Farbrace: England must take chances against Pakistan

Chief selector Haroon Rashid said there was “unanimity” among the panel over picking the player, as requested by team manager Intikhab Alam, following impressive performances with both bat and ball by Malik in the recent series of one-day internationals and T20 matches in Zimbabwe. The one thing we’ve had a chat about is that, to win a Test match, you’ve got to take 20 chances – and we’ve missed a couple of chances.

“That s something we ll have to work very hard on, and something we prided ourselves on in the Ashes series”.

Fresh from winning the Ashes, they take on a Pakistan side which always performs strongly in their adopted home.

Conditions could not be more different to those in which England upset Australia this summer and even two three-day games ahead of the first Test here three years ago could not stop England losing 3-0 then.

The 52-year-old former wicketkeeper-batsman said that the series would be tough as Pakistan have a good record in the UAE.

“I said at the end of the Ashes series I expected this to be a tougher series for us to play in”, added Farbrace.

It was Broad, though, who had a hand in the departure of teenager Aslam – his right, in fact, diving high to take a good catch at square-leg as the left-hander went to pull. We saw how players adapted quite quickly to the situation and conditions.

After a night in before play, watching the mock documentary football comedy “Mike Bassett: England Manager”, the tourists have already come up with nicknames for their spin “twins”.

Farbrace, who is the assistant coach, is expecting a better performance this time round and is confident his troops can produce a few entertaining cricket while recording positive results.

As England juggle their options, and players attune themselves to unaccustomed dry desert pitches and searing heat, Farbrace reports they have been helped significantly already by Mahela Jayawardene.

“But, generally, I think we had a really good two days”.

Wood, given the first chance to impress here as England’s prospective third seamer against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, managed to extract a little bounce from a very slow surface. So will the quick bowlers, James Anderson and Stuart Broad who bagged just one wicket between them in the 23 overs they bowled. “It’s the way we want to go, and I know (coach) Trevor (Bayliss) is a huge fan of two spinners in the side”.

“The key to this series is allowing that sort of period where they do get a partnership – but not let them get more than four runs an over”, Wood said.