Cricket Archive

Team batting better would hold upperhand by CricketArchive staff reporter

Event:

Pakistan in England 2006

The conditions at the Old Blighty may suit the fast bowlers to the hilt but Pakistan captain Inzamam-Ul-Haq today said it would be the batsmen who would decide the fate of the up coming series between England and Pakistan. "Both the teams have genuine fast bowlers and the conditions in England would definitely suit the bowlers more than the batsmen. Therefore, I am convinced that the team batting better and succeeding in putting substantial runs will have the advantage," Said Inzamam.

Pakistan leaves for England on June 24 for a two-and-a-half month tour where they will play four Tests and five one-day internationals. The first Test begins at Lord's from July 13. The last time Pakistan lost to England away from home was in 1982 when David Gower's men defeated Imran Khan's side 2-1.

Inzamam was hopeful that fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and the other pacemen would recover in time for the series. "I agree that the quickies from both sides are either struggling for fitness or form but we still have two months before the first Test. It is gives them good enough time for any fast bowler to regroup, recompose and regain complete fitness," he said.

Pakistan has named injury-prone Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami in a provisional 21-man squad. Akhtar has not played international cricket for three months while Sami stages a comeback after being dropped on account of bad form. Likewise, England's Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and James Anderson have missed most of their international cricket this year and are unlikely to take any part in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka.