Blog

The desert dust is beginning to settle on an extraordinary test match in Dubai. For England fans, the excruciating agony of reliving Kevin Pieterson’s brainless buffoonery may provoke sudden ululations and rending of clothing, but it should not obscure a truly astounding achievement by Misbah ul Haq’s Pakistan team.

A lot of column inches have been, and will continue to be consumed by fruitless analysis of how England’s hitherto in form top order contrived to subside so spectacularly. Indeed not since the 1st world war have they found themselves 7 wickets down for under 95 in both innings of a test match. And this on a good wicket.

But brain freezes happen. Good sides collapse. Australia succumbed for 118 on the first day of the Ashes in 1997 but recovered sufficiently to inflict X rated GBH on England thereafter.

The far more remarkable feature of the “Drubbing of Dubai” was the consistent discipline and ruthless efficiency with which the hosts performed throughout the three days. Only Umar Gul and Adnan Akmal were dismissed playing attacking shots and it took a series of jaffas from Anderson, Swann and Broad in particular along with the intervention of the now sectionable Billy Bowden to dispense with the rest.

In the field the bowlers bowled tight lines and searching lengths (except when Gul briefly and successfully experimented with leg side filth as a cunning ruse for dislodging Strauss and Cook in the 2nd innings). Ajmal quite rightly took the plaudits for his ten-fer, but Cheema, Gul, Hafeez and particularly Rehman never let up. Of course England should have displayed far more patience. At Brisbane in 2010 it was much the same on that first day. This time, the adrenalin, the chatter in the build up, the frequent media references to their number one status all contributed to an uncharacteristic posturing at the crease which contrasted hugely with their opponents flinty, and undemonstrative approach. But all that notwithstanding it still took a fabulous all round effort from Pakistan to win the match so decisively.

This Pakistan side contains just two players who played in England only 18 months ago. Most of the team are over 30 and are led by a man whose own attritional approach to batting and captaining is as far removed from prevailing current trends in international cricket as it’s possible to get. But it is surely Misbah together with the recently modified selection panel, who should take the greatest credit for fashioning this brutal victory.

Much may be made of England’s deficiencies on the sub continent, but it was not usually with the bat that they so spectacularly failed. It was their repeated inability to take wickets that proved their downfall in the 2000s. Yet Misbah and his team have bowled England out twice for under 200.

The fact of Pakistan’s achievement may also indicate the strong likelihood of its repetition. After all, Pakistani cricket was out on its feet 18 months ago. Five years of power struggles, corruption, terrorist attacks, public sulks, life bans, life bans being overturned, seven captains and virtual pariah status not to mention its alarming proximity to a war zone should have been enough to ensure on pitch failure at the very least for the rootless and nomadic players. But instead they give the strong impression of having developed, in double quick time, a cohesive, skillful, and ultra-disciplined outfit. It took 11 years from the MacLaurin report, hundreds of millions of pounds, numerous coaches and imported expertise as well as root and branch restructuring for England to achieve the same.

And this is why the rest of the cricketing world needs to watch out. While India with its huge investment via the IPL and TV rights not to mention billion inhabitants, roll over and die with tireless regularity, Pakistan’s players display a steely resolve born of pride and the determination to resurrect a nation’s respect.

While Chris Gayle argues with his board, while Sri Lanka invests in a revolving door for their head coaches and while the BCCI does the opposite with its ageing and under-performing star batsmen, Pakistan of all teams have dispensed with in-fighting and arbitrary selection. They have finally coalesced behind a shared and noble goal.

And when a team is motivated not by money, or ego or statistical boasts but instead is pursuing a higher purpose it can achieve great things. England, and the rest of the world had better watch out.