Both teams (Pak and England) will have a contrasting run up to the series in July. Pakistan will be taking a much deserved 2-month break after their SL series, while English cricketers will be playing in their domestic season and a 3+5 series against SL in May.
If we look at cricket holistically, i.e. both tests and ODI’s, then much more interestingly, while Pakistan had a fabulous year (sans the ODI series against India at home), England had pretty much nothing going right for them after Ashes.
Just like Pak fans are always lamenting that our team doesn’t click when faced with the bouncy and seamer-friendly tracks in Aus and England, I bet English fans feel pangs of anxiety whenever their team takes off for the dust bowls of sub-continent. While the drubbing they got from Pakistan was bad enough, the jabs they are getting from a rejuvenated Indian team in the ODIs is probably much worse for their morale. Their sole consolation was a Flintoff-special in Mumbai. That some of their top-line players are out due to injury or whatever, is scant help.
In any case, it will be interesting to see how Pak team prepares for the English summer. They have a pajama party in Abu Dhabi (someone told me each player is getting $75k per game to play in the UAE), but other than that its full-time R&R. By contrast, English players may already be spent by the time Pak lands (alternatively they could be extremely primed after their SL series). That the series will be keenly contested is an understatement, but the contrast in the prep of the two teams is very vivid.
After the English series with India is over, I am more keen on following up with some of the performances of the players that were left out of the squad that flew to India. Trescothick, Vaughan, Harmison, Jones and Giles, they all have an equal opportunity to dust off their rust during the Sri Lankan series, and be equally prepared for the summer against a well-placed Pakistan side.
Although one could imagine that the next English series will be vital for Sri Lanka as they prepare for the World Cup, they might not make as much of a bigger impact, which will translate into them being on the receiving ends of the selected English players that most likely will return to the tour from their short hiatus.
Chalo... I have started two threads in KK in one day... aap ye batayein, aap ne kiya karnama karr ke dikhaya? Thread start karna tau dur ki baat, aap ne tau dhang ka jawaab bhi nahi likha... afsoos... once upon a time you were such a useful contributor to KK. Now you just wake up to throw anday tamatar at FG. :D
Given the woeful form Sri Lankans are in, with Vaas, Jayasuria and Atapattu all out injured, I suspect the Sri Lankans will provide some much needed morale boosting for the England team.
This tour has come at just the right time for Asif. If he continues his good form he will grow from an exciting new fast bowler into the list of best in business, likes of Lee, Shoaib and Harmison.
Actually Asif is leaving right now to play county cricket in England. By the time he joins the Pak team in July, he should be fairly familiar with British conditions. On the flip side, Woolmer is rightly concerned about a burn out. We have to remember that from English series onwards, Pak has a packed schedule all the way to the WC 2007, so we definitely need a fit Asif.
I am not sure how many Pak batsmen, if any, are picked by English counties for this year. Playing county cricket ahead of our national tour could definitely benefit our batsmen prime up for the English series. Although english counties have usually shown a penchant to pick up our good bowlers, but not our batsmen. That way, English batsmen become familiar with the bowling techniques of our bowlers, all the while our batsmen remain clueless.
I am not sure how many Pak batsmen, if any, are picked by English counties for this year. Playing county cricket ahead of our national tour could definitely benefit our batsmen prime up for the English series. Although english counties have usually shown a penchant to pick up our good bowlers, but not our batsmen. That way, English batsmen become familiar with the bowling techniques of our bowlers, all the while our batsmen remain clueless.
I think Rana, Asif and Kaneria will be playng county. I guess Yousuf was also suppose to join Derbyshire. I don't know if Younis will be playing for Nottinghamshire
I hope that both Afrid and Saqlain do well in their short stint in Ireland, and I hope Saqi is back, we really need a quality spinner in our team (ODI or Test).
Are you kidding me? Pakistan has beaten, in order, England, India and Sri Lanka in a span of six months. This has to be one of the most impressive feats in Pakistani history. We must keep it going but kudos to our team.
I would consider Pakistan favorite to beat England in the test series.Pakistan is on the roll and probably has the best bowling line up in the world now with Shoaib Akhtar back to his best..and Asif and Kaneria reaching their Peak...and Pakistans' batting is a bit underrated especially in the middle order.England should be very concerned because Pakistan inspite of some problems in the opening department and poor captaincy by Inzamam... whos a slow thinker and lacks imagination.... are a serious threat to Australias' number 1 ranking in test cricket
While I agree with you about Pakistan's potential (recent successes against England, India and SL in tests is a proof), and also about captaincy qualities of our beloved Inzi, lets not go into "serious threat to Australia's number 1 ranking" debate.
For two reasons: first, last time we played tests against Australia, they beat us like there is no tomorrow (i.e. beat us to a pulp). Secondly, even after all our fabulous successes in the last one year, we are still not even in top-3 in test world ranking and trail Australia by a staggering 22 points. I know, we are improving and getting close, but there is still a wide gap between the top team and everyone else. Last Ashes, notwithstanding, Aus have shown that they can get their game up several notches when push comes to shove. Pakistan still has to show the killer instinct, with any level of consistency. More often than not, we are in a rear-guard action to save our behinds.
After reading the replies in a recent “Pick your fantasy team” thread and remembering the creation of this thead made a while ago, as Faisal Bhai has noted in his post down below relating to our batsmen being clueless of English seam and swing conditions, keeping this situation in mind, should PCB go the extra distance in specially formulating a plan to create a lively pitch relative to the above scenarios? Instead of holding the fitness camps in Lahore, should it be transfered to Karachi to supply that much-needed green top on which our front-line attack will at least have an opportunity to sharpen their skills before their final departure?
For those who will be joining in on the second version of camps after their arrival from county circuits, even if the camp is held at Gaddafi Stadium, I believe there should be at max an instance of one seaming wicket where the likes of returning Naveed and Asif can continue on practicing bowling alongwith honing their edges and not be bothered with flat-track batsman-paradises of surfaces that have emerged in recent months (if such a thing can be made possible).