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Given the recent records of England and Pakistan, the thrashing Pakistan received at Old Trafford was particularly disappointing for I had little doubt in my mind that we had started the series as favourites.

We had had an excellent run against England and India at home followed by a top performance against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka which a shell shocked South African coach has said is as difficult as playing Australia in Australia.

England, on the other hand had almost nothing going their way since the Ashes triumph of last summer and in the immediate run up to the current series against Pakistan, had been wiped out by Sri Lanka in a one day series. Thus one could be forgiven for considering Pakistan as the favourites for this series.

The manner of the defeat at Old Trafford has, however, put all that in the distant past. True, the absence of Pakistan’s leading fast bowlers has deprived the side of its main strength with the result that the attack now has about as much teeth as a new born baby, and it must be particularly disheartening to be going into a match knowing that one’s chances of bowling the opposition out twice — an essential prerequisite for winning any game of cricket — are remote.

But at Old Trafford it was Pakistan’s batting, not its bowling that lost us the match. Two thoroughly inept displays lacking discipline and any vestige of commitment have left Pakistan facing a steep uphill task if this series is to be salvaged and if Pakistan’s undefeated record of over two decades in England is to emerge intact.

If there was a will to fight it was certainly not evident and the scorecard would confirm that assessment. Although it was a wicket which always had something for the bowlers, it was not the sort of track on which any reasonable batting side should lose 20 wickets for 341 runs.

There were two fundamental mistakes that Pakistan made in this Test. First of all, the decision to play with a stop gap opener in Kamran Akmal was inexplicable given that the squad has three specialist openers and coach Bob Woolmer had said Imran Farhat and Salman Butt would be persevered with at Old Trafford.

I considered Woolmer’s statement a positive one as it would give the two openers the confidence of knowing they would be given a fair run instead of being on constant trial. Yet, on the morning of the match one found that Salman had been dropped and Akmal drafted in as a makeshift opener, even though Salman had done well in the immediately preceding game against Northants and with Farhat, had put on an opening partnership of 118 in Pakistan’s second innings.

It was hardly fair to Akmal and one hopes that the two failures he has suffered at Old Trafford as an opener will not dent his confidence both as a batsman and a wicket-keeper. He had been making very useful contributions lower down the order and it would be a great pity if that were affected.

Even if for some reason Salman Butt was not to be given another chance, the third specialist opener Taufeeq Umar was there and if both are not considered up to the mark, they should not be with the squad.

The burden on Akmal was increased with Inzamam’s decision to bat after winning the toss. The first session or two of a Test match in England are never easy and to send in a makeshift opening pair to face the music was a bit foolhardy.

It may be argued that just before lunch Pakistan were comfortably placed on 90 for 2 which would vindicate the decision to bat first but the introduction of Panesar changed all that very quickly and at 93 for 4 at lunch, it would be England who were enjoying their lunch. The pitch had bounce right through the three days of the match and on the third day, spin as well, although Pakistan did not have the bowlers to exploit either.

England, on the other hand, did. Harmison with his height and Panesar with his controlled finger spin showed just how it could be done and none of the Pakistani batsmen except for Younis and Inzamam, appeared to have a clue how to deal with either.

There are rumours about the return of Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar, but not before the final Test at The Oval. It is difficult to know just how much credibility to give these rumours for there has been no official word from the tour management about either player.

Meanwhile, the Leeds Test is almost upon us and Pakistan will have to rely on what they have to see them through this one. That will mean putting Old Trafford behind them, something far easier said than done.

England, meanwhile, have discovered a top class spinner in Monty Panesar — something they have not had since Derek Underwood left the scene. He flights and turns the ball and is a genuine spinner as compared to Ashley Giles who is only a slow bowler. If things are decided on the basis of cricketing considerations alone, he should have a role to play in the England side for quite a few years to come.

Source:The News