England need second-highest run chase in Test history for unlikely win over Pak

Azhar Ali scored a dogged 157 to push Pakistan's lead to 323 in the Dubai Test © Associated Press

England at last saw the back of Azhar Ali, but still need to pull off the second-highest run chase in their Test history to avoid a 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan.

Azhar's painstaking career-best 157 spanned six sessions and almost nine hours, before the number three was ninth out in Pakistan's 365 all out on the third evening at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

England were therefore left with more than six and a half sessions to make 324, on a wearing pitch which had already helped spinners Monty Panesar (five for 124) and Graeme Swann share eight wickets.

They made an acceptable start to their mission improbable, openers Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss reprising the roles played by their great antecedents Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe, the last and only other time England made so many to win - against Australia in Melbourne in 1929.

Cook and Strauss achieved a notable first for this series at least, when they surpassed their previous highest opening partnership of 27 on this disappointing tour - reaching 36 for none at the close.

They had a scrape each before stumps, Cook dropped by Taufeeq Umar off Umar Gul at third slip on four and Strauss rightly given not out on 14 - even after DRS - when he got his pad outside the line on impact against Mohammad Hafeez's off-spin.

Azhar's 442-ball vigil had been a triumph of unstinting concentration, shot selection and restraint - taking in a stand of 216 with Younus Khan (127), and containing just 10 fours and one six.

But Pakistan's last seven wickets then fell for only 34 runs in 21 overs, to give world number ones England a glimmer of hope that their batsmen might yet redeem themselves here.

Younus predicted yesterday that the tourists could still have a chance in this match, if their luck held. Equally, having watched Azhar's unflustered tour de force, it seemed they might collectively do worse than take their cue from him.

Azhar was in absolutely no hurry on the way to his second Test hundred and beyond, having previously reached exactly three figures on this same ground against Sri Lanka last year.

He eventually reached the milestone from the 319th ball he faced, with one of the most memorable shots of his long innings - a cut off Panesar for his fifth four.

He might have gone before his third-wicket partner Younus, for 84, but survived when Swann was just unable to hang on to a tough chance at second slip, very low to his left off the bowling of James Anderson.

Instead England's only breakthrough this morning came when Stuart Broad had Younus lbw on the front foot - DRS indicated the ball would have clipped the very top of middle-stump - after a five-hour stay which had helped to shut England out for 82 overs.

Younus was replaced by captain Misbah-ul-Haq, another batsman content to make the most of the ample time available in this well-progressed match.

He and Azhar duly added another 87, until Misbah fell lbw pushing forward to Panesar in late afternoon to kickstart the rush of wickets.

There was no DRS left for Asad Shafiq, sweeping at Panesar to become the 40th lbw victim of this head-scratching series, and Adnan Akmal was soon bowled for a duck by one that turned to beat his defence and hit off-stump.

Swann then scored his first successes, after 32 overs in vain.

Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal were both caught at slip shortly before tea - and then Azhar fell bat-pad to the off-spinner, and Panesar completed the innings with yet another lbw to account for Gul.

Meanwhile, Tim Bresnan arrived in Dubai this afternoon in time to watch the final session here, having undergone fitness tests in Yorkshire on the elbow injury which ruled him out of the Test series.

England hope the seamer will be available for four one-day internationals and three Twenty20s against Pakistan, starting on February 13. (The mirror)

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Younis' century puts Pakistan in control

Close Pakistan 99 and 222 for 2 (Younis 115*, Azhar 75*) lead England 141 (Strauss 56, Rehman 5-40) by 180 runs

	Younis Khan scored the first century of this series to put Pakistan in the driving seat in the third Test © Getty Images
Related Links Matches: England v Pakistan at Dubai (DSC) Series/Tournaments: England tour of United Arab Emirates Teams: England | Pakistan Gallery: Younis, Azhar seize control for Pakistan

The first hundred of this Test series was a long time in coming but it was well worth the wait. It went to Younis Khan. His enduring talent has again lifted Pakistan's expectations that they can achieve their first whitewash in a Test series against England.

When Younis came to the crease shortly before lunch on the second day, he was out of form, 22 wickets had fallen for 268 runs and batsmen on both sides were in mental turmoil over a record number of lbw decisions in a three-Test series. Not another wicket fell all day.

By the close, Younis had 115, his third-wicket stand with Azhar Ali was worth 194 in 72 overs and Pakistan's lead was 180. Some Pakistan fans held aloft a banner stating that Pakistan's target was to be the No. 1 Test side in the world. England can confirm it is an uncomfortable place to be.

Whenever mutterings are heard that his Test career is nearing an end, Younis comes up with something special. England tried to bowl straight, seeking to add to the 37 lbws in the series (the record in any length of series is 43) but the pitch was slow and the sound of ball against pad was conspicuous by its absence as Younis worked the ball serenely through the leg side.

It is only two months since Younis took an unbeaten double hundred off Bangladesh in Chittagong and his serenity flooded back. Both he and Azhar, whose restrained unbeaten 75 again identified him as a talent in the making, read the line confidently, their footwork was crisp and on the rare occasions Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann matched the turn found by Pakistan's left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, they had the skill to adjust to the ball off the pitch.

England imagined they might have dismissed Azhar lbw, on 70, just before the close when Swann found turn around leg stump. Umpire Simon Taufel said no, England reviewed, more in hope than expectation, but to the consternation of the fielding side Hawk-Eye showed the ball going too high. Pakistan's lead was 168 and England had not got the break they desperately needed. Andrew Strauss, an England captain with no time to waste, even took the new ball two overs before the close.

Younis' second 50 took 60 balls and changed the complexion of the match. His gathering confidence was illustrated when he twice reverse-swept Swann as England's spinners resorted to bowling into the rough outside leg stump. Two short balls from Panesar helped him through the 90s. When he swept Panesar to reach his 20th Test hundred, two greats of India's past, Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, were moved to rise from their seats in the VIP area and applaud.

But the incident that will most trouble England was one of the rare balls Younis missed: a delivery from Panesar that pitched on middle, dislodged a piece of turf as it spun past the outside edge, and cracked Anderson on the left shoulder at first slip. This is a dry pitch and it can be expected to turn extravagantly as the match progresses.

It all possessed a different feel to the pre-lunch session. Six more wickets tumbled on the second morning, with England scraping a first-innings lead of 42 and then removing Pakistan's openers. Taufeeq Umar's technical frailties were again evident as James Anderson bowled one from wide on the crease to have him caught by Strauss at first slip. Mohammad Hafeez, after striking Panesar cleanly for a straight six, fell lbw to an over-ambitious sweep.

England's batting frailties are now so extreme that their average of 17.84 runs per wicket is currently lower than in any completed series since the 19th century, an era when the roller was probably pulled by a horse, if they could find a horse, and the art of groundsmanship extended to little more than pushing the stumps in.

England began the series fretting about the mysterious spin bowling of Saeed Ajmal but they are ending it baffled by the conventional approach of Rehman, who took five wickets for the second successive innings as Pakistan restricted England's first-innings lead. This canny left-arm spinner, enjoying unforeseen riches in his late-blooming career, had performed the sajda on the outfield in Abu Dhabi when he took five Test wickets in an innings for the first time. Once again he fell to his knees.

England, resuming on 104 for 6, lasted 12 overs. Anderson, the night-watchman, propped forward to the last ball of the first over and was bowled through the gate. It was the sort of respectable, turning delivery Rehman has produced on countless occasions and suddenly it looked unplayable.

Stuart Broad hinted at positive intent but he was lbw to Ajmal after Pakistan turned to DRS to overturn Steve Davis' not-out decision. Broad was straight back to the laptop, analysing his dismissal, seeking answers. Another centimetre and he would have been outside the line. Umpires would never give anybody out on such small margins; technology does.

Andrew Strauss' prolonged resistance ended at eight-down, to his most adventurous shot. He had extended his overnight 41 to 56 when he came down the pitch to hit Rehman over the legside and was stumped by Adnan Akmal.

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England vs Pakistan: Placing All Bets On Pakistan

   

by Ashar Zaidi

Profile: A Sports correspondent at Geo New

Logic might favor England but passion is eager to topple it down; let’s see who rules the deserts.


Agreed, you are the number one test side in the world. Agreed, you have dominated your last six test series. Agreed, the world’s best have kneeled before your might, that you are gifted with some of the best performers in the game and you feel refreshed after a four months rest, but that doesn’t mean things will walk your way all the time. Sharpen your swords England, Misbahism is geared up for a showdown.


England and Pakistan are two top teams. Try comparing them in any aspect and the equilibrium will hit the middle mark each time.  That’s precisely the reason why fans and experts appear impatient for a mouth watering encounter, followed by the trickiest question of all, who will come out victorious?


This is a tough question to answer. The bookies love England but ask me and I see this love affair as a well disguised googly. My hard-earned money is on Pakistan and I won’t risk it without rock-solid reasoning.


Strauss has a world conquering squad just like Michael Vaughn did in 2005, but like the Indians, they are mostly back-yard heroes that can win in favorable conditions. Expose them to hostile terrain and they fall like autumn leaves. I remember England touring Pakistan in 2005 still basking in the euphoria of their Ashes triumph, only to see their top names licking injuries and Shoaib Akthar puncturing their batting sedans. With mud for UAE pitches flown in from Karachi, I can only see history repeating itself.


So, here are six reasons why I believe England will return home with only Arabic hospitality to talk about.


1- Stepping into the Unknown


It’s UAE, meaning it’s an arid-zone. Even in January the place can be devilishly humid, dusty and the scorching sun beats hard on your head. No coach in the world can teach you how to handle quickies while dry winds are slapping your face. Long days in the heat can drain life out of your legs and water alone would fail to quench the English thirst, instead tons of Gatorade would need to be gulped.


For statistic devotees, England are yet to play a test match on UAE soil and the last ODI they played here was way back in 1999. As for Pakistan, UAE is their second home. The green shirts have played nine matches and are well versed with the conditions.  Will the ball turn or skid on these placid wickets? England must have spent sleepless nights solving this enigma. For Pakistan, they have the perfect idea for mix and match.


2- Paki Pace Factory Fired Up


They say a team is built around its fast bowling therefore it can’t possibly go wrong in Pakistan’s case. Pakistani spinners have been capturing bulk of headlines recently, somewhat over shadowing the brilliance pacers have shown with the ball. The likes of Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Tanveer Ahmed and Aizaz Cheema have largely been responsible for causing early dents and paving way for the spinners to wipe out the cake. These maverick quickies are equipped with a plethora of lethal deliveries, good enough to sink any batting line on Earth.


To fine tune their every move is the bowling maestro Aquib Jawaid (Bowling coach) who himself has bowled countless memorable spells on these barren fields. Hard to forget would be his seven against Sri-Lanka in Sharjah. He is a living example for his militia to follow.


England, on the other hand could have wished for a few better options. Let’s admit, Tim Bresnan was one bowler who could have extracted life out of Dubai’s moribund surface. But with him out of the picture the English pace battery appears vulnerable. Major work load will fall on James Anderson and Stuart Broad and don’t expect the likes of Grame Onions, Steven Finn and Chris Tremlett to cause Pakistanis much trouble.


This will be the ideal setting for an unseen injury popping up to one of these pacers. If that happens, England is sure to lose heart. In most of their previous victories, it’s the combination of four fast bowlers that have guided them through; Dubai could be a different story.


3- Spin Fear


We heard it before, now we have seen it. England doesn’t like to play spin. Take the two practice matches for example: M. Nabi, the off-spinner from Afghanistan bagged five while the Swabi born Leggie, Yasir Shah cleaned up eight in the second, exposing a huge feebleness in English defense.


This is their fragility before second string spinners, and the big boys haven’t even stepped in. Both Saeed and Rehman are world class spinners and their fingers are itching to cast magic. The spot-light is on the tricky Ajmal who some see as the English tormentor, with 50 wickets in the calendar year, he is one player around whom the hype has been building.


Ajmal is a darling character; he loves challenges and has a habit of cracking jokes. Remember the “Special Delivery” he warned about? It is now termed “The Teesra”.  We have seen the traditional off-spin, then Shane Warne invented the “Seedha” while Saqulain brought out the “Doosra”. Where in the world Ajmal’s Teesra will spin is still a mystery!


The spin night-mare doesn’t end here. Rehman and Hafiz are equally good supplements that give their Captain plenty of option to juggle.


England on the other hand is pinning hopes on their Desert Rose, Grame Swann, but whether their vital cog can live up to expectations is another story. Ask me and I would say he is an over-rated bowler, simply because England doesn’t have another quality act. Just 27 wickets in 2011 and you expect him to make you shiver? C’mon, even a club bowler could do better. While some would argue that he is nurtured under Mushtaq Ahmed’s watchful eyes, let me remind you that Pakistani batsmen are best mediators of spin. As for Monty, let’s first see if he finds a place in the final 11. We can ponder about his vitality later on.


4- The Younis Factor


Mince no words, Younis will be the difference between victory and defeat.  While many credit Misbah for keeping the unit together and turning it into a winning lot, if you knew the dynamics of the Pakistan dressing-room you would know it’s Younis that has keeps the fabric knitted. On the field he is a classy batsman, an excellent exponent of classic stroke-play and a skilful fielder with a deadly accuracy of hitting the stumps. Back in the drawers, he is the best pitch reader, an astute thinker, motivator and a strategy genius for his side.


The 34 year old Khan from Mardan is a tough nut to crack and possesses a dreadful appetite for runs. His mountainous 313 at Karachi and epic 267 at Bangalore are credible proof’s he can play really long innings and bat England out of the match. 2011 has been a fantastic year for Khan, cracking 765 runs in just 12 innings with a staggering avg of 85. England definitely won’t want him batting long and nursing the tail.


5- No Rating Fear, Only Hunger to Prove


The brutal fact is that this is one horror Strauss can’t shy away from. Stepping in 2012 as the top ranked test side, the English have a lot at stake. They might have belted the Protease, Aussies and the Indians, but they are well aware of the un-predictability and destruction Pakistan can cause. If England loses, the Telegraph, Guardian and Times would cry that England succumbed on the first real litmus test.


Pakistan are enjoying life out of any such fear. Their recent feats have been looked down as being against toothless opponents, so this is their proving stage. If they win, it will be a testimony of their metal. If they lose, Misbah would simply shake off the loss as it would be one against the best side in the world.  


6- Pakistanis Don’t Break Under Pressure


England reached summit No. 1 after thrashing India last summer. Apart from their prolific play England had two other factors to thank. India is a team of ageing legends and as Brad Haddin rightly pointed out, it’s a team that breaks down under pressure. Rest assured Strauss won’t find anything like-wise here.  Even at 38 and 34, Misbah and Younis are the fittest horses in the stable and whenever stakes are down, even Ajmal can show heroics with the bat. It’s an All for one, and one for all equation.


May the Best Team Win:


And so my bragging comes to an end. Thankfully, Pakistanis are realistic and focused on the task ahead. Opener Taufiq Umar couldn’t be more candid admitting that his team would have to exceed their abilities to beat England. On the other hand, the placid tracks of UAE demonstrate the rarity of a positive result. This means a single session played loose could slip out the series. Have no doubt in mind; there will be loads of storms in the deserts.

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