Losing to Pakistan a good thing for England
England’s loss to Pakistan in The Oval test has raised plenty of questions about the capabilities of the team in an Ashes year
Tariq Engineer
25-Feb-2013
England’s loss to Pakistan in The Oval test has raised plenty of questions about the capabilities of the team in an Ashes year. But could losing be a good thing? In the Daily Mail, Nasser Hussain says the loss is the wake-up call England needed to force them to confront their deficiencies.
What will concern Andy Flower is the repetitive nature of some of the dismissals of his players in the last three Tests.
Kevin Pietersen is playing away from his body because he is searching for the ball, Andrew Strauss has been getting out the same way to Aamer, while Paul Collingwood has played on more than once. I would also sit Jonathan Trott down and ask him why he has gone completely into his shell a couple of times. There is a spell with Pakistan, after the shine has gone off the new ball and before it is reversing and turning, when they provide you with a really good time to bat. Trott was in then and could have been more positive.
Tariq Engineer is a former senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo