Stunning defeat a reminder of bad old days
SUNDAY
A PERFECT 30-minute session in the field to loosen tired limbs, and to take the last four Pakistan wickets. Restricting them to 270 is an effort that all our bowlers can be proud of. Fast bowlers keep themselves going while out in the field with the thought that after the hard work is done they will hopefully have at least a day sat in the dressing room, feet up, watching the batsmen pile on the runs. For an opening batsman, the thought of sitting watching someone else score runs is not quite so appealing, because it usually means that you have got a low score yourself.
Today I was forced to sit and watch Trescothick play brilliantly after misjudging one early from Mohammad Sami. My disappointment was nullified by both the position of the team at the end of play, 250 for three, and by the ample supply of chocolate cornetto ice-creams to keep us all going throughout the day.
One of the first rules of touring the sub-continent is never to eat ice-cream, as it often contains the bacteria that leads to a day of ping pong between bed and the toilet. Cornettos, thankfully, lie outside this ban, and the boys are tucking in while they have the chance.
MONDAY
TRESCOTHICK CONTINUED his one-man show to take his score to 193 before perishing to a good delivery from Shabbir Ahmed. He is easily the leading run scorer in Tests this year and looks like getting runs every time he pads up. People often criticise him for not moving his feet more, but he has had the confidence and the wisdom to stick with the technique that has got him to this level. He has always been as hungry for runs as he is for his lunch and, as his opening partner, it is fantastic to watch him play so well.
A little disappointed not to bat them out of the game, and the partnership between Younis Khan and Salman Butt at the end of the day brings them slightly back into the game.
TUESDAY
ANOTHER FINE bowling performance to leave us with 198 to chase. It could have been so much worse after a brilliant partnership between Inzamam and Salman Butt, but our bowlers showed their fighting spirit again to bring us back into the game. Losing Trescothick before the close is a blow, but we are confident of knocking them off tomorrow.
WEDNESDAY
ABSOLUTELY STUNNED as I sit down to write this. After reaching 64 for one, we then lost nine wickets for 110 runs to concede the Test. It is the sort of performance you associate with England teams of old, and it is going to take a little while to come to terms with it.
Credit must go the Pakistani bowlers, especially Danish Kaneria, who put us under pressure from ball one. It is never easy chasing in the final innings of a Test over here.
If we had been successful it would have been the fifth highest chase ever in Pakistan, but never for one moment did we feel that those runs were beyond us. In all honesty we probably weren’t patient enough, and in this instance our positive approach led to our downfall, but I would be loath to suggest that we shouldn’t continue looking to be positive in the future.
Our willingness to take on bowlers was the most important factor in getting on top of a seasoned Australian bowling attack in the summer and, even if it doesn’t always work, in my mind it is better to get out looking to be positive than poking around defensively. Spin bowlers, in particular, like nothing more than a batsman who is solely intent on survival.
Putting my neutral hat on for a moment, it has been a pleasure to have been involved in another fantastic Test match. It is not often that sides are separated by less than 30 runs, and both teams deserve credit for the way the game was played. There has been some animosity between England and Pakistan in the past, but there seems to be a real respect between the players this series, which bodes well for the rest of the tour.
A late-evening flight from Multan to Faisalabad means we are all absolutely knackered by the time of our arrival, but at least we have a day off to lick our wounds.
THURSDAY
CRICKETERS LOVE a day off. After a Test match the body is tired and the mind is drained. There is no better feeling than making sure that the alarm is turned off and the curtains are letting in no light. The one problem with Pakistan is that is a little difficult to do anything constructive with our time off. A trip to the local market was vetoed by our security staff on the basis that they couldn’t guarantee our safety, so it was a day for lying around the pool, playing cards and getting some light gym work done. Not really seeing Pakistan in all its exotic glory, but you can’t have everything.
The day was brightened up by the appearance of Keedy, who has recorded a version of Jerusalem in conjunction with the England team for charity. A combination of still photography and video shows us desperately trying not to sing in the backround as she belts out the notes. Visions of old football celebration videos keep appearing in my head, and I try to keep out the way as much as possible.
FRIDAY
MANAGED TO swap our microphones for our bats and had a really constructive net session.
Never before have I seen a wicket covered with straw before a game, and I am not totally sure what that means, although from looking at past games here it is likely to be flat, straw or no straw.
Did manage to get out of the hotel this afternoon with a trip to a local factory, which we were promised makes most of the designer shirts for America. Either the Americans have very bad taste, or someone, somewhere, has been telling lies because the clothing looked awful.
SATURDAY
TIME TO refocus ahead of tomorrow’s game. We came back from 1-0 down to beat the Aussies over the summer, but we need an even greater effort to turn this series around. Having played most of the cricket in the last Test, we know we have the ammunition to beat Pakistan this week, but it is now do-or die time.