Undercooked?

Captain admits tourists face tall order in UAE

It may be recalled that before last summer’s Ashes series, England did not have a prayer. They have come to the UAE to play three Tests against Pakistan with marginally less expectation of victory, say a snowball’s chance in hell, in the constantly oppressive heat of the desert emirates.

If they manage to prevail here as they did so thrillingly against Australia it should be considered a still greater achievement. They will also have to play much more uniform and disciplined cricket.

“We’re as ready as we can be,” said England’s captain, Alastair Cook yesterday. “Everyone’s thrown everything into practice. With these modern tours, four days of acclimatisation in the middle never seems enough, but that’s the way it is.

“We’re probably underdogs, but that’s a great position for this side to be in. Not too many people are giving us too much of a chance – quite similar to another series we’ve just played. With the talent and the character of the dressing room, yes, we’ve got to play some amazing cricket over the next 15 days to put Pakistan under pressure, we realise that, but I’m very confident in those guys.”

Cook had every right to be sanguine about his side’s prospects. When Australia arrived in England last June, there was, by general consensus, only one possible winner. After the fourth match of the rubber, England had turned that prognosis on its head with three outstanding performances as full of collective conviction as they were of magnificent individual contributions.

But it was hardly seamless. England won overwhelmingly three times but were defeated quite as convincingly in two other matches. There will be no room here for such variations in form. They have to stay close and try to work an opening.

Pakistan have not lost any of the seven Test series they have played here since they was so apparent during their summer’s exploits. Moeen Ali was confirmed as Cook’s new opening partner and Adil Rashid was also selected for his first Test, the latest in a line of leg-spinners which has been decidedly underpopulated for most of the past 60 years.

Only five men have opened before in a Test for England without having done it previously in a first-class match. They are all lost in the mists of time: Jim Smith and Ken Farnes in Bridgetown in 1935; George Macaulay in Durban in 1923; Ciss Parkin at Manchester in 1921; and John Hartley in Johannesburg in 1906. None ever did the job again. There are high hopes that Moeen will be more durable, but there is a reason that opening is a specialist position.

Rashid deserves his opportunity and England can be quite clear about what he will bring to their team. More than most, he needs the fillip of knowing it is going well. An early wicket might transform the nature of his Test career.

“It’s going to be interesting,” mused Cook. “Adil’s made really good strides since the West Indies tour – his oneday experience, feeling a bit more comfortable around the group. It’s a tough art to master, but he’s got well over 300 first-class wickets, so he can definitely bowl. I know he’s looking forward to his opportunity. Yes, there can be some bad balls along the way, but he can also bowl some jaffas.”

Steve Finn will not be among England’s number. He would probably not have been selected, but a stress injury to his left foot made it certain. In this heat, with matches close together, England will be anxious for his quick recovery.

The tourists must be shrewd and find skills theydo not know they possess. Above all, they must be patient. That does not mean stagnation, but if theyare tempted to tryto blast theirway to victory, they will lose. Pakistan’s batsmen have occasionallyprovedvulnerable and their middle order engine room of Misbah and Younis Khan has a combined age of 78. Not in their dotage, but not in the first flush. Pakistan should win this, England can make it hard.

Not many people are giving us much of a chance but I’m very confident