Obviously a left-hander’s pitch at Edgbaston. Believe that and you can keep putting your faith in a four-leafed clover or an old horseshoe. But the simple fact is that England were kept afloat by their left-handers on an intriguing first day.
There are two better reasons for that: Sohail Khan, the pace bowler of regimental mien, bowled exceptionally at England’s right-handed batsmen on his return to Test cricket after a five‑year absence; he found the outside edge of all of them. But he was nowhere near as effective against the left-handers especially when he opted to bowl around the wicket at them. Secondly, and perhaps even more pertinently, England’s left-handers batted better than their right-handers.
First there was Alastair Cook, the 2016 version, who romps along as if he is England’s answer to Matthew Hayden. Here he cruised to 45 in 52 balls. One of his square cuts – and this summer Pakistan and Sri Lanka have permitted him more of those than most sides – matched Hayden’s majesty and power. There was even a hint of disdain. Then Rahat Ali beat Cook’s inside edge. England’s captain opted to review more because he was in such a good form that a gut instinct to keep batting could not be suppressed rather than from any conviction that an incorrect decision had been made.
Soon James Vince and Gary Ballance were in partnership, both under scrutiny. At first they seemed determined to mirror each other’s virtues. Vince was watchful and restrained, desperate not to flirt outside his off-stump (there was just a solitary aberration); meanwhile Ballance was almost skittish, eager to assert to himself as he flicked another ball through midwicket.
Upon Vince’s departure, which was soon followed by that of Jonny Bairstow, Ballance reverted to type. The situation was serious with England tottering at 158 for five. Now Ballance dug in. He was solid in defence against the quicker bowlers. He now stands just outside his crease before that substantial trigger movement backwards. Thereafter he seemed to be further down the pitch when defending on the front foot. He seldom missed a ball, but now he was hell-bent upon staying there.
Alongside him was Moeen Ali, up a place due to Ben Stokes’ injury. Obviously England should bat him at No7 whoever else is playing in the team. Before this match he had played seven innings there in Test cricket, averaging 92. Perhaps he is a bit more discreet at the start of his innings when elevated. That was certainly the case on his old home ground yesterday.
He began with dutiful defence and there were no careless meanders down the crease to Yasir Shah. The bat was generally straight and passive; the bouncers were allowed to pass over his head. Only after his old Warwickshire Academy colleague, Chris Woakes, had departed did he play with more freedom. Eventually Mohammad Amir struck with the second new ball but until then Moeen’s timing was silky-smooth with those fitful echoes of Gower three decades ago, not bad for a No7. England’s predicament had been created by Pakistan’s solitary right-handed paceman, the first we have seen in this series. Sohail must have wondered whether he would ever establish himself as a Test cricketer. After five wickets on Wednesday he has a chance now, albeit at the age of 32.
It seems that his father was initially none too keen on young Sohail becoming a cricketer. When speaking to the Tribune newspaper in Pakistan last year Sohail revealed “my father used to break my bats”. He had to turn to alternative pursuits to keep himself fit. “In our village kabaddi was played very regularly,” he said, “and I also used to swim upstream for long periods to build my stamina and lifted oil cans filled with cement. With those exercises my body became really solid for a 16-year-old.” Sixteen years later it still is.
Even after Sohail had moved to Karachi in order to enhance his cricketing prospects life was not entirely straightforward. Eventually there was success in domestic cricket and then a Test cap in 2009 in Karachi against Sri Lanka – on one of those dreadful bowler-hostile pitches. Sri Lanka’s 644 for seven declared was matched by Pakistan’s 765 for six declared. Sohail bowled 27 overs in the match; he conceded 164 runs and there were no wickets.
Two years later in Bulawayo he played his second Test without conspicuous personal success, though he did take the wicket of Tatenda Taibu for 81 runs. Then he disappeared until the 2015 World Cup in Australia before making a comeback in Test cricket at Edgbaston. Here he had dispatched England’s top order long before tea-time. Perhaps they had underestimated him – certainly Bairstow was surprised by the steep bounce as he waved his bat outside the off-stump – but they all had to depart in the manner that every self-respecting pace bowler plans to take his wickets: via the outside edge. The left-handers played him better with the possible exception of Jimmy Anderson, who became his fifth victim from the last ball of the day. It is hard to imagine Sohail’s father breaking any bats now.
