England’s more pressing need is working out how to bat better against Pakistan’s leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who rose to the top of the International Cricket Council Test bowling rankings after his 10-wicket haul at Lord’s.
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“Adil got five wickets in the first Test in the UAE, so we respect whoever is playing”, Misbah said. For Joe also to get a big hundred is vitally important.
“It was a good day”, Cook told Sky Sports.
He said: “There were some reckless shots last week and I didn’t want to make those mistakes again”. “Certainly as a captain you might talk a bit more than the other players and it’s nice when the actions back up some of the words you’re saying”.
Shah, who in the series opener took a match-winning 10 for 141 – the best figures by a Pakistan bowler in a Lord’s Test – was hit on the shoulder batting in the nets Wednesday.
Pakistan’s desire to play two spinners had been hampered by off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez’s 12-month suspension for an illegal action a year ago.
Same thing happened with the Indians who toured here last time and had come to the venue bathed in glory after beating England at Lord’s only to succumb to a defeat and eventually a series loss.
Pakistan employed Yasir’s legspin as early as the 13th over and he completed two short spells by lunch, but in the afternoon, with Cook and Root in absolute control, he was reduced to negativity when he went around the wicket to Root, hunting out imaginary rough created by Pakistan’s imaginary right-arm quicks. “It was a belting first-day wicket, but there’s signs it might wear and tear so we’ve got to make the most of batting first”.
“The 11 players were disappointed. we didn’t do ourselves justice”, said Cook. It was nice to do so here. I’ve not quite got a good score for England this year.
Early in the final session, James Vince (18) was dropped by Younis Khan but he failed to last long and was caught behind trying to chase a full delivery in the 64th over. Gary Ballance (23) then helped Yorkshire teammate Root add on 73 before he chopped on against Rahat.
“Sometimes the expectation does put you under pressure”, explained Ahmed.
“We have lost before, and put in a very good performance a week later”. “He forgot the basics, it was coming out too flat, too fast and with not enough spin on the ball”, he said.
“He was not hiding and will come back”.
Bowling: Amir 20-4-63-2; Rahat 20-3-69-2; Riaz 16-1-59-0; Shah 31-5-111-0; Azhar 2-0-9-0.
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Anderson, like Ben Stokes, is back from injury in Manchester – and Cook is calling on the collective to show their true colours before it is too late.
