The first trial of strength between Pakistan and England begins at the newly renovated Multan Cricket Stadium this morning in which the experts feel that the visiting side having come here with six successive Test series victories in their favour can further extend the record.
Cricket chroniclers point out that during their last tour in November-December 2000 the Englishmen, under Nasser Hussein, had insisted to play when lights had gone out and they clinched the Test series by 1-0 in the stillness of night. Many wondered as to why umpire Steve Bucknor of the West Indies did not intervene and why the batting outfit used their right to carry on with the innings when hardly the deliveries could have been visible.
Many think that after upsetting the applecart of the powerful Australians in the Ashes series the confident England formation may again be triumphant, whatever the advantage the pitch and home environment may give to the Pakistan squad.
Nevertheless, coach Bob Woolmer is of the opinion that it is unfair to put Pakistan as underdogs. "People may have made England favourites for the first Test but as for as I am concerned both sides start with an equal chance of doing well," said Woolmer.
The strip and Pakistan's attack, having variety, may create problems for the English batting line, as seen in the two warm-up matches in Rawalpindi and Lahore. Already the board Chairman, Shaharyar M. Khan, has reservations about the selection of the seamers for he feels that it is time that the main tormentors of the English batsmen in Rawalpindi and Lahore viz. Yasir Arafat and Mohammad Asif should be inducted into line-up instead of being put on the waiting list.
Yasir had a haul of nine wickets for 76 in the first warm-up tie while Asif, a medium-pacer who plays for Sialkot in domestic cricket, stunned the onlookers at Lahore's Bagh-i-Jinnah venue when he sent back seven batsmen for 62 in the first knock and had three victims in the second venture (a total of 10 wickets in the tie). Asif's outswingers, delivered with tight length, proved too much for the risiting players, most of them experienced enough to tackle such bowling on the turning wickets of the counties.
Woolmer also complains against the questionable fielding ploy employed by the tourists while the bowler started his runup. He wants the International Cricket Council (ICC) to give a clear-cut ruling on violation of cricket law on this issue, which states, "any significant movement by any fielder after the ball comes into play and before the ball reaches the striker is unfair.
In the event of such unfair movement, either umpire shall call and signal dead ball." This was the same controversy that had led to the Mike Gatting-Shakoor Rana row during the 1987 Test at Faisalabad. If the England captain uses such methods the batsmen facing his bowlers will be considerably inconvenienced having already surveyed the field arrangement.
It appears that Pakistan's batting may turn out to be Achilles' heel as one notes in the warm-up fixtures played by the visitors. Certainly there the were no seasoned players for the home sides, except Hasan Raza, but one finds that there is uncertainty about an opening pair, a genuine one to form a regular duo to confidently and skilfully face the artillery of the English new-ball attack.
Can the punters and fans put their money on Salman Butt and Shoaib Malik? Shahid Afridi may be the second in line to accompany Malik to the crease to open the innings. An early breakthrough means that there will be a heavy pressure and strain on the nerves of the incoming one-down batsman to deal with the dangerous Hoggard, Harmison, Anderson or Flintoff operating with their swingers.
Shaharyar has also expressed concern over the failure of the selectors to discover a genuine opening pair to last for some years in the national pack like Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar.
The middle order appears to be ready to accumulate a reliably impressive total despite the fact that the English bowlers- - both the seamers and the spinners - are capable of reaping a rich harvest. Giles has also proved to be a determined batsman as he showed himself against the Australian attack in England.
The English batting should in theory be deemed to be superior to the home players but their vulnerability against the junior bowlers at Rawalpindi and Lahore has created doubts about their strength and ability to adjust to the Pakistan conditions.
In fact the visitors threw the towel to a second string at Lahore, where to the glee of the spectators Hasan Raza struck a skilful, strokeful and gutsy unbeaten 71 against a sustained spiteful England bowling.
However, captain Inzamam has warned his players not to be complacent on the field against the rival conglomerate for the two matches also exposed the limitations in the technique of Pakistani batsmen, though most of them are presently out of reckoning of cricket officials.
The likely sidelining of Michael Vaughan, England's captain, due to knee injury will be a terrible blow to the team for they will be without an able leader and a solid one-down or middle-order batsman. Perhaps his absence may make Pakistan better placed in the first Test.
Pakistan may be said to be at par with the balanced and variegated attack of England. On a slow track it is possible that Danish Kaneria and the Sussex success, Mushtaq Ahmad, may give plenty of trouble to the Englishmen.
A forecast is a mug's game but one can expect delightful and thrilling cricket in the first Test where the fans can back up their players.