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Mohammad Ullah: Pakistan's support has been "disappointing"
© Jenny Thompson
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Pakistan supporters have not had much to shout about at Old Trafford as
their team have been bettered and bruised. However, even if the roles had
been reversed the cheers would not have been ringing around the ground.
One of the more surprising aspects of this Test has been the lack of
support from the Asian community in what had been tagged in the
build-up as a potential home-crowd atmosphere.
After the traditionally refined support of Lord's the anticipation was
that Old Trafford would bring the real Pakistan fans out, accompanied by
their whistles, horns and flags. During the 2001 Test, which Pakistan won
during a mad final session on the last day, the ground more resembled
Multan than Manchester. When Waqar Younis claimed the final wicket a
chaotic pitch invasion followed. Similar scenes accompanied their one-day
defeat against India in the 1999 World Cup and their victory over England during the 2003
Natwest Challenge.
However, this time all the singing has been from the Barmy Army as
England's supporters have dominated the stands, much as their team has
dominated the match. "It has been a surprise especially given our past
experiences," admitted Jim Cumbes, the Lancashire chief executive. The
lack of noise and flags from the Pakistan fans that have turned out
can be partly put down to the ICC's extensive list of prohibited
items, which means anything remotely resembling an item of fun is
barred from the ground.
The sheer lack of numbers from the Pakistan community takes a little
more explaining. No Shoaib Akhtar may have played a part, but England
don't have their home-town hero, Andrew Flintoff, either and it
certainly isn't down to a lack of marketing to the local communities.
Lancashire have actively gone out to sell the match in the area after
learning from
previous games when away support has outnumbered the home fans.

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Since the Ashes, there's been no trouble selling cricket to England's fans
© Jenny Thompson
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Mohammed Ullah, from Longsight, is one Pakistan fan who has turned up
and conceded the flat atmosphere for his team was "awfully
disappointing" and added: "If a [Pakistan] wicket falls it's dead, or
if you celebrate when
they do get a wicket you get people pointing at you."
One factor he pointed at to explain the make-up of support was ticket prices, saying
people he knew who'd come in previous years found it too expensive.
A key reason, however, for the difference lies behind England being very
sellable themselves. Though the Ashes victory seems a long time ago, in
terms of performances on the field, they are still a major draw for the
public. Tickets for this match sold like hot cakes from the moment they
want on sale in November - when last summer's success was still very
fresh. No marketing campaign was needed to encourage people to come
and watch the Ashes winners. "The popularity of England sold the
tickets,"
said Cumbes, "We went out around the Pakistani areas but tickets went
quickly. We were sold out three or four weeks ago."
A cultural difference has also played a part. English fans are very used
to getting in early to watch Test matches and even when the team has
been less attractive than currently, many grounds - if not always Old
Trafford - have been packed. Other supporters around the world,
Pakistanis included, decide nearer the time whether to go down and
support their side.
"They have a different way of doing things," explained Cumbes, "and
when tickets are sold in advance it will often favour the home side."
Grounds in Pakistan are never filled for Tests so fans can swan in all day long.
Here, however, by the time the fans were considering whether to watch
Inzamam and Co. tickets were few and far between.
The bottom line, though, is that the ground has been a sell-out for the
first three days and continues a resurgence for Old Trafford which
started last summer against Australia. The bean counters haven't quite
been able to shout about turning 10,000 people away from gates, but there
will be plenty of smiles about the full houses - whoever they may support.
Andrew McGlashan is editorial assistant of Cricinfo