Pakistan missed a golden opportunity to claim the vital early wicket of Jonathan Trott on day two of the second Test in Abu Dhabi, says Jo Harman.
If there is one thing Jonathan Trott has taught opposing teams since he started his international career it’s that he’s not a man to present a second chance to, and Misbah-ul-Haq will be kicking himself for having done so on another enthralling day in Abu Dhabi.
After having their tail blown away in the space of 16 balls to finish their first innings on a below-par 257, Pakistan desperately needed to make early inroads and earned the breakthrough when Andrew Strauss fell cheaply to continue a worrying run of form that has seen the England skipper pass 50 just once in his last 13 innings.
With Alastair Cook and Trott at the crease – England’s most relentless run-machines – and a middle-order beneath them that had been wrecked twice in Dubai, Misbah knew a quick second wicket was vital. Which made it all the more bewildering when, with Trott on 22, the Pakistan skipper chose not to review an lbw appeal against England’s No.3 when for all the world it looked as though a sharp turner from Saeed Ajmal was crashing into leg stump.
Trott, so clinical in his footwork against the spinners, was, for once, caught on the crease and the ball rapped him on the back leg, bang in front. Misbah and Ajmal exchanged glances, the keeper Adnan Akmal remained as quiet as a mouse, and the game resumed. Trott had been given an almighty reprieve.
At the end of the over the replay appeared on the big screen. You could almost hear the slap to the forehead in the cavernous Sheikh Zayed Stadium as Misbah realised his mistake. Unruffled as ever, Trott caressed Umar Gul through the covers in the very next over as he and Cook brought up a 50 partnership.
It was not the first time Pakistan had handed Trott a reprieve in this series. In Dubai, Trott was caught on the crease in almost identical fashion, again by Ajmal, and Misbah passed up the opportunity of a review – only for Hawk-Eye to show the ball hitting leg stump. On that occasion Trott lasted just five more deliveries. In Abu Dhabi, Pakistan didn’t get away so lightly, as Trott faced another 110 balls and put on a stand of 139 with Cook.
Desperate to make amends for the mistake, Pakistan wasted their two reviews in the pursuit of Trott’s wicket. Akmal was beginning to find some serious lungpower behind the stumps but it was born out of frustration, as Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez had lbw reviews turned down with Hawk-Eye showing Trott was hit well outside the line of off stump on each occasion.
Trott eventually fell on 74 to a peach of a delivery from Abdur Rehman that pitched on middle and leg and pegged back his off stump. The 52 runs that he added to his score after Pakistan’s missed opportunity might not, on the face of it, sound an especially significant figure. But given the context of the match, what had gone before in Dubai, and Pakistan’s mediocre first innings score, it was a wasted opportunity that Misbah could ill-afford.
The hugely impressive Ajmal led a strong Pakistani fightback in the last hour of play by claiming the wickets of Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan to leave the contest delicately poised, but Misbah will be left wondering what might have been had he made better use of the DRS.
Click here to read Hassan Muzaffar Cheema’s defence of Saeed Ajmal
Game Changer: Pakistan Left To Regret Missed Opportunity
Pakistan missed a golden opportunity to claim the vital early wicket of Jonathan Trott on day two of the second Test in Abu Dhabi, says Jo Harman.
If there is one thing Jonathan Trott has taught opposing teams since he started his international career it’s that he’s not a man to present a second chance to, and Misbah-ul-Haq will be kicking himself for having done so on another enthralling day in Abu Dhabi.
After having their tail blown away in the space of 16 balls to finish their first innings on a below-par 257, Pakistan desperately needed to make early inroads and earned the breakthrough when Andrew Strauss fell cheaply to continue a worrying run of form that has seen the England skipper pass 50 just once in his last 13 innings.
With Alastair Cook and Trott at the crease – England’s most relentless run-machines – and a middle-order beneath them that had been wrecked twice in Dubai, Misbah knew a quick second wicket was vital. Which made it all the more bewildering when, with Trott on 22, the Pakistan skipper chose not to review an lbw appeal against England’s No.3 when for all the world it looked as though a sharp turner from Saeed Ajmal was crashing into leg stump.
Trott, so clinical in his footwork against the spinners, was, for once, caught on the crease and the ball rapped him on the back leg, bang in front. Misbah and Ajmal exchanged glances, the keeper Adnan Akmal remained as quiet as a mouse, and the game resumed. Trott had been given an almighty reprieve.
At the end of the over the replay appeared on the big screen. You could almost hear the slap to the forehead in the cavernous Sheikh Zayed Stadium as Misbah realised his mistake. Unruffled as ever, Trott caressed Umar Gul through the covers in the very next over as he and Cook brought up a 50 partnership.
It was not the first time Pakistan had handed Trott a reprieve in this series. In Dubai, Trott was caught on the crease in almost identical fashion, again by Ajmal, and Misbah passed up the opportunity of a review – only for Hawk-Eye to show the ball hitting leg stump. On that occasion Trott lasted just five more deliveries. In Abu Dhabi, Pakistan didn’t get away so lightly, as Trott faced another 110 balls and put on a stand of 139 with Cook.
Desperate to make amends for the mistake, Pakistan wasted their two reviews in the pursuit of Trott’s wicket. Akmal was beginning to find some serious lungpower behind the stumps but it was born out of frustration, as Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez had lbw reviews turned down with Hawk-Eye showing Trott was hit well outside the line of off stump on each occasion.
Trott eventually fell on 74 to a peach of a delivery from Abdur Rehman that pitched on middle and leg and pegged back his off stump. The 52 runs that he added to his score after Pakistan’s missed opportunity might not, on the face of it, sound an especially significant figure. But given the context of the match, what had gone before in Dubai, and Pakistan’s mediocre first innings score, it was a wasted opportunity that Misbah could ill-afford.
The hugely impressive Ajmal led a strong Pakistani fightback in the last hour of play by claiming the wickets of Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan to leave the contest delicately poised, but Misbah will be left wondering what might have been had he made better use of the DRS.
Click here to read Hassan Muzaffar Cheema’s defence of Saeed Ajmal