Naive England must learn to play Yasir
England 272 & 207 lost to Pakistan 339 & 215 by 75 runs
IF there’s one consolation from this chastening defeat for England it is that they have been here before.
In each of the last two summers they have lost more heavily than this at Lord’s and come back to win the series.
India won here by 95 runs in 2014 but England recovered to take the last three Tests and seal the series 3-1.
Last summer Australia inflicted a humiliating 405-run defeat on Alastair Cook’s side but still lost the Ashes 3-2.
Pakistan represent a different challenge, especially with legspinner Yasir Shah, the newly-installed No.1 Test bowler in the world, in the kind of irresistible form that enabled him to take ten wickets in this match.
There is much for England to ponder, chiefly how to combat the threat of Yasir and Pakistan’s three left-arm seamers led by the rehabilitated Mohammad Amir.
Cook, though, channelled the memory of his side’s recent postLord’s recoveries.
“It hurts,” said England’s captain. “You never like losing at Lord’s. We will need time to regroup.We’ve lost here before – Australia thrashed us here – but we bounced back.”
To do that again England will have to look at just why they lost here. Yes, they missed James Anderson and Ben Stokes and both will return for the second Test in Manchester starting today, when a much-changed bowling attack will be expected.
It is the batting that needs to improve, though, especially against Yasir, whose ability to turn the ball both ways bamboozled England’s players.
Making Yasir work for his wickets would be a start. Joe Root gave it away in both innings here with loose shots, while Jonny Bairstow, inexplicably pulling when well set on 48, and Moeen Ali, charging down the wicket to his fourth ball, will want to forget their secondinnings dismissals.
“A few of the boys would like their shots back,” said coach Trevor Bayliss.
Cook added:“We played some naïve shots at times. We’re striving to become the best side we can be, but naïve is the word.”
In truth, England were never in the game once they conceded a first-innings deficit of 67. Replying to Pakistan’s 339, they were cruising on 118-1 before Root, with an ill-advised slog-sweep, handed Yasir his first wicket.
From there the leg-spinner gained a foothold in the match and took 6-72 as England were bundled out for 272. “For a legspinner to get six wickets on day two is frustrating,” said Cook. Pakistan did wobble in their second innings, at one stage stumbling to 60-4. But they had done enough by the time they set England 283 – more than they had ever chased down at Lord’s.
Huge credit must go to Pakistan for sealing their first Test win at Lord’s in 20 years.
Misbah-ul-Haq, their captain, set the game up for his side with a superb century on the first day, celebrated with the push-up routine that was a nod to Pakistan’s pre-tour military boot camp.
It was a routine memorably repeated by the whole team on the outfield after this win – something Cook said would motivate England for the rest of the series.
Cook had spoken before this match about the possible adverse crowd reaction to Amir on his return to the ground where he was embroiled in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal.
But Lord’s gave a largely polite reception to the fast bowler, who, in his first Test appearance in six years following his ban for corruption, fittingly took the final wicket of Jake Ball to seal victory for Pakistan.
“That was a special moment for him,” said Misbah.“That could be the start of a new life. I hope he will perform like that and prove to everyone he will be a good man now. He’s so lucky he got a second chance. It’s a new start for him.”
Misbah also paid credit to the rest of his team, saying: “It has been a remarkable turnaround after the 2010 incident and the team took responsibility.
“The players showed respect for the game over the last three years and we are the No.3 side in the world. To win here speaks volumes.”