Ajmal spins Pakistan to emphatic win

Final Score: Pakistan: 338 - 15 / 0 in 3.4 overs RR: 4.09, England: 192 - 160 in 57.5 overs RR: 2.72

A dismal batting performance for second time running saw England lose the first Test against Pakistan by ten wickets at Dubai. After having been dismissed for 192 in the first innings, the top ranked Test side folded for 160 on the third day as the ‘underdogs’ Pakistan completed a comprehensive win with two days to spare.

Saeed Ajmal was hero for Pakistan with a bagful of wickets, ten in total but the damage in the second innings was done by Umar Gul, who picked up a fifer to trigger the collapse. Ajmal’s second ten-for in Tests enabled Pakistan to take a 1-0 lead in the three match series.

When day three started, not many people expected that it was last day of the match. England faced a deficit of 146 runs after the last three Pakistan wickets had added 50 runs in the morning session. Adnan Akmal held up one end en route to invaluable knock of 61 runs that made England’s job of saving the match even more difficult.

When the ‘visitors’ came out to bat, the brief would have been loud and clear, i.e. to bat as long as possible and keep Ajmal at bay. Probably, the overemphasis on spinners cost them dear as Umar Gul stunned them with three crippling blows before the score had gone past 25. Andrew Straus was caught down the leg side, Alistair Cook gloved one to the keeper and Kevin Pietersen played a ridiculous shot given the circumstances.

Soon, England’s tormentor, Saeed Ajmal was in action and almost inevitably one of his doosras spun past Ian Bell’s prod to trap him plumb in front. Eoin Morgan and Jonathan Trott tried to do some fie fighting but a red-hot Pakistan bowling attack kept them under the cosh. Relentless left-armer, Abdur Rehman finally coaxed Morgan to nick one to the keeper.

England went into the last session at 75 for 5, still trailing by 71 runs but the presence of Trott gave them semblance of hope. However, a recharged Gul with his bustling pace removed Trott soon after Tea. Even though, Swann entertained towards the end but his 39-run contribution only ensured that Pakistan had to bat once again to chase a target of 14 runs.

The formalities were completed without any hiccups as an overjoyed Pakistan camp burst into celebrations.

Summary: Day One

The opening day at Dubai belonged to Pakistan as Saeed Ajmal bamboozled an out-of-sorts English batting line-up to return with career best figures of 7 for 55. Thanks to some runs from the lower order, the number one Test team in the world managed to post a middling total of 192 on the board. Without Mat Prior’s unbeaten 70, they could have ended with lot less.

The pre-series talk had been dominated by the susceptibility of the England’s batting against quality spin. And, when Saeed Ajmal announced that he would unleash his ‘teesra’ in UAE, things spiced up a bit. But, first dismissal of the day after England elected to bat on a sluggish surface had nothing to do with the mystery ball. Instead, it was the conventional off-spin of Mohammad Hafez that accounted for Alistair Cook. Jonathan Trott followed soon and by the time Ajmal came in to attack, England were already on the back-foot.

It took him only six deliveries to get among the wickets as Andrew Strauss chose a wrong delivery to pull, only to see his off-stump pegged back. In his next over, Ajmal took the wind out of England’s sails by sending back Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen using his well-disguised ‘doosra’.

At 43 for 5, England were in all kinds of trouble. Mat Prior and Eoin Morgan tried to steady things a bit but the latter was trapped in front while playing a slog sweep. Stuart Broad became Ajmal’s fifth victim soon after as England had lost seven wickets with their score yet to cross into three figures. Prior in company of Graeme Swann provided flagging innings some respectability but Ajmal picked up two more. Eventually, Prior ran out of partners. In contrast to England’s innings, the Pakistan openers batted without any concerns. By stumps, they had accumulated 42 runs and were still together.

Day Two

Despite a modicum of fightback from England, Pakistan retained firm grip on the game mainly due to a solid opening partnership and a resilient fifty from Misbah-ul-Haq. Mohammad Hafeez’s fluent 88 had set the stage for a big lead but England got wickets at crucial moments including that of Misbah in fading light to limit the damage. Still, Pakistan ended with 288 for 7, in front by 96 runs.

Resuming on 42, Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar batted with lot of intent for most part of the pre-Lunch session, taking the score well past hundred. Taufeeq made 58 before Broad snuck one through his defenses to rattle the stumps. Azhar Ali couldn’t do much but Younis Khan provided excellent support to Hafeez. Even though, Hafeez fell twelve short of what would have been a top-class century, Pakistan took lead with Misbah in charge.

In the last session, England claimed the second new ball straightaway and James Anderson removed Asad Shafiq in the first over with the brand new cherry. While the English bowlers had struggled to elicit movement at the start, second time around, there was prodigious swing on offer.

When Shafiq fell, Pakistan’s lead was only 39 and England had a real chance of running through the longish tail. But a resolute Misbah found a willing partner in the form of Adnan Akmal as the two blunted the English charge. They added 52 runs, although, at a snail’s pace to make the lead a sizeable one.

England’s chance came in the penultimate over as Misbah was adjudged leg-before by the third-umpire for 52 off 154-balls. Anderson cleaned up Abdur Rehman in the last over to keep England’s hopes alive.