Cricket: England’s batsmen have failed to find their mark

IT HAS been some time since the England selectors had to make some very difficult choices about players but as this match proceeds towards yet another defeat, one that means the series has been a 3-0 whitewash for Pakistan, they have no choice but to seek some other batsmen who are better players of spin.

Having dismissed Pakistan for 99 in the first innings, the batsman should have provided a lead of at least 100 and probably more. As the lower order flailed around yesterday morning, failing to support Andrew Strauss’ timely return to form with a well-crafted half-century, the lead was eked out to 42.

It was not adequate. Pakistan finished yesterday’s play on 222-2, giving them what looks to be an already-unassailable lead of 180, with eight wickets still in hand. There were no demons in this placid pitch, just some lingering in the psyches of England’s batters, and that does not augur well for the two Test matches in Sri Lanka in March, nor the four scheduled for India in October. Saaed Ajmal is a wonderful off-spinner and his doosra is a very difficult ball to read but England have struggled equally against the orthodox left-arm spin of Abdur Rehman.

This pair have shared 37 wickets so far and with more rough being created by the bowlers, they will be expecting to add another haul in England’s final innings. Ian Bell just looks bamboozled by Ajmal as he clearly cannot read which way the ball is going to spin and Eoin Morgan has played far too much with an angled bat. These two look the most vulnerable to be replaced by Ravi Bopara and Jos Buttler, who has excelled this winter for England Lions in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Whatever they decide, though, all players should be given a DVD of Younis Khan’s 20th Test century, the first of the series, and told to study his method. He gets far forward to the spinners and plays the ball with his bat far in front of his pad. In contrast, the England players commit to a small forward press and then do not extend much further down the pitch. Kevin Pietersen is the exception and he was very unfortunate to be given LBW on review in the first innings as the ball was only just grazing leg stump. The problem is the manufacturers admit that the technology used for the Decision Review System (DRS) has a small margin of error, which makes it a guess. Batsmen should not be given out on a guess and this is a problem that DRS has created. Umpires are more likely to give LBW decisions under this system and, once their finger has gone up, the TV evidence supports them if the ball is shown to be hitting any small part of the stumps.

Younis hardly suffered an appeal, though, as he defended well until set and then launched a wonderful attack with the sweep shot. Again he made sure to get well down the pitch and met the ball with his arms fully extended. Many dislike the sweep shot but played well it is the most frustrating shot for the bowlers and both Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar were swept consistently for singles and boundaries. Younis’ attack emboldened Azhar Ali, who started to move his feet and hit past and over wide mid-on. As the Pakistan lead extended, it was impressive to see the England bowlers stick to their disciplined strategies but they were unable to force a wicket in two sessions. Younis and Azhar met them with a well-constructed game-plan and compiled a match-defining hundred partnership, the senior player constantly shepherding his younger partner through the changes in tactics. The only concern for England would be that Swann has been somewhat muted all series. But this series has not been lost by the bowlers. They have been magnificent. The batsmen have not and some should be concerned for their places.

They like to boast of their career averages above 40, a benchmark that suggests high quality, but they would be wise to remember that the true greats and high quality players have always found ways to make runs in all conditions.