England and Pakistan: 2nd Test Match Preview
England’s management were themselves surprised with a massive 354-run victory against Pakistan. It came as a shocker particularly after Pakistan’s sparkling performance against Australia at Headingley, Leeds just a week before Trent Bridge clash. Consequently, the humiliating defeat at Nottingham has once again emphasized the importance of team work behind victories and defeats. The second test against England gives the visitors an opportunity to level the equation. Pakistan’s strength lies in its bowling department. But bowlers alone can do nothing until and unless there is an athletic show from the fielders coupled with a strong batting performance.
Results of the first test show that the gap between the opponents is so vast that one cannot think of a turnaround but logic is absent when Pakistan is involved. Their comeback against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755’s pace trio of Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul, especially under cloudy skies as forecasted for the Edgbaston Test on Day 1. Pakistan’s pacers wreaked havoc at Trent Bridge but a poor show with the bat coupled with numerous fielding lapses ruined the efforts of the bowlers, particularly Kamran Akmal behind the stumps.
Regardless of the current plunging condition of the Pakistan team, Captain Salman Butt is expecting a more settled future for Pakistan. "Everybody knows that this is the type of show that has been coming out of Pakistan previously as well as recently. This is something that can change."
After such a comprehensive victory at Trent Bridge, the hosts are expected to come with an unchanged squad for the second test. However, Pakistan has axed two players from the Trent Bridge squad including Kamran Akmal and Danish Kaneria. The 24-year-old Zulqarnain Haider will replace Kamran Akmal in his debut test match behind the stumps while off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has been recalled in place of leg-spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314. Ajmal is expected to play a key role in easing the workload on the fast bowlers.
Umar Amin is lucky enough to keep his place because of the unavailability of former skipper Mohammad Yousuf. The veteran test player, whose test average exceeds 53, was recalled from retirement by the PCB, hours after Pakistan’s humiliating defeat in the first Test against England. The player has made it to England well within time but is feeling jet-lagged due to the long flight.
Some rain has been recorded around Birmingham in the past few days and heavy showers are expected at Edgbaston at various stages during the second Test. If the cloudy skies stay away, the Edgbaston track would favour batting. Runs are expected from the batsmen and a fast moving game might pull a bigger crowd.
Historically, Edgbaston has never favoured Pakistan. England and Pakistan have gone head-to-head at this venue on six different occasions since 1950. Pakistan has never won a test against England at the venue. The last time both teams faced off at the particular ground was in 1992 where rain finished the match into a tame draw. The Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham is the same track where Pakistan whitewashed Australia in two-match T20 series last month. Though there is a lot of difference between the two formats, but the track favours Pakistan’s batting and bowling quite well.
English skipper Andrew Strauss has shown his confidence in Kevin Pietersen, despite his below par performances in the past few games. He said, "We all go through it, you're not human if you don't go through a poor run of form at some time, but players of the quality of KP always come back and he will." To set up a turnaround, the batting line for Pakistan needs to show a responsible performance against the hosts.
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