WITH the wealth of experience of playing in English conditions, not many are as knowledgeable as former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas, who remains the only Asian batsman to have made hundred (108) First-class centuries.

Having made 274 in his first knock on English soil in a Test, which is still the highest by any visiting batsman in his first match in England, Zaheer was one of the most prolific amongst the batsmen playing county cricket in his time. At Gloucestershire and on other English pitches he notched centuries against every bowling attack that came his way.

Be it the pace battery of the West Indies, boasting the likes of Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall, Sylvester Clarke, Wayne Daniel, Courtney Walsh or Colin Croft or the spin attack of Derek Underwood and Ray Illingworth, the Pakistan right-hander would, on his day, decimate them.

According to Zaheer, those who learn to come to terms with the English conditions and the pitches and perform consistently, are the ones, who when up against it, adapt to the conditions quickly by changing their technique and footwork.

“My long innings in only my second Test and my first on English soil at Edgbaston provided me with the experience that served me all these years that I played in county cricket or in Test cricket,” the former International Cricket Council president said at Lord’s on Tuesday while the Pakistan squad attended a practice session ahead of their first of two Tests against England which kicks off at the iconic venue on Thursday.

“Having watched this Pakistan outfit in the (recently concluded) Test against Ireland, I am encouraged to say the talent we have has got the potential to bowl and bat well in these conditions,” added Zaheer.

Zaheer made no bones about the quality of the Pakistan bowling attack and said it is lot more impressive than the batting department which he believed is not as strong as it should be.

The Sialkot-born man praised rookie batsman Imam-ul-Haq for his unbeaten 74 off 121 balls on debut which lead Pakistan to a five-wicket victory against Ireland in the hosts’ first match after being awarded Test status.

“The way Imam paced his innings despite his inexperience in the Pakistan run chase at Malahide and in the manner Babar Azam disciplined himself to take Pakistan to victory gives me hope that this Pakistan side has the potential and ability to improve if they are focused on what they want to achieve,” said Zaheer.

Zaheer believed for any side to be successful at this level or for that matter at any level, it is important to have at least one all-rounder in the middle-order to steady things with both the bat and ball.

Fahim Ashraf’s all round display in his debut Test in Ireland and the way Shadab Khan batted in crisis and also bowled with an attacking mentality has given Zaheer the hope that Pakistan, in the forthcoming Test, may offer this England side some moments to ponder.

“England obviously will take on Pakistan with a home advantage on their side and the experience that their pace bowlers like James Anderson and Stuart Broad have and with Alistair Cook and Joe Root as seasoned campaigners with the bat aided with others may turn out to be tough opposition. But that does not mean these Pakistan boys would just give in and offer them the match on the plate,” said Zaheer, who was named the Asian Bradman for his glorious batting record.

“Cricket at Test level is testing and it has been like that since it is played, bringing the best out of those who adapt to the conditions prevalent.”

Pakistan’s team manager Talat Ali, a batsman of Zaheer’s time endorses his former Test team colleague’s opinions

“So far we haven’t had any problem coping with the conditions. Even the inexperienced players have done well at Leicester in the two-day game. And Mohammad Amir and Hassan Ali are fully fit. That indeed is encouraging news prior to the first Test,” said Talat.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2018