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| August 1, 2005 | Monday | Jumadi-us-Sani 24, 1426 |
Don’t judge England on Ashes results : Woolmer says
LAHORE, July 31: Pakistan’s cricket coach Bob Woolmer warned his team on Sunday not to judge England on the Ashes series results and to plan well for a hectic programme leading up to the 2007 World Cup.
After a well deserved four-month rest, Pakistan take on England in a three-match Test and five-match one-day series which starts in November, kicking off non-stop cricket until the mega-event in the West Indies.
“England are currently rated number two in the world, and it would be very foolish to even consider that they might be battered after the Ashes,” Woolmer said.
England succumbed to a demoralising 239-run defeat in the first of five Ashes Tests against Australia at Lords last week and face a huge task to lift themselves for the second Test starting at Edgbaston on Thursday.
“Obviously England may turn the Ashes around,” said Woolmer. “I doubt it, but they might — and if they do, they would be a very buoyant side.
“But still England have done well over the last 18 months and one can never underestimate them.”
Woolmer disagreed that Pakistan should prepare spin-friendly pitches to defeat England.
“Not at all, all we have to do is to produce good cricket pitches and then select a balanced team,” said the 57-year-old coach. “We have to adapt to the situation and the plan should be to win in all situations.”—AFP
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