Andrew Strauss - 3: Failed to heed his patience policy with a dismal pull in Ajmal's first over and then amidst some rancour gave a faint legside edge behind second time around. Without a Test hundred in 17 innings and averages just 31 since the start of the tour to South Africa in 2009. Talk of him being under pressure though is ridiculous as evidenced by the fight his sides showed in the field.
Alastair Cook - 1: Perhaps the early introduction of spin in only the sixth over of the match surprised him and forced an injudicious cut off Hafeez's third ball. Caught the legside strangulation bug in the 2nd innings. Just 8 runs from 61 balls in the match is not the returns England has become accustomed to.
Jonathan Trott - 4: Successful audition for the part of golden arm with prize wicket of Younis hid two disappointing dismissals with the bat even if he looked in better touch than any of the other top six batsmen - not that that says much.
Kevin Pietersen - 1: Strangely subdued maybe because he had no crowd to play to. His duck in the 2nd innings was particular ghastly. As one wag noted perhaps KP should have been told the full house had come dressed as blue seats.
Ian Bell - 1: Moved rapidly to the head of the queue for the role of Ajmal's bunny after fatally failing to read the doosra in both innings.
Eoin Morgan - 3: Instigated a mini-recovery with Prior on the first morning and ably demonstrated his ability against spin before missing an attempted slog sweep to fall leg before. Undone by Rehman's arm ball in the 2nd innings.
Matt Prior - 7: Played an unusually cautious knock - he didn't score his first boundary until his 85th ball and brought up his seventh 50+ plus score in his last 11 innings before falling cheaply second time round. Smart diving catch to remove Shafiq.
Stuart Broad - 7: Brought England back into game with wickets of Taufeeq and Azhar, and bowled to a consistently high standard throughout. Unlike Lord's in 2010, there were no heroics with the bat this time around.
Graeme Swann - 7: Helped bring some respectability to England's first innings and his 39 second time around meant he was just two runs short of being England's highest run maker in the match. Stuck to his task well with the ball and was eventually rewarded with four wickets. Didn't get much turn and found Pakistan's batsmen less willing accomplices than Ajmal found England's.
Chris Tremlett - 5: Failed to take a wicket in a Test innings for the first time but he will bowl worse than he did here and take three or four wickets. Didn't give much away but the pitch nullified his usual bounce and menace.
James Anderson - 7: Barely wasted a ball and scored more runs than Cook, Bell and Pietersen put together. For once not needed as nightwatchman - England really were that bad.
Where next?
1st Test: Pakistan vs England - Pakistan marks out of 10
How good are this England cricket team?
England will need to be bold to see off Pakistan
2009: England vs Pakistan - England series marks out of 10
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It's difficult to argue with these marks. In many respects, those who actually got starts, like Morgan and Trott, are more culpable than those who didn't (KP excepted; he might as well have smacked his own wicket down, such was his suicidal impulse). I am reminded of what the coach (a solid county player) said at school. 'No one can blame you for getting out for a duck. Even Bradman got them. But getting out for 20.. Now that's really bad.'
Where does England go from here? Well, KP should be on notice. One more brain-dead shot like that and you're gone, unless you've got a ton first - that should be the message. Panesar has to play in both of the remaining tests: Chris Tremlett has to step aside. The batting will get a chance to redeem itself in Abu Dhabi, where scores are likely to be high. Let's make no mistake though, Saeed Ajmal is the best slow bowler since Warne and Murali. He is not just a spinner, as speed of delivery and flight, besides the devastating doosra actually make him effective on non-turning pitches. Seven cheap wickets on a road in the first innings; it almost beggars belief!
Posted by: Ian | Friday, January 20, 2012 at 08:44