England Success: Should Tests Rebrand as Cricket 5*?

What an extraordinary game of cricket the First Test in Rawalpindi was. Since BazBall was launched earlier this year, not only have England’s first-class cricket fortunes been refreshed and revitalised but also it seems that another new format has been introduced by the back-door. 

It has been coming. Setting aside the hideous Hundred, cricket records have been tumbling as fast as global temperatures in recent years. No UN conferences will be able to turn back the clock on the man-made shift to longer hitting and swifter scoring rates. 

When England’s tourists unveiled their starting XI last week, we knew what to expect. So soon after the Twenty20 World Cup was added to the 50-over title, it was inevitable that, should players learn not to get out early to silly shots, the limited-overs ethos could also be applied to the Test arena. With six-hitting all-rounders Stokes, Jacks and Livingstone batting down to eight, this match was never going to resemble a Boycott-Amiss-Tavare defensive masterclass from the mid-1970s. 

I never thought I’d see the day when a Test side racked up more than 500 runs on the first day, with four centurions contributing to a total of 657 compiled at more than 6.5 an over. Even Zak Crawley was at it, equalling Chris Gayle’s record of 14 runs from the opening over. His century partnerships with Ben Duckett in each innings were both in the all-time top ten of fastest ever. Overall, England’s two-innings total of 921 runs in just 136.5 overs demolished the previous run-rate record set by the same side at Trent Bridge only this summer. Harry Brook may have been the star, but even Ollie Robinson struck one ball over the ropes. 

Of course, we have witnessed some superlative Test innings in recent years but they don’t all result in victories. Whatever the declaration – if made – there is often insufficient time to fashion a result. However, if you plunder 900+ runs at such extraordinary rapidity, and you have a few decent proven Test bowlers amidst the T20 specialists, then there is always a chance. Seventeen years after his last appearance on this ground, a 40-year-old James Anderson was again on hand to take 4-36 and bowl 12 maidens to hasten Pakistan’s demise on the final day. 

The home nation should take some credit for making a fist of the response and restricting the margin of defeat to two figures. With skipper Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Imam ul-Haq in the batting line-up, they were able to score 579 in their own first innings. And yet they lost the match. 

It goes without saying that the pitch was ridiculously benign, offering little to seamers or spinners alike, but nonetheless England managed to take twenty wickets and emerge victorious. Personally, I feel a bit queasy. It was hardly the Test cricket that I have loved for six decades. However, can I really complain about a game which produced so many runs whilst maintaining the excitement of a potential close finish? That is the essence of entertaining sport and if it helps to retain the Test format amongst all the other micro-formats then it has to be applauded. 

Ever since the days of Packer’s World Series Cricket, Test matches and first-class cricket generally have been on a downhill slide but, given this massive injection of pace and sustained stroke-making pyrotechnics, perhaps all it needs is a tweak in branding. Goodbye, the 5-day Test Match, hello ‘Cricket 5*’!

Live Cricket back on the Beeb at last

 I didn’t waste the opportunity to watch at least part of Sunday’s clash between England and Pakistan. T20 doesn’t normally motivate me to tune in but it was the first cricket match to be broadcast live on the BBC since 1999 I couldn’t resist. 

Of course, Twenty20 was not around in 1999. Neither were Twitter or Facebook and I certainly had yet to plunge into the world of home computers or mobile phones. Tony Blair was a fresh-faced Prime Minister, and Corona was the name of an Italian dance band, not a killer virus. 

Domestically, Surrey won the new, two-tier County Championship at a canter. Australia and India dominated international cricket, the run totals led by the holy trinity of Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly, while Glenn McGrath reigned supreme with the ball, followed by the likes of Kumble, Warne and Pollock. England and Pakistan were not exactly scaring the opposition. But at least the games had spectators., fans able to cheer, grumble, celebrate, commiserate without fear of self-isolation, a lengthy  spell in hospital or death. 2020 is a different world. 

21 years ago, I think the Beeb had already lost a chunk of cricket contracts to Channel 4 and the Sky money machine but we – and I use that term honestly because I still worked for the Corporation – did at least have the rights to the home World Cup. When I reminisce about BBC cricket coverage, my mind’s time machine can’t help landing somewhere in the ‘70s, when the Windies generated huge excitement wherever they played and you had in the commentary box unexciting men like Peter West, Tony Lewis, Jim Laker and Richie Benaud. However by the 1999 World Cup, it was John Inverdale anchoring, David Gower the lead commentator (I think) and an injured Mike Atherton cutting his teeth at the mic. 

There were no adverts, of course, and thankfully there still aren’t on the Beeb, making the viewing experience last weekend so much more enjoyable. OK, so there were no crowd shots in Old Trafford, apart from a couple of Pakistan musicians of sorts cavorting within camera range on the railway station platform. Why?! 

There was also no large roster of commentators leaping about on the boundary, as seems to happen on Sky. I was perfectly happy with the Test Match Special radio team transferring their informed banter to TV. Isa Guha, Michael Vaughan, Jimmy Anderson and Phil Tufnell were fine, along with occasional amusing interjections from Andy Zaltzmann in the ‘Stats Pen’. The screen itself wasn’t constantly filled with needlessly detailed stats, although I do think they missed a trick by excluding batting strike rates from the player captions. 

As for the game itself, I noted that the first ball bowled on the Beeb in 21 years was delivered by Mahmood to Babar Azam, who pulled it imperiously for four. The first wicket was Fakhar Zaman’s, as he miscued Adil Rashid to Tom Banton. It proved quite a competitive contest but with Eoin Morgan narrowly surviving an LBW decision on 0 to launch one of his onslaughts you knew it was England who would win. Unlike in ’99, the team rarely collapse.   

Apparently this consolation prize to the Beeb isn’t a one-off. They may have missed out on The Hundred this summer (oh, dear, what a shame!) but there’ll be further live and highlights action to follow. I do hope so, and it will also be great for cricket. Tinkering with new formats is all well and good but for audience generation, even in 2020 a terrestrial channel should still trump Sky Cricket by a mile. With a bit of promotion and marketing, that will hopefully delay the death of the sport for a while yet – and surely that’s what we cricket fans desperately want.

World Cup woes for South Africa

The 2019 Cricket World Cup has been an inevitable slow-burner. With all ten nations playing each other, it has taken three weeks to reach the stage where big names are facing the certainty of an early plane home, or even possibly an unexpected short-term contract with a county.

It hasn’t helped that so many fixtures have been so one-sided. My three live experiences at Cardiff have been enjoyable but really could have been enhanced by much closer encounters of a cricketing kind. New Zealand made short work of Sri Lanka, Roy, Buttler et al plastered the Bangladesh spinners for an array of sixes then Afghanistan predictably succumbed to South Africa.

Thank goodness for some surprises elsewhere. The West Indians’ pace dealt Pakistan an early blow, Bangladesh creamed an unassailable 330-6 off South Africa then even England’s cruise towards the semis hit a rock as Pakistan bounced back but still an exciting finale was lacking.

Rain caused some disappointing washouts and abandonments, particularly at Bristol, and robbed us of the intriguing India v New Zealand contest. The much-anticipated India-Pakistan fixture was also affected by the wet stuff, as well as the latter’s inability to shackle Rohit Sharma. However, when the British weather improved, so did the tournament, even if the big four threatened to run away with it. In just two days we had some crackers.

On the longest day at Headingley, England’s seemingly infallibility when batting second was severely dented by Sri Lanka. Nice to see Lasith Malinga finding some of his old magic as they triumphed by 20 runs. At Southampton the following day, Afghanistan’s spinners choked India so hard that their target was a distinctly manageable 225. They didn’t quite manage it, of course, thanks largely to the nous of Bumrah and Shami’s final over hat-trick, but we neutrals revelled in the excitement of a near-shock. Meanwhile, some lusty blows by Chris Gayle and an extraordinary century by Carlos Brathwaite so nearly rescued the Windies against the Black Caps, for whom Kane Williamson batted so beautifully.

With teams having just two or three matches left to play, the top four placings are not yet decided. As in the last World Cup, New Zealand have demonstrated their undoubted class slightly beneath the radar. At the time of writing they are unbeaten, as are Virat Kohli’s India and each muct surely reach the semi-finals. I wasn’t sure how Australia would fare in the aftermath of the Warner-Smith bans. However, they have been almost England-esque in their run accumulations, with David Warner and Aaron Finch striking some stunning scores, and are almost home and dry.

So what about England? With the exception of the Sri Lanka debacle, they have been passing 300 with impressive regularity. Sixes have come right down the order, and Eoin Morgan’s blitz against Afghanistan was particularly brutal. Intriguingly their final three games come against their three closest rivals, beginning with the Aussies, followed by India at Edgbaston and then NZ. I reckon they’ll win at least two of them but even so I can’t see the planets aligning so perfectly that one of the other pretenders such as Pakistan or even Bangladesh could disturb the status quo.

What have I learnt so far? Well, batsmen were always likely to be on top, but who would have predicted Shakib al-Hasan would have been top of the run charts? Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have been the most devastating bowling partnership as the short ball has proved the most effective bowling weapon of the tournament. Imran Tahir, Rashid Khan and co may yet have a say in proceedings but for certain neither SA nor Afghanistan will be raising the trophy this year. Faf du Plessis’ men have been out of sorts in most areas. Their batting line-up was already weaker than it’s been for a long time and their one true global star Hashim Amla, has scratched around for runs, even against the Afghans.

I’m sure there’ll be more twists and turns in the coming weeks but it looks likely that the ICC will get the top four it wanted, and that India-England final remains a distinct possibility.

2019 World Cup Preview

After twenty years, the Cricket World Cup is coming home to the UK. Hurrah! The trophy may have been over here on tour several times this decade but of course it has never been hoisted with pride by an England captain. In 1979, Mike Brearley’s chance collapsed in the final when his side lost their last eight wickets for just eleven runs, most of them to West Indian Joel Garner. In 1999, Alec Stewart’s squad failed to escape even the first group stage and Australia went on to claim the title.

Everyone seems convinced that 2019 is surely England’s time. They are top of the world rankings, playing on home soil and playing with great confidence. They are awash with potential batting match-winners, from Buttler to Bairstow, Roy to Root, plus the accelerated qualification and selection of Jofra Archer improves the bowling attack immeasurably. However, two words ring alarm bells: Champions Trophy. Two summers ago, the home team were equally hot favourites to win here and I watched with incredulity as Pakistan outplayed them in the semi at Cardiff. Could it happen again?

The round-robin format and the deliberate policy of shrinking the playing area to favour the six-hitters will ensure that the best nations will reach the last four, eliminating the danger of the least well-supported or sponsored teams springing upsets. So it’s bye-bye, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. They are each capable of notching a few victories but that’s all. Nobody doubts the probability of England and Kohli’s India coming out on top, and the ICC marketing department’s dream final would involve this pair. They will certainly be the best supported. But who will join them?

Australia usually seem to play above themselves in World Cups and tend to be the pundit’s shoo-in for the semis. I could say the same about Germany in the football equivalent – and look what happened to them last year! The Aussies may have Smith and Warner back in the fold but I’m not convinced they have a good enough line-up to go all the way.

I would love it if their opponents in the last tournament, New Zealand, could finally fulfil their potential. They had their best chance in 2015 when Brendon McCullum was still in the fray but with Williamson, Taylor, Boult, Southee et al firing on all cylinders, they must be considered contenders. I rate South Africa’s chances less than evens, largely because I don’t feel that Bavuma excepted, the new crop are capable of compensating for the lack of form or fitness of Amla and Steyn and the retirement of AB De Villiers.

My heart says that a West Indies outfit containing the ageing Chris Gayle and the exciting 25 year-old Shai Hope will blast sufficient attacks out of the water to qualify but my head says they will probably finish fifth or sixth out of the ten. A significant factor could be the scheduling of their fixtures away from cities with the greatest Caribbean heritage so those unforgettable images of can-clanging West Indian Londoners inspiring those supreme Seventies sides won’t be repeated four decades on.

Finally there is Pakistan. Sarfraz Ahmed et al were unexpected winners of the last Champions Trophy and, despite losing the recent ODI series to England, they could beat just about anyone. I’ve been mightily impressed by batters Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, and a fit Mohammad Amir is a match for anyone, but in the past they have thrived as outsiders rather than amongst the favourites.

I’m not optimistic that this year’s competition will be a vintage one. As with the IPL, most fixtures will have no immediate bearing on the overall outcome, which reduces the excitement factor. With every team playing every other, it will be another month before we have a clear idea of the likely semi-finalists. As with most twenty-first century sporting events, it’s all about maximising revenue. Inevitably there are some hotly-anticipated encounters, led by India v Pakistan on 16^th June and England v Australia nine days later, but I reckon the competition will crystalise around Old Trafford and Edgbaston in early July.

So, twisting my arm, who will the participants be? I’ll plump for England, India, Australia and Pakistan, which should bring great comfort to South Africa and New Zealand! I just hope that the sun shines – especially on the two matches for which I have tickets! – and that the World Cup will motivate youngsters to think beyond betting apps and actually take up playing cricket. The game in England and Wales definitely needs this legacy, although this could depend on whether or not Eoin Morgan is the man lifting the trophy at Lord’s on 14^th July. Destiny is calling…..

Tourist TIme

I’m not sure why my flirtation with live Sunday League matches fizzled out. Perhaps it was A-Level pressure, ill-health or the growing problem of finding a parking space close to the County Ground. Yes, it’s not a twenty-first century phenomenon! Once my university years had passed and I plunged into the world of work in the early Eighties, priorities changed. Nor do I recall Dad ever badgering me to accompany him to Chelmsford, not even if Hampshire were the visitors.

Instead, thoughts turned to satisfying my cricket craving by means of the touring side’s annual fixture with Essex. Even in the Eighties, a tour lasted most of the summer incorporating three-dayers against the majority of counties, and Essex always seemed to be on the itinerary. A decade earlier, in 1976, the West Indies played all seventeen counties, the MCC, Minor Counties and Combined Universities, interweaved with five Tests and three ODIs. And current national management teams have the temerity to whine about their arduous schedules, poor dears. 

My first experience of a tour match occurred in 1984 when my favourites, the Windies, were over here. It was deep into June when I took annual leave to watch the final day’s play at Chelmsford, taking the train from Billericay and carrying my sandwiches, camera and diluted squash over the river, before shelling out £2.50 for my ticket (left). Well, I was earning £6K a year, so why not splash out?!

Essex’s successful period had generated enough income to fund ground improvements. Small sections of plastic seating had thankfully replaced the old planks, and I took my place in the non-members’ section at the River End. I was disappointed at the absence of the all-conquering Windies pace attack, with the exception of Joel Garner who, my diary records, bowled a three-over ‘”fiery spell” which did for Gooch and Hardie. Two unfamiliar fast bowlers were in action: Milton Small and a raw, gangly 21 year-old Courtney Walsh. Viv Richards had contributed a pleasing 60 but Fletcher and Pringle batted out for a draw.

In the ensuing seasons I beat the same path to see Australia (twice), New Zealand (twice), West Indies (twice more) and Pakistan. While inevitably many leading tourists were rested in between Test duties, I consider myself privileged to observe some of the world’s greatest cricketers just up the road in Chelmsford. There was an out-of-sorts Jeff Thomson struggling with no-balls, Imran Khan bowling Gooch for a duck, Wasim Akram in awesome all-rounder mode, Ian Bishop taking 5-49, Curtly Ambrose delivering a succession of wince-inducing rib-ticklers at Nasser Hussain, Matthew Hayden making a superb diving catch in front of me and Sir Richard Hadlee making a brief substitute appearance on the outfield the day after his knighthood was announced. He didn’t bowl but in other years I did observe side-on the legendary Malcolm Marshall and Waqar Younis (below). 

In August 1991 Dad was with me when, at the end of a predictable draw, I joined others on the pitch to look up to the players’ balcony where, after bowling regulation, time-filling off-breaks, stood King Viv leaning on the railings, full spirit glass in one hand, surveying his realm. It was the last time he played in a West Indian tour match against a county and a matter of days before his emotional farewell to Test cricket.

Despite my policy of aiming to attend, weather permitting, the middle day, I usually seemed to be denied the best of the visiting batsmen. Twice Gordon Greenidge chose to flay the Essex bowlers on the days I missed, and I didn’t see a lot of Martin Crowe, David Boon or Desmond Haynes other than in a slip cordon. Funnily enough, the only centuries I witnessed were by home players like Brian Hardie, Graham Gooch and John Stephenson before, one warm sunny afternoon in 1996, Pakistani opener Saeed Anwar broke the duck with an exhilarating 102, full of crisp boundaries. My final trip to Chelmsford came two years later but I very nearly saw no cricket at all. The fire brigade was needed to help drain the flooded outfield before play was declared possible and I could see South Africa’s Shaun Pollock take three wickets and Jonty Rhodes demonstrate his fielding prowess in the covers.

The only leading nation missing from my list was India. Fortunately I was able to rectify this omission many years later in 2011. By now a resident of Bridgwater, I nipped down to Taunton to watch a full-strength Indian side, weary from the IPL, desperately seeking first-class match practice. The England skipper Andrew Strauss was similarly out of touch and, in extraordinary circumstances, given special dispensation by the ECB, his Middlesex club and Somerset to bat in this game. He actually went on to score a century but, like most of those in the County Ground, I was more interested in seeing the likes of Gambhir, MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh in the flesh. Above all, I grasped the opportunity of seeing Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in partnership, albeit not for very long. An ambition realised (left).

                            

But what about joining a touring party myself? I’ve certainly never craved being a member of the Barmy Army. I couldn’t imagine anything worse! However, my bucket list dream of watching the West Indies play – against anybody, I’m not fussy – at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium on Antigua will almost certainly remain unfulfilled. Instead I retain my fond memories of hours spent under Essex skies watching the best in the world just eight miles from home, a privilege now rarely permitted in this age of concertina-ed schedules where money-spinning internationals inevitably take precedence.  Kids today don’t know what they’re missing…

Pakistan deal England another blow

Pakistan don’t get many opportunities to play Test cricket these days. However, they must wish they played England twice a year every year because they seem to have our measure, to put it mildly. Two years ago, Misbah’s team drew 2-2 but could be said to have won on points after the ten-wicket massacre in the Oval finale. Now at Lord’s they have dealt England a First Test defeat for the first time since a West Indies team boasting Walsh, Ambrose, Lara et al won by the same margin, again on the fourth day. 

On the plus side, England fought back to draw that particular six-match series and it is not unfeasible they can salvage something from this truncated rubber in 2018. However, this week the gulf was somewhat embarrassing. Even Joe Root had to confess his side had been second best in all three disciplines: with the bat, ball and in the field. If England could blame unfamiliar conditions prepared by Johnny Foreigner for their winter travails, they can hardly use the same excuse for the pitch at HQ in May, ideal for Anderson and Broad to exploit, and Root’s top six to show the visitors how to bat on a Bank Holiday weekend. Oops!

It went wrong right from the first session on Thursday. Stoneman, Root and Malan were back in the pavilion inside sixteen overs. All that criticism of Alastair Cook – too old, too slow, too out of form, should be at three – and yet the ex-captain was he only man to show any stickability, easily the top scorer in the first innings, with 70. I’m sure Jos Buttler wasn’t selected as a specialist batsman at seven to come in and shore up the lower order midway through the second session, and of course he failed.

Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali aren’t usually touted as frightening pacemen but they skilfully showed up England’s deficiencies and bowled them out for 184. In reply, no fewer than four Pakistani batsman passed 50, and who knows how many Babar Azam might have scored had he not had his forearm broken by a rising ball from Ben Stokes when well placed on 68. Nobody bowled particularly badly; they just weren’t effective enough and Pakistan established a healthy lead of 179.

The obvious team talk would have been to exhort all batsmen to knuckle down, play each ball on its merits, blah-blah-blah. However, when Cook was LBW to an Abbas beauty in the second over to stunned silence in St John’s Wood, the warnings were there one more. Poor Mark Stoneman failed again while Joe Root did at least produce another useful 60-odd. When he was sixth out at 110, a three-day rout looked probable. But from such barren ground, the recalled Buttler and debutant Dom Bess – in his first ever first-class match at Lord’s – bore fruit, developing a 125 partnership which lasted to stumps.

Could the pair – Somerset past and present – maintain the stand and help set Pakistan a challenging target? Whaddya think?! Jos had added just a single before Abbas trapped him leg-before. Seventeen balls later, England had collapsed to 242 all out. Pakistan can be jittery when faced with an apparently straightforward chase but, despite Azhar Ali succumbing to an Anderson gem for 4, there were no major alarms and the job was done with some glorious strokes, including a clubbed six by Haris Sohail off a Bess full-toss.

There’s less than a week to regroup, reconsider and revive England’s fortunes. As for changes, Stoneman’s axe was inevitable and his former Durham team-mate Keaton Jennings has been in sufficiently fine early season for Lancashire to warrant a recall as Cook’s partner. Dom Bess took no wickets but, with his West Country colleague Jack Leach still out of action, should be in the frame again, if only because of his useful batting. At just 20, we Somerset faithful were hoping he would get a few good seasons to learn his craft so I hope the experience doesn’t dent his confidence. Fortunately, it is hardly a Kerrigan-esque situation.

In a way I can see why Ed Smith and co opted to bring back the IPL sloggers to try something more exciting but to me it smacks of desperation. I cannot understand why some suggest Bairstow hands the gloves to Buttler and swap roles. It would mean no change in personnel and arguably weakening the ‘keeping. Crazy! Maybe it’s time for the new chief selector Smith to venture outside Middlesex for a change and see who else is out there in county cricket other than Malan, Morgan and Finn, languishing in the second division. He may be in for a pleasant surprise. Meanwhile, Pakistan will be licking their lips, a well-drilled outfit of excellent young bowlers, able batsmen and enthusiastic fielders hoping to seal a series victory at Headingley next week. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility.

Pakistan are CT Champions!

Congratulations to Pakistan for lulling everyone into a false sense of security with that embarrassment at Edgbaston two weeks ago before trouncing England and now India to claim their first Champions Trophy and first ODI crown since Imran’s men held aloft the World Cup 25 years ago.

After that Group B defeat to India, coach Micky Arthur described it as “a reality check of where we are in ODIs”. Seeing as Pakistan were ranked eighth entering the competition, this seemed an appropriate response. So how did his charges transform so quickly from no-hopers into irresistible champions?

I suspect the answer is not a simple one; a mix of good fortune, hard work, strategy and brilliant individual performances when it mattered. The India opener excepted, Pakistan’s strength lay with their seam bowlers. The strategy of softening up the opposition with Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan, entice them with the spinners then – POW! – introduce Hasan Ali and bring back the opening pair. Crucial spells did for South Africa and Sri Lanka then in the Cardiff semi, everyone played their part in a game few expected them to win.

The England engine room of big hitters failed miserably to attack the Pakistan bowlers of all speeds. Yet again it was Hasan who stole the show with three wickets but the team’s major improvement was in their batting. Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zaman shared a century partnership before Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez finished the job in style, defying the country’s reputation for failed run chases.

Once India had made similarly short work of Bangladesh the following day, the assumption was that Pakistan’s renaissance would come unstuck against Kohli and co in the final. Surely the Indian batting would be too strong even for a full-strength Pakistani pace attack?

The India skipper has been condemned for winning the toss and inserting Pakistan. However, it’s not such a stupid decision when there are himself, Sharma, Dhawan, Yuvraj, Dhoni et al to charge towards any target. Where it began to look fragile was when newbie Fakhar followed his two 50s with a maiden ODI century. Hafeez demonstrated his ability not only to plod in Tests but also to strike sixes and suddenly they were 338-4. No probs. All week, counties were knocking up scores of 350+ in the Royal London Cup so why not India?

Amir took the new ball and trapped Sharma plumb third ball. His tail up, he continued to bowl superbly, ably assisted by Junaid, and India’s famed batting order was in tatters. The top five were all back in the pavilion with just 54 on the board and this time Sarfraz would not let his side’s collective boot off the Indian neck. Pandya showed some aggression and singlehandedly kept India in the hunt for three quarters of an hour. However, a farcical run-out mess with Jadeja left the tail exposed and that man Hasan Ali did the rest.

The 180-run victory margin was by far the biggest for a side batting first in an ICC one-day final and high on the list for any global competition fixture against a Test-playing nation. Hasan was named the Player of the Tournament, surely a no-brainer. He took the most wickets (13), had the best average (14.69) and the meanest economy rate (4.29). His youth (just 23) and inexperience were further demonstrated by the necessity of using an interpreter for the post-match interview. Ludicrously it was a one-sided translation so only Urdu speakers were able to understand his answers! Hopefully we’ll hear, as well as see a lot more of him in the future.

So are Pakistan now a global force once more, even without the retired Younis and Misbah? The CT triumph will undoubtedly boost the confidence of the team, the management and the PCA. New players have come through fro the discredited domestic cricket set-up. And yet the latter’s consistent cock-up tendencies will probably not disappear overnight.

And India? Well, their strength in depth is undimmed. Even if MS Dhoni calls it a day, Kohli leads a formidable squad and they must remain the side to beat when the World Cup comes along in 2019. England will also be hoping to shrug off the Cardiff debacle, and become champions for the first time ever.

Team of the Tournament:-

Tamim Iqbal (Ban), Dhawan (Ind), Kohli (Ind), Root (Eng), Williamson (NZ), Shakib (Ban), Sarfraz (Pak + *), Plunkett (Eng), Junaid Khan (Pak), Hasan Ali (Pak), Hazlewood (Aus)

Champions Trophy: Pakistan Punish Poor England

Following the excitement of last Friday’s triumph of Bangladesh over New Zealand, today’s trip to Sophia Gardens resulted in one of the most one-sided contests I have witnessed first-hand!

It all started so well. For once, warm sunshine was beaming down on Cardiff, and uninterrupted play was on the cards. The crowd was a healthy mix of England and Pakistan fans and I took my seat in the little Castle Stand beneath the scoreboard anticipating a great day’s cricket and probable win by Eoin Morgan’s men. That seemed more likely upon hearing the line-ups without the name of Mohammed Amir and with Jonny Bairstow replacing Roy.

With Sarfraz Ahmed inserting the home team, the scene was set for another blistering 300+ total. In the first few overs, the gods seemed to be English, too. Bairstow and Hales must consider themselves highly fortunate to survive LBW reviews. The Yorkshireman bristled with aggression as usual, and his partnership with Joe Root promised so much. However, it delivered few boundaries.

The bowlers were switched frequently and everyone stepped up to the mark. Junaid Khan, debutant Summan Raees and Hasan Ali generally kept to a good line and length, while the trio of spinners were also in a mean mood. Nevertheless, at 128-2 just after halfway, the situation demanded the customary acceleration we have come to expect from the likes of Morgan, Buttler and Stokes.

In actuality, the run rate slowed down. Not once in the second half of the England innings did they manage more than six an over. More startling was the dearth of fours or sixes. Stokes was strangled impressively and had produced not a single boundary in his 34 when he skied an attempted hook from the lively Hasan. There were spectacular catches and a few drops but respect to the Pakistan attack for persevering throughout and restricting England to a paltry 211 all out. The pitch may have been used before but surely this wasn’t a low-200s track?

In their reply, Pakistan’s openers knew they didn’t need to go mad, yet they didn’t hold back. Mark Wood’s first over went for 10, including four leg-side wides. Fakhar Zaman was the leading strokemaker while his right-handed partner Azhar Ali was more about finding the ones and twos. This was looking an easy task. They took their stand past the century mark and looked pretty invincible until Adil Rashid lured Fakhar out of his crease and Buttler removed the bails.

Was this the moment when Morgan put his foot on the neck? Er, no. Unlike England, Pakistan merely carried on as before. Babar Azam joined the six-hitter club. Azhar Ali was out attempting a weird hook, and merely deflecting the ball down onto his stumps, which brought the usually circumspect Mohammad Hafeez to the middle. By this stage, the England supporters were definitely disgruntled. Indeed, many were trailing out in search of an early train, and I found myself alone on my row.

Ben Stokes was just as bad with the ball as the bat. 2 million dollar man?? Even Hafeez flat-batted him for a straight six, the result of a free hit because Morgan had placed too many outside the circle. In the end, the field was brought in for Hafeez but these were desperate measures. The coup de grace was applied by the same batsman, pulling another short Stokes delivery to the mid-wicket boundary with a ‘mere’ 77 balls remaining.

What a sensational result! England had been put to the sword and maybe even India must be a little nervous at meeting again the side they beat earlier in the competition. Nevertheless, Bangladesh have proved they are no pushovers and CT17 may yet yield another surprise.

Younis and Misbah Bow Out

The bald details of the Third Test at Roseau state that Pakistan beat the West Indies by 101 runs, the Man of the Match being Roston Chase. Yet Pakistan may as well have been playing Merthyr Tydfil Seconds such was the intense focus on just two individuals.

In a match when the two finest Pakistani batsmen of the past decade both departed Test cricket, the result of the game was of secondary importance. Not to proud skipper Misbah ul-Haq or the venerable run machine, Younis Khan, of course. To them, a victory and series win would signify job done.

There have been a lot of jobs done in recent years. In the last four years, Pakistan have lost just three series – in Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand – out of fourteen, and it’s a shame that much of their success has come under the radar. The dominance of India on and off the pitch, and the UK media’s obsession with the Ashes at the exclusion of all other cricket, have contributed, and then there has been the enforced ban on internationals on home soil as a result of a bunch of idiotic terrorists.

Then there was the ignominy of seeing their former captain and two of his young protégés sent to jail for match-fixing which put the whole nation in the global sporting doghouse. Ironically it was that crime which enabled Misbah in 2010 to finally meet his destiny and lead the side his talents had long merited.

He retires just a few weeks short of his 43rd birthday having led Pakistan to more victories than anyone before him, having been rejected many years ago for being too old! What seemed to count against him, despite prolific seasons in domestic cricket, was that he didn’t make his first-class debut until the age of 24. He was picked back in 2001 to play in Auckland, making little impact in a win fashioned largely by a second innings century by a certain Younis Khan and the bowling of Mohammad Sami and Saqlain Mushtaq.

Only four more appearances came in the next six years but he came good with the bat against India in late 2007. In his first 19 Tests, he averaged a mediocre 33 but since assuming the captaincy his average has leapt to 51. He hasn’t smashed loads of centuries but those invaluable 50s have come in mighty handy. Furthermore it’s been his nous and experience as leader which have dragged Pakistani cricket from the gutter to challengers in all forms of cricket. He was no slouch in limited overs either, although it was a shame his final innings should end with such an ugly slog sweep.

Younis’s career also finished with a mistimed sweep but he leaves with just about every Pakistan Test batting record to his name. Earlier in the series he became the first man from his country to reach 10,000 Test runs, although his last three-figure score was his 175 not out at the SCG in January. He was one of the very few players in the world to have converted most of his 50s into hundreds. His world-class average of 52 is superior to that of giants such as Border, Ponting, Gavaskar and Richards.

While his career wasn’t without controversy, occasional ill-discipline and disputes with officials and management, it is telling that Younis Khan commands considerable respect not only in Pakistan but across the cricketing world. He may not boast the swashbuckling charisma of Javed Miandad, the weight (in more ways than one) of Inzamam, the political smarm of Imran Khan or the ego of Shahid Afridi but Younis has been a shining example for any youngster looking to bat with traditional virtues such as patience, shot selection and cool-headedness. Maybe too inward-looking to be a successful skipper, Younis has nevertheless been the rock in Pakistan’s middle-order. His partnerships with Misbah were so vital to the team’s rise up the Test rankings. OK, so he was hardly a giant of the 50- or 20-over game, but Pakistan’s batting will surely suffer in his absence. With Misbah gone, too, the hole begins to resemble a deep crater.

But that is not their problem. It’s the PCB’s. Instead we should celebrate the massive contributions to Pakistan cricket made by this pair of batsmen over the past two decades.

Smith and Warner lead Aussies to another Pakistan Whitewash

In Test cricket, fortunes can change quickly. Last winter, Australia beat the West Indies and New Zealand before coming a cropper at home to South Africa in November. Meanwhile, Pakistan briefly topped the ICC rankings after the England tour, maintained the momentum with a 2-1 series success over the Windies in the desert but lost it all again in New Zealand.

So there was a lot at stake in the Australia-Pakistan encounters over the past month or so. Would the Aussie pacemen make the most of quick pitches or could the Pakistani veteran batsmen galvanise the tourists? The answer was neither. It was very much a series for the batsmen. In the three matches, there were ten centuries and no fewer than eight individuals averaged more than 50. With the ball, only Josh Hazelwood averaged under 25, while his 15-wicket aggregate took him past the century for his career so far.

The series caught light on the last day of the Brisbane opener. After Steve Smith declared 489 ahead, a crushing defeat for Pakistan was the likely outcome. However, Azhar Ali and Younis Khan weren’t to be cowed, then Asad Shafiq brilliantly shepherded the tail past 300, past 400,… Could a new world record be achieved? Not on this occasion, but the amazing effort took Pakistan to 450, just 39 short.

Only two sides had ever scored more in the fourth innings, and all sorts of records were broken at The Gabba. One which did hold was Australia’s long unbeaten sequence, now extended to 28.

At the MCG, Pakistan again passed 400, helped by an unbeaten 205 from opener Azhar Ali. However, David Warner’s run-a-ball 144, Steve Smith’s third consecutive Boxing Day Test century, Khawaja’s 97 and a late blast from Mitchell Starc established another handsome first innings lead. There was to be no repeat of the Gabba fightback as Starc and spinner Nathan Lyon nabbed seven cheap wickets to pull off an innings victory.

On to Sydney at the start of 2017. And what a star it was for David Warner. His century before lunch on day one was the first in Test cricket for more than 30 years, even outshining Matt Renshaw’s substantial debut hundred and Peter Handscomb’s second in three games. In response, Younis Khan’s 175 not out was his 34th three-figure score, keeping Pakistan in with a shout. A fourth day batting blitz set up another huge target and, despite a series-best 38 from skipper Misbah and a quick 72 not out from Sarfraz, it proved far too much.

And so Australia could enjoy a fourth successive 3-0 whitewash at home to Pakistan. Question marks have been raised against Misbah’s captaincy. Understandable given the series result and his own mediocre form. Nevertheless, he has been magnificent for his country in recent years. If he chooses to retire at 42, nobody would blame him. On the other hand, it would be unfair to hound him out based on one lost series in a land where they haven’t won for decades.

The Aussies can reflect proudly on a great all-round display, with runs down the order and wickets well distributed across the attack. Smith and Warner are at the top of their game, and it was an encouraging series for new boys Renshaw and Handscomb. If they can hang on to their bowlers longer than South Africa, they may yet in the next 18 months challenge India for the ceremonial mace.

Aussies Suffer, Windies Thrive

It’s been a refreshingly mixed week of Test cricket. First we had the West Indies gaining a consolation victory over Pakistan, and then the Aussies came a cropper at the WACA. After Bangladesh gave England a bloody nose last week, the sport is looking encouragingly open again.

In the UAE desert, Pakistan may have won the series, but Jason Holder’s visitors did at least show signs that they are not mere T20 biffers and bashers, but a team capable of competing with the world number ones over four or five days.

I can’t believe Devendra Bishoo is already 31 years old. The Guyanan leggie has had a topsy-turvy career, and this latest series was in the same vein. Abu Dhabi was a trial, but that second innings 8-49 in Dubai so early set up a brilliant victory. Two weeks later, another seven wickets did contribute to success in Sharjah.

Skipper Holder also played his part, but it was Kraigg Brathwaite who garnered the headlines. A Caribbean rarity, a batsman who has never played a single senior T20 match, he boosted his Test average considerably by carrying his bat for 142 then making an unbeaten 60 to help see his side home. I was amazed to discover that no other opener had ever finished both innings of a Test not out. How has that never happened before?!

When neither of your senior batsmen like Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels boast an average above 40, you know you have problems in the runs department. The pacemen aren’t exactly prolific in the wickets league either. Never mind, a win is a win. If only the Windies didn’t have the whole winter without a chance on building on the confidence this result should have given them.

Meanwhile, the tasty encounter between Australia and South Africa has served up a spicy first course in Perth, However, the home side must be feeling rather sick. After being stuffed 3-0 in India, now it’s the turn of a sub-par South Africa to extend the Aussies’ loss sequence to four.

There was nothing between them on first innings totals, yet neither reached 250. Faf du Plessis opted to bat, and SA slumped to 32-4. Only Bavuma and de Kock rescued them from a disaster. The Aussie reply was even more lop-sided. Openers Warner and Shaun Marsh put on 158, but the rest of the team collapsed for 86. The absent AB de Villiers wasn’t missed second time around as Elgar and Duminy shared a third-wicket partnership of 250 en route to a 500+ total. Even without the seriously injured Dale Steyn, South Africa couldn’t fail to dismiss Australia on the final day.

21 year-old quick Kagiso Rabada stepped up to the plate with a five-for, but the patient 40-over spin workload of Keshav Maharaj also kept up the pressure. Only Khawaja and Nevil passed 50 and South Africa’s third consecutive WACA win was duly achieved. Not since 1988 have the Aussies lost the first of their summer Tests and they have some work to do in Hobart.

Across the Tasman Sea, it will be interesting to see whether New Zealand can give Pakistan a challenge on pitches less conducive to spin. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka are enjoying a predictably easy game against Zimbabwe and then there’s a small matter of England’s visit to India. I don’t think it’s going to be as straightforward for Kohli and co as the British media are making out.

Sarfraz and Imad prevent the Whitewash

Congratulations go to Pakistan for winning the fifth and final ODI, and to England for taking the series. Special plaudits should also go to the Sophia Gardens groundstaff for ensuring the match went ahead on schedule, despite the prolonged spell of rain over the preceding 24 hours.

Sun may have been in short supply during the match, too, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience from seat H28, Block 2 in front of the pavilion. Graeme Swann might find 50-over cricket boring but a game like this was far more edifying fare than a brutal beer-and-boundary-fest.

Put in by Azhar Ali, England looked in control from the start. Alex Hales and Jason Roy produced some crisp strokes before the former chipped Amir to mid-on in the fifth over. There was time for one beautifully timed pull to square leg from Joe Root before he played on. Eoin Morgan then, initially, Ben Stokes struggled but Roy kept his side on a consistent seven-an-over pace.
However, despite hauling Shoaib Malik for two sixes, the two spinners Malik and Swansea’s own Imad Wasim were putting the brakes on the England innings. There was clearly not to be another 400+ total.

Stokes showed his power by clubbing a pair of low trajectory straight sixes off third spinner Nawaz, but even the feisty all-rounder was laid low when an inside edge rearranged his ‘crown jewels’ and prompted a lengthy delay in proceedings! By 40 overs, the run rate was a tad above six an over but when Hasan and Amir retuned, the wickets fell thick and fast. The Pakistan fans on the far side of the ground were chanting Amir’s name and he responded by steaming in from the Cathedral Road end, piling the pressure onto Woakes, debutant Dawson, Willey and Jordan. Some late blows managed to squeeze England past the important 300 mark but it seemed like an opportunity missed.

Such has been Pakistan’s miserable ODI campaign, it seemed rather unlikely that they would attain the 303 target, especially as Glamorgan’s pitch is not known for its run-friendly reputation. Sharjeel scratched around for four overs but when he mistimed a ball from Chris Woakes, the arrival of Babar to join his skipper prompted an improvement.

Woakes’ fifth over went for thirteen and I wondered if we may have a real contest on here. Then when Matt Wood snaffled both batsmen in the fourteenth over, Azhar after lengthy consideration by the video umpire, it looked like business as usual. 15 overs gone: 79-3; 15 short of England at the same stage. Sarfraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik, possessor of one of the worst batting records in England of any Pakistan batsman, would have to hit the ground running. They did.

The arrival of Dawson’s spin strengthened their resolve. Sarfraz in particular got the message that he had to move his feet and attack the slow bowler. There were some massive shots which didn’t quite cross the distant boundary rope and some bold sweeps to fine leg but it was Shoaib who struck the first six, well into the main grandstand. Dawson’s first four overs had conceded 41 runs and he was taken out of the firing line.

By this time, Pakistan were ahead of England. Stokes and Wood were going for a steady six or seven an over but the fourth wicket pair still had plenty to do. I thought the tourists could do it but if the partnership was broken, they couldn’t. Dawson was reintroduced in the 38th over. What was Morgan thinking? Sarfraz prepared for a few more giant blows to reach another well-deserved century. Then the debutant tossed one up, Sarfraz saw long-on glory but didn’t get enough on it. At long-on, Hales used his height wisely and made an awkward overhead catch look easy. Two overs later, Dawson got his other man as Shoaib found Roy at long-off.

57 still needed in ten overs. On the face of it, not an impossible task. But this is Pakistan we’re talking about. The 43rd over proved to be a wicket maiden for Willey but by this time Rizwan had his eye in. Dawson conceded another ten to make his figures the worst ever by an England debutant! Morgan gamely brought the field in close but the seventh wicket pair managed to nick enough singles, twos and fours to raise the nose levels amongst the Pakistan fans. A firm drive to the long-off boundary from Jordan finished things off with more than two overs to spare.

Pakistan deserved something from the series so I was glad to see Azhar Ali and his charges have something to celebrate. I decided to stay for the presentations. Interestingly, I was one of the few non-Pakistan fans gathering close to the hastily-assembled podiums. It wasn’t only the men in green receiving the cheers. England’s non-playing Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid also garnered generous applause, their Asian heritage clearly making its mark. It was nice to see.

England may have won the series, breaking a world record along the way, and setting them up for an interesting winter and next summer’s Champions Trophy. At least Pakistan proved to themselves they are capable of chasing a 300 target outside Asia, something they had never done before. Improving their ranking of nine in 50-over cricket may prove tougher….

An England World Record!

England. 50-overs. World record. Three words and phrases I never expected to appear in the same sentence! And yet this was just one of the many records which tumbled this week at Trent Bridge.

The match result states boldly but barely that England beats Pakistan by 169 runs, but that conceals a multitude of amazements. Just about everything Eoin Morgan’s side did worked a treat. Jason Roy may have gloved a catch behind in the sixth over but Alex Hales finally delivered on his promise. He not only reached three figures but also proceeded to whack the Pakistani attack all over the place to notch the highest ever ODI score by an England player. His 171 eclipsed Robin Smith’s 23 year-old 167 not out.

What surprised me was not Hales’ own performance, but that it had taken an England player so long to knock Smith off the top. In these days of short boundaries, high-tech bats and a more attacking mindset, 23 years is a long time to hold a batting record.

When Hales finally fell LBW, he and Joe Root had compiled the highest partnership scored against Pakistan. Root himself achieved his fifth successive score of 60 or more, itself no mean feat. And then the fun really began!

Jos Buttler, returning after a long layoff, came together with Morgan and together they plundered 161 from a mere 12 overs. Buttler struck the fastest ever England 50, in 22 balls, and the skipper would also have equalled the record had Jos not broken it minutes earlier! Sixes were flayed from Azhar Ali, Shoaib Malik and Wahab Riaz, whose 110 runs conceded was the second highest in ODI history.

Buttler’s last ball boundary then took England’s total past the best ODI innings total by any international side, ever! 444-3! There had been 16 sixes in all, in contrast to the way Sri Lanka had recorded the previous world best ten years previously against the Netherlands at Amstelveen. Then, despite rapid centuries from Jayasuriya and Dilshan, only three of the 59 boundaries actually cleared the ropes.

As for Pakistan’s reply, it was never going to come close to the target. Chris Woakes bowled well for his four wickets, but Sharjeel Khan did at least go for his shots, taking 54 of his 58 runs in boundaries. However, the last record of the day was a positive one for a Pakistani player. Mohammad Amir’s final ‘what the hell’ onslaught brought him 58 from 28 balls, he first ever ODI half-century for a number eleven!

So a sensational day for England, and it was almost incidental that they wrapped up a series win with just three matches gone. I expect some team changes on both sides now that there is no trophy to play for. However, the way teams are playing, more records are sure to follow in quick succession, not necessarily in England this summer. There have now been 18 scores of 400 or more, eight of them in the past two years. Can 500 be far away….?

Pakistan on top of the world

Congratulations to Pakistan for assuming the official number one spot in Test cricket. The ICC rankings havet been around for only 13 years but I can’t recall a time when the nation were so prominent that they could have been unofficial Test worldbeaters, not even in the days of Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas , Waqar Younis or Wasim Akram, Those pesky Aussies or West Indians were usually that bit more successful. Maybe in the late Eighties when Viv’s Caribbean cavaliers were losing their lustre and prior to Steve Waugh’s star men were coming together.

Mind you, I used the word ‘prominent’ rather than ‘dominant’ deliberately. Pakistan seemed to have risen up the rankings so far under the radar as to be flying at sea level. It wouldn’t have happened without Australia’s spectacular collapses against Sri Lanka, or the waterlogged outfield fiasco this week in Trinidad, where India were expected to put the Windies to the sword yet again. Nor of course had England dismissed Younis Khan much earlier in the Oval Test the other week and not allowed Pakistan to draw the series.

All ifs and buts. Just three points separate the top four nations so it could be all change come the winter, but let’s allow Pakistan the time to enjoy holding the ceremonial mace, because they have deserved it. The doubters point to the side’s inability to win in Australia or South Africa. But then ALL of Pakistan’s series are away; they haven’t been allowed to host a series for six years, and through no fault of the PCB.

That is also partly the reason they have played only six series in two years, while England, Australia et al are all cricketed out. Yet of those six, Pakistan have won four and drawn two, defeating England, Australia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh while giving the New Zealanders a run for their money in the desert.

So how have they achieved this historic rise? After the humiliation of the sordid match-fixing affair which led the captain and star bowlers to be not only banned but imprisoned, it looked hard to see Pakistan covering for years. However, Misbah-ul-Haq’s promotion to skipper has been the masterstroke. While his fellow batsmen have struggled for consistency, he and Younis have kept the runs flowing while their blend of seamers and spinners have done plenty of damage with the ball.

In the last eight series, spanning 22 matches, Younis has not averaged less than 48, and his career Test average remains stubbornly above 53. He is also a rarity in that he converts more than half his fifties into centuries and, as England re-discovered this month, is not averse to turning mere centuries into doubles. He is now 38, but his leader is more than three years his senior.

Misbah’s Test career started not long after Younis’s, but he has played a mere 65 matches. Apart from a sensational series against India in 2007, his batting seems to have improved since assuming the captaincy, and is always reliable. He managed just the one century in England this summer but what a vital one it was.

Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and ‘keeper Sarfraz Ahmed often chip in, too, while the likes of Junaid Khan, Sohail Khan and Wahab Riaz have often stuck to their guns with pace and skill. Losing their ace slowie Saeed Ajmal to the bent elbow police (probably with justification) must have been a blow but they merely introduced another enthusiastic 30-something spinner in Yasir Shah.

Misbah and the PCB have made some great strategic decisions, and Misbah knows how to win. He has even been brave enough to drop the veteran opener Mohammad Hafeez for the Oval, and of course they won with ease.

I don’t know how much importance the fan back home attach to the number one Test status. After all, they languish a paltry ninth in ODIs and not much better in T20 internationals, where New Zealand currently rule the roost. However, I hope it really does mean something because it is quite an achievement. India are either second or third in all formats so their old rivals should revel in being ahead in the five-day game.

Personally I look forward to seeing Pakistan play England in the fifth one-dayer in Cardiff next month. It’ll be the first time I’ve watched a Pakistani side in the flesh since Imran’s team came to Chelmsford twenty-five decades ago and Saeed Anwar stroked a sublime hundred. It would be nice to see Misbah’s team of youth and experience give England an exciting contest, hopefully to decide the series.

Pakistan v England 2nd Test July 2016

Well, all credit to England. After being Misbah-ed and Yasir-ed at Lord’s, they bounced back in the most emphatic style possible, levelling the series with a 330-run victory at Old Trafford.

Chris Woakes was once again England’s leading wicket-taker, but Jimmy Anderson produced some useful spells on his home turf. Pakistan’s batsmen struggled again, with only Misbah passing 50, putting the innings of Alastair Cook and the formidable Joe Root into context.

The pair shared a 185-run second-wicket partnership, but Root went on to be part of two other century stands, with Woakes and Jonny Bairstow. Root’s ability to score just about anywhere, off and leg, punches, pulls, drives and cuts, has always been impressive. In my book, he is as complete a batsmen as anyone one in the modern game, including AB De Villiers, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith.

Root even inspired his captain to up his scoring rate to 60+ in the first innings, his 105 runs including fifteen boundaries. That’s only 12 fewer than Root managed in his career-best 254. Then in the second innings they added another 105 together in barely 14 overs as they raced to declare 565 runs ahead. Cook was criticised for not enforcing the follow-on but the result justified the decision in spades. If the weather forecast had been bad, then of course the decision would have been different. However, I suspect the result would have been the same.

Yasir Shah’s Lord’s magic was well and truly negated, and his 63 overs went for 266 runs. His only wicket was that of Woakes on day two. For all England’s dominance, there still remain question marks over Hales, Ballance and Vince, who are all finding it hard to get beyond a decent 20 or 30. No problem with fielding, and all but three of the twenty Pakistan wickets were catches.

And should Jonny Bairstow cede the ‘keeper’s gloves? Why? Jos Buttler is no better behind the stumps and a poorer red-ball batsman. Billings is a 20-over thrash specialist while Essex’s James Foster is probably too old to be considered by the current selector set-up.

Anyway, apart from the injured Ben Stokes, I certainly don’t blame England for retaining the same squad for the Third Test. Woakes will fancy his chances at Edgbaston where he has picked up 300-odd wickets for Warwickshire. Steve Finn did well on the same ground last summer so he must be favourite to play, unless they go for a twin spin option in the form of Adil Rashid.

Whatever the final XI, I can’t see Pakistan coming back from such a heavy defeat, unless their seam attack or Yasir find a way to dismiss Root early and their openers to survive Anderson and Broad for a change. I believe Stokes’ absence is no big deal. The swear box may be emptier as a result but England should still win on the pitch.

Yasir, he can Googly!

Well, I didn't see that coming! After England flattened Sri Lanka more effectively than the Lord's roller, the long-awaited return of Pakistan was meant to cement England's growing reputation in all forms of cricket. After the football team's humiliation against Iceland, surely there would be no embarrassment at the hands of a side captained by a 42 year-old yet at risk of being cleaved apart by the inclusion of a convicted cheat.

In the end, the return from the six-year wilderness of Mohammad Amir was a mere sideshow. Had his close-catching colleagues been less prone to fumbles, Amir would have had more wickets and the doubters - me included - would have had something to complain about. In the end, it was a cracking Test match. There were no five-an-over innings full of Twenty20 cameos. There were some entertaining innings, but for once the mix of spin and reverse swing tipped the balance away from the batsmen.

Yasir Shah is 30, playing only his second first-class match of the year. Yet his exuberant ten-wicket performance lit up not only Pakistan but the whole of Lord's. And he wasn't even the top wicket-taker! That claim belongs to Chris Woakes. I've long been a fan of Woakesy. He's been taking wickets and clouting runs for Warwickshire for several seasons yet seems to be written off by many. He's too slow, too predictable, not aggressive enough. Rubbish! I thnk what such critics mean is that he isn't a bristling, snarling sledger like Anderson, Broad and Stokes.


Test match figures of 11-102, including two five-fors, show that Woakes is no domestic trundle, even though he struggled in his prevous outings. He wouldn't even have played had Stokes' fitness been in doubt. England selectors now have a problem given that Stokes is back in the squad for Old Trafford, as is Adil Rashid and the recovered Anderson. Surely they can't omit Woakes? By keeping faith with Finn, does that mean he must play?


As for the batters, they had their moments. Vince played a decent second innings, as did Balance. However, it was the old guard who shone brightest. Alastair Cook became the most prolific Test opener in history in scoring 82, Younis Khan added to his considerable middle-order tally but the main plaudits went to Misbah-ul-Haq.

The captain has done so much to bring Pakistan back into the international fold, on and off the pitch, following the spot-fixing scandal six years ago. His unflappable temperament has helped no end, and he can still bat better than anyone. His first Lord's century on day one deserved the warm applause, and his amusing celebration of salute and press-ups endeared him to spectators even more.


The joyous reaction of the whole team, with the display of (almost) synchronised saluting and press-ups before their fans was a welcome sight, but not for England. They now have to regroup and hope that Anderson can reproduce the form he showed against Sri Lanka, and Root can deliver centuries again.

Pakistan's Superior Spin Proves too much for England

After two tense, close contests, Pakistan ran away with the third to clinch the series 2-0. As predicted in my last blog, the Test match was decided by the superiority of the ‘home’ side’s spin attack against England’s.

With Buttler dropped, James Taylor beefed up the batting and Samit Patel offered a third spin option. However, while slow bowlers totally dominated the India v South Africa encounter at Mohali, they didn’t have it all their own way at Sharjah. On the first day, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad conceded just 30 runs in 28 overs, while Patel, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid went for almost four an over. Only Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfraz Ahmed took charge and helped Pakistan past 200.

In reply, five England players reached 40 but Taylor was alone in passing 50, taking the team to a first innings lead of 72. It would have been more had it not been for Shoaib Malik’s three late wickets, including that of the injured Ben Stokes. However, they could not ram home their advantage.

Mohammad Hafeez survived an early scare and went on to an impressive 151. Stokes was out of action but England’s two seamers were once more in superb form. Nevertheless they can’t bowl continuously in the UAE heat, and the spinners again looked the weakest link.

Pakistan raced away to a lead of 283, a not impossible target in normal circumstances. However, in Sharjah, Yasir Shah, Malik and Zulfiqur Babar made few mistakes, maintain the pressure and grinding England down. Alastair Cook did his best, outlasting eight of his team-mates in an innings of 63 runs and four hours. England were destroyed in five overs, when the middle-order were sent packing for only 11 runs. Three of them fell LBW, bamboozled by the spin of Babar and Shah, and the series was lost on the final afternoon.

Only Cook, England’s only centurion, Anderson and Broad emerged with much credit from the series. The captain’s massive 263 at Abu Dhabi was almost as many as the second highest scorer, Joe Root, managed in all six attempts. Anderson’s 13 victims came at just 15 apiece and at a phenomenal economy rate of 1.87. Normally you might expect spinners to frustrate batsmen, but the England seamers did their best. Unfortunately, Ali and Rashid showed that, despite the coaching of Shane Warne, they aren’t yet the real deal.

Yasir Shah definitely is and across the series he was the prime difference between the two well-matched teams. Five Pakistan batsmen struck hundreds and averaged 48 or more, demonstrating how to cope with slow bowling at this level. Younis and Misbah surely can’t have many more Tests in them, and Shoaib has already announced his retirement. As with Sri Lanka, Pakistan need to find young batting talent if they are to threaten the other top nations in five-day cricket.

As for England, all is not lost for their forthcoming trip to South Africa. Nevertheless, much rests on the fitness of Broad and Anderson. I’m not sure whether Moeen Ali is the right opening partner for Cook in Tests. However, neither is Alex Hales. Both are excellent one-day openers and England’s squad is looking like a converted ODI outfit; too many all-rounders, not enough specialists. Most other countries are similar; it’s the new era of cricket.

I think that with some work Bairstow could become a top ‘keeper-batsman, much as Alec Stewart was a few decades ago. Buttler has never done much in first-class cricket, not even for Somerset. I like Taylor, Root and, for all his recent travails, Ian Bell. Graeme Swann is badly missed, but world-class spinners are a rarity. Anywhere in the world. Wood and Jordan are OK but unlikely to scare the likes of Amla or De Villiers. On the other hand, South Africa are short of good spinners, too, so we could be in for another competitive series.

Pakistan in the driving seat

Last week, England felt cheated of victory by bad light. This time in Dubai they were barely six overs from securing a very unlikely draw before Pakistan’s attacking field yielded the final wicket. Both matches have provided exciting finales, but it was the second which gave us consistently good cricket.

After a shaky start on the first morning, Pakistan’s middle-order did their job. Something you can’t say of England’s! Captain Misbah ul-Haq shared stands of 93 with Younis Khan and 104 with Asad Shafiq before Moeen Ali and Mark Wood kept the total below 400. England’s reply was a very staccato affair. Ali and Bell struggled again, then Alastair Cook and the redoubtable Joe Root put on 113, playing the pace of man-of-the-match Wahab Riaz and spin of Yasir Shah with much-needed patience.

However, once Root nicked to the ‘keeper, the last six wickets tumbled for only 36 runs. Pakistan’s second innings again survived two early departures. This time, Younis showed why he remains one of the best Test batsmen of his generation, progressing to his 31st century and passing 9,000 runs. Misbah’s late-flowering career continued with another fine display, scoring 87, while Shafiq provided more sterling support. The declaration left England a day and a half to achieve a world record target or, barely more likely, bat for a draw.

They really needed Cook on his A-game but the heat and dust had taken its toll. Bell scratched around for 48, Root passed 50 yet again, but Bairstow, Stokes and the hapless Jos Buttler failed miserably. An early end looked inevitable, but Adil Rashid is no pushover with the bat. Bowling figures of 2-191 were poor, but his application against Shah and Babar put his colleagues to shame. Broad tried to hit out, falling to a brilliant fast yorker, but Wood stuck it out for two hours, a great effort. Rashid’s innings lasted twice as long for 61. The number of runs wasn’t important; the number of overs survived was. However, with the finishing line in sight, the Yorkshireman chose the wrong ball to drive past the close cordon and was caught by Babar.

It was one of the longest second innings ending in defeat ever played in Asia, demonstrating that with the right amount of skill and sense of when to play and when to leave, Pakistan can be kept at bay in the UAE. Unfortunately for England, only Root, Rashid and tailender Wood had what was needed.

Pakistan now have the added incentive of winning the final Test, not only to take the series but also to advance to second in the ICC rankings. Not bad for a side unable to play on home pitches. However, they will need some fine young blood to succeed Younis (aged 37) and Misbah (41) if they are to hold on to that status for any length of time.

As for England, selection for the 3rd Test and, arguably more importantly, the South Africa tour, must be tricky. It was interesting to watch a Sky TV discussion yesterday in which nobody could agree on what should happen next. Ali has not proved a capable partner for Cook, Buttler can’t bat at all, and Stokes, Bell and Bairstow are all struggling. Replacement options are few. Bairstow could take the gloves from Buttler, although his ‘keeping is not as good. Ali could drop back down the order to give Hales his chance, and James Taylor deserves a position at, say, five or six in place of Stokes. Titanic, rearranging and deckchairs spring to mind! The type of pitch in Sharjah will be crucial. I can’t believe it won’t be spin-friendly, in which case both Rashid and Ali will play. However fine they are with the willow, they are nowhere near as potent as Pakistan’s slow bowlers, and Pakistan must be favourites for another series win.

Cook so close to dishing up a desert victory

This was one of those matches which swung from looking like a certain draw to a dramatic final day climax. Apart from James Anderson’s early strike, Pakistan seemed to have made a positive start to the series as Shoaib Malik took charge.

Last time the two nations met in the UAE, the story was all about spinners. This time in Abu Dhabi, England’s slow bowlers between them ended up with figures of 69-3-297-0. This was particularly disappointing for Adil Rashid, making a belated Test debut.

Malik shared stands of 168 (with Hafeez) and 248 (with Asad Shafiq) and compiled a career-best 245 before becoming the third of Ben Stokes’ four victims. England thus needed to bat log and hard to avoid defeat. This they achieved admirably, thanks largely to Alastair Cook.

The captain found himself in the unusual position of the faster scoring opening partner, contributing the bulk of the 116 made with Moeen Ali. It was a similar story when Ian Bell came to the crease, then both Joe Root and Stokes also hit half-centuries. Meanwhile, Cook advanced serenely past 200 and appeared almost certain of reaching 300 when a mistimed sweep ended the innings. Amazingly it had lasted 190 overs and just short of 14 hours, longer than even Len Hutton’s ex-world record 364 epic 77 years earlier.

In hindsight, the fifth morning declaration may have been delayed for too long but the turnaround was impressive. In particular, Rashid claimed five victims as Pakistan self-destructed. Bowled out for just 173, they now had barely an hour to prevent England slogging their way to a target of 99. Now for the real drama.

Promoting Buttler to join Ali, England were set on victory. However, things didn’t go all their way. The openers fell quickly, as did Stokes and Bairstow, but with another 25 required from a maximum of eight overs, the umpires Oxenford and Reiffel ruled that the light was too bad to continue.

Tough on England. Tough on cricket, too, but the officials undeniably played by the rules. It just adds just a little edge to the forthcoming Second Test.

Pakistan pack a Punch

Pakistan have not only enjoyed an exciting series win in Sri Lanka but, largely under the radar, attained the status of number three in the ICC Test rankings. Once the home nation levelled the series at Colombo, you would be forgiven for thinking that Pakistan would have folded in the Pallekele finale. Indeed, when Angelo Mathews stuck around to extend Sri Lanka’s lead to 376, the visitors were in unknown territory in relation to their target.

But Pakistan have Younis Khan. He and Azhar Ali have been in fantastic form in the past few years. Their avalanche of runs, with the added contribution of skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, simply swept the Aussies away in the UAE last year. They then drew 1-1 with New Zealand and the centuries continued to stack up in the series victory over Bangladesh. Azhar Ali and Mohammed Hafeez both passed 200 in an innings and the opposition bowlers must have grown tired of facing them.

Nevertheless, Pakistan were struggling at 13-2 before opener Shan Masood was joined by Younis. With almost two days remaining, they could easily have dug in to grind out the runs. They didn’t, and by stumps on the fourth day, they were 230-2, both batsmen having reached three figures. Surely they couldn’t pull off Pakistan’s highest ever run chase?

Shan was stumped off Kaushal on 125 but Misbah’s arrival made no difference to the momentum. Younis Khan moved serenely on to 171 and Misbah clinched the match and the series with a six. What a game, what a series and what a load of records were achieved on that final day!

It was Younis’ seventh hundred in the past year, and the highest fourth innings score by a Pakistani in their history. He is unusual in that when he hits 50, more often than not he proceeds all the way to 100. Furthermore, only once before have two Pakistan batsmen hit hundreds in a fourth innings of a Test

So far I’ve only mentioned the batsmen, yet it was a bowler who was named Player of the Series, and deservedly so. Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz get most of the plaudits and Saeed Ajmal is twirling for Worcestershire instead of for Pakistan. So it may be a surprise that, in three matches, it was Yasir Shah who claimed an impressive 24 wickets. That included a 7-76, 6-96 and 5-78, and he not only took more wickets than anybody else, but had the lowest average and economy rate.

Still without a home series, it’s great to see Pakistan up there, with New Zealand threatening the big two, Australia and South Africa. Test cricket is not all about the Ashes and batting isn’t solely the reserve of Cook, Smith, Clarke and Root. Younis Khan deserves to be considered amongst the modern greats alongside Kallis, Ponting, Chanderpaul and Tendulkar, and Misbah as one of the leading captains.