Acrimonious rivalry resumes at neutral venue

LONDON — A rivalry riddled with acrimony resumes on neutral territory in Dubai today with England seeking to consolidate their world No 1 ranking against a Pakistan side rebuilding after the 2010 corruption scandal.

Pakistan have been forced to play all their home matches abroad for the foreseeable future after an armed attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore three years ago.

Subsequently three leading players, including captain Salman Butt, were jailed after conspiring to bowl deliberate no-balls in the Lord's Test two years ago.

Pakistan's response under 37-year-old captain Misbahul Haq has been admirable. Since Misbah took over, Pakistan have won six Tests and lost only once, won 13 out of 14 one-day internationals and all five of their Twenty20 matches.

England, who succeeded India as the world's top team during a 4-0 whitewash at home last year, now aim to show they are a team for all seasons.

They have not won a series in Asia for more than a decade and, after the Pakistan series, they face demanding Tests against Sri Lanka away followed by West Indies and South Africa at home and then a tour of India.

Each series between England and Pakistan has involved a controversy of some sort, reaching a nadir in 2010 when the sides were not on speaking terms in the one-day series after the Lord's Test.

Shoaib Akhtar, the former Pakistan fast bowler who retired during last year's World Cup after a colourful international career, praised both Misbah and his England counterpart Andrew Strauss at the weekend but said there would still be tension between the sides.

"Strauss is a top captain and England are lucky to have him leading them," Akhtar told the PTV sports channel.

"He does not believe in mind games but playing fair. Misbah-ul Haq has also matured into a good captain for Pakistan and is a good man.

"Strauss is a heck of a gentleman but the rest of the players will be at the Pakistani players throughout the series."

PANESAR PUSHING

FOR A PLACE

Pakistan have always shown a remarkable ability to regenerate their international team despite a flimsy domestic structure exacerbated now by the handicap of playing all their matches abroad.

They will rely on two players well into their thirties to bolster the batting and lead the attack respectively.

Younus Khan, captain of the Twenty20 side who won the 2009 World Cup in England, remains technically adroit, hungry for runs and a wonderful slip fielder at the age of 34.

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, also 34, finished 2011 with 50 Test wickets and bowls a high percentage of ' doosras' at a brisk pace which he believes will be a plus against an England batting line-up including four left-handers.

Ajmal said he was confident of winning a high per- centage of his lbw appeals with his 'doosra' which either spins into the left-handers or straightens.

"The advantage we have is we know the conditions and pitches well now and we know what to do to take wickets," he said.

England rose to the top of the top of the world rankings with a three-pronged pace attack supplemented by offspinner Graeme Swann.

Now left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, who has not represented his country since the first Test in the 2009 Ashes series, is pushing for a place alongside Swann after taking eight wickets against the Pakistan Cricket Board XI.

Panesar's inclusion, though, would lengthen the tail especially as the team's best lateorder batsman Tim Bresnan has returned home early with an elbow injury and England are likely to stick to their tried and tested formula.