Vaughan Wary Of Akhtar
English one-day captain Michael Vaughan admits that the return of Pakistan’s controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akthar ahead of Friday’s ODI between the two countries will be a concern for his inexperienced side.
Akthar, who was forced to sit out the first of the three-match series at Old Trafford on Tuesday due to a ban placed on him for ball tampering, will be available for selection for the second ODI at The Oval.
“We faced Shoaib in Cape Town (during the World Cup) and he was getting it around the 100 mph mark,” Vaughan told reporters on Thursday.
"With Sami at the other end that will be a challenge. But Shoaib went for a few (runs).
"Sami is short and the ball skids on. He was bowling around the 90 mph mark but he only took one-for-53.
“They are top class bowlers but our batters have played them pretty well.”
Vaughan was well aware that_England did not perform well enough with the bat at Old Trafford, but he felt that the side would improve with experience.
“The key to one-day cricket is that the team where one batsman gets 100 usually wins. We had three or four guys who got into the 30’s but Mohammad Afeez made 69 for them,” Vaughan said._
"But we had an inexperienced team with a couple of guys making their debuts in front of an 18,000 crowd which with all the Pakistani support, was like playing an away game.
“You have to be patient. You need a good year of international cricket to get the feel of it. Our team has only got 300 one-day caps between them and they have got 800, but when the pressure situations arose they all enjoyed it.”
"They have got a few exciting batters and in Shoaib Malik, an off-spinner who can turn it the other way. They have always got unorthodox talents.
“But we put them under huge pressure and they nearly faltered.”
With the pitches at The Oval known to favour the quick bowlers, Vaughan added that Durham’s Steve Harmison is likely to play on Friday.
"The pitches here tend to have a bit more bounce and that helps the fast bowlers. But top-class batsmen like it when the ball is coming on to them.
“The pitch at Old Trafford suited their style of bowling. Steve will definitely come in to it here. We have not decided our team yet, but its good to have the choice.”
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