Dusan Tadic of Southampton is on the cover for The National's Sport section on Monday, September 26, after his side delivered a 3-0 hammering to West Ham United.
It was a harrowing beatdown for hapless West Ham. Richard Jolly writes after a dismal start that has Slaven Bilic’s side in the relegation territory, West Ham are “a club with high aims and a lowly reality”.
“They looked shambolic as they were dissected.”
Read Richard's full reckoning of the affair.
sports@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
Day 2, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Pakistan’s effort in the field had hints of shambles about it. The wheels were officially off when Wahab Riaz lost his run up and aborted the delivery four times in a row. He re-measured his run, jogged in for two practice goes. Then, when he was finally ready to go, he bailed out again. It was a total cringefest.
Stat of the day – 139.5 Yasir Shah has bowled 139.5 overs in three innings so far in this Test series. Judged by his returns, the workload has not withered him. He has 14 wickets so far, and became history’s first spinner to take five-wickets in an innings in five consecutive Tests. Not bad for someone whose fitness was in question before the series.
The verdict Stranger things have happened, but it is going to take something extraordinary for Pakistan to keep their undefeated record in Test series in the UAE in tact from this position. At least Shan Masood and Sami Aslam have made a positive start to the salvage effort.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
