Eng v Pak, 1st Test Preview: Pakistan aiming for a fresh start

The last time Pakistan came out to Lord’s, the match concluded with three Pakistani players being sent into the cricketing gallows. However, almost half a dozen years have passed since that incident and both teams will be raring to go. The occasion will also be massive with the first Test scheduled to be played at the Lord’s.

England are fresh from having dominated Sri Lanka in the recently concluded series but Pakistan has a bowling attack to be wary of. It will be interesting to see if Pakistan batsmen support the act of their bowlers and if they do, we might well be in for a surprise. In a nutshell, a mouthwatering encounter is certainly on the cards.

Pitch Conditions:

The 8-foot slop, the dramatic results, the pavilion of the Lord’s cricket ground, are just a few reasons to make playing a Test at Lord’s all the more special. However, as far as the wicket is concerned, it is common knowledge that the Day 1 wicket will perhaps be a difficult surface to bat on. Spin will play a major role in the subsequent days (Day 4 & 5).

Team Analysis:

England:

England will be entering the first Test at Lord’s full of confidence. The 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka showed the English team’s dominance over the longest format of the game in home conditions. Although it won’t be the similar story against Pakistan, it is widely expected that the Brits will indeed sweep their opponents under the carpet.

Also check out – Pakistan’s Test wins in England

While the spotlight will be on most players in the England side, eyes will most certainly be on James Vince and Gary Ballance. Although Vince failed to make an impact in the Test series against the Lankans, the all-rounder will be counting on his limited-overs’ form to help him cement a spot in the Test side. Nick Compton’s unexpected ‘break’ from cricket means that Gary Ballance will take his place.

In absence of James Anderson, Alastair Cook will be hoping that Stuart Broad recreates his Trent Bridge heroics. The skipper also confirmed that Jake Ball will make his Test debut with this game and the Nottinghamshire pacer after an impressive county season with 31 wickets at an average of 23.94 so far would certainly want to impress on debut.

Also read – SWOT Analysis of Pakistan’s fast bowling attack for the tour of England

Pakistan:

Playing in a rare Test series in England, Pakistan will certainly be hoping to erase the heartache of the 2010 tour. With a new wave of players in the squad and a new coach in Mickey Arthur, the tourists certainly look to be on the trail to redemption.

The spotlight with less doubt will certainly be on Mohammad Amir. The 24-year old left-arm pacer, who was one of the few implicated in the scandal in 2010 will be hoping to make a good comeback. However, Amir has already earned the reputation of being a fearsome bowler courtesy of his performances in limited-overs’ cricket since his comeback.

Shan Masood, the new opener for Pakistan will be hoping to make a mark for himself on the international stage.

Probable XI-

England:

Alastair Cook (C), Jonny Bairstow (WK), Alex Hales, Joe Root, James Vince, Gary Ballance, Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Jake Ball, Chris Woakes, Steven Finn

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (C), Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Mohammad Hafeez, Shan Masood, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Mohammad Amir, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz

StAttack:

1. The last time Pakistan won a Test series in England was in 1996, where they won the three-match Test series 2-0.

2. In 14 matches at Lord’s, Pakistan has won just 3 matches.

3. Younis Khan leads the pack for Pakistan in Test matches with 9116 runs and 31 centuries to his name.

4. Wahab Riaz requires 7 wickets to complete 50 wickets in Test cricket. Subsequently, Rahat Ali requires 10 wickets to do the same.

5. Apart from his obvious prowess with the ball, Stuart Broad is the third highest run-getter for England in Test matches with 2588 runs to his name. Joe Root is between Broad and Cook on the highest run-getters list.