Cricket: Pakistan Ponder Line-up For England Finale
Zeeshan Mehtab Published August 10, 2016 | 02:52 PM
LONDON, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Augst,2016) - Pakistan head into their series finale against England at The Oval wondering if an extra bowler can help them square the four-match series at 2-2. After losing the first Test at Lord's by 75 runs, England have bounced back with victories by 330 runs and 141 runs at Old Trafford and Edgbaston respectively. A recurring scene throughout the series has been the sight of Pakistan's four-man attack tiring badly during prolonged spells in the field. The tourists lack an all-rounder of the calibre of England rising star Chris Woakes, with out-of-form opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez, who made two and nought at Edgbaston, still barred from bowling his off-spinners because of an illegal action. Pakistan need to take 20 wickets at The Oval, where the fourth Test starts on Thursday, if they are to draw level. They didn't manage it at Edgbaston last week where England declared their second innings on 445 for six. At Edgbaston, Pakistan replaced struggling opener Shan Masood with Sami Aslam and saw the 20-year-old left-hander make impressive scores of 82 and 70. Now they could give a Test debut in south London to Iftikhar Ahmed, a top-order batsman who also bowls off-spin. "He bowls off-spin and decently, England have a lot of left handers so he does give us an option as a fifth bowler if he comes in," Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur told reporters at The Oval on Tuesday. "But we have to be dead certain he can come into our top six and get runs, because we'll be asking for runs first and bowling second." - 'Lay in bed' - ================ Arthur said playing five bowlers was also under consideration. "It's certainly one of the options, but whoever comes in somebody has got to bat in the middle order, which makes it a particularly long tail," the South African explained. "It's one that we've thought about and one I lay in bed thinking about it last night.
"That's a very positive option because we've got to get 20 wickets in this Test match.
We've got to work through that one." Yasir Shah took stunning match figures of 10 for 141 at Lord's, including six first-innings wickets. It was asking a lot for Shah to maintain that form on English pitches. That, allied to better England batting, has seen Shah come back down to earth with a combined returned of four for 502 in the last two Tests. "I'm hoping we can get runs on board here, it turns a bit and there's a bit of bounce - and that's a leg-spinner's best friend," said Arthur. Pakistan could also do with some runs from Younis Khan, the sole survivor from their controversial 2006 Test against England at The Oval where the tourists forfeited the match by refusing to play after being penalised five runs for ball-tampering by the umpires.
Younis has had a lean series with just 122 runs in six innings. "He's so professional on and off the field," Arthur said. "Put it this way, he's giving himself the best chance to perform." England could go top of the world Test rankings for the first time since 2012 if they win at The Oval and India do not emerge victorious in both of the remaining matches of their series away to the West Indies. They must decide whether to give a home debut to leg-spinner Adil Rashid. England also have a few question marks against their top-order batting beyond captain Alastair Cook and Joe Root. Alex Hales, Cook's opening partner, has yet to make a Test century and number four James Vince is still searching for a first fifty at this level. Hales, however, did share his maiden century opening stand with Cook at Edgbaston as the pair erased a first-innings deficit of 103 runs.
"The best thing about that hundred partnership is that it came in a key part of the game and a key part of the series," said Hales. "It's important in anyone's career to get a century," said Hales. "I am learning and improving so hopefully the best is to come."
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 29 March 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 29 March 2024
Journalists call for global action to end Gaza’s humanitarian crisis
CM for generating opportunities to bring direct int'l investment
Pakistan retains position in FTSE secondary emerging market
High Commissioner of Malaysia hosts Iftar dinner reception
NEPRA announces 2nd quarterly adjustment in power bills with Rs 1.68 cut per uni ..
Hoopo Inc. Collaborates with SAU to Install Solar-Powered RO Plant
04 killed in Spain as Storm Nelson looms
Russian military jet crashes into sea off Crimea: Governor
Rain-windstorm/thunderstorm likely at various parts of country
Implementation of Sindh Agriculture Workers Act-2019 demanded
More Stories From Sports
-
Tennis: ATP-WTA Miami Open results: collated
12 hours ago -
Pak, NZ T20I series online ticket booking from tomorrow
13 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A table
13 hours ago -
Nottingham Forest's double European Cup winner Lloyd dies
14 hours ago -
Two more matches decided in Inter College Ramadan T-20 Cup
13 hours ago -
PCB dismisses FICA's claims of unpaid dues in PSL
23 hours ago
-
Sinner and Medvedev book Miami Open semi-final clash
23 hours ago -
Collins and Alexandrova fight into Miami semi-finals
1 day ago -
Van Aert breaks collarbone, ribs in Flanders fall
1 day ago -
Van Aert in high-speed crash in Around Flanders race
1 day ago -
PCB announces inter-club One-Day tournament
2 days ago -
ICC delegation calls on PCB Chairman
2 days ago