Mohammed Yousuf and his impressive beard returned to international cricket at the Oval

The poor form of Alastair Cook at the top of England’s order would have given Pakistan some hope at the start. He duly obliged them, edging his third ball through the slip cordon for four, picking up another scratchy shot for two before snicking one from Mohammad Asif through to the unreliable gloves of Kamran Akmal. Thankfully for Asif and Pakistan, Akmal held on.

Strauss and Jonathan Trott briefly rallied but both soon fell in quick succession, exposing the out of form Kevin Pietersen and the dogged Paul Collingwood. Pietersen hung around to face 29 balls for his six, Collingwood came and went for five. Pakistan were all over England and, surprisingly and refreshingly, holding every chance that came their way.

Eoin Morgan dug in to accumulate 17 after lunch and Graeme Swann, his cat freed from the floorboards in the Swann household, went for eight. They were the only two wickets to tumble in the afternoon session.

Matt Prior is one England batsman playing at the top of his game. Together with Stuart Broad, a player who has so far failed to live up to his early offerings with the bat, he played his shots to free England from a bad situation at 94/7. 119 runs later the situation wasn’t quite so desperate.

Once Broad departed James Anderson followed, as did Steven Finn, leaving Prior as the not-out batsman on 84, England eventually reaching 233.

The bowling stars of the summer for Pakistan had been Mohammads Amir and Asif as well as Saeed Ajmal who claimed a five-for at Edgbaston. At the Oval on Day One it was the turn of debutant left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz to take the plaudits with an impressive five wickets for 63 runs.

Whilst the bowling talent on display in the Pakistan ranks hasn’t been questioned, the batting has. Captain Salman Butt demoted himself to number three in the order and left Imran Farhart and Yasir Hameed to face the new ball music.

They battled through under sunny skies until Farhart went for an ill-advised drive off Anderson in the final over, succeeding only in getting an inside edge onto his off stump. Back to Wahab to enter the fray as night watchman.

The story off the day was painted almost entirely by the atmospheric conditions. With leaden skies the Pakistani bowlers looked often unplayable, yet Prior and Broad were able to bat comfortably through the afternoon session as the clouds dispersed and the sun donned his hat. The English bowlers, too, looked far from their swinging best without the clouds. With the forecast for Day Two looking like throwing up sunshine for the majority, Pakistan could well have a golden opportunity to drag themselves off the canvas and back into this four Test series.

Whether or not their much maligned batting line-up – now including the recently banned Mohammed Yousuf – can stand the pressure and put Pakistan in command remains to be seen. It’s high time they supported their world class bowling unit with some runs. Day Two will be enthralling at the very least.

By Miles Reucroft

Ricky Ponting wasn't looking, or feeling, this smug after another shocking decision having won the toss - his side was dismissed for 88 by Pakistan.

The Headingley Test of 2010. Australia had just hammered Pakistan at Lord’s and Ricky Ponting won the toss. A cracked pitch with conditions seemingly in favour of the bowlers. Ponting chose to bat.

Whilst the 2005 Edgbaston Test went famously down to the wire after England made a complete mockery of Ponting’s decision, Pakistan blitzed Australia for 88.

Tim Paine top scored with 17. Extras, that usually forgotten 12th man, chipped in with a handsome eight runs. Ponting himself continued his poor form with an uneasily constructed innings of six runs. Is this the beginning of the end for the Australian captain?

There are only 120-odd days until the first Ashes Test in Brisbane and Ponting’s star is visibly on the wane. Once formidable against short pitched bowling, he now looks vulnerable. Once assured in his decision making, he now appears to stutter.

Should his Australian team fail to win back the Ashes this winter then Ponting will surely be ousted as skipper. Decisions such as those made at Edgbaston and Headingley will do nothing to assist his cause.

For the rest of the cricketing world there will surely not be a great deal of sympathy for Australia or Ponting. Questions have always hung over his tenure and it has been with envious eyes that the rest of the world has watched its finest try to compete with teams boasting totemic figures such as McGrath, Warne, Waugh, Ponting himself, Gilchrist et al.

They have enjoyed such a lengthy tenure at the top of cricket’s world order, and not always with the grace and good manner of worthy champions, that now the time for change is obvious many will witness with it with a wry smile.

The sight of a Pakistan team still reeling from recent events at board and captaincy level rolling the Aussies over for a meagre 88 inside the first two sessions of the second Test will have brought a great ear-to-ear grin on many a Yorkshireman’s face at Headingley – and not just those with Pakistani origins.

By Miles Reucroft

Bristol witnessed Bangladesh's maiden victory over England

From a Bangladeshi perspective it is obviously a highlight – claiming their first victory in over 200 days and their first ever over England in any form of cricket. The joy was evident in both sets of celebrations.

From an English perspective it was a good loss – if there can be such a thing – because of the response that it elicited from the team. England responded like a wounded animal for a ruthless victory in the final match at Edgbaston – a quality often admired in Australia.

Andrew Strauss has already used the word ruthless; when three-nil up against Australia it was the quality that England would demonstrate to ensure they secured a whitewash against the old enemy. That didn’t happen and it looked as if England lacked the fire in the belly needed to acquire total dominance, giving some momentum back to the Aussies.

Monday’s thumping 144 run victory showed a clinical will to win. Even though Bangladesh can’t be considered as formidable a foe as Australia, it was encouraging to see that such a spirit exists within this English side. If they lose the first test in Brisbane during this winter’s Ashes defence then they look like a side that could come out more fired up for the second at Adelaide, rather than one licking their wounds and wondering if 2014 will bring that elusive win on Australian soil.

For the objective cricket fan, the game at Bristol was an obvious highlight. Any ODI that is settled by five runs is going to be exciting, especially when it looks like a below par score has been posted and should be chased down comfortably.

On top of that was the drama of Bell’s injury. Would he bat? If so, where in the order would he slot in? Were Bangladesh going to have the victory cruelly snatched away having thought they had already won?

It was also a great game for the staunch defenders of the one day game. 40 and 50 over cricket is certainly in a slump at the moment, but Saturday was a reminder that it can be fantastic. On paper it should be a success – a full day’s cricket that is self contained. ODIs give fans the chance to watch the game’s stars for more than a couple of hours and witness the resolution of the contest.

Perhaps there are things that can be done to improve the format (the power plays have done some good), or the mentality that teams bring to it (to avoid the slow middle overs) but, ultimately, the only way for one day cricket to capture the attention of fans is to be exciting. If next year’s World Cup is able to produce more matches like the one at Bristol, then there could well be hope for it yet.

By Luke Catterson

Muttiah Muralitharan, with his record-breaking and contraversial action, will be sorely missed by Sri Lanka and the international game

To say that he is reverred in Sri Lanka is an understatement. In a country split by warring factions Murali is a symbol of unity and success. His exploits are gratefully acclaimed throughout the rest of the sub-continent and most of the cricketing world without, perhaps, the notable exception of Australia.

Down Under Murali has faced near constant accusations of being a ‘chucker’ with former Australian Prime Minister John Howard once publicly calling him as much. The Australian public and press always openly championed Shane Warne as the greatest bowler of them all, a view perhaps shared in England and South Africa, although not nearly as vehemently. As such, Murali never turned in his career defining performances on Aussie soil, perhaps the only black mark against an otherwise glittering career.

He had his action thoroughly examined by the ICC in light of being cited for ‘chucking’ (i.e affording too much flex in his elbow at the point of delivery) but was cleared of any wrong doing. The accusation undoubtedly tarnished his reputation irreversibly though.

Test cricket will bid farewell to its greatest (at least in terms of volume of wickets) bowler during the Galle Test between Sri Lanka and India commencing July 18th. Given his recent form it would seem unlikely that Murali could snare the eight remaining victims required for a historic 800th wicket, but no one would bet against him. He has one final chance to make it and everyone will surely be willing him on.

He will not take part in the subsequent ODIs against India and will pick and choose the international fixtures that he participates in prior to making himself available for selection for the 2011 ICC World Cup which will be held, at least in part, in Sri Lanka.

The timing of Murali’s decision is in keeping with his desire to bow out at the top of his game. Rather than plod along and be selected solely on the basis of his reputation, Murali is conscious not to block the path of emerging talent in Sri Lanka. He also doesn’t wish to suffer the indignity of being dropped. Rather than suffer this humiliating fate, he will depart the international game after one final fling at glory in next year’s World Cup.

Surrey had been sniffing around him to participate for them later on in this County Championship season but this offer appears set to be declined as he limits the amount of cricket that he plays between now and the World Cup. After that it is assumed that he will continue to participate in the lucrative Indian Premier League, a tournament that he won with Chennai Super Kings this year.

It will be sad to lose Murali. His name evokes fond memories and his persistently happy and chirpy demeanour complimented his all-round style. Never a panther in the field and often a bunny with the bat, he always plays with a joie de vivre often lacking in modern sport in general. He is similar in his outlook to Ronaldinho, the Brazilian football star, in that he genuinely appears to enjoy doing what he does.

It would be a fitting departure from Test cricket if he could take eight Indian wickets at Galle, but sport is rarely a breeding ground for sentimentality on such occassions. He will need to lift his game to heights that have recently deserted him after a run of injuries and loss of form. With only one more game to go, however, it would be the perfect send-off to see the tiny Tamil wheeling away in delight at number 800.

By Miles Reucroft

Eoin Morgan has continued to shine in England's middle order

Perhaps the most alarming development for England’s Ashes hopes at the end of the year was the stunning re-emergence of Shaun Tait at Lord’s. Having been recalled into the Australian side following a foot injury sustained by off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, Tait had a quiet but economical time at The Oval in the fourth fixture, but burst into life in the fifth and final game. His time in County Cricket with Glamorgan has clearly done him no harm.

It wasn’t so much his match winning spell of 4-48 that will bother England, but rather the lasting memory of his terrifying pace that accounted for Andrew Strauss, Michael Yardy and Paul Collingwood, all clean bowled, as well as Graeme Swann caught. There is nothing more electric than a sustained spell of all-out pace and Tait tipped the speed gun into three-figures at one stage of his destructive spell.

The memory of this will endure until the winter and should Tait stay fit he will surely feature in the Ashes series. As for further indicators ahead of that series it is difficult to judge. England were well on top to begin with before Australia swung the pendulum of control back in their direction during England’s third and final victory at Old Trafford. That England escaped with a victory there after a late collapse gave them a series that would otherwise have gone to Australia.

Eoin Morgan continued to shine in his role as England’s middle order anchor and Kevin Pietersen’s form was a talking point, as was that of visiting skipper Ricky Ponting. Both sides now face Test and ODI and Twenty20 games against Pakistan before all eyes will be firmly set upon the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.

By Miles Reucroft

Where is everybody? Watching football and tennis

With the World Cup in full swing in South Africa, as well as the commencement of Wimbledon yesterday, there is a lot of sport to choose from at the moment. England’s crucial game with Slovenia tomorrow will well and truly dominate the papers and online sport content and the drama from SW14 will feature prominently too. So who will be paying attention to a seemingly pointless ODI series between two sides who played out one of the most boring, one-sided and lengthy ODI series in memory only at the end of last year?

It is all too blatant that this five game series has been arranged to swell the coffers of the England and Wales Cricket Board without a thought for preserving the special nature and meaning of fixtures between these sides. The drama of last year’s Ashes series was swiftly quashed by Australia’s 6-1 thumping of the hosts in the subsequent seven game ODI series. It dragged the visit of Australia, the most eagerly anticipated of all visits to English shores, out to utterly unnecessary lengths.

The timing of this series, as a result of Australia’s forthcoming fixtures with Pakistan in England, is poor. The combination of World Cup, Wimbledon and a crammed cricketing fixture list make it all rather unpalatable. A quick two or three-game series would have been far more agreeable, or even a return to the discredited triangular series format involving Pakistan too.

Another downer on this series is the fact that neither team has an awful lot to prove. Australia’s recent record in this format against England has been spectacular. England finally has an ICC limited overs trophy in the cabinet following the team’s victory, against Australia in the final, at the ICC World Twenty20. There have been questions posed over Andrew Strauss’s continuation in the ODI captaincy role but a few runs here and that debate is forgotten.

Our prediction for this series? It will do yet more damage to the image of ODI cricket as these two teams play out a meaningless series to an audience that is surely becoming increasingly disillusioned at the state of the game. Series between England and Australia should inspire news legions of cricket fans. This one won’t – every potential new fan will instead be falling in love with football or cricket.

By Miles Reucroft

Robert Croft, centre, in his heyday for England. How much does he have left to offer Glamorgan?

Most critics are quick to lament an older player’s poor performances, especially if there is a talented youngster waiting in the wings. The temptation is to wean off your stalwarts sooner rather than later to make sure you avoid ‘years of rebuilding’ and accusations of sentimentality and an inability to evolve – even if may be a bit too early to do so.

At Glamorgan it is hard to think of Robert Croft without a nostalgic smile. The man has epitomised cricket in South Wales for many years. When I was too young to really appreciate cricket, his was a name that penetrated my indifference. He is, therefore, in a position where his selection could be seen to be borne out of his service to the club in the past and not out of his current ability to perform.

This all comes to mind with Croft’s limited appearances so far this season. His contract was extended for two years at the end of last season and he gave all the expected comments about ‘still enjoying his cricket’ and ‘feeling like his body is still capable of more’. Having flirted with retirement, however, it is now assumed that he is in his final throes. The paradox of announcing you are still fit enough to still be playing is that it reminds people that you are at an age where it’s a possibility that you are not.

During the appearances he has made this season, Croft has performed well. Last season he looked a useful all-rounder in a middle order that has struggled in recent times. His experience and aptitude with the bat is a useful weapon. Jim Allenby has added stability in that part of the line up, but there is still a sense of security in seeing Croft at the crease, knowing that he can come in at number seven or eight and make a middling score a good one, or a poor score passable. Not to mention his ability to take wickets.

It would, therefore, be a shame to see Croft’s final seasons peter out with infrequent performances – not because that is a sad way to end your career, but because I think it would be a waste.

Glamorgan rejected a loan offer from Gloucestershire for Croft earlier in the season and I can only hope that this is because the intention is for Croft to be a regular part of the Glamorgan side – not because ‘it would be weird to see him playing for someone else.’ He still has too much to offer to be kept as a ceremonial figure to parade before the fans.

Also, let us not forget how young this Glamorgan side is. There is an abundance of youth and they could learn a lot from a player of Croft’s experience, especially one who is still more than capable of performing at County level.

It is important to plan for the future, but it is equally important not to confuse the present with the past.

By Luke Catterson

Okay, that might be somewhat over the top and anything other than the 2-0 series score would have been more surprising than Alastair Cook attempting a switch-hit, England’s next wicketkeeper being born in England or Tamim Iqbal taking a long, patient look at the pitch with a few forward defensive strokes.

The Cricket Blog takes a closer look at the performances of those England players who featured in the two Test series against Bangladesh. Whilst the hosts secured a comfortable series win, not everyone cashed in as he would have hoped…

Steven Finn further enhanced his international reputation against Bangladesh

Andrew Strauss – 7/10 – the skipper led from the front although he will be hugely disappointed not to have reached three figures in either Test. 186 runs for the series represents a comfortable reintroduction to international cricket though.

Alastair Cook – 5/10 – on the receiving end of two tough decisions at Lord’s but should have got more at Old Trafford. 59 series runs is a disappointment.

Jonathan Trott – 9/10 – an underrated double century at Lord’s was England’s best offering with the bat. He looked to take the attack to the visitors and top scored in the series for the hosts with 265 runs.

Kevin Pietersen – 6/10 – appears to require a bigger stage than this to get himself ticking. A brisk 64 at Old Trafford left him with 92 series runs.

Ian Bell – 8/10 – was accounted for at Lord’s by a rare beauty from the visitors but cashed in at Old Trafford with England’s only century. 145 series runs will be a relief to him.

Eoin Morgan – 6/10 – never really got going and was dismissed by a stunning catch at Old Trafford by Jahurul Islam whilst on 37. 81 series runs is a start to Test match life but he will need more if he gets a shot at Pakistan.

Matt Prior – 7/10 – batted like a man under pressure for his place but dug in for an indignant 93 at Old Trafford until a ludicrous reverse-sweep accounted for him. 109 series runs and some sound glove work have kept him ahead of Craig Kieswetter in the Test side.

Tim Bresnan – 5/10 – struggled to adjust to Test cricket following the Twenty20 campaign. Four wickets at Lord’s before injury ruled him out of the Manchester Test.

Ajmal Shahzad – 7/10 - Four wickets on debut as Bresnan’s replacement and looked a good fielder, helping to execute Finn’s short-ball tactics. Poor return with the bat, he will know he is better than that.

Graeme Swann – 6/10 – uncharacteristically quiet at Lord’s (no wickets), he bounced back with a five-for in Bangladesh’s first innings at Old Trafford and looked lively with the bat. Six series wickets.

James Anderson – 7/10 – Too hot to handle on his home ground in the second Test, returned to action with nine series wickets and looked every bit the new-ball spearhead of the side.

Steven Finn – 9/10 – two five-fors and 15 wickets, Finn was clearly England’s best bowler. Still has much to learn and things could go either way for him against Pakistan having cemented his place in the starting XI – for now.

Agree with us? What did you make of the series? Feel free to let us know.

By Miles Reucroft

Tamim Iqbal delighted the crowds at Lord's and Old Trafford and top scored in the series

The leading light of the series was Bangladeshi opener Tamim Iqbal, who, with no shortage of style and expansive strokes, helped himself to 268 runs in the series with centuries in either Test. His hundred here in Manchester, however, was squandered by his team mates.

When Iqbal departed in the first innings Bangladesh were 169 for three, having been 126 for naught. The thought of them not reaching the 219 required to avoid following on was on nobody’s mind but the evening session on Saturday witnessed England, spearheaded once again by Graeme Swann who took a maiden five-fer on home soil, claim all 10 Bangladesh wickets.

With rain in the Mancunian air on Sunday, Andrew Strauss enforced the follow on and that afternoon England breezed to the type of victory that had been anticipated in both Test matches. With a thick cloud cover the ball swung and seamed around to the delight of the England quicks.

Steven Finn, top wicket taker in the series with 15, helped himself to a second five-fer with a barrage of short-pitched deliveries aimed at testing out the technique of the visiting batsmen. It was a test that they quite comprehensively failed.

James Anderson looked back to his best too and debutant Yorkshireman Ajmal Shahzad enjoyed a solid start to his Test career, although he will undoubtedly have been disappointed with his contribution with the bat.

Where his international career goes from here appears uncertain as Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad and even the injured Graham Onions remain ahead of him in the pecking order. Should he be given another go against Pakistan later on in the summer it will be interesting to see how he fares against superior opposition to that on offer here.

Another highlight of this mini-series centres around one single delivery bowled by Shakib Al Hasan in England’s first and only innings in Manchester. His dismissal of Ian Bell for an impressive 128 was unquestionably the delivery of the series. The ball pitched around a leg-stump line, gripped, turned and spat past Bell’s outside edge to clip the top of off-stump.

The diminutive Bangladesh captain’s delivery was such an extreme triumph of ball over bat as to cause consternation to any batsman who faces up to him in the future – the knowing that he is capable of producing such magic can be as dangerous as the actual doing. Shane Warne’s ball to Mike Gatting here in 1993 had this affect on his career. Every batsman who faced him thereafter knew that Warne could account for them in a moment of brilliance. Warne was never shy in reminding his opposition of that fact, either. Ask Daryll Cullinan.

It would be remiss to compare Shakib to Warne but he is clearly a talented bowler if not an inspirational captain. His five-fer in the second Test appeared to have offered his troops some momentum, but once they had collapsed so meekly in their first innings it would have taken a miracle to rouse their spirits into any form of a come-back.

Check back again tomorrow when we will rate each England player involved in this series.

By Miles Reucroft

Graeme Swann celebrates during his first over in Test cricket

That he was named the ECB’s Cricketer of the Year this week will have surprised many given the unorthodox character that Swann clearly is. His attitude from earlier on in life lingers but is now augmented with the lessons of time; he now knows when to stop. He has also developed a useful knowledge of when to seize his moment.

He first displayed this ability on Test debut in Chennai. Having contributed one run to England’s first innings total of 316, Swann showed the world what he could do in the 14th over of India’s response. First Gautam Gambhir was flummoxed by one that went straight on with the arm and then ‘The Wall’, Rahul Dravid, was trapped lbw too. One over in, Swann had two Test wickets.

It was an extraordinary (re)introduction to International cricket. Whilst England lost that match thanks to the twin abilities of Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar to seize their own moments, the discovery of Graeme Swann as a Test cricketer in those first six deliveries has, perhaps, been of greater importance.

His ability to come at batsmen hard from the first ball of a spell is almost unparalleled, especially amongst modern English spin bowlers. He bounces in with a certainty about him and posses a self confidence that is more akin to a boxer. He combines this with intelligence in his deliveries too, always knowing when to vary his pace, lines and lengths and when to give the ball some air.

It is in his batting, however, that we see the devil of old in Swann. Batting frees him from the deep thinking of spin bowling and allows him to act on his natural instinct. He can play his strokes with the best of them and is no stranger to a reverse sweep or two. Or a switch hit. Or a dance down the wicket to an opposing spinner.

The British media nominating him for this recent accolade is apt. He was pivotal in England regaining the Ashes last year with his all-round performances and consistently jovial demeanor that must have served the dressing room well in the midst of the unquestionable strain of five Test matches versus Australia. He was also a constant thorn in South Africa’s side during the winter and was a key member of the side that won England’s first piece of ICC silverware in 35 long years of trying.

He has learnt when to play the fool and when to play the cricketer. Having been named as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year in April his importance to English cricket is being recognised. He reached number two in the ICC Test bowling rankings in March and will surely fancy a shot at making himself Number One. Given the rapid ascent that his career has taken since moving to Nottinghamshire, it would be no surprise if he does.

By Miles Reucroft