WITH a win each for Pakistan and England so far, the third Test of this four-match series starts at Edgbaston on Wednesday with a lot depending on how the tourists react after a rather disappointing performance with both bat and ball at Old Trafford.

They were outplayed in the second Test at Old Trafford with stunning performances from England batsmen including captain Alastair Cook and Joe Root who snatched the game away from Pakistan by countering their pace and spin attack on a docile pitch.

The surface here is a different one though while the conditions aren’t even remotely similar to those in Manchester.

Since the first Test at this venue between arch-rivals England and Australia in 1902, Edgbaston has been the venue for some interesting Test clashes.

While Pakistan have never won a Test at Edgbaston in their five outings in the past, the legendary Zaheer Abbas played an innings of sheer class at the ground — an innings arguably the best ever played at Edgbaston.

On his first tour of England in 1971, Zaheer struck 274 — a score no visiting batsman has reached in his first Test on English soil.

Stylish as always, Zaheer smashed England bowlers Alan Ward, Derek Underwood and Ray Illingworth amongst others to every corner of the ground.

That innings is a painful reminder of the lack of batting class in Pakistan’s current line-up.

Mediocrity has long been the cause of batting disasters that Pakistan has faced over the years, once the likes of Zaheer, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Mohsin Khan, Aamir Sohail left the scene.

The mantle of providing some sanity in the batting order lately is now held by Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali and Sarfraz Ahmed.

What’s even more saddening for Pakistan is the way the openers have failed.

It’s a troubling statistic that since Aamir and Saeed Anwar shared a stand of 106 at the Oval in 1996, no opening duo from Pakistan has shared a fifty-run partnership in England — a trend that has sadly continued in this tour.

With Mohammad Hafeez and Shan Masood being disappointing, Misbah needs to try a different combination at Edgbaston.

Below them, Younis Khan seems unable to come to terms with his fledgling form while Azhar Ali isn’t translating the form he shows in the side matches.

Including a right-arm seamer — with Sohail Khan the best option at the moment — to partner Mohammad Amir and Rahat Ali would also help Pakistan as it seams and swings at Edgbaston.

Yasir’s struggles at Old Trafford, meanwhile, must have taught him to the value of varying the flight instead of pushing the ball fast. He could be the bowler he was at Lord’s if he finds conditions to his liking.

Weather conditions at Edgbaston always favour England. With Edgbaston being wet and murky since yesterday, there will be moisture underneath the wicket and batting first could be tricky.

While England will miss Ben Stokes, Pakistan have a good chance if they bat well.

In the pre-match news conference, Misbah spared a thought for the legendary Pakistan batsman Hanif Mohammad, who has fallen gravely ill.

He described the ‘Little Master’ as the pride of Pakistan and told the press that Hanif is in their prayers.The thoughts of Hanif might as well inspire Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2016