Pakistan cling to crumbs of comfort

About the only comfort that Pakistan could take from their disintegration at Old Trafford is from the knowledge that they have been in the situation before. Through their recent revival, it is the one aspect of Pakistan's game that has stood out, whether leveling a series after going behind, or winning a Test from an improbable position. It is that crumb that they will cling on to, says their coach Bob Woolmer, as they move to Headingley where the third Test begins later this week.

"We've been in this situation before and we can come back from it. We've done it before and we still really want to win this series," he told Cricinfo. "Realistically speaking, England are playing much better than us right now but we have a few days to prepare for Headingley. The players will work hard for it, I know that, and we have to come back strongly."

Under the harshest spotlight in the aftermath of the Test was Pakistan's batting; in the first innings on the first day, they collapsed from a pre-lunch score of 90 for 2 to 119 all out. In the second innings, 101 for 2 became 222 all out and on a pitch on which two English batsmen scored hundreds, Pakistan managed only Younis Khan's second-innings fifty.

The performance led to criticism that their batsmen were unable still to cope with bouncy pitches and accusations that they had grown accustomed to the flatter tracks of the subcontinent. Woolmer, however, didn't agree, arguing that Pakistan just had a bad Test.

"We had a bad Test, especially with the bat. People will criticise us when we lose badly but it's not as if the players wanted to play poorly." And he was also quick to highlight the role of Steve Harmison - figures of 6 for 19 in the first innings and 11 for the match - in the Test. "He bowled especially well and he got steepling bounce. Tall bowlers like him are always difficult and when the pitch has uncertain bounce then it becomes even more difficult. We had good preparation for it so I can't understand how it went so wrong. It was certainly not a 119 all out pitch and we realise we made mistakes against Monty Panesar."

Woolmer revealed that the team had a long meeting after the match, where they discussed what went wrong, but insisted there was no need to panic just yet. "We'd play the Test differently obviously - hindsight is a wonderful thing - but I'm not panicking. It will be a different pitch and match at Headingley."

Indeed it will but Pakistan are likely to go into it with the same travails that have afflicted them through the first two Tests. They may have to go in with a new opening combination, likely to be their third in three Tests on the tour. While the experiment with Kamran Akmal might not be repeated out of choice, Pakistan may have no such luxury but to call in a replacement for Imran Farhat (in the similarly left-handed shapes of Salman Butt and Taufeeq Umar).

Farhat fractured a finger while taking a catch and despite scoring a battling 34 in the second innings, his availability is unclear for now. "He played a fantastically brave knock in the second innings but we will have to have a fitness test on him before Headingley," said Woolmer. "It will be up to him after that and how he feels."

At least both their opening bowlers are fit, though cynics and critics will question whether that is indeed a blessing. Umar Gul has taken six wickets at just under 50 while Mohammad Sami has taken three at 77. Despite improved performances from both at Old Trafford, they continue to concede nearly four runs an over and more importantly struggle to take wickets, as Woolmer observed. "We didn't bowl too badly at Old Trafford but we're just struggling for wickets." And that, as Woolmer admitted, "has to change for the rest of the series."