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Pakistan-England Test Series, Keen Competitive Cricket Ahead

—A M Chowdhury
rhe five-match Pest series between Pakistan and England begins today. Thu-
■ rsaay ai rxigixin-
ton. Birmingham. Cricket lovers look forward lo the series with expectations for keen competitive cricket. Though the visiting Pakistan team were given a revengeful drubbing by England in the first two of the five Texaco Trophy onc-daycrs, ft would not be fair to write off the World champions so soon. They have a nagging habit of making a.comeback from almost impossible situations, and that is why they arc considered such a fighting team.
This is going to be the fifteenth Test series between the two countries. Of the earlier fourteen, eight were played 1n England and six In Pakistan. Pakistan, after attaining Test status, visited England first in 1954 under the leadership of Abdul Hafiz Kardar and did very well to draw Ihc series 1-1 with that momentous victory at the Oval, two other Tests being washed away by rain. But since then, besides drawing the 1974 three-Test match series (none yielded a result), they lost all the series in England except the last one in 1987. when Imran Khan's team registered • their first-ever scries victory tn Englund by winning one Test and drawing four.
So far Pakistan have played 29 Tests in England, of which England have won 12. Pakistan three while 14 were drawn. Records on home grounds arc slightly in Pakistan's favour: of the six Test series England
won one (1961-62) Pakistan won two (1983-84 and 1987-88) and the rest were drawn. During these six visits by England to Pakistan 18 Tests were played, of which England won 1, Pakistan 2 and 15 were drawn. To-date, these two countries have played 47 Tests of which England have won 13. Pakistan five and 29 were
But In spile of England's >vcr all superiority so far as he records go, Pakistan arc in England defending their vtc-orious position over England, which they gained in the 1987 series and retained it during the 1987-88 series in Pakistan. So, in the current summer, England will not only be going all out to avenge the World Cup final defeat but also to wrest back the honours which they lost on their home grounds and failed to regain on their return trip, which was marred by the Mike Gattfng-Shakoor Rana Incident.
The English selectors have
mainly relied on the experienced hands, as is reflected in the team for the first Test. Ian Botham, who will be playing hts 101st Test match, averages 33.93 with the bat (5192 runs with 14 centuries and 22 fifties) and with the ball he has taken 383 Test wickets at an average of 28.24 and at 36. as his recent form indicates, he is still as useful as ever. A veteran of 94 'Tests Graham Goqch. the skipper, has 7189 runs lo his credit, averaging 43.56. Allan Lamb (4602 In 77 Tests, av. 36.52), Robin Smith (2331 in 31 Tests, av. 51.80) and Alee Stewart (1096 1n 17 Tests, av. 37.79), who successfully played as an opener on the recent New Zealand tour, are going to provide solidity to the English batting line up, which will definitely be augmented by the inclusion of Mark Ramprakash, who is in excellent form at the moment
The English attack will be manned by Philip DcFreltas (86 wkts at 33.00), Derek Pringle (65 wkts al 35.24), Chris Lewis (78 wkts at 32.53) and. of course, Ian Botham. The selectors have included a leg-spinner In Ian Salisbury and a new fast bowler in Tim Munton. It is likely that on the newly-laid turf at Edgbaston lan Salisbury will be making his Test debut. England will largely depend on their swing bowlers and If the conditions arc favourable then DeFraitas, Pringle, Lewis and Botham possess the capability of running through any line up.
Graeme Hick remains an enigma of the Test Level; his debut against the West Indies last summer had very little lo cheer him up and even In New
Zealand his total of 134 in 5 Test innings poses a big question mark against his name. If he makes the first ck-ven for the first Test, ft would be interesting to see at whose cost, and if ft is al the cost of Mark Ramprakash it would be most unfortunate. Ramprakash, a very correct player, did moderately well in the five Tests he plnyed last summer against the West Indies and since then has performed consistently well with the England A team in the Carlbbeans and hfs current form is simply superb.
Pakistan, led by Javed Mlandad, a veteran of 112 Tests (8101 runs, av.54.00 with 22 centuries and 39 fifties), have a fairly good betting line-up with the experienced Salim Malik (66 Tests. 3255 runs at 42.27) providing the main back-bone. Salim Malik found the English wickets and conditions to his greal liking last summer when he scored 28 short of 2000 runs In the country matches. So far on this tour he has been amongst the runs and has cast aside any doubt about his form.
Rameez Raja (39 Tests, 1835 runs, av.3l.63) shall, in all probability, have Shoaib Mohammad (38 Tests, 2388 runs, av.46.82) as his opening partner, if, of course, Aamir Sohail docs not recover from injury. If he does. Shoaib may come In at one down. Inzamamul Haq, the one-day sensation, and Asif Mujtaba. who has done very well so far on the tour, are going to form the strength of the middle order or late middle order. If Inza mam. with his straight bat. correct technique and a heart full of courage finds ft easy go
Ing In the Test arena, he is most likely to be England's bane. But Pakistan's batting will largely depend .on the steadying role of the experienced skipper and his deputy. If these two. and a not loo inexperienced Rameez and Shoaib, can play up lo their po-tenliafs there is no reason why Pakistan should find the English attack unplayable.
But the Pakistan bowling, al the moment, appears to be In all shades of doubt. The fitness of Waqar Younis will mean a lot for the tourists. The toss of Wasim Akram is going to lx very vital and If Waqar, for whom the tourists have been walling with all eagerness, is also forced to sit on the fence, the attack would lack penetration. Waqar Younis (71 wkts in 14 Tests at 19.02). Pakistan’s most feared weapon, had a very successful season last summer when he captured 113 English county wickets and all English batsmen were literally In morbid fear of this
speedster from Pakistan. Aqulb Javed (16 wkts In 8 Tests) may find It hard to shoulder the brunt in company with the inexperienced Naveed Anjum, Tanvecr Mehdi on Ataur Rahman. The guiles of Mushtaque Ahmed, in the absence of an incisive pace attack. may go tn vain. Asif Mujtaba and Mushtaque may have to toil very hard in the absence of a frontline pace attack. Yet Waqar's return may change the situation dramatically. If Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, in company with Aqulb Javed, charge down In full vigour it won't be that easy going for the English batsmen and one hopes this trio can come together at some stage of the five match “^t. but not the least, a lot would depend on Javed Miandad's leadership. It is obvious that the team spirit is not at Its best and if it should further dissipate then individual performances would hardly suffice to salvage the sin union.
So the five Tests during the next Iwo and a half months should provide some en-, thralling moments of keen cricket in ils classical mould. After the colorful extravaganza ..f Ihc World Cup and Instent cricket It would be nice to go back to the traditional contest with all Its serene but exhila rating pleasure. The contes tents in this summer's series are likely to provide It in more than adequate quantity. Let any untoward incident not mar the series the appointment of an ICC match referee may prove to have some beneficial effect In this aspect of the great game of glorious uncertainties.^