England under pressure, pre 5th ODI
England, after being 2-0 up in the ODI series has been surprised by the resilience of Pakistan. England’s first two outings were quite healthy. It was looking like that they might seal the series in the third ODI, at the Oval, but it wasn’t to be. Pakistan
did bounce back with some brilliant individual and team performances.
Reverse Swing bowling has been the cause of England’s batting collapses in the late order. Umar Gul has been one of the chief destroyers for Pakistan against England.
England, in the third ODI went out to chase a fighting total of 242 runs. England from a mini collapse of 103/5 to a match winning partnership of 98 runs that took the score to 201/5 looked really good to seal the series. Pakistan’s reverse swing champions
showed England’s late order the door to defeat. Umar Gul completely changed the match by taking a career best 6/42, as English lost 5/18.
Pakistan’s victory at the Oval was tainted by match fixing allegations. British media accused both teams of match fixing. Fans really don’t know that England lost the match deliberately or Pakistan won it by a brilliant team performance. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128 accused
the English players of match fixing. England and Wales’s cricket board hit back at the allegations. There was an altercation between Jonathan Trott and Wahab Riaz.
The anticipation was great, heading to Lord’s. Players of both the teams came out to play with good spirit. It was England again chasing a well made target of 266. England after a great opening partnership of 113 in 20 overs started to lose the plot. Pakistan
kept them under pressure. English batsman after being 197/5 crumbled to 227/10. They again lost 5 wickets for 30 runs. It was again, the reverse swing of Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar.
Andrew Strauss, England’s captain said, “We were under pressure before the start of the play. We didn’t even know that we will be continuing the series. I don’t know how can someone make such allegations without any proof and back them. We had raw emotions
when we heard those allegations. We kept those raw emotions outside. We knew as players, playing good cricket and entertaining the fans is the best option”.
England and Pakistan both went into the field of play fully determined. Both the teams did put up a good show. Both the sides knew the expectation of the fans. It was the responsibility of the cricketers to put up a good show and entertain the fans around
the world.
England, who has not lost an ODI series, since September last year, will be under pressure to live up to their high standards. They have won their last 4 ODI series. To add to this they haven’t lost an ODI series at home against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, since 1974. It
is the amount of expectation they carry upon their fans. They are ranked as the number 2 ODI side of the world.
Pakistan on the other hand, has not won an ODI series, since the last two years. They want to be ending this jinx. They will want to repeat the history of 1974. England will be aware of this. Pakistan has the ability to surprise them.
The real problem lies in England’s middle and lower middle order. The conditions at Lord’s and Oval did support the reverse swing bowling. It has been the reversing ball that has created the problems for the late middle order batsman. English batsman hasn’t
been able to pick Saeed Ajmal.
England, if want to come out of the jail. They have to do something against the reverse swing of Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar. In the middle over Saeed Ajmal’s threat should be avoided. They haven’t been using their feet against him. Abdul Razzak should be
kept quite in the final overs. He looted 42 runs in last two overs in the fourth ODI.
The decider of the series will be played at http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rose-c86842 Bowl cricket stadium in Southampton. Pakistan’s comeback in the series has made it alive. It is none, better than going into the decider with 2-2 on the board.
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