For 15 years, Old Trafford stands a fortress in the North for English cricket.Driving through the famous A56 Chester Road is the interesting Warwick Road that divides it into Sir Matt Busby Way on the North side which leads to the home of Manchester United whilst in the south,it takes one to Brian Statham Way,the home of Lancashire Cricket Club since 1864.
England hadn’t lost a test in 9 outings here.Seven of them had resulted in home wins.Coming into this test, the hosts were stunned by Pakistan taking a 1-0 lead in the series with a historic win at Lord’s.But in their minds would be the 2014 series at home when they lost at Lord’s only to come bouncing back and win 3 in a row against the visiting Indian team.
The toss has become a focal point around which this test series seems to revolve.Cook won the flip on this occasion and it was about to reflect.Despite an early peach of a delivery that swung late from Amir and got Alex Hales packing, the Pakistani bowlers struggled to trouble the hosts.Cook and Root produced a huge 185 run stand.If Cook’s 105 hadn’t rattled Pakistan enough , Root’s mammoth test best of 254 would have.He totally dominated Yasir Shah who looked a shadow of his previous week’s form.Fifties from Woakes and Bairstow compiled more pressure and it seemed at one point on the second evening that England would be aiming for a much higher score in the range of 600 plus.Root’s innings ended and Cook declared.The match already had a feel of resignation in the opposition camp.
Old Trafford normally takes a bit more bounce than Lord’s.This didn’t imply Pakistan couldnt have scored a big total.Hafeez had seen off Jimmy Anderson who continued like in the Gulf to antagonise Shan Masood.As is typical on the final ball before tea,Hafeez edged one to slip and England had their main breakthrough.Azhar’s return catch to the man of the moment,Chris Waokes and Ben Stokes’ having Younus caught behind put on the brakes. As if it wasn’t as hideous in Lord’s Misbah continued in the same vain of putting Rahat Ali on the night watch. It was a futile decision.He was clueless in the dark centre and Woakes got him marching.The Greenshirts had capitulated on a batting turf to 57/4.Their batting was in disarray.Even the Mancunian rains didn’t come to aid and give some respite.to the poor batting at display.
The skipper restored some pride with the lower order again. A Sarfraz cameo took the score to three figures.At 112/8, it seemed ominous,England would enforce follow on but Wahab lingered with a 39 after the skipper had accumulated 52.The Visitors reeled off 79 runs off nearly 19 overs to finish with 198.Cook’s criticism of not enforcing the follow on lasted a few rain breaks and 30 overs.England declared a second time at 173/1.Joe Root was again in excellent form dispatching every one in his quick 48 ball,71.Cook remained unbeaten at 76, getting to his fastest test fifty in 55 balls.Pakistan had no answer.
One thing that didn’t change from the win at Lord’s was the state of Pakistan’s fielding. Its as worse can be with once again drops becoming a routine, whether its Younus bobbling it or Hafeez not catching at height stooped low or the keeper sinking dollies.I guess Steve Rixon might have to re evaluate how he could make this is a stronger unit.The slip corden looks slippery in the view of a Duke ball carrying on in the humid conditions and the moist turfs of Brittania.
The Greenshirts eventually had to chase 565 which was their second highest set target. They were in no hurry though …. to stay on the wicket. Hafeez who is finding it very difficult as an opener to justify his spot top scored with 42.And if he has factors to expel him then Shan Masood isn’t far behind.Jimmy has taken him now on six occasions with that defining off stump line at the angle which he finds it hard not to fish at.Pakistan has only picked 3 openers for the entire tour and so Sami Aslam now looks certain if Shan won’t be retained.The problems don’t end there. Azhar ‘s leg stump dismissals are becoming a nuisance.Younus and his increasing need to punish Moeen Ali has landed him being dismissed twice to the off spinner. If Younus played like a “cat on a hot tin roof” then Woakes must be the “dog with two tails” because he claimed Misbah’s wicket off a bad ball whilst on 35. The Pakistani tail on the other hand wagged just a bit to last 70 overs.The winning wicket on this occasion was Amir’s by Woakes who now has series leading 18 wickets.
England kept their streak alive winning by a colossal 330 runs, the 5th largest win in terms of runs and the visitors 4th heaviest defeat in the same format.Why the turnaround ? The reasons are plenty but scoreboard pressure put up by Cook and Root stands out.They as well as the batsmen who followed curbed some of the poor shots they were offering at Lord’s.Pakistan continue their “nervous breakdown” with the chasing scenario. Psychologically when Pakistan plummet there is no coming back.Its one of the reasons follow on enforcers would have had no doubts on the third evening when the Poms led by 391.
The numbers represent a momentum swing in the series.The highs of Lord’s for the visitors have been manipulated to pretty damaging lows.England also has problems.Ben Stokes limped off with calf issues and looks suspect for the remainder of the series.Vince is not convincing at all at no 4 whilst marginally better Ballance also hangs on for now. Moeen has seven wickets but very pricy ones indeed.England continue their streak at this age old arena. The series is still poised to be a cracker but the hosts would revel their position heading into their favourite hunting ground at Edgbaston.
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