Alec Stewart's Diary

We had an excellent First Test Match in Lahore - there had been lots of speculation beforehand about it being a spinners' paradise and whether England could play spin - I think we answered those questions over the five days. To post a total of 480 plus against a very fine spin attack - led by the world's best off-spinner in Saqlain Mushtaq, was an excellent performance. Saqlain's eight wickets in a Test innings was a fine effort, and he enjoyed chalking up the three Surrey boys! The way Atherton, Trescothick, Thorpe and White played gave England - the players and I'm sure the public back home, a lot of confidence. I think it just shook the Pakistanis up a little bit, because they expected us to lay down and die on this turning wicket, and we certainly held our own. It was a pity that we couldn't quite enforce the follow-on, but our bowling was a good effort. A lot of positives came out of the game - both with bat and ball.

I was disappointed to get out early - the first 15 minutes of any innings are the hardest, and neither Nasser nor I was able to get past that mark, but I was pleased with the way I played in the second innings. I was positive against the spinners, making 27 not out, and I was particularly happy with the way I kept wicket throughout the 160-odd overs, standing up to the stumps for a hundred of them.

As to the next Test at Faisalabad, I think the last seven Tests there have all had results. In this country they can produce any type of wicket - we've played on some good batting strips with grass on, and then in Lahore there wasn't a blade of grass anywhere. I'd expect Faisalabad to be quicker in pace, but we'll have a good look at the pitch when we get there, and pick the side accordingly. We're happy to play Pakistan on any surface - and I think our form in the First Test has set them thinking about the Second!

It's disappointing for anyone to get injured - Dominic Cork didn't make the First Test, and he's had a back problem almost since he got out here. He had a scan and an injection and it didn't seem to work - he was walking around a little bit like an old man, so it was the right decision to go back and see a specialist, and hopefully get it right for the tour of Sri Lanka.

We enjoyed our days off - we re-charged the batteries on Monday, and then it was swimming and the gym, and in the afternoon some of us ventured out into Lahore to see some of the local culture. It's good to see the sights - it's obviously not London or Oxford Street, but the people all love cricket, so wherever you go as a team you get recognised - and we went to the markets and had something of a guided tour. You don't get a lot of opportunity to do this on tour, so when you do you make the most of it.