Rashid refuses to panic

Published June 21, 2003

LONDON, June 20: Pakistan captain Rashid Latif refused to panic after seeing his side go down to a seven wicket defeat against England in the second one-day international at The Oval here Friday.

Pakistan were bowled out for just 185 with England fast bowler James Anderson finishing the innings with a hat trick.

“England bowled and fielded superbly. I’m satisfied with the batting,” the wicket-keeper added.

“The difference was our bowlers tried to bowl fast but the England bowlers relied on line and length, a little bit of swing and they were successful,” Rashid explained.

Anderson, 20, who also took a wicket with the first ball of the match, finished with four for 27, his best figures in one-day internationals, surpassing the four for 29 he took against Pakistan in Cape Town at the World Cup.

“Anderson is a good prospect for England,” Rashid added. “He struggled a bit early on in the first match but he’s bowled superbly in both matches.”

Vaughan, savouring his first one-day international win as England captain, was understandably pleased by the team’s display. “It was probably a 100 percent performance. There was not much wrong with it.

“We got a little momentum from the second half of the other day (Pakistan scraped home by two wickets at Old Trafford) and I told the lads we had to maintain it.

“You can’t maintain it better than taking a wicket first ball.”

But Vaughan said Anderson needed no morale boosting words from his captain.

“You don’t say too much to him. He’s got the knack of being able to bowl the right delivery at the right time. He’s got a good cricket brain on him and takes everything in his stride,” Vaughan explained.

“He’s a pretty cool character and only speaks when he wants to.”

Somerset left-hander Trescothick, England’s hero with the bat, said of his innings: “It was just a case of getting on top of the bowlers.

“That’s my job in the side the first 15 overs,” the opener added.

Trescothick hailed Shoaib and Mohammad Sami as the fastest new-ball attack in world cricket today. “They bowled some quick deliveries.

Shoaib’s very aggressive. If you let him into the game he can dominate,” insisted Trescothick after the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ finished with an expensive two for 69 from nine overs.

Looking ahead Vaughan said he could not wait for the climax of the series. “Sunday is a Cup final. It should be a fantastic game.”—AFP

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