Sakss
Test Debutant
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2009
- Runs
- 14,207
"If I’d been in Misbah-ul-Haq’s position, I’d have slowed things down too" : Nasser Hussain
England came so close to beating Pakistan and the achievement would have rivalled 2000 win in the dark in Karachi
People have compared the scenes in Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening with England’s famous win in the dark in Karachi when I was captain 15 years ago.
But make no mistake: if Alastair Cook’s side had pulled off victory over Pakistan, it would have been an even greater achievement.
To have fought back after Pakistan’s first innings of 523, and on a pitch that had absolutely nothing in it for the bowlers, was an amazing effort – made all the more so by Cook’s phenomenal mental toughness, the character shown by Adil Rashid to recover from his first-innings mauling, and the consistent excellence of Jimmy Anderson.
And that’s what England’s performance was based on: real character. They’ve shown that they can come to the UAE and compete with a very good Pakistan side.
Yes, life will get tougher in Dubai, where Pakistan will be able to recall Azhar Ali to strengthen the batting, as well as the leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
But England look an extremely well-balanced side. They have options with the ball and depth with the bat. Crucially, they now have the self-belief.
Another few overs on Saturday evening and they would also have the lead. In Karachi that day we were lucky to have had a very strict umpire in Steve Bucknor, who got so wound up by Pakistan captain Moin Khan’s time-wasting that he told him the game would be played to a finish no matter what. In the end, we could barely see a thing.
Thanks to Bucknor, we ended up with a win that remains among my most treasured as captain – maybe only behind the victory in Sri Lanka a few months later after we had gone 1-0 down and Muttiah Muralitharan was turning it both ways.
But the regulations have changed now. It’s all about light meters, and all the Pakistanis had to do was stay on the right side of the line when it came to eating up time. I felt they did that. And let’s be clear: if I’d been in Misbah-ul-Haq’s position, I’d have slowed things down too.
The question cricket should be asking itself is this: why do you turn the floodlights on, then half an hour later walk off the field with one team needing only 25 to win?
I’d have said exactly the same thing if it had been Pakistan batting. There’s no way it was dangerous out there, but because the umpires had set a precedent earlier in the match with their light meter readings, off they all trooped. It was farcical.
I understand that there are difficulties in seeing the red ball, which is why they’re experimenting with a pink one.
But cricket can’t afford to throw away an exciting finish after five days of grind on a dreadful pitch. They should look to stay out there for as long as possible.
For Cook, victory would have been the perfect conclusion after his astonishing show of concentration.
People are talking about how he doesn’t sweat, but the reason he was able to bat for nearly 14 hours was because of his mental toughness. After all he’s been through over the last couple of years, it said so much for the lad.
And what happened at the end was a useful reminder for England that Pakistan always have a collapse in them – even a relatively calm side led by Misbah.
In Asia, you have to stay in the game, just like we did until the final day of the three-match series in 2000-01. Once you become the only side that can win the game, as England did on Saturday, funny things can happen.
Cook understood that and decided to sit in. If he can inspire England to repeat the trick in Dubai, Pakistan could be in for another surprise.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cr...lled-2000-win-dark-Karachi.html#ixzz3ov8YoOnL
England came so close to beating Pakistan and the achievement would have rivalled 2000 win in the dark in Karachi
People have compared the scenes in Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening with England’s famous win in the dark in Karachi when I was captain 15 years ago.
But make no mistake: if Alastair Cook’s side had pulled off victory over Pakistan, it would have been an even greater achievement.
To have fought back after Pakistan’s first innings of 523, and on a pitch that had absolutely nothing in it for the bowlers, was an amazing effort – made all the more so by Cook’s phenomenal mental toughness, the character shown by Adil Rashid to recover from his first-innings mauling, and the consistent excellence of Jimmy Anderson.
And that’s what England’s performance was based on: real character. They’ve shown that they can come to the UAE and compete with a very good Pakistan side.
Yes, life will get tougher in Dubai, where Pakistan will be able to recall Azhar Ali to strengthen the batting, as well as the leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
But England look an extremely well-balanced side. They have options with the ball and depth with the bat. Crucially, they now have the self-belief.
Another few overs on Saturday evening and they would also have the lead. In Karachi that day we were lucky to have had a very strict umpire in Steve Bucknor, who got so wound up by Pakistan captain Moin Khan’s time-wasting that he told him the game would be played to a finish no matter what. In the end, we could barely see a thing.
Thanks to Bucknor, we ended up with a win that remains among my most treasured as captain – maybe only behind the victory in Sri Lanka a few months later after we had gone 1-0 down and Muttiah Muralitharan was turning it both ways.
But the regulations have changed now. It’s all about light meters, and all the Pakistanis had to do was stay on the right side of the line when it came to eating up time. I felt they did that. And let’s be clear: if I’d been in Misbah-ul-Haq’s position, I’d have slowed things down too.
The question cricket should be asking itself is this: why do you turn the floodlights on, then half an hour later walk off the field with one team needing only 25 to win?
I’d have said exactly the same thing if it had been Pakistan batting. There’s no way it was dangerous out there, but because the umpires had set a precedent earlier in the match with their light meter readings, off they all trooped. It was farcical.
I understand that there are difficulties in seeing the red ball, which is why they’re experimenting with a pink one.
But cricket can’t afford to throw away an exciting finish after five days of grind on a dreadful pitch. They should look to stay out there for as long as possible.
For Cook, victory would have been the perfect conclusion after his astonishing show of concentration.
People are talking about how he doesn’t sweat, but the reason he was able to bat for nearly 14 hours was because of his mental toughness. After all he’s been through over the last couple of years, it said so much for the lad.
And what happened at the end was a useful reminder for England that Pakistan always have a collapse in them – even a relatively calm side led by Misbah.
In Asia, you have to stay in the game, just like we did until the final day of the three-match series in 2000-01. Once you become the only side that can win the game, as England did on Saturday, funny things can happen.
Cook understood that and decided to sit in. If he can inspire England to repeat the trick in Dubai, Pakistan could be in for another surprise.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cr...lled-2000-win-dark-Karachi.html#ixzz3ov8YoOnL
Right, carry on, we'll love to see your obsession with your next victim. 
vak
