England attempt to export Mccullum’s ‘Bazball’ to Pakistan
Brendon Mccullum objects to the term “Bazball”, but if he successfully exports his style of cricket and England win in Pakistan, he will find the name impossible to shake off.
Why? Because there is no tougher place to force victories than Pakistan; England have managed it just twice since 1961.
A combination of flat pitches and shortened days because of bad light are why 47 per cent of tests played here have been drawn, higher than anywhere else in the world.
Series are tight, victories by away teams are usually achieved by hanging in and grabbing one opportunity; almost all have been 1-0 wins, such as Australia’s in February and England in 2000.
It is winter in the Punjab, so it is cool in Rawalpindi — think early British summer — and dark by 5pm.
Only 51⁄2 hours are scheduled (they cannot start before 10am because of dew) and unless a lot of spin is bowled, expect only 75-80 overs a day. There is an extended, hour-long lunch break on Friday for the most important prayer of the week, and making up the time will be hard.
But for a team whose captain dances down the pitch first ball, stations five slips and does not know you can draw a test match, perhaps this is perfect for Ben Stokes to lead England overseas for the first time.
To score runs quickly will be imperative to give England long enough to bowl out Pakistan, and they at least have the personnel to do that. The average run rate in Pakistan is 2.78 an over, which will send Stokes to sleep. His team go at 4.4 an over. His insistence England are a “chasing side” — they won six matches in the summer batting second — will have to change, given visiting teams have won only four tests since 1959 by asking Pakistan to bat first.
England have picked dashers in Ben Duckett and Harry Brook, who deputises again for Jonny Bairstow, and a Twenty20 superman in Liam Livingstone at No 8.
It shows there will be no change in England’s approach, and Mccullum believes they may even “go harder” when the opportunity arises to move the game on. The crucial part is spotting the right time, and he admitted they may have to be patient for longer, waiting for that to arrive.
But it is the taking of 20 wickets that is the greater task for a team without express pace or mystery spin.
They are also relying on just two specialist seamers in flat conditions, after packing the batting. Jack Leach will bowl a lot of overs and Pakistan will go after him. He needs rhythm, but shortening the Lions match to two days means he has bowled only 13 overs since the end of the Oval test. He faces a monumental task against good players of spin.
Skiddy pace bowlers who are quick through the air and off the surface are more successful than line and length, pitch-it-up English-style seamers in Pakistan. Australia had three bowlers operating at 144-150kmh, England just one in Mark Wood, and he is injured. James
Anderson and Stokes with reverse swing are potent, and Ollie Robinson’s intelligence and reliability will be the bedrock of the attack. Stokes’ knee was heavily strapped in training, but he will go through pain to bowl those overs of bumpers that could bring a wicket when the game goes flat.
England’s best chance is preying on Pakistan’s caution. Will they back off if England go hard? Pakistan have pace and mystery.
Haris Rauf has never played test cricket, but bowls above 144kmh and reversed the ball in the T20s in Karachi.
Naseem Shah is fast and skiddy, and if they pick Abrar Ahmed, they will have a leg-spinner who bowls googlies and the carrom ball flicked out of the front of the hand.
He is uncapped, but averages 21 in domestic cricket.
Stokes’ donation of his match fees to the flood relief fund was front-page news, and there is an overwhelming warm welcome for England.
They know the importance of cricket to the nation.