In the present, however, he was impressed that they did not panic when – to many eyes – Pakistan had taken control in Birmingham.
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“Until lunch it was easy, nothing happening”.
Batsmen can get some idea of what to expect if they can see which is the shiny side of the ball, as this will offer a clue as to whether the swing will be away from or towards their stumps.
“We were trying to cope with it, but could not handle it”.
“Anderson and Broad are used to these conditions”.
That will be a huge examination of how they have really come. I’ve thought Rashid’s been a chance for the last two or three Tests that we’ve played.
England’s leading wicket-taker has usurped India’s Ravichandran Ashwin after four wickets in the match against the third-best Test team in the world, the second time in less than six weeks that Anderson has topped the bowling table.
Earlier on Day Four, Johnny Bairstow and Moeen Ali put up a dominant stand of 132 in 27 overs to extend England’s overall lead to 311. We’ll definitely take three spinners to India and they might all play.
After all, the series is still alive at 2-1 to England and another victory for the home side could promote them to No 1 in the world Test rankings.
Such results in the West Indies and Sri Lanka would also open the door for Pakistan to go top, were they to win at the Kia Oval. But Cook feels his side are still a couple of years from their peak and seems to regard the landmark as something of a distraction at present. “We saw a year ago at The Oval, the wicket had a bit in it for everyone”, he said on Monday (August 8).
“I thought past year he bowled extremely well against Australia”.
Aslam, playing his first test of the series, batted resolutely for 3 1/2 hours for his second successive half century until the pressure of wickets falling from the other end took its toll. England were not reliant on one or two outstanding individuals.
‘Everyone in the dressing room can be very proud to be part of the team in which everyone contributed – and that doesn’t always happen. “I think it’s made me the bowler I am, so I don’t want to lose that”.
“I still think we are a little way off”, he insisted.
England’s No1 remains Moeen Ali in Bayliss’s eyes and he maintained that his performance in the second innings at Edgbaston was his best yet.
“It was hard – we weren’t scoring any runs, but everyone dug in”. It was time for Broad to take the lead, and he did so by cranking up his pace and making the ball reverse-swing. I don’t think it did it massively. Pakistan’s chase of 343 stuttered in the second session, in which England claimed six wickets for 79 runs, and the match was wrapped up after tea, which the visiting side resumed at 148 for 7.
“But having just four bowlers is a problem”.
“England have Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes”.
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Root, struggling with a back problem and dropped on 25, made 62 before he top-edged Shah to short fine leg.
