Well-deserved 1st Test victory for England

BRYAN DAVIS

I WITNESSED the first Test match between England and Pakistan from August 5-8. The final day was scheduled for August 9, but the game was over in four days. England won by three wickets in a Test match of such quality that it made the previous series between the home team and West Indies (WI) look limp by comparison. It was played at Old Trafford, the ground where WI lost the second and third Tests in their three-match series, completed just over a week ago.

Scores: PAKISTAN 326 & 169, ENGLAND 219 & 277/7

They were two teams going after each other, never surrendering the advantage but looking for every opening to seek a way forward in order to wrest the initiative one from the other. It was a fight down to the wire, with England having to chase 277 for victory, and with loads of time in which to do it, they appeared quite vulnerable at 117/5.

Yet they never gave in and their two middle-order batsmen, the wicket-keeper Jos Buttler and all-rounder Chris Woakes, took the attack to the Pakistanis and their positive approach paid off. The pitch had bounce and turn; the ball that removed star left-hander Ben Stokes was a googly from Yasir Shah delivered from around the wicket, that leapt from a good length and just brushed the batsman’s glove as he was pulling away from danger.

It was a brutal delivery. When that happened I thought that England would have little chance to win this encounter.

However, I didn’t expect the counter-attack by these two stroke-playing right-handed batsmen. who showed remarkable self-belief to take the bull by the horns, never going into their shells, but rather playing their strokes with such confidence that it threw the spinners off their rhythm and the fast bowlers lost their tempo. With two leg spinners and three seamers, once they were conquered there was no further variety to call upon to stem the flow of runs. I assumed with Shah and Shadab Khan, the two leggies, into the attack and generally speaking, the English batsmen distaste for that type of bowling, the 277 on a wearing wicket would be too many for them to make.

But with the right application, a bit of luck and not allowing anything to shake their resolve, Joe Root and his men got to their target, though losing seven wickets.

At the start, the wicket had something in it for all bowlers, fast and slow. However, the determination of Shan Masood, the 30-year-old left-handed opening batsman, got him to 156, the bedrock on which the Pakistan innings was built.

Azhar Ali, the skipper and number three batsman, was sent back for no score. Therefore, he must have been relieved that his team achieved a decent score of 326, as he chose to bat on winning the toss – which was the right decision anyway, but sometimes these decisions could backfire and you end up with egg on your face.

Nevertheless, I admired the technique of Masood. Then Babar Azam stitched together a fine 69 to make one appreciate why he is so revered worldwide for his batting ability. He had a partnership of 96 with Masood which was a highlight of the innings. He is a right-handed batsman with a fine technique plus a free-flowing style.

England, against the leggies, lost six wickets to them and struggled to total 219. Pakistan were on top with a lead of 107 to work with. But they flopped in the second innings. Once Masood went caught behind off Stuart Broad for no score when playing a leg glance, the innings stuttered and started, but never really got going. The Pakistanis only managed 169, leaving England 277 to win this first Test.

Fortune favours the brave and with a little bit of luck the English batsmen won the game, the final four runs coming by a streaky boundary through the slip cordon. Nonetheless, it was a well deserved victory and the end of a great Test match that saw fortunes swaying to and fro during the game, with both teams having the advantage at one time or other. The next two Tests will be played at Ageas Bowl, Southampton, their schedule being the reverse of WI’s.

It ought to be a most interesting series. An analysis of the three teams in these two pandemic affected series should be fascinating.