Trotting Along

It was an unlikely character who gave England's winter tour of Pakistan in the UAE the kick start it was badly needing after a lackluster and plane-rusty batting performance on the 1st day in Dubai. Jonathan Trott nipped one back to Younis Khan mid way through the afternoon session, and the fall of the former Yorkshire man sparked a revival of sorts when Pakistan had threatened to take the game away from the visitors.

Ajmal takes a wicket in England in 2010.

Day 1 of the 1st Test, can often set the tone for the series they say and when England were bundled out for 192, many were probably thinking the worst. England lacked fight, character and application, three of the key ingredients of their rise to World Number 1, as Saeed Ajmal took a career-best 7-55 and left England in turmoil at the end of day 1. Pakistan had reached 42 without loss to compound England's poor batting performance. It was simple as to why England performed below-par. Both openers Strauss and Cook, then Morgan and Broad tried playing cross batted shots that left the odds against them, on a pitch that just required a straight bat, something Prior and laterly Mohammed Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar showed with relative ease. I imagine Sir Geoffery wasn't too happy in the TMS box. It's a pitch made for someone like Boycott, the need to graft, work hard for your runs, and simply play straight. Hopefully something England will remember 2nd time around.

If Brezzy was fit, it'd solve the problem...

The poor batting performance, somehow crazily fueled talk of England picking the wrong team. Opting for Prior at 7, and 4 bowlers, 3 seam options in Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett with Swanny the sole spinner. It proved to be a necessary move as England could have found themselves falling further foul of the 192 they made, without the extra batsman. Many have wanted to see Monty Panesar in the attack, which would mean losing either a batsman or a seamer. Going by day's one and two, the use of an extra spinner wouldn't have added anything to the threat, which had been very limited as it was. If anything, the extra spinner could have provided a release for the Pakistani's which are well accustomed to spin bowling on the sub continent. England finally started to take wickets after they reduced the run rate, by putting the ball in the right areas consistently on a second day which was vastly different from the first. They regained the fight, character and application absent on the first day. On a pitch offering very little, they sat in, made suitable variations to keep the batsmen on their toes and were patient, typified by Trott's short spell. This argument would be null and void had Tim Bresnan been fit, able to suitably apply himself to both facets of the game and the team wouldn't have been a talking point. It should be less so of a talking point now, as England showed how they can retain that number 1 spot with a bit of fighting spirit and a good performance on day 2, regardless of the XI. 


England are well and truly in this game, providing they wrap up Pakistan tomorrow and then bat sensibly, for a long time in their 2nd innings and learn from the mistakes first time around. Ajmal will become more of a threat as the pitch turns more on days 3 and 4, something it showed signs of late on day two, but England have more than enough to take advantage of the other bowlers. It's not the first time England have been faced with a 2nd innings deficit, anyone remember Brisbane?