And You Think India Has Troubles

On a day when three Test matches ended, analysis has found it difficult to identify who is the worst.  Or best.  Depending on how you look at it.  Sehwag has continued his puzzling thought patterns and pointed out that India beat Australia two nil last time Australia visited.  Don’t get me wrong – India lost by 298 runs, following two innings losses. Ignore Sehwag.  They have troubles.  But there have been two startling performances today.

Firstly, New Zealand declared just short of 500 on the third day of the first Test.  They then scuttled Zimbabwe twice, in under a day.  The Zimmers were dismissed for 51 and then 143.  The second innings represented somewhat of a recovery from 6-37. But Zimbabwe should not give up hope.  It wasn’t that long ago that a world beating team was dismissed for even less than 51.

Secondly, having been in front for most of the match, England has been dismissed for just 72, chasing 145 for victory.  Pakistan won the match by 72 and have taken the series.  Abdur Rehman took 6-25.

To top it all off, the Big Bash League final just concluded with the Sixers beating the Scorchers.

It’s been a hell of day.

Pakistani Power

Pakistan has romped away with the 1st Test against England, closing the game out by 10 wickets, in just three days.  While Pakistan must be happy with their rapid progress over the past six months, England and its fans will be anxious to make amends in the 2nd Test.

Pakistan may be denied the advantage of home Tests but at least UAE provides them with something like the conditions they are used to at home.  Certainly more so than their most recent “home” series against Australia in England (not that England was a bad place for any team with decent swing and seam bowlers to take on Australia).  Pakistan have also lost two of the best pace bowlers in the world, not to mention their captain, as a result of the spot fixing scandal but they have surprised everyone by winning matches and series in recent times.

While they may have only beaten a lack-lustre Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, at least they were winning.  And now they have a very big scalp.  I found it amusing on day one when Saeed Ajmal put the cleaners through England, claiming 7/55.  This followed Ajmal’s announcement of the Teesra (to compliment the Doosra) and England’s bullish claims that it was all talk.  I don’t believe the Teesra was responsible for any wickets but it was one of those rare cases when a player shoots his mouth off before the game and follows up with results.

Only time will tell where England is placed.  We must keep in mind that they have not played a Test for just on five months and it is not cricket season in England.   On top of that, we could expect their players to still be adjusting to foreign conditions.

However, there were other worrying signs.  The utter capitulation of the top order in the second innings (following a dismal first innings), starting almost 150 runs behind was astonishing.  Both openers were caught behind down the leg side (one controversially but that is beside the point).  And Pietersen holed out to deep backward square, without scoring.

I recall after England scaled the dizzy heights with their 2005 Ashes win, that they had a sudden slump over the next 12 months.   We would all be aware that England’s most recent summer resulted in clean sweeps against Sri Lanka and then India, and ascending to the number one ranked Test team.  Perhaps England are feeling a little cocky.  Or perhaps the appetite has waned now they are number one.  As I said, we shall have to wait and see.

During the series in which they humbled India, the English crowds started chanting, “Are you Australia in disguise?”  This was actually a reference to the recent Australian easy beats and India’s efforts to emulate them.  However, I think it would be useful for England to keep in mind that they are not the slightly less recent Australian world beaters.  While they are an accomplished, skilful and formidable team, Pietersen aside, they are not a team of bully boy super stars containing the likes of McGrath, Warne, Gilchrist, Ponting and Hayden.

England’s success has been built on a top order that is patient, determined and orthodox, and on a bowling attack that is penetrating by being accurate and suffocating (you could even surmise that the Australian attack this summer has emulated England’s approach and reaped the results).  I am sure David Warner (who thinks Australia can regain the number one spot before the next Ashes series) will be applauding and hoping that Pakistan can keep up the good work.