four results possible and Misbah 93 not out from 49 balls - “always with the scenarios” - but I suspect there will be a handshake just after 5pm. England can slow the game down if they need to, and I can’t see Pakistan losing nine wickets in two sessions to the old ball.

1.05pm BST

“I count Will Smith’s decision to share the poster for a movie with anyone in a couple of his recent flicks (Margot Robbie and Margot Robbie plus others respectively) as a major move forward for him,” writes Michael Hunt. “As a quick game, try to remember the last time pre-Focus when he so much as had another face on the poster with him that wasn’t a) a money-spinning sequel, or b) his own progeny with him.” Now that is a question. Bad Boys II? While I mull a few over, Rob will join you soon.

1.03pm BST

22nd over: Pakistan 69-1 (Aslam 36, Azhar 30)

Joe Root to provide the obligatory over of spin before lunch. Azhar Ali finds three beyond first slip to allow Aslam to get back the strike after he pinched a single off the first delivery. The final ball gets the big build-up of a field change and some inane chatter from Bairstow behind the stumps, before Aslam plays it out to point for a single. That’s it for that session: with 62 overs left, Pakistan require 274 to win. Very, very doable...

12.59pm BST

21st over: Pakistan 65-1 (Sami 35, Azhar 27) Perhaps it was Ali’s line outside off stump or the impending lunch interval, but Azhar Ali plays out watchfully before nabbing a single. Decent turn from the fifth ball, which grips, too.

@Vitu_E 'Utter garbage saved somewhat by Will Smith' - isn't that every film of the 90s? Bad Boys, Independence Day, Men in Black...

12.57pm BST

20th over: Pakistan 63-1 (Aslam 34, Azhar 26) Michael Holding purrs as Finn targets the ribs of Sami from around the wicket.

@Vitu_E Greatest film? Andrei Rublev - https://t.co/SbIk1Hw6vA

12.53pm BST

19th over: Pakistan 62-1 (Aslam 34, Azhar 25) Moeen Ali into the attack and starts with a long hop. Luckily, it’s so short that Aslam can’t quite get hold of it and only gets two as it plinks into the leg side. Better flight and length for the rest of the over, mind.

12.49pm BST

18th over: Pakistan 60-1 (Aslam 32, Azhar 25) Much better over from Finn, who cranks up the pace and has Azhar Ali hopping outside off stump.

@Vitu_E Man, Casablanca is a brilliant film. Do I even want to open the meaningless Greatest Of All Time can of worms? *Rear Window*

12.47pm BST

17th over: Pakistan 59-1 (Aslam 31, Azhar 25) As the ball leaves Woakes’ hand, he thinks about appealing. But Azhar does brilliantly to work the ball, on middle stump, inside fine leg for four. And when Aslam drops and runs, Anderson’s needless throw beats Stuart Broad who’s backing up and goes for four overthrows. England need the interval, which is 15 minutes away.

We know the script, Misbah in the last over, six to win, Rahat at the other end, three balls left, and he'll be caught playing a lap scoop.

12.41pm BST

Drag your length back, Finny,

12.40pm BST

16th over: Pakistan 40-1 (Aslam 26, Azhar 20) An LBW appeal from Steven Finn speaks volumes: the impact was outside the line and Aslam was playing a shot, but Finn asks like a man who knows he needs something to get him going. It’s not quite, “please sir can I have some more” but “oh come on – just one to take the edge off!”. Still, a maiden. “No doubt Shane Watson was as shocked as Louis every time he reviewed an lbw decision and found it confirmed his dismissal,” writes David Wall.

12.36pm BST

15th over: Pakistan 49-1 (Aslam 26, Azhar 20) Azhar ticking, too. The first ball, which tails in a touch, is left outside off stump. The second – fuller and straighter – gets the full face through mid off. Another well struck drive, this time through cover, is stopped well by Stuart Broad, who palms the ball into mid off to save two runs.

12.33pm BST

14th over: Pakistan 43-1 (Aslam 26, Azhar 14) Garbage from Anderson, who cocks up at mid off and allows a drive to him bounce through his arms and away for four. Finn, peeved, puts a bit more on the next delivery, which Aslam works supremely through midwicket for four. Pakistan now need 300 to win from 70 overs...

Sami Aslam now averages 100 in the UK.

12.29pm BST

13th over: Pakistan 34-1 (Aslam 18, Azhar 13) Geez Aslam’s a player: watchful as Woakes comes around the wicket and then drives him powerfully through the covers for four. How on earth Shan Masood kept him out of the first two Tests is a mystery. God bless the OBO and god bless Chris Fowler, who wades into the Casablanca debate: “Nobody ever says ‘Play it again, Sam’ in Casablanca. Rick and Sam have the following exchange:

Rick: “What’s that you’re playing?”
Sam: “Oh, just a little something of my own.”
Rick: “ Well, stop it. You know what I wanna hear.”
Sam: “No, I don’t.”
Rick: “You played it for her, you can play it for me. If she can stand it, I can. Play it!”

12.23pm BST

12th over: Pakistan 30-1 (Aslam 14, Azhar 13) Steven Finn starts loosely and Aslam drives him very nicely through mid off for four. Still, it’s better to be driven than cut in this situation and that’s backed up by a few that Aslam doesn’t quite time.

@Vitu_E in hammock reading @guardian_sport #obo trying for more Casablanca cricket linkages. could not be happier. Kepler weasels = Louis?

12.19pm BST

11th over: Pakistan 25-1 (Aslam 9, Azhar 13) Woakes angles one into the stumps and Azhar gets it around the corner for four to fine leg. An edge is found into the slips but it’s low and, in the end, well stopped by James Vince diving to his right.

12.15pm BST

10th over: Pakistan 21-1 (Sami 9, Azhar 9) Good from Azhar Ali, who not only judges well but is punching through into the leg side, with a straight bat, well enough to keep the close catchers out of luck.

12.14pm BST

9th over: Pakistan 20-1 (Sami 9, Azhar 8) Woakes for his first go of the innings, as he replaces Anderson to start with a solid yet unspectacular maiden.

@Vitu_E love the casablanca clip. "We all try, you succede " a wonderful humble line shared by all amateur cricketers watching pros.

12.06pm BST

8th over: Pakistan 20-1 (Aslam 9, Azhar 8) Aslam works brought to square leg as Broad angles one in on leg stump, before Azhar Ali gets right behind one on off. Broad has found his radar. He’s got, well, two bat-pads: one close and helmted, the other a bit further back.

12.00pm BST

7th over: Pakistan 12-1 (Aslam 8, Azhar 5) Glorious from Azhar Ali as h on drives for four, despite the fact that Anderson has a fielder at Hoggard-to-Hayden-mid-on. Another four ends the over, as Sami Aslam guides the ball beyond the slips.

11.57am BST

6th over: Pakistan 6-1 (Sami 3, Azhar 0) The absolute state of it...

One down, nine to go... #EngvPak https://t.co/sYCPMpymHR

11.55am BST

Utterly moronic from Hafeez: Broad goes short and Hafeez hooks to find the one man out at deep square leg. England have one of 10.

11.52am BST

5th over: Pakistan 6-0 (Hafeez 2, Aslam 3) Really good finish from Anderson, who has planted a seed of indecision in Sami Aslam’s head, who plays for the inswinger as the ball leaves him.

11.46am BST

4th over: Pakistan 5-0 (Hafeez 1, Aslam 3) An LBW appeal from Broad, around the wicket to Aslam, has a touch of height and a lot of bat to it. Is it Woakes Time yet?

11.42am BST

3rd over: Pakistan 5-0 (Hafeez 1, Aslam 3) First run off the bat, as Hafeez nudges behind square on the leg side to get him off his pair. Anderson temps Aslam with a fuller ball which is played and missed outside the off stump. Hafeez ends the over with a peculiar waft to a short wide delivery, after he’s brought on strike but a nice square drive from Aslam.

11.37am BST

2nd over: Pakistan 1-0 (Hafeez 0, Aslam 0) Stuart Broad starts with a no ball that replays show was a bit harsh. Sami Aslam goes to leave the first legitimate delivery of the innings but isn’t able to get the bat out of the way early enough and ends up guiding the ball low into the cordon off the face of his bat. Broad, having allowed the left hander a few leaves, finishes the over around the wicket and at the stumps.

Recent cases of England taking 10 wickets on fifth day to win: v NZ Lord's 2013, v Pak Leeds 2006, v SA Joburg 2005, v WI the Oval 2000

11.32am BST

1st over: Pakistan 0-0 (Hafeez 0, Aslam 0) New nut, Jimmy – let’s go. Three slips, gully and a bit of away movement. Hafeez looks like he’s playing at the last ball before letting it pass by, raising his bat to his shoulders, at the last moment. Maiden.

Always handy to have a fifth day up your sleeve, eh Test cricket?!

11.24am BST

129th over: England 445-6 declare (Moeen 86, Woakes 3) And there it is. Alastair Cook calls the innings to a halt, with 41 added in four overs. Fair dos.

Warnie still calling red inks "Steve Waughs". Gotta laugh at this little war.

11.15am BST

128th over: England 441-6 (Ali 84, Woakes 2) Amir replaces Yasir and is much harder to get away. Just two from theo over. “Morning Vish. An hour, you say?” asks Simon McMahon. “I was thinking 15 minutes. 100 for Bairstow (now Ali), Pakistan chasing 360, few overs with the second new ball at end of day if required.” Oh an hour is far too much batting on, I agree.

11.10am BST

127th over: England 439-6 (Ali 83, Woakes 1) Bairstow goes, looking to move the game along. A drive off Woakes brings Ali on strike and, after a few missed pulls, he hooks around the corner and nutmegs Rahat Ali at fine leg for four. “The current round of Test series is serving the same function as last season’s final episode of Game of Thrones. It will establish the possibilities of who may emerge as top dog in the next series. When the dust settles on the current round of test matches, there may be four teams within three ranking points of each other, any one of whom could be perched triumphantly on top of the ICC’s iron rankings throne in a few months’ time.” Much like Game Of Thrones, you never quite know who the bad guys are.

11.07am BST

Not sure how that wasn’t out first time around... Bairstow moves across to off stump and is struck in front of middle and off. The ball races away for four leg byes, Misbah reviews and it’s plummers.

11.03am BST

A watchful start from Mo... #EngvPak https://t.co/bZgGPzL9uj

11.03am BST

126th over: England 434-5 (Bairstow 83, Ali 79) Yasir Shah starts the bowling this morning and, first ball, Moeen Ali skips down and finds a single to mid off. Once he gets back the strike, he skips down once more to hit the first six of the innings! Sent over midwicket, with aplomb. And then he goes again! Even bigger! Shah changes to come over the wicket... and Moeen goes again! Not quite out of the screws, but wide of the man put out for the shot for four. That’s the 150 partnership (170 balls), too. And a pinched two through extra cover makes that 20 off the over. Is Mo going to get to his hundred before Jonny??

10.57am BST

“Morning Vish, morning all!” Morning, Dean Kinsella. “A little over a year ago, during the thrilling series between NZ and England, a new and adventurous dawn appeared to be breaking in English cricket. ‘Let’s go for the win’ was the attitude and it was a breath of fresh air, not to mention successful! This excellent Test match deserves a proper denouement in keeping with that spirit. No more than an hour at the crease please Cookie!” Yep, can’t see any reason for them to be out there for any more than an hour, especially if Jonny Baistow (82*) and Moeen Ali (60*) score as briskly as they did last night.

10.40am BST

If you’re in Brum or the surrounding area and have a free day and love change from a twenty:

Day 5️⃣ tickets: £16 adults, kids from a fiver. Fancy some #EngvPak Test Cricket? pic.twitter.com/L8HXchN8wY

10.39am BST

More from Cook on batting on: “There’s something about putting pressure on a side who know they can’t win. It’s a slow wicket so we’re going to have to fight to take 10-wickets.”

10.35am BST

There you go then...

"If we can score a few more then that victory target is out of their reach" Cook on why England are batting on. pic.twitter.com/0NF45hZ5oa

10.28am BST

Whenever Edgbaston 2005 comes up, as well as evoking joy, it reminds me of Daniel Harris, from these here pages (and this excellent book)...

Lot of chat about Edgbaston 2005. Here's what an unbroken, unused final day ticket looks like. pic.twitter.com/7oEutToqOw

10.10am BST

On the subject of thrilling final days, it’s 11-years to the day since *that* day at Edgbaston. Relive those terrifying moments...

10.06am BST

Morning everyone. Fascinating day’s play in store that could be scuppered by a lack of declaration or impetus. An overnight pulling out would be really quite something but the whispers (i.e. people speculating on Twitter with words like “think”, “hearing” and indeed “whispers”) give the impression that England will bat on. And to bat on will be to accrue enough runs to feel totally safe. That last bit is crucial: the pitch is still very good for batting, as indicated by the fact that the scores have got bigger with each innings. The 311-run lead is a big one but, bearing in mind Pakistan have chased down 302 (won by five wickets) and 377 (won by seven) since 2014, on pitches similar to this, and with another Test around the corner, it’s probably worth saving the pitchforks for another day.

5.27pm BST

Vish will be here shortly. Until then, here’s Vic Marks’ report on an intriguing fourth day’s play.

Related: Jonny Bairstow takes control for England to leave Pakistan wilting

Continue reading...

England v Pakistan: third Test, day three – as it happened

Over-by-over updates from the third day of play at EdgbastonMaiden century stand from Cook and Hales see England lead by 17Australia skittled for 106 as Sri Lankan spinner Herath bags hat-trick

6.59pm BST

Right, that’s all from us here. Join us tomorrow for day four of this engrossing Test. Bye!

6.49pm BST

Woakes, who has 21 wickets in the series (the most in a series against Pakistan is 23 by James Anderson, across four matches) reckons there’s every chance the pitch breaks up tomorrow afternoon. Definitely think the draw won’t come into things if we get a full amount of play in for the rest of the Test. Of course, burning nine-overs today isn’t great, for the game or the punters.

Something to savour: the likelihood of a Test going into a fifth day with all three results possible #ENGvPAK

6.35pm BST

Nine overs left unbowled today. A tenth of the day's play. Not good. Otherwise, a fabulous day of cricket.

6.32pm BST

35th over: England 120-0 (Cook 64, Hales 50) A shot out to cover takes Alex Hales to 49, before a single for Cook means the right hander has to face the last ball of the day. A tempter from Khan outside off stump is... guided behind point for the single to take him to his fifth Test half century. Brilliant evening’s work from these two.

6.28pm BST

34th over: England 117-0 (Cook 63, Hales 48) Shah finishes his work today with a tidy if unspectacular six. He’ll have a lot of work on his card tomorrow. Last over coming up...

6.26pm BST

Important

@StocksC_cricket looks like v NZ, Old Trafford, 2008 https://t.co/9ZgTB0fTu2 (with working link!)

6.25pm BST

33rd over: England 116-0 (Cook 63, Hales 47) Sohail Khan starting to move with all the dexterity and litheness of a Lego figure. Cook blocks and blocks some more, and even blocks for one. Hales does the same.

6.18pm BST

32nd over: England 112-0 (Cook 62, Hales 46) One from the over, as the camera lingers on Steven Finn, pads on, in the changing room.

Just the 12 overs to squeeze into the next 12 minutes ... should be fun

6.14pm BST

31st over: England 111-0 (Cook 61, Hales 45) A cracking punch from Alex Hales that makes it way through extra cover and puts England three ahead. Sohail Khan is the new bowler, who looks to have stiffened up between spells (he’s allowed to - he’s 32). A single to square leg and then Alastair Cook extends the lead to eight with a tuck off his hip through straight midwicket.

6.09pm BST

30th over: England 102-0 (Cook 57, Hales 40) Now we’ve got some turn! Shah beats the outside edge as Hales pushes forward and hits the pads. It’s ruled not out by Joel Wilson but Misbah reviews. Unfortunately for Pakistan, it pitched outside leg.

6.05pm BST

29th over: England 101-1 (Cook 57, Hales 39) Inside edge into the leg side brings up the 100 and, importantly, the first hundred partnership in 18 innings between these two.

5.59pm BST

28th over: England 99-0 (Cook 56, Hales 38) Really nice from Hales, who knows deep point is out so ensures his drive off the back foot to Yasir Shah is through extra cover. England trail by four...

5.56pm BST

27th over: England 95-0 (Cook 56, Hales 34) Hales, settled, knows he is in control of his own destiny. A languid pat to point gives him a single. There’s a hundred here for him if he wants one. And he definitely does. “Both Sky and TMS have been banging on all afternoon about the chance of a side winning from a 1st innings deficit of more than 100 being 3.5%,” writes Tim Featherstone-Griffin. “Does anyone know the chance of a side winning with a deficit of 103? Or, if that doesn’t turn up a statistically significant sample, between 100 and 110? Because I am bored with the doom and gloomsayers who don’t appear to recognise that this magic stat they’ve come up with also includes sides with a deficit of 150, 200, 300...

5.52pm BST

26th over: England 94-0 (Cook 56, Hales 33) A rueful shake of the head from Misbah after the ball makes it way back from the midwicket fence, after Cook punishes Shah for dropping short from around the wicket.

5.49pm BST

STATTAGE

Fifty in less than 70 balls for Alastiar Cook:

Before this series: 3 (in 231 inngs)
This series: 3 (in 6 inngs)#ENGvPAK

5.48pm BST

25th over: England 90-0 (Cook 52, Hales 33) Block drive from Cook beats Rahat Ali’s dive at mid on for his 51st Test fifty. It’s taken 67 balls. The 68th gives him a single to the left of the same fielder. What a series he is having.

5.44pm BST

24th over: England 85-0 (Cook 47, Hales 22) Bit of a net, that over, as Hales plays a couple of nice looking runs for no gain whatsoever. The pitch is playing like matting, too.

Cook hasn't played and missed at all in this innings and has only edged three deliveries (one of which went for 4) #ENGvPAK

5.40pm BST

23rd over: England 84-0 (Cook 46, Hales 33) Hales follows a wide delivery to punch through cover for single. It’s important because, a few overs ago, that was a delivery he would have left well alone. Think he has realised how little movement there is out there. Amir laments a wide delivery that shapes away from Cook but starts too far away to tempt the England captain.

5.36pm BST

22nd over: England 81-0 (Cook 44, Hales 32) Just one from the over as Shah searches something from the pitch or the batsmen. Neither offer anything.

5.33pm BST

21st over: England 80-0 (Cook 43, Hales 32) More width to Cook, more work for deep point. And the world keeps turning.

5.28pm BST

20th over: England 77-0 (Cook 40, Hales 32) Fairly sedate over of leg spin ramped up by a checked whip over midwicket by Hales for four. Belting shot.

5.28pm BST

19th over: England 71-0 (Cook 39, Hales 27)

Productive for England as Cook gets two runs to point before leg byes bring four from the pads of Hales. Pakistan’s insistence on feeding Cook outside off stump reminds me of the scene from The Office where Tim and Gareth are trying to solve the riddle of the fox and the chicken. Tim, thinking out loud, goes through the options available, ruling them out as he goes, when Gareth interjects by saying: “Oh, I’m a chicken. Thank you Tim for leaving me with my favourite food.” That thought has led to me stumbling across this clip that someone has cut together, where Martin Freeman, the actor who plays Tim, solves the same problem in another show...

5.15pm BST

18th over: England 65-0 (Cook 37, Hales 27) Charles Hart on email is already calling a draw, as Hales crashes Shah through the off side for four. No real turn of note, or bounce, really. No sign of Shah producing this nut that Warne served up to Strauss here in 2005...

5.11pm BST

17th over: England 61-0 (Cook 37, Hales 23) Point is pushed out for Cook, allowing him to time the ball into the vacant region for one. Hales then runs a ball across him down third man for four. Maybe a touch risky but gully is open and it was kept down very well.

5.06pm BST

16th over: England 55-0 (Cook 36, Hales 18) Wonderful from Hales: Shah flights one up outside off stump and the right hander gets a solid foot forward and times nicely through extra cover for four. Glorious.

5.05pm BST

15th over: England 51-0 (Cook 36, Hales 14) Fifty partnership off 87 balls when Hales works to Ali to square leg. Currently, no other batsman in the series has been scoring runs at a greater strike rate than Alastair Cook. #UNIVERSECHEF

5.00pm BST

14th over: England 49-0 (Cook 35, Hales 13) Yasir Shah comes into the attack to make use of all the scuffings. Nothing particularly outlandish in terms of turn. Hales defends most with a decent stride forward.

4.57pm BST

13th over: England 49-0 (Cook 35, Hales 13) A subdued LBW appeal goes up as Cook edges the ball onto his pad. The next ball is short and wide of Cook’s off stump. You know the rest.

4.50pm BST

12th over: England 45-0 (Cook 31, Hales 13) That’s more like it, Alexander. Rahat pushes him back but offers width and Hales opens the face to drive through point for four.

@Vitu_E given his reformation as a slightly thinner Matthew Hayden, surely Captain Cook needs a new nickname: possibly TurboChef?

4.46pm BST

11th over: England 40-0 (Cook 30, Hales 9) Hales gets himself into a pickle – squared up a short ball from Amir that shocks him into aborting a pull shot. He gets four as it flies over the slips, off the offered top edge. Very lucky indeed. That’s now three scoring shots in 40 balls...

4.42pm BST

10th over: England 35-0 (Cook 29, Hales 5) An edge first ball races through the slips for four, stinging the fingers of Azhar Ali in the process. To be fair to Cook, he plays it well to ensure it was always on the way down of the bat.

4.39pm BST

13, 780* - Alastair Cook has now scored the most runs for @englandcricket across all formats combined. Chef. pic.twitter.com/D9uaU6Le3U

4.38pm BST

9th over: England 30-0 (Cook 24, Hales 5) “The main difference between the two sides is that England kept a pretty good rate of scoring going but lost wickets doing so, while with Pakistan is was the other way around. If England maintain their first innings pace, they should have knocked off the lead by stumps today. If they have any sense, they ought to aim to surpass that by some distance.” Well summised, John Starbuck. The openers are continuing to feed Cook’s pads. For some inexplicable reason. Rahat Ali will replace Khan next over...

4.33pm BST

8th over: England 27-0 (Cook 21, Hales 5) Cook finds three runs that over – two through the covers and one to midwicket. Hales still struggling to push into the gaps here, and there are plenty on offer, especially when Khan re-calibrates for the left-right change.

4.28pm BST

7th over: England 24-0 (Cook 18, Hales 5) More dots for Alex Hales as Cook puts his feet up at the other end.

I for one welcome Alastair Cook's return to England's white-ball teams

4.23pm BST

6th over: England 24-0 (Cook 18, Hales 5) Good from Cook – two against Khan as he strays onto his pads (again). When Khan readjusts his line, Cook punishes him behind point for four. An edge that drops short of the slips gives Khan a win of sorts before he repeats both mistakes again. 12 from the over.

4.18pm BST

5th over: England 12-0 (Cook 6, Hales 5) Cook rotates the strike with the first ball of the over, leaving Hales to sit on it for the rest. Telling that Cook has faced seven deliveries and Hales 24...

4.15pm BST

4th over: England 11-0 (Cook 5, Hales 5) Khan’s getting the ball to shape, but not quite at the pace that Amir is. That allows Cook to nudge a hooping ball into the leg side for one. Hales doubles down into a defence, like a hunchback after a late shift.

4.09pm BST

3rd over: England 10-0 (Cook 4, Hales 5) Amir tests Hales’ patience with an off side line. Disciplined play from the opener, as he leaves well and defends one dead straight. It’s the tempter that has got to him this series.

4.06pm BST

2nd over: England 10-0 (Cook 4, Hales 5) First innings hero Sohail Khan is taking the new ball from the other end. A three to Cook through square leg gives Khan the chance to Test out Hales. One on the pads is turned into one to square leg.

4.00pm BST

1st over: England 5-0 (Cook 1, Hales 4) Bit of lavish away swing from Mohammad Amir, first ball. A clip to leg gets Cook off the mark. Alex Hales, who might have broke out in a set upon seeing that movement, mops himself up and drives crisply through the covers for four, first ball. ENGLAND ON THE CHARGE!

69 - The biggest 1st inns lead (batting 2nd) at Edgbaston to end in defeat is 69, there have been 18 100+ leads (W15 D3). Tricky.

3.50pm BST

Thanks Rob. Apologies for grossly short-changing you with that last hour. England’s overrate was appalling (10.6!) and we’re essentially running an hour late. That’s just not on, really. Anyway, the second innings is due to begin...

3.36pm BST

Sarfraz ends on 46 not out, a fine innings, and Pakistan have a very useful lead of 103. Thanks for your support during that hour of torture; Vish will be with you for the evening session. Night!

3.35pm BST

I preferred Dave Richardson and Paul Adams to this. Okay, that’s a lie. But this is torture of a different kind. Sarfraz needs treatment after being hit on the glove by Broad, which takes us a few minutes closer to

death
the tea interval. After the usual four dot balls at the start of the over, Sarfraz plays a tennis shot to long on for three to bring up Pakistan’s 400. Thankfully for the sanity of all, Rahat falls off the last ball, edging straight to Root at second slip.

3.28pm BST

135th over: Pakistan 397-9 (Sarfraz 43, Rahat 4) Sarfraz takes his one for the over from fourth delivery, which takes Pakistan’s lead into three figures. From the next ball, Cook drops Rahat off Finn. Oh, madon. It was a straightforward chance as he crouched to his right, but he moved too far and it hit him on the wrist. Poor Finn deserves a wicket.

3.23pm BST

134th over: Pakistan 396-9 (Sarfraz 42, Rahat 4) This kind of last-wicket partnership, with the senior batsman taking a single off the fourth or fifth delivery of every over, should be used as an interrogation method. I’d sing like a canary after watching three or four overs of this groundhog cricket.

3.19pm BST

133rd over: Pakistan 395-9 (Sarfraz 41, Rahat 4) The usual: four dot balls from Finn, then a single from Sarfraz. Finn has one ball at Rahat, who edges it just short of gully. England are starting to get a little frustrated.

3.14pm BST

132nd over: Pakistan 394-9 (Sarfraz 40, Rahat 4) Broad goes into one-day mode, almost duping Sarfraz with a slower ball and then producing an inducker that Sarfraz so nearly drags on.

“Greetings from Vietnam, Rob,” says Andrew Hurley. “How do you see the current state of play?” There’s no reason why England can’t make 350-400 in their second innings. But if I had to bet my last Malteser, it would be on Pakistan eventually creeping home by three or four wickets.

3.09pm BST

131st over: Pakistan 390-9 (Sarfraz 39, Rahat 2) Sarfraz decides to sex up this passage of play by taking a single off the fourth rather than the fifth delivery. So Finn has two strikes at Rahat Ali. The first ball is dreadful, well wide of the stumps, and the second is clipped for two.

3.05pm BST

130th over: Pakistan 388-9 (Sarfraz 38, Rahat 0) Sarfraz plays a series of beautiful shots, all for no run because he doesn’t want to expose Rahat early in Broad’s over. Eventually he takes a single off the fifth ball, and Rahat survives the sixth. This is fun.

“Oh no,” says Mac Millings. “Acclaimed director doesn’t want a tattoo just yet - Richard Inklater.” Make it stop.

2.59pm BST

129th over: Pakistan 387-9 (Sarfraz 38, Rahat 0) Sarfraz takes a single off the fifth delivery of Finn’s over, and the No11 Rahat survives the last delivery. Next!

2.55pm BST

128th over: Pakistan 386-9 (Sarfraz 37, Rahat 0) That was the last ball of the over. Pakistan have a very useful lead of 89.

2.54pm BST

Sohail Khan’s eccentric innings comes to an end. He walked a long way across to the new bowler Broad, who jagged one back to hit him in front of off stump. Broad started to celebrate, then remembered to appeal, and Bruce Oxenford raised the finger. Sohail chose to review the decision, presumably in the hope he was outside the line. He wasn’t and it was hitting middle stump just below the bails.

2.48pm BST

127th over: Pakistan 385-8 (Sarfraz 36, Sohail 7) Hello, Rob here. Sohail Khan ducks into a short ball that hits him on the arm guard and pings into the office for a leg bye, and then Sarfraz blasts a superb drive through extra-cover for four. Pakistan’s lead is now 87.

2.44pm BST

126th over: Pakistan 377-8 (Sarfraz 29, Khan 7) Sarfraz is looking to carry on Anderson’s work but running down the middle in his shots. Neil Goodall emails in: “The coolest to ever play the game? Don Radman. Best pigeon to ever open the batting for England? Alastair Coo. Always bowls a wide first ball of his overs? Lance Lusener.” A lot of shouts for David Goer – some clean, most bawdy. So, too, Chaminda Ass. That’s it from me. Rob Smyth here to take you through to tea. I’ll rejoin you after.

2.37pm BST

125th over: Pakistan 374-8 (Sarfraz 29, Khan 4) One delivery in and Joel Wilson pulls up James Anderson for treading on the danger area. As it is his third warning, he is now unable to bowl for the rest of this innings. Boos from the crowd and a perplexed Anderson retrieves his cap and walks off into the outfield. Steven Finn will continue this over and is helped over square leg by a very front on Sohail Khan, for his first runs of the series. Seems to love stepping across.

2.32pm BST

124th over: Pakistan 368-8 (Sarfraz 28) “Ark Butcher,” starts Anthony Hulse, “could both provide a convenient home for wildlife in the event of a flood, as well as turn selected inhabitants into meal sized portions for the others should food stocks start to run low.” Mo Amir goes after review.

Keepers should practice taking the ball and then dislodging bails with their elbow imo. Saves at least a frame or two.

2.30pm BST

Brilliant review, orchestrated by Chris Woakes, removes Mo Amir. Hooping the ball from over the wicket and in to the left hander, it looks like bat and bad together. Actually, it was pad first. Virtual leg stump obliterated. Easy.

2.25pm BST

123rd over: Pakistan 368-7 (Sarfraz 28, Amir 1) Blimey - eventful over, that. An overturned LBW appeal and then a run out. Amir sees out the last two deliveries – wafting at his first ball and then pushes around the corner for a single. “To remove those annoying little wisps of fluff from your clothes, who better than Andrew Lintoff?” Good from Artie Prendergast-Smith. “On the other hand, perhaps we should pass over Eoin Organ without further comment.”

2.22pm BST

Odd one, this. Shah scampers back for a second, puts in the dive. Bairstow’s elbow is what dislodges the bails, while having the ball under control. Tis in the laws.

You can run people out with your elbow now?

2.17pm BST

Good review from Shah – the ball had hit him just outside the line of off stump. That’ll do wonders for Jimmy’s mood...

2.16pm BST

James Anderson looks to have Yasir Shah LBW. Umpire Joel Wilson gives it out. Shah reviews...

2.14pm BST

122nd over: Pakistan 365-6 (Sarfraz 27, Shah 6) Sarfraz is advancing but not quite making the most of Woakes’ pace. He’s struck in front as he scoots down and across and is subject to an LBW appeal as he canters off for a leg bye. No review, after much consideration. Wise, too. “Dominic Cor would wow the fans,” says Ben Roberts.

2.10pm BST

121st over: Pakistan 364-6 (Sarfraz 27, Shah 6) A wicket with the first ball and then a high edge beats microbrewer Alex Ales, who might have got fingers on that at gully. Raced off the shoulder for four to Yasir Hah, who gets the last laugh with a single high into midwicket.

2.06pm BST

Oh snap – Misbah’s lazy mode gets the better of him a he’s late on a defensive dab, inside-edging the ball onto his front leg, which sends it backwards onto the stumps.

2.05pm BST

120th over: Pakistan 358-6 (Misbah 56, Sarfraz 27) Too easy for Sarfraz – Woakes angles one in on leg stump which is sent in front of square for four. “Former Pakistan captain criticised for becoming a poor journalist: Inzamam-u-Haq,” comes Mac Millings. “What about that consummate master of French Cricket Le Hutton?” strong riposte from Bob in Boston.

1.59pm BST

119th over: Pakistan 353-5 (Misbah 55, Sarfraz 23) Sarfraz Ahmed does that little shuffle down he’s so fond off and meets Anderson a third of the way to drive through cover. The final ball brings byes as hoops wide of the right-hander’s off stump and dies off the pitch. Mike McCarthy has taken the dropping a letter game for a walk: “The game has led to me thinking of Moeen singing ‘you can call me Al’:

If you’ll be my slogger
I will bowl you bad spin pal
I can call you Misbah
And Misbah when you call me
You can call me Al

1.55pm BST

118th over: Pakistan 348-5 (Misbah 54, Safraz 22) Fifty partnership up this over for these two, as Misbah drives for three through wide mid on. “David Bon was good,” says Peter Salmon.

1.50pm BST

117th over: Pakistan 342-5 (Misbah 50, Sarfraz 20) What is this utter nonsense? The footmarks, filled in during the lunch break, need tending to, as Anderson’s front foot keeps slipping. After a sizeable delay, the over continues to allow Misbah to drive languidly through backward point for a boundary to take him to his 34th Test fifty. “Of course, the most popular member of Pontin’s holiday camp was always Justin Lager,” says Phil Sawyer. He’s here all week.

1.39pm BST

“Graeme Hic, the dipsomaniac former England batsman?” Big fan of this from Peter Williams. “Just remembered Ricky Pontin’s (very effective) holiday camp for the Australian team before the 2006/7 Ashes,” writes Dan Langan. Misbah and Sarfraz on their way out to the middle, looking very calm indeed. Speaking of calm, here’s Jimmy Anderson to start off the afternoon session...

1.18pm BST

Afternoon everyone. Vish here. Let’s start as we mean to go on...

@Vitu_E Surely Warwickshire, on his retirement, will rename the Birmingham End in honour of their most capped England player?

1.00pm BST

116th over: Pakistan 336-5 (Misbah 44, Sarfraz 20) Moeen’s second over of the day should be the last before lunch. Sarfraz sweeps consecutive deliveries - the first off the top edge, the second hit flat and hard past the man at long leg. That’s lunch. It was a fascinating session, which ends with Pakistan 39 runs ahead and Misbah playing beautifully. Vish will be with you for the first part of the afternoon session. Bye!

12.55pm BST

115th over: Pakistan 326-5 (Misbah 43, Sarfraz 11) Chris Woakes returns to the attack. He has 20 wickets in the series, almost as many as the rest of the bowlers combined. The others have taken 24 between them. Sarfraz is batting outside his crease to Woakes, then walking further down the pitch as the ball is bowling. This does not impress Woakes, who slams a couple of bouncers past his noggin.

“Graeme Swan,” says Matt Hewson. “I’m not sure I understand this game.”

12.50pm BST

114th over: Pakistan 325-5 (Misbah 43, Sarfraz 10) Moeen Ali is coming into the attack. There isn’t long until lunch - just over 10 minutes - but Misbah will probably go after him anyway. He waits a couple of deliveries and then muscles a reverse sweep for four as if it’s the most straightforward, logical thing in the world. An orthodox sweep brings him a couple more.

12.47pm BST

113th over: Pakistan 319-5 (Misbah 37, Sarfraz 10) That’s a fine stroke from Misbah, who guides Finn square on the off side for four off the back foot. The lead has crept up to 22.

“Sir Donald Badman, obviously,” says Pete Salmon.

12.42pm BST

112th over: Pakistan 314-5 (Misbah 32, Sarfraz 10) Sarfraz square-drives Broad for four, a stroke of gorgeous timing. His busy counter-attacking approach makes him the perfect No7. England will, or at least should, be worried about him.

12.39pm BST

111th over: Pakistan 306-5 (Misbah 29, Sarfraz 5) A beautiful delivery from Finn turns Misbah round and flies off the edge for four. It scorched past Root, diving to his left in that short slip position; I think it would have carried to an orthodox third slip.

“I love “Joe Rot” (107th over),” says Mac Millings. “We should drop a letter from other people’s names: bad boy Ben Tokes; naughty Alastair Cok; the legendary Rob Myth.”

12.33pm BST

110th over: Pakistan 299-5 (Misbah 25, Sarfraz 2) Sarfraz is itching to counter-attack, but there is little work with in Broad’s over until he clunks an impatient pull into the leg side for a single off the final delivery.

12.29pm BST

109th over: Pakistan 298-5 (Misbah 25, Sarfraz 1) Misbah is beaten by consecutive deliveries from Finn; the first was short and wide, the second a jaffa. Another maiden from Finn; Misbah has 25 from 69 balls and is concentrating furiously. He’s a 42-year-old man!

12.26pm BST

And now a word from our sponsor

Related: Win tickets to the third ODI between England and Pakistan at Trent Bridge

12.24pm BST

108th over: Pakistan 298-5 (Misbah 25, Sarfraz 1) Sarfraz almost drags his first delivery, from Broad, back onto the stumps. Whether he gets a duck or a quick 60, his innings is likely to have a big psychological impact. He gets off the mark thanks to an overthrow, which doesn’t please Broad, and then Misbah glides a single to put Pakistan in the lead. This is terrific stuff, with both sides acutely aware of the importance of the next couple of hours.

12.21pm BST

107th over: Pakistan 296-5 (Misbah 24, Sarfraz 0) Misbah does well to get on top of a nasty lifter from Finn. He then steers a couple of balls on the bounce to gully, so England bring Joe Rot into a kind of short third slip position.Forty minutes to lunch.

12.16pm BST

106th over: Pakistan 296-5 (Misbah 24, Sarfraz 0) The diminutive Sarfraz, such a dangerous counter-attacker at No7, is the new batsman.

12.14pm BST

A nice straight drive from Misbah is deflected just wide of the stumps by the bowler Broad. Shafiq would have been safe anyway, and Misbah gets a couple more runs. Then he flicks three more through midwicket. He is playing really well now. But he will need a new partner, because Shafiq has gone for an 18-ball duck! It was a good delivery from Broad that came back off the seam and went through an inexplicably big gate to hit the stumps. It was a poor stroke from Shafiq, who dragged his bat across the line far too late. Every time Pakistan seem to be getting away, England take a wicket. What an excellent game this has become.

12.09pm BST

105th over: Pakistan 291-4 (Misbah 19, Shafiq 0) England have missed Ben Stokes in the field in this match. He has a significant impact on England’s intensity and purpose, and his bowling would be pretty handy too. Finn is not at his best, still chasing his own tail, and Misbah works an attempted yorker through midwicket for three.

“I believe that the change to the Birmingham End was due to lobbying by the City Council when they pumped money into Edgbaston’s redevelopment,” says Mike Daniels. “They wanted the name of the City to be referenced more often. However, to many it will always be the City End, just as the “Eric Hollies” stand will always be the Rea Bank stand.” So what’s the Martin Kuhl End all about?

12.02pm BST

104th over: Pakistan 286-4 (Misbah 16, Shafiq 0) An eventful over. Misbah twice drives Broad for four, through the covers and mid-off, and in between is beaten outside off stump while having an absent-minded fiddle.

There are enough recent precedents to make England feel they can win this game, most notably Trent Bridge 2011 and Lord’s 2015. The pitch should not deteriorate that much, but against that we know that Pakistan can make effective use of scoreboard pressure. Time for drinks.

11.58am BST

103rd over: Pakistan 279-4 (Misbah 7, Shafiq 0) Finn replaces Anderson, who has Ambrosian figures of 25-7-37-1. His first ball is mostly too short, too wide and ignored by Shafiq. Another maiden.

11.54am BST

102nd over: Pakistan 279-4 (Misbah 7, Shafiq 0) Stuart Broad comes on as first change, replacing Woakes. He has been a bit out of sorts this summer, and it surely can’t be long before some blowhard suggests he should be dropped. His first over is not great, though he does beat the outside edge with a wider delivery that Misbah inexplicably follows. A maiden. Between them Misbah and Shafiq have seven from 50 balls, a reflection of Pakistan’s plan to see off the new ball and cash in later.

11.49am BST

101st over: Pakistan 279-4 (Misbah 7, Shafiq 0) Misbah’s gameplan is almost offensively simple. When the seamers are bowling he defends the good balls and hits the bad, and when the spinners are bowling he tries to wallop everything for four or six. After a single off the final ball of Anderson’s over, he has seven from 33 balls.

“Is London Belly what the Sledgehammer of Eternal Justice calls himself when he decides on a night in the capital?” says Phil Sawyer, conjuring up mental images that not even white spirit or death will be able to wash away.

11.47am BST

100th over: Pakistan 278-4 (Misbah 6, Shafiq 0) “Morning Mr Smyth,” says Matt Westlake. “You mention that Pakistan were previously top of the rankings in August and September 1988. I know there were two closely fought, drawn series between the sides*, but still: the rankings seem at odds with the traditional narrative of West Indies first, daylight second. Is this a freak of the ranking system, or the Test schedule at the time, or…?

(Aside: is there any footage of these matches out there? The scorecards alone are fascinating.)“

11.41am BST

99th over: Pakistan 275-4 (Misbah 3, Shafiq 0) England are giving Misbah a bit of short stuff. He looks entirely unperturbed, by that and everything else that happens in this durned human comedy. Shafiq, meanwhile, is beaten by a beauty from Anderson and then defends the inswinger. This is excellent cricket, with both sides realising this morning session could decide the series, never mind the match.

11.37am BST

98th over: Pakistan 274-4 (Misbah 2, Shafiq 0) The new batsman is the accomplished Asad Shafiq - and England appeal for another catch down the leg side off his first ball! They were pretty optimistic but Bruce Oxenford said not out, and rightly so: it hit the thigh.

11.34am BST

Younis is strangled down the leg side. He walked across the stumps to Woakes, his back leg zigging all over the place, and flicked it fine to the keeper Bairstow. England needed that. Younis was again undone of the movement, not of the ball but of his body. He turned himself round so much that, by the time Bairstow took the ball, he was pretty much in a left-hander’s position.

11.26am BST

97th over: Pakistan 273-3 (Younis 31, Misbah 1) Misbah is turned round by an outswinger, and his defensive stroke loops not too far wide of the bowler Anderson. That was a nervous moment that probably pushed his heart rate up into the 30s.

“Morning Smyth, morning everybody,” says Josh Robinson. “Would you mind giving what I think is known as a ‘shout out’ to OBO regular Ravi Nair, who was planning on spending the day watching his beloved Surrey with me at Lord’s today, his final day in the UK before returning to exile in Bombay, only to have succumbed to a dose of London Belly which is keeping him away from the home of cricket. I’m sure we can’t imagine how much having this information published on the OBO will aid his recovery, and I’m equally sure of how much he’d be delighted to know that everyone’s thinking of him.”

11.25am BST

96th over: Pakistan 271-3 (Younis 30, Misbah 1) Woakes sensds down a sharp bouncer from Misbah, who takes it on the shoulder and gets four leg-byes. Misbah is playing his usual game - 1 from 20 balls - and doing it very well. If England don’t get a wicket in the next half hour they will be in the malodorous stuff.

11.21am BST

95th over: Pakistan 267-3 (Younis 30, Misbah 1) Misbah gets off the mark from his 14th delivery, working Anderson off the hip for a single. Nothing else happens. It’s a battle of wills, with Pakistan showing the same caution and discipline they did yesterday.

“Ian Ormondroyd End,” says my colleague Tom Davies. “Have I missed a gag here? Was asking yesterday why they now call it the Birmingham End rather than City End but answer came there none. What’s the gangly former Villa and Bradford target man’s contribution to the ground?” It was him or the Chris Price End.

11.18am BST

94th over: Pakistan 266-3 (Younis 30, Misbah 0) The first poor ball of the day brings the first boundary when Younis flicks Woakes through square leg. The next ball is short, wide and steered to third man for four more. It’s so important England get an early wicket; these two have a history of century partnerships and another one here would take the game away from England. In fact their average partnership (73) is almost as big as their combined age (80).

11.14am BST

93rd over: Pakistan 258-3 (Younis 22, Misbah 0) “I was prattling on at the end of yesterday’s play about Aus v WI in 75-76, and after play I ended up going down a Cricinfo rabbit hole over Vanburn Holder,” says Pete Salmon. “Forty Tests, spread over ten years. Only 109 wickets, and not much of a batsman. It made me wonder about players who had long careers that are, in retrospect baffling. Ken Mackay used to baffle me as a child - 37 Tests, top score of 89, and only took 50 wickets. I suspect Moeen Ali, with his batting average of 29 and bowling average of 40-odd might perplex a few kids down the track. Anyone else?”

It’s a little-known made-up fact that Ken Mackay was the first player to be picked on nickname alone. If you go purely on stats, there would be tens of England players to add to the list. Ramps would be one, yet there were times - particularly between 1997 and 1999 - when he was a superb player for England.

11.07am BST

92nd over: Pakistan 258-3 (Younis 22, Misbah 0) Chris Woakes, not Stuart Broad, opens at the Ian Ormondroyd End. That’s fair enough based on their performances yesterday, and Woakes’s ability to swing the ball. He demonstrates that with his first delivery, which shapes nicely outside off stump as Younis offers no stroke. It’s crucial that England make the batsmen play early on, particularly Younis, who is in poor form and whose feet have a mind of their own. Woakes’ line gets straighter as the over progresses, and it’s a maiden.

“At the risk of reaching Peak Guardian (since we reached Peak Beard, I think we have reached Peak Peak), is it a bit bigoted to characterise Pakistan as flaky, inconsistent etc etc,” says Bob Miller. “It is all a bit British Raj of us isn’t it?”

11.04am BST

91st over: Pakistan 258-3 (Younis 22, Misbah 0) Angry Anderson - no, not the politician - will open the bowling, with a ball that is only 10 overs old. The first ball swings encouragingly past Younis’s outsde edge; after he gets a single, the new batsman Misbah is happy to wear a first-ball bouncer on the back.

“What’s not to love about Pakistan?” says Luke Richardson. “They have been my favourite other team since Akram and then Inzamam emerged but this team, like all their teams, just have it: the press ups, the good spirit with England on the field, the madness of their good and the madness of their bad (but they can really, really play) and the fact that they even appear to like each other* - well played Misbah!

10.47am BST

Some pre-play reading

The Joy of Five, aka my favourite sixes, featuring Viv, Freddie, Moin, Ian Healy and John Davison.

Related: The Joy of Six: sporting pitch fiascos

10.17am BST

Meanwhile, in Galle

“Not just Herath Herath,” says Gary Naylor, “but Herath Herath Herath today!”

9.11pm BST

This is England v Pakistan, but not as we know it. The two teams have reversed their traditional roles in this series. England are full of flair and a bit reckless, brilliant one minute and pretty ordinary the next. They are also emotional and inclined to argue with umpires before apologising in a transparent and futile attempt to avoid being done by the match referee.

Pakistan, by contrast, are resourceful, disciplined, unobtrusive and have few stars. They are also stealthy, and have taken control of this match without overwhelming England at any point. Pakistan resume on 257 for three, a deficit of 40, and if they get through the first hour without too much damage they will fancy their chances of a match-winning lead. England, hot and cold England, need one of their magic bursts with the second new ball. If they restrict Pakistan to a lead of under 100, they will be right in the match.

Related: Azhar Ali puts Pakistan in control with superb century as England struggle

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