So the Pakistan England test series starts tomorrow in the
cricketing hotbed of U.A.E in what for an England fan is an eagerly awaited series
considering the extended break the England team has been on.
Tim Bresnan has returned home injured and this has subsequently
ruled out any possibility of England going in with 5 bowlers to the test
series. Although Prior is a player of some quality and Broad is a talented batsman,
batting these two at 6 and 7 is simply too high. Broad especially relies on
being aggressive and chancing his arm when batting and 7 is too high for his
gung ho approach. This in turn leaves two approaches left – either two fast bowlers
and two spinners or three fast bowlers and one spinner. The likelier scenario
especially in the first match is for three fast bowlers to be employed with
Swann being the sole spinner. One of the reasons they can’t really move away
from this tactic is the lack of bowling options in the top 6- none of which
bowl even semi regularly. With Eoin Morgan returning from injury and struggling
in the warm up games there would have been the chance to employ Ravi Bopara at
6 and utilise his medium pace as a 3rd seamer with Monty Panesar
coming in as the second spinner. Again this seems unlikely and the only
position up for grabs still appears to be for the third seamer’s spot. Chris
Tremlett seems to be the favourite for the spot which frankly amazes me.
Tremlett, bar one warmup game where he wasn’t allowed to bat, and fielded and
batted in sunglasses hasn’t played competitive cricket for nigh on 6 months.
Add into the equation his questionable fitness record over his career and I can’t
quite believe how England can afford to risk him in a match where there is likely to be a lot of hard work to be done and where there is a
decent replacement in Steven Finn.
Prediction: 1-0 Pakistan. Tough to know what to predict.
England are the better team but have had a long break and may be caught
underprepared in the first game and without the requisite tactics for the
conditions. Saeed Ajmal is likely to have a big impact on the series and if
England can handle him they should win the series comfortably. 1-0 Pakistan isn’t
my actual prediction for the series, more of a worst case scenario for England.
Whatever happens, you have to hope for a clean and happy series from two teams
who so often clash when facing each other and that the cricket is compelling
which is not always a given in the UAE.
