England must focus on the Pakistan challenge
England's Ashes thoughts must go on the backburner with Pakistan looming, writes Andy Bull in Spin , the Guardian's weekly cricket email
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
England's Ashes thoughts must go on the backburner with Pakistan looming, writes Andy Bull in Spin, the Guardian's weekly cricket email. If England look too far ahead they will miss obstacles in front of them. Pakistan pose their own easily underestimated challenge.
It will be hard enough to get through the next 800 words without mentioning the A-word. Never mind the next four weeks. Such is the hold of that series on the public imagination that both Australia and England have found their upcoming fixtures against India and Pakistan are being framed in terms of what they will mean for this winter's contest.
If England fail to focus on the here and now of the next match then they may find that, once this series ends, that sing-song confidence is not be quite so voluble.
Nasser Hussain tips England to win the Tests against Pakistan 2-1. In the Daily Mail he lists five things England have to be fearful about in this series, and five reasons for them to be cheerful.
Akhila Ranganna is assistant editor (Audio) at ESPNcricinfo