The last time Pakistan came out to Lord’s, the match ended with three Pakistani players (Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt) being sent into the cricketing gallows. However, after almost half a dozen years have passed since that incident, both teams will be raring to lock horns against each other. The occasion will also be massive with the first Test scheduled to be played at the Mecca of Cricket Lord’s.
England are fresh from having dominated Sri Lanka in the recently concluded series but Pakistan has a bowling attack to be wary of. It will be interesting to see if Pakistan batsmen support the act of their bowlers and if they do, we might well be in for a surprise. In a nutshell, a mouthwatering encounter is certainly on the cards.
Pitch Conditions:
The 8-foot slop, the pavilion of the Lord’s cricket ground, are just a few reasons which make playing a Test match at Lord’s all the more special. However, as far as the wicket is concerned, it is common that the Day 1 wicket will perhaps be a difficult strip to bat on. Spin will play it’s part in the following days (Day 4 & 5).
Team Analysis:
England:
England will be full of confidence at Lord’s after their 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka which showed the English team’s dominance over the longest format of the game in home conditions. Although it won’t be the similar story against Pakistan because of Pakistan’s much superior bowling attack in compare to the Lankans.
While the spotlight will be on most players in the England side, eyes will most certainly be on James Vince and Gary Ballance. Although Vince failed to make an impact in the Test series against the Lankans, the all-rounder will be counting on his limited-overs’ form to help him cement a spot in the Test side. Nick Compton’s unexpected ‘break’ from cricket means that Gary Ballance will take his place.
In absence of James Anderson, Alastair Cook will be hoping that Stuart Broad recreates his Trent Bridge heroics. The skipper also confirmed that Jake Ball will make his Test debut with this game and the Nottinghamshire pacer after an impressive county season with 31 wickets at an average of 23.94 so far would certainly want to impress on debut.
Pakistan:
Playing in a rare Test series in England, Pakistan will certainly be hoping to erase the heartache of the 2010 tour. With a new wave of players in the squad and a new coach in Mickey Arthur, the tourists certainly look to be on the trail to redemption.
The spotlight with less doubt will certainly be on Mohammad Amir. The 24-year old left-arm pacer, who was one of the few implicated in the scandal in 2010 will be hoping to make a good comeback. However, Amir has already earned the reputation of being a fearsome bowler courtesy of his performances in limited-overs’ cricket since his comeback.
Shan Masood, the new opener for Pakistan will be hoping to make a mark for himself on the international stage.
Date & Time: 14th July, 11:00 Local | 10:00 GMT |15:30 IST
Venue: Lord’s- ‘The Home of Cricket’
Probable XI
England (Probables): Alastair Cook (C), Alex Hales, Joe Root, James Vince, Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, Jake Ball.
Pakistan (Probables): Mohammad Hafeez, Shan Masood, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, Misbah-Ul-Haq, Sarfaraz Khan (wk), Asad Shafiq, Yaseer Shah, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Imran Khan.