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If Misbah-ul-Haq’s men hold onto draw the second Test at the Old Trafford from here on, they will forever be indebted to Alastair Cook’s ‘chicken-hearted’ England for pulling it off, besides, of course, their own magnificent rearguard if ever it comes through.
England made themselves an absolute laughing stock in world cricket on Sunday evening when they chose not to enforce the follow-on against Pakistan despite bowling them out for a paltry 198. With 391 runs in the arrears, Pakistan — by simple law of averages — would have buckled down in a situation as pressure cooker as the one confronting them on the third day.
Instead, to their utter surprise, Cook and company gave the tourists a handsome reprieve by not forcing the follow-on and by coming out to bat again in what must rank as one of the most glaring instances of cowardice in cricket history.
‘Fortune favours the brave’ goes the axiom and since England were not being exactly brave out there at the Old Trafford on Sunday, the rains came pouring down to further spoil their chances of winning the Test and level the series with Pakistan, who went one up in the four-match contest with their magnificent victory at Lord’s.
For the wiser critic, though, the decision despite being absurd, was, in keeping with English cricket given their defensive mindset in recent history that continues to cast aspersions over their ability to take risk and be ruthless in their pursuit of victory.
It is this ‘risk factor’ that quite separates Australia from other teams in the 140-year history of the game. Brilliant, brave, and the best in the business, the Kangaroos never stop at anything once they scent victory. Pakistan, perhaps, are the second such team in world cricket that rarely shies away from taking risks — their inept batting and poor fielding in this Test match notwithstanding.
It would seem a travesty of cricketing logic that just one defiant stand of 50-odd runs — between Misbah and Wahab Riaz — caused England’s game plan to go awry on Sunday. But if that’s the kind of fear Team Pakistan have put into England after Lord’s, it deserves high praise indeed.
Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2016
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Comments (31) Closed
Jul 25, 2016 10:49am
They want to actually win by a record margin and humiliate Pakistan
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Jul 25, 2016 10:49am
In Australia Cricket experts say that when a players time is up he tries to hit every ball to the boundary because out of form player does not have the ability to take singles. In the first test Hafeez scored a duck and 40 runs. In his 40 he hit 8 boundaries. In this test Hafeez scored 18 runs with 3 fours and then got out. So his strategy is to either score a boundary or get out but he knows he can't take the singles. He is the only player who has not been able to score a 50 either in the preliminary games before the tests started or in the current test series. He is unlikely to score any 50 in the rest of the series either. But he would stay because he can make 100s in the UAE.
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Jul 25, 2016 10:51am
Pakistan deserves to lose this one after the bowling and batting display they put on...
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Jul 25, 2016 10:53am
highly doubt the decision was because of one partnership or Lord's defeat. Cook probably was aware of his main players coming back from injuries - Anderson and Stoke. He wanted to give them rest, and his decision, it is near to impossible that it'll lead to a Draw!
Pakistan has only Rain to save 'em. Two days to survive for any team, in any condition, in fourth innings is an "impossible" task.
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Jul 25, 2016 10:57am
There are two days remaining and I reckon it makes 180 overs. If today England bat for only 30 overs they will easily make 250+ and can put Pakistan into grave trouble because it will be nearly impossible for Pakistan batsmen to stand against English pacers for 150 overs and chase down a target of 600+. Cricket need strategy not braveness or cowardice. There are plenty of examples out there when only so called braveness costed nations most important matches. Cook's decision may be called as the wisest decision.
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Jul 25, 2016 11:19am
Cricket is not played on moral,victories! The fact is Pakistan by all accounts have batted very badly ( not surprising) indeed. The worse aspect is that there is fight in them...not appear to be learning from the mistakes. They have to grind the opposition bowlers just like what Engalmd have done to,Palsotsn bowlers in this test match. They won a crucial toss, but then they made sure they had the advantage. Now let's see Pak batsmen fight it out and try to bat the remaining 2 days! Very tall ask,,but they need to work for the next test match, of they get rolled,over easily then the next test match and one after is gone as well. I am sure the management are saying the right things but they are not turning to execute in the middle. I feel,very sorry for the team, to be honest they played well I the first Match but could cope with England's retaliation. Given lack of overseas experience my spectators were low and quite frankly they have done already well.
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Jul 25, 2016 11:20am
Just pray for rain. With half the match still left when Pak got out, England could well afford to give their bowlers a rest.
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Jul 25, 2016 11:37am
England will still win this one
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Jul 25, 2016 11:49am
Your doing verbal push ups here Cook wants to completely demoralize Pakistan he knew it was gonna rain dampening the pitch and outfield they will bat for a couple of hours and then put Pakistan in a pitch with uneven bounce and a slow outfield.
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Jul 25, 2016 11:59am
I am a Pakistani but this talk about moral victory is loser talk. I wish Pakistan can earn a draw and looking forward for Pakistanis to bat for two days left in the match but it is highly unlikely that that would happen.
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Jul 25, 2016 12:07pm
My Word! What a highly optimistic article! Captain Cook might have his own reasons for not enforcing the follow-on but to suggest that it was the fear of Pakistani side that made him take that decision is absolutely preposterous. Cook has always been regarded as a conservative test captain who likes to play safe. But consider the agony that is piled on the Pakistani fielding squad as England bat in the second innings. I mean Pakistan has been in the field for a best part of seven sessions in the entire test. To expect Pakistani batters to turn it around after being able to cross 300 once in three innings appears nothing but self-deception.
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Jul 25, 2016 12:08pm
But I think in a different way. MAy he Cook wanted to give enough rest to his bowlers because some of his bowlers coming after injuries and this is 4 test match series so bowlers should be not tired. And still they have 2 more days so I don't thik it is a bad decision to no ask for follow-on. It would be very difficult for Pakistan to save this match if weather is not going to spoil. It is always difficult for sub-continent players to play in english conditions.
I was watching this match very closely to see how batsmen are reacting under difficult condition.
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Jul 25, 2016 12:51pm
@Waseem Akram and why do you think wise guys Atherton, Warne, Nasser and Vaughan are oppising it and criticising Cook. Cricket is all about aggression and planning and England is lacking in both areas
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Jul 25, 2016 12:55pm
The reporter is a novice in cricketing matters. Fast Bowlers are the only one doing hard work in cricket and their workload is a concern for every captain. A team that operate four fast bowlers often in modern day test cricket adopts a no-follow on strategy. If your team operates two wicket taking front line spinner, Cook would have enforced follow on. But hey, that is not the case and it would be better to let Pakistan does a tricky chase on a fifth day pitch.
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Jul 25, 2016 01:03pm
You mean inept batting and particularly lacklustre bowling.
An all round very poor performace. England deserve the win
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Jul 25, 2016 01:25pm
With 198 all out he thought a day will be wasted if follow on given rather have some batting against best bowlers and get in rhythm remaining matches.
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Jul 25, 2016 01:29pm
Babar Azam should be in the team in place of Hafeez
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Jul 25, 2016 01:46pm
Too much bravado in this article. Cook did what he thought best. Pakistan still has to save this game and as brave they are I am sure the second bravest team in the world is praying for rain.
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Jul 25, 2016 02:37pm
Very well written article, it shows that the opposition is truly scared of our top class batsmen. It was sheer bad luck they got all out under 200 in the first innings, but I am sure in second innings they will overcome the mammoth total n we would be up 2-0 ! Rain willing
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Jul 25, 2016 02:51pm
Let's wait and see if Cook's strategy proves to be a success or not?
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Jul 25, 2016 03:09pm
The good and Strong team #Eng but bad and weak captain #Cook.
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Jul 25, 2016 03:15pm
This is where one remembers Hanif Mohammad's batting in 2nd innings against the West Indies' in 1958 who enforced Pakistan to a follow-on 473 runs behind, after bowling them out with just 106. Hanif batted for 970 minutes and scored 337 in 999 balls when Pakistan had declared the 2nd innings at 657 for 8, with a lead of 184 runs. W/I was required to score it in 11 overs.They scored 28 and match was drawn. Obviously, that still is a record well known to the British players. And, then it was a 6 days test match.
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Jul 25, 2016 03:22pm
Bowling back to back for 150+ overs might take a toll on the bowlers, If you look at it as a strategy, Cook perhaps wanted to give his bowlers a breather and wanted the Pakistani team to be on the ground for 15 to 20 overs on Day 2 and give his bowlers just about 5 sessions to pick 10 wickets, with the 4th and the 5th day wicket the likes of Moeen Ali can cash in...... No point reading too much into this strategy!
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Jul 25, 2016 04:30pm
Nothing cowardice. They wanted to just give their bowlers a bit of rest. Pakistan would still l by 300 runs.
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Jul 25, 2016 05:01pm
'But if that’s the kind of fear Team Pakistan have put into England after Lord’s, it deserves high praise indeed.'
Very well explained. It is the unpredictability of the Pakistan team that makes all opponents cautious. They either show sheer brilliance or just simply give it away. It's the former they fear.
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Jul 25, 2016 05:02pm
@Houlbelat : This is not 1958. The pakistani team of 2016 is no where close to the legends of the past. I pray to the rain gods to stay away for a couple of days to see how much legendary stuff these Pakistani batsmen are made of.
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Jul 25, 2016 05:19pm
Conceding 500 runs and then getting bundled out for 198 is moral victory indeed. Yasir Scored 200+ while bowling taking 1 wkt and that put fear in English batsman +
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Jul 25, 2016 05:30pm
They'll still easily beat Pakistan in this test! No worries
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Jul 25, 2016 07:45pm
Time for real pushups.
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Jul 25, 2016 10:11pm
No, no moral upper hand or Cook's afraid of Pakistan. It is a better decision. It give bowler well deserve rest and shows the confidence the other team has. Pakistan can't take anything positive out of this match. They failed both in bowling and batting.
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Jul 26, 2016 11:01am
Whatever makes one happy, I guess...
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