England vs. Pakistan at Lord’s since 2000
After humiliating defeats in the first two Tests of the four-match Test series against England, Pakistan fought back remarkably in the third Test at The Oval sealing a four-wicket win against the Poms. With a victory at The Oval, the inexperienced Pakistan side has become the second team to defeat England in a Test series after going down 2-0. Previously, only Australia had defeated the English side in the third test after losing the first two, some 74 years ago, during the 1936-37 England tour of Australia.
Both teams are all set to face off in the final Test of the series at the historical ground of Lord’s. If the Pakistan side manages to level the series by winning the Lord’s Test, it will make a remarkable English summer for trembling visitors. Pakistan’s batting line-up is still a question mark but the powerful bowling attack is another story. Featuring Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, Saeed Ajmal and The Oval hero Wahab Riaz, Pakistan’s bowling attack has proved to be a handful would be a handful for batsmen in English conditions.
England’s record at Lord’s over the past decade has been remarkable. Since 2001, England has played 21 matches at the ‘home of cricket’, and has won 11 matches losing only three matches while the rest of the 11 matches finished in a draw. The only opponents against whom they have lost are Australia and South Africa. Two to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, but they have performed remarkably against all other oppositions.
England played its last match at Lord’s in May 2010 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wasim-Akram-c96292’s captaincy. But this time, owing to the frail batting line-up, the visitors will be hard-pressed to replicate that feat.
Pakistan’s batting weakness was exposed at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston rolling over for 80 and 72 in an innings respectively. Mohammad Yousuf’s comeback to the side has strengthened Pakistan’s middle order and a considerable improvement in the batting was observed at The Oval.
English batsmen have been prolific at Lord’s logging 35 tons and 41 half centuries while Pakistan has scored seven fifties and a single century. English skipper, Andrew Strauss, is leading the table logging 1347 runs from 13 Tests at Lord’s with the help of four centuries and six fifties followed by Kevin Pietersen with four centuries and two half-centuries from 10 matches. Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood have compiled two centuries each after playing 9 and 8 matches respectively.
Mohammad Yousuf’s expereince would be crucial at Lord’s. While the ground has proven to be an ordinary track for most of his teammates, Yousuf has been remarkable with the bat at Lord’s averaging over 70. He is also one of the 14 double-centurions of Lord’s and the first Pakistani after http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755’s batting average in Tests at the home of cricket over the last decade has been amongst the lowest of all teams. England’s batsmen average nearly 40 at Lord’s as compared to Pakistan’s batting average of 25.64.
Pakistan will be once again heavily depending upon its pacers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif to earn some early breakthroughs. They also have an attacking spin option, Saeed Ajmal, who had been vital at The Oval with a five-wicket haul. Past records show that pacers have been more successful at Lord’s as compared to spinners. In the last decade pacers have claimed 535 wickets at an average of 33.64 as compared to spinners’, with 123 scalps at average of 40.74.
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