England won by 141 runs late on day five, with the bowlers sharing the wickets between them at two each. “We have one game left – we can win it and square the series – that’s what we have to think”. Full credit to England for the way they fought back after we had a lead of more than 100.
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The England side must win their last Test against Pakistan at the KIA Oval and hope India doesn’t win any of their last two Tests in the Caribbean.
“I thought after lunch the way Mo bowled, into that rough, he tested Pakistan’s technique and bowled fantastically well after being under pressure for a while”, Cook added.
“Yes it was reversing but like Cook said it wasn’t that big”.
However, further down the line in Bangladesh, should the tour go ahead, and India, Bayliss offered the hint that playing Rashid as another allrounder would be high up England’s thinking – especially when Ben Stokes is available again. “If we do win there, I wouldn’t say we are anywhere near our potential”.
“I did have a little bit of doubt in my mind at some stage, but then I reminded myself we would get a couple more chances”, Cook said.
Bayliss did not quite say it was a position they were ready for but, as Alastair Cook acknowledged after the Test when he talked about the side “toughening up”, he was encouraged by the comeback during a match they had been behind in for more than two days. We were trying to cope with it, but we could not handle it.
England refused to be cowed by a 103-run first-innings deficit, building a 343-run lead when they batted again and then destroying the tourists with an immaculate performance in the field that saw six wickets tumble between lunch and tea. “I was really proud of the way we hung in there all game”.
But Cook refuted Misbah’s suggestion that the reverse swing was lavish and instead suggested it was his bowlers’ skill that magnified the small amount of assistance they gained.
“We bowled brilliantly”, he said. Having a leg-spinner will help when the wicket is turning, and we can knock over the tail a bit easier’.
“I think it could be right up there”, said Cook when asked how he rated this victory at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Misbah could at least take some consolation in the emergence of Sami Aslam. The 20-year-old responded to his surprise call-up – this was his first first-class game of the year – by scoring 152 runs in the match and looking a player with the technique and temperament to enjoy a long career at this level. The way he handled the pressure was good to see.
“But having just four bowlers is a problem”. We used to have Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik who could bowl, but here we don’t have that option now.
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For England, Anderson, Broad, Steven Finn, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali, who was adjudged the Man of the Match, bagged two wickets apiece on Sunday.
