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A fast bowler making an impression on his first-class comeback from a five-year spot-fixing ban; an allrounder who is unable to bowl due to a suspect action; a player recalled after a five-year gap in his Test career; a 41-year-old captain who may be about to play his final Test series; an offspinner who has had his action reported after taking a five-for in his second ODI.That’s just the last few weeks of Pakistan cricket. They are rarely without some drama or controversy. Yet amid everything, their Test side has become a relative beacon of calmness and solidity. They start the series against England as strong favourites.The two teams are neck-and-neck in the Test rankings – just a point separates them in third and fourth – but Pakistan have their home-from-home advantage, the far superior spin attack and a batting line-up that knows how to gorge themselves on the surfaces in this region even though they have been weakened a little for the first Test by Azhar Ali’s foot problem.It is a mighty six months for England, still buoyed by an Ashes victory and a high-octane summer which helped move the game on from a horrid year-and-a-half. The challenge of South Africa, the No. 1 Test side, is on the horizon but it was more than just a sportsman maintaining a focus on the here-and-now when Ben Stokes said “UAE will be the most challenging one”.Stokes’ assessment wasn’t intended as a slight on South Africa. However, those will not be conditions in which England historically struggle. It is likely to be a style of cricket more akin to that which was witnessed during the Ashes; in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, however, an England cricket team is out of its comfort zone. The possibilities for self-improvement are vast, the obstacles similarly so.Factor in, too, that only once in the last decade – against Bangladesh in 2009-10 – have England won the opening Test of an away series. With Pakistan’s formidable record in Abu Dhabi, where they have not lost a Test, a draw would be a result to accept.Neither have Pakistan lost a Test series in the UAE since it became their surrogate home in 2010. There have been wins against Sri Lanka, England and Australia and they drew 1-1 with South Africa.Arguably, last year’s series against New Zealand was the one that got away. They were 1-0 up after a resounding 248-run win in Abu Dhabi but New Zealand, on the back of a free-wheeling double hundred from Brendon McCullum, levelled in Sharjah. Perhaps not for the first time this year, New Zealand will provide an template to follow even if replicating McCullum’s 202 off 188 balls is surely a step too far for either of England’s openers.Trevor Bayliss and Ben Stokes take a break during training•Getty Images

The New Zealand series is the only one of Pakistan’s last four that they have not won, away victories in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka continuing the upward trend. The series in Sri Lanka had a remarkable conclusion, Pakistan bouncing back from a seven-wicket defeat to chase down 378 – the sixth-highest chase of all time – to win by seven wickets despite being 13 for 2.It means a record of 10 Tests, six wins, two draws and two losses since last October – the joint-most victories in the period, alongside Australia, and fewer defeats than anyone bar Bangladesh and South Africa. That 12-month timeframe also coincides with the disappearance of Saeed Ajmal from the side, something which could have so easily debilitated the team.Yasir Shah’s emergence as a world-class legspinner has been a key reason why that hasn’t happened, but Misbah-ul-Haq has also been an impressive leader. He has scored three hundreds – all in Abu Dhabi where he averages a stratospheric 120 – but just as importantly he has cajoled the best out of his team more often than not.Against Australia last year, the platform was set in two prolific Tests in which the top order made nine hundreds between them, and that is before you factor in the wicketkeeper, Sarfraz Ahmed, who is averaging 50 at No. 7. Alongside Yasir v England’s spinners, Sarfraz v Jos Buttler is one head-to-head which starts significantly in Pakistan’s favour based on recent form.In many ways, the greater unpredictability of late has not been with Pakistan, but England. Throughout 2015, they have immediately followed strong victories – in Grenada, at Lord’s and in Cardiff – with insipid defeats, and though they broke that trend to regain the Ashes at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge, they then resumed their erratic record with another heavy loss at The Oval.Still, in beating Australia, England have confounded expectations already this year and despite the Ashes success, England’s finest hour under Alastair Cook remains the 2012-13 series victory in India. Cook played a monumental role, as did the now-departed Kevin Pietersen, while it was England’s spin twins – Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar – who triumphed.What Cook would give for just one of those two spinners now (it adds to the sadness of Panesar’s situation as he tries, once again, to keep his career afloat) but he has to play with the hand he has been dealt. Cook’s batting, as a fine player of spin, will again be crucial – England can’t rely on Joe Root alone – and he will have to be at his most cunning as a captain.Moeen Ali bats in the nets ahead of the first Test•Getty Images

It will be fascinating to see how Pakistan play Moeen Ali. Should they work him around and test his endurance, or follow Australia’s lead in trying to attack him with an attitude bordering on the disrespectful (an approach which, ironically, often played into Moeen’s hands)? If Pakistan are able to stop Moeen bowling long spells Cook’s task could become forlorn.However, if England are to win, against the odds, it will be a miracle if their spinners play the decisive role. In 2012, James Anderson and Stuart Broad were England’s outstanding bowlers but that series took place in the UAE’s winter – January – as opposed to the oppressive late summer this time. They were also three years younger.The relative whipper-snappers, Mark Wood and Stokes, with their skiddy pace and ability to find reverse swing, will have to help make up for the lack of a proven matchwinning spinner while Steven Finn’s four wickets in the second warm-up match have provided a late conundrum, or a nice headache, for Cook and Trevor Bayliss.But the bowling won’t matter much without runs on the board. Since England last visited the UAE and contrived to lose after bowling Pakistan out for 99 in Dubai, the lowest first-innings total to win a Test in the region is Pakistan’s 341 against Sri Lanka in 2014, a game in which they chased down 302. In the last 12 months, in the same number of Tests, England’s top seven have scored nine hundreds against Pakistan’s 24.The recall of Shoaib Malik, with a Test average of 33, suggests the future may not be quite so rosy once Misbah and Younis Khan, who is on the verge of becoming Pakistan’s leading Test run-scorer, depart the scene. However, in the immediate future, it represents quite a gap for England to bridge.

The North Zone Vijay Merchant (Under-16) tournament encounter at theFeroz Shah Kotla ground involving Delhi and Punjab meandered to a drawon Monday. Delhi notched up five points since they secured the firstinnings lead and Punjab took home three.Opting to bat on the opening day, Punjab piled up 281. The score beinghelped along the way by a handsome batting display by their batsmen.Taking away no credit from the others, including the opener K Goel (50off 151 balls, 7 fours), Vipul Sharma was the top scorer with a 54(121 minutes, 109 balls, 6 fours). K Rawat was the most successfullbowler for Delhi with figures of 5 for 57.In reply, Delhi took a 116 run lead, K Rawat giving the needed propfor the innings with a sedate 99. With the Delhi scorecard reading 265for 8, Kuldeep Rawat and Abhinav Bali (66) came togather for a 132 runninth wicket partnership. Kuldeep was the last batsman to bedismissed. Kuldeep during his 290 minute stay at the crease faced 271balls and hit 12 fours. Punjab in the 14 overs that the received onthe final day scored 54 runs while losing opener Rahul Arora (31).

After months of preparation and deliberation about the challenges that face cricket in a changing South African society and recognising that there are challenges within the EP Cricket environment, the EP Cricket Board on recommendation of the United Cricket Board of South Africa have commissioned RGA – a management consultancy – to facilitate the creation of a strategic plan for our province.The strategic planning process is divided into two phases. The first being the "Assessment of the current reality", which took place on Monday and Tuesday of this week. This process involved the interviewing of a cross section of EP stakeholders. They included representatives from the public, EP Cricket staff, members of country as well as PE based cricket clubs and members of the media. All the interviews were conducted by RGA management consultants and were structured to find common areas of challenge.With the further challenges that the World Cup 2003 will present, it is crucial that all challenges be managed in a structured manner. RGA will now collate a report for presentation to the Executive of the EP Cricket Board and the Provincial Monitoring Committee. This document will be used to prepare for a two-day workshop in August that will form part of phase two of the process.During the workshop the results of the interview process will be evaluated, after which a strategic plan will be unveiled.According to a statement by the UCB, the process embarked upon by the EP Cricket Board is commendable in that it is prepared to recognise challenges and work pro-actively to meet them. The desire to get feedback form all stakeholders is indicative of EP Cricket’s commitment to create an even better organisation for all.

Teams for the ACB Cup match between New South Wales Second XI and the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy to be played at Howell Oval, Penrith, 24-27 September 2001:New South Wales Second XI: Graeme Rummans (captain), Brett van Deinsen, Philip Jaques, Aaron O’Brien, Grant Lambert, Dominic Thornely, Anthony Clark, Dan Horsley, Nathan Pilon, Steve Coombes, Jamie Heath, Michael Goldsmith.Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy: Beau Casson (WA), Shaun Marsh (WA), Luke Ronchi (WA), Scott Meuleman (WA), Steve Magoffin (QLD), Xavier Doherty (TAS), Tim Welsford (VIC), Rowan Brewster (NSW), Daniel Smith (NSW), Aaron Scott (NSW), Mark Cosgrove (SA), Duncan Betts (QLD).

An almost full strength Bangladesh national team playing as CricketCommittee of Dhaka Metropolitan XI were crushed by the Overseas XI,comprising foreign players currently participating in the country’s PremierLeague. The match held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium was organized byone of the country’s oldest clubs, Wari Club as part of their Centnearycelebrations. It was curtailed to a 38-over a side encounter due to heavyrain on the previous night. Akram Khan led the Bangladesh side while TareqMehmood was in charge of the guests’ side which had ten Pakistanis out ofthe eleven.Electing to bat first, CCDM lost Naimur Rahman early for 12, beforeShahriar Hussain and Habibul Bashar added 91 runs for the second wicket.Bashar left for 37 with the score on 112 and his partner Shahriar was thenext to go, top scoring with 66, an innings which inlcuded three boundariesand two sixes.Shahriar was Pakistani left armer Mohammad Hossain’s firstvictim and more soon followed. The rest of the batsman were unable to putup any resistance against the Overseas attack, as Hossain ripped throughthe ordertaking 5/19. CCDM ended at up with a disappointing score of 182/9in their allotted 38 overs.Overseas XI started disastrously losing Mohammad Hossain, who failed toscore. But after that another good second wicket partnership, this timebetween Salim Elahi (69 off 19 balls, 10 fours and a six) and Imran Farhet(39) worth 92 put the imports in a very comfortable position. After thedeparture of both the anchoring batsman, Sarfaraz followed cheaply withjust 2. With the score on 157 and just 23 runs required, Abid Hanif (19)and Manzoor Elahi (18) played it safe and Overseas XI sailed to victorywith 3 overs to spare.

The Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, is being pulled down with the view of building a new stadium with a greater capacity in two years time. The demolishing of the structure began on September 10 and is likely to take four months.The stadium, built on 50 acres of land on the banks of the Sabarmati river, has hosted 12 Tests and 24 ODIs between 1983 and 2014. The venue provided the setting to some historic moments, including Sunil Gavaskar becoming the first-ever batsman to score 10000 Test runs in 1987, and Kapil Dev breaking Richard Hadlee’s then world record of 431 Test wickets in 1994. The Sardar Patel Stadium also hosted the second quarter-final of the 2011 World Cup, where India beat Australia by five wickets.The new stadium is likely to have improved infrastructure for both players as well as spectators with increase in number of air-conditioned boxes and parking facilities.

After the dramatic scenes in Moscow on Wednesday night there will be only one sporting occasion being talked about in the days to come, even on the cricket side of Old Trafford. Manchester United and Chelsea couldn’t be split until sudden-death penalties, but 500 yards down the road from where the Champions League trophy will sit, another contest is about to begin between two other sides who are also neck-to-neck, albeit involving far less tension and a little less financial value.The atmosphere over the next five days won’t come near to matching Luzhniki Stadium or, for that matter, Manchester city centre. Not even a Kevin Pietersen classic, or the high-fiving celebrations of Monty Panesar, will register on the same level, although Michael Vaughan would gladly take a dose of both.England need to kick-start their summer if they are to back-up Vaughan’s belief that this team are more advanced that the Ashes-winning unit was the summer before their success in 2005. Even taking into account the disruptive nature of the weather, their performance at Lord’s didn’t include much of the high-octane, initiative-seizing cricket that became a hallmark of their game from early 2004 for that golden 18-month period.If any ground is likely to inspire them it is Old Trafford. They have won three of the last four Tests here (the other being the thrilling draw against Australia). “It’s probably the best cricket wicket in the country,” Vaughan said. “We feel very comfortable here as a team, the wicket is always a very good one. It usually has plenty of pace and offers a lot for Monty Panesar as well.”With the captain having found form, the batting pressure shifts to Paul Collingwood who is having a dire early season and has now gone 10 Tests without a century. England’s line-up is still failing to deliver as a unit. Their second-innings performance in Napier bought them some time, but not much. The last occasion they reached 400 in the first innings was the same Test as Collingwood’s last century, against West Indies at Chester-le-Street last June. Everyone knows the top six all average over 40, yet as a collective their output over the last 18 months has only been heading one way and the feeling persists they don’t feel pressure for their places.”I certainly don’t think it’s cosy,” said Vaughan. “I don’t think anyone’s place is guaranteed. I’ve been involved in an England team a few years ago that was consistent in who we picked for a long period and that achieved great results. As much as we want those 400 scores, it’s about winning as a team. They feel very comfortable in each other’s company.”Going into the Sunday [at Lord’s] we knew we had to get 400-450 to put New Zealand under pressure on that last day,” he said. “We lost wickets and changed the way we went about our game. They are all good players, you talk about form all the time but I fully expect all the guys this week to go in on a good wicket and get a score. We are still better than the form we have shown over the last year.”I think this wicket is a perfect opportunity for us to get those first-innings runs. We are all playing well at times, but not as a collective unit. The most important thing is winning games of cricket and to do that you have to get 400 on the board consistently. That’s our aim throughout the summer, both against New Zealand and later South Africa.”If anything, it was New Zealand who ended with their noses in front at Lord’s after Jacob Oram’s final-day century and Brendon McCullum’s insistence that he would come back out to bat after that crunching blow on his forearm from Stuart Broad. England may have thought they’d knocked the stuffing out of McCullum and scored a psychological point, but this New Zealand side are giving as good as they get.However, England’s short-pitched attack on McCullum was a clear policy and if the Old Trafford pitch lives up to its pacey reputation then all the New Zealanders can expect to be hovering on the back foot. “We don’t come across too many fast and bouncy wickets around the world these days,” said Daniel Vettori.”Even Perth has lost some of its reputation so it will be a new experience for us, but I suppose for a lot of our new guys every situation is a new experience to adapt to. I played here in 1999 and would probably have called it a low, slow turner so it’s going to be completely different. As in any situation it’s about which teams adapts the best.”When Pakistan played here in 2006 they prepared by using a marble slab to try and replicate the wicket conditions. They promptly folded inside three days, being bowled out for 119 and 222. New Zealand haven’t opted for any special preparation, although Vettori did say the batting coach, Mark O’Neill, has used his experience of being brought up in Perth.”A lot of the new guys have talked about it with him,” said Vettori. “But some of the time bowlers get carried away with the extra pace and bounce so it’s almost them who have to adapt more. That’s what we’ll be stressing, that it’s the same lengths on a bouncy wicket as it was at Lord’s.”Vaughan, though, was more into laying down the challenge to his quick bowlers, making the point that they will have to bend their backs to get rewards. “Pace is crucial,” he said. “You know you have to bowl with a decent amount of gas and if you do that you will create opportunities with both conventional and reverse swing.”I am excited about the young seam attack, but they will have to be at top pace to get rewards at Old Trafford. As a bowler you can see the ball carry, but you have to be up there with your pace in every spell you bowl. If you trundle out here and bowl at 80-81mph you can see yourself going around the park.”Vaughan added he liked the “chin music” that Old Trafford Tests can produce and New Zealand won’t mind if expectations remain low despite their performance at Lord’s. After the victory in Hamilton the players didn’t appear quite so comfortable when being talked-up thereafter, and key moments were lost during the last two Tests. However, there may come a time when even the New Zealanders might have to admit they are a bit better than they think, and if that happens, England will realise they aren’t as good as they believe they are.

Gordon Greenidge, the West Indies convenor of selectors, has told his team to be more forceful and consistent during the series against Australia, which starts at Sabina Park on Thursday. The hosts face a serious threat against the world champions, especially without their injured captain Chris Gayle, but Greenidge has outlined a game plan he hopes will be successful.”We have to decide to be more forceful, more positive and spend time at the crease,” he told AFP. “What we want is consistency. This is something we have been fighting for over the years. This series presents an opportunity for players to be counted – new players and established players.”Ramnaresh Sarwan will lead the team, which also welcomes back Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo from the Indian Premier League, after Gayle was unavailable due to a groin injury. In a good sign for the side Gayle was able to join the squad for a light session in Jamaica and batted on the outfield.Greenidge has demanded a positive approach for the series. “In this case it does not mean going overboard and trying to hit every ball to the boundary,” he said. “Common sense has to prevail. You have to first see what is happening and then be positive in your approach.”

ScorecardAndre Nel and Makhaya Ntini combined to outclass Bangladesh A on the second day at New Road, their seven wickets shooting out their fellow tourists for 121 in 40 overs. For Nel, especially, it was a timely performance after Dale Steyn injury made him the likely replacement for the third Test at Edgbaston.He warmed up with an impressive burst, capturing 3 for 25 for 12 overs, while Ntini’s pace was also too much; within nine overs he grabbed 4 for 32. Monde Zondeki, another pace bowler available as back-up, also took a wicket, while Paul Harris took the opportunity to also get some overs under his belt and snared two victims before the innings withered away.Nel admitted afterwards that he was still a little bit short of where he wanted to be for his Test return, but said he felt that another bowl in Bangladesh’s second innings would see him there. “I need to hit the crease with a bit more aggression but overall I was pleased with my performance.”The South Africans extended their first innings to maximum 100 overs before Nel struck in his first over to remove Tamim Iqbal and from the on it was a procession. He also grabbed the Test pair of Shakib Al Hasan and Musfiqur Rahim as Bangladesh slumped to 74 for 8. Three figures was looking out of reach until Mosharraf Hossain hit 25 off 57 balls.Ntini’s haul confirmed his improving form following a slow start to the tour. He went wicketless at Lord’s, but was much more of a threat at Headingley when he began England’s second-innings demise with the early wickets of Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan.There was a minor injury scare when Jacques Kallis was taken to hospital for a precautionary X-ray, after damaging the fourth finger of his left hand while attempting an overhead catch in the slips. But the damage was no more than a strained ligament and he both fielded and batted without difficulty on his return. It was the second injury fright Kallis had suffered on the tour, following the blow to the elbow he took from Andy Caddick at Taunton in the opening game of the trip.Graeme Smith decided not to enforce the follow-on and allowed his batsmen another chance to sharpen up ahead of the third Test. JP Duminy, who hit 166 on the first day, came down to earth with bump as he was trapped by Rubel Hossain for 1. However, Kallis bagged his second half-century of the game and AB de Villiers scored comfortably as the lead was extended to 453. Nel and company will have another chance to stretch their legs on the final day.

Sourav Ganguly’s presence in the India A squad for the second and final Test against New Zealand A has turned an otherwise low-key affair – against the backdrop of larger issues in Indian cricket – into a mini spectacle. This match in Chennai is the only opportunity for Ganguly, who has not played competitive cricket for over a month, to hit form ahead of the first Test against Australia in Bangalore on October 9.Ganguly, included in the 15-member squad for the first two Tests against Australia, had requested he be included for this match after being overlooked for the Irani Cup.India A lead the series following a 129-run win in the first Test, also in Chennai. However, their batting is a bit of a concern. Bar Suresh Raina’s second-innings century, and knocks of 45 and 57 from No. 3 M Vijay, India A’s batting struggled. Ganguly’s presence, against a relatively innocuous bowling attack, thus boosts the side.For the tourists, hammered in the tri-series also involving Australia, the last game of the tour offers the proverbial chance to save face. New Zealand started their tour promisingly, beating Australia by 129 runs in their first one-dayer, but have lost four games since then. They were in a good position on day one of the first Test, reaching 36 for 0 after bowling India out for 248. However, they only made 230 and then, chasing 355, folded for 225.