Zimbabwe vs Pakistan 2013 Live Score: 3rd ODI at Harare

While Pakistan kept the same team that beat Zimbabwe at the same venue a few days ago, Zimbabwe made two changes to their eleven.

Vijay Zol aims high after century on first-class debut

Scoring a century in your debut first-class innings could be the dream of any young player and Vijay Zol, who achieved the remarkable feat on Friday, wants to savour this knock for the rest of his life. Though he was a bit nervous before going in to bat, Zol knew what was required of him and went about his business accordingly. "Nerves were very much there. But I tried to keep my composure early on and the more time I spent in the middle, the more confident I became," Zol told Cricketnext after stroking 110 against a New Zealand A featuring Test bowlers Mark Gillespie and Doug Bracewell in Visakhapatnam. "The knock that I played today was very special to me and will always remain very close to my heart. Scoring a hundred on debut is a big thing and I am delighted that I was able to achieve such a feat." ALSO SEE Zol, Nayar tons round off draw Zol is just 18 but he has already seen the tough phase in life as Jalna, a small town in Maharashtra, doesn't have a cricket stadium and it took special efforts from him and his father, Hari, to get him the basic infrastructure so that he could pursue his career.

Pakistan’s Hafeez, Junaid wrap up big win against Zimbabwe

HARARE – A commanding century by Mohammad Hafeez and a four-wicket haul from left-arm seamer Junaid Khan led Pakistan to a series-levelling victory over Zimbabwe in the second one-day international on Thursday. Full Scorecard: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe 2nd ODI After Hafeez had carried Pakistan to an imposing total of 299 for four with an unbeaten 136, Junaid stubbed out a promising run chase by the Zimbabweans to secure a a 90-run win and set up a series decider on Saturday. Captain Brendan Taylor led Zimbabwe’s reply from the front with an assured 79, but his dismissal saw the hosts collapse from 200 for four in the 39th over to 209 all out in the 43rd as Junaid finished with figures of 4 for 15. Taylor had shared partnerships with Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams and Malcolm Waller as Zimbabwe laid a platform for what would have been the highest successful run chase at Harare Sports Club, only for Junaid and Saeed Ajmal to snuff it out. Ajmal induced a top-edge from Taylor that was taken one-handed by seven-foot Pakistan bowler Mohammad Irfan, and in the next over Junaid dismissed both Waller and Elton Chigumbura to end any hopes of victory for Zimbabwe. Pakistan’s batsmen had struggled in the first ODI on Tuesday, which they lost by seven wickets, leading captain Misbah-ul-Haq to call on them to end a prolonged run of substandard performances in 50-over cricket. Hafeez answered that call with a superb knock, hitting five sixes but also showing restraint after Pakistan had stuttered to 84 for three in the 22nd over. The 32-year-old gained control of the innings in a 129-run stand with Umar Amin, who recorded his maiden half-century. Although the pair added just 66 runs over their first 23 overs together, they cashed in on the batting powerplay when they hammered 43 runs in five overs. Amin was brilliantly run out by Tendai Chatara soon after, but Hafeez went to his century in the following over and was well supported by Shahid Afridi in the final stages of the innings. “We were not thinking to score 300 to be honest, we were thinking of about 260, but the two partnerships with Umar Amin and Shahid Afridi really made the difference,” said Hafeez. Afridi clubbed three sixes on his way to 39 not out as Pakistan took 64 runs from the final five overs of the innings, leaving Zimbabwe with a target that proved well beyond them. “They just ran away from us, and scoring 300 against that attack is always going to be difficult,” Taylor said. “Credit to them – they came back strong, and we’re going to need our best performance on Saturday.”

Hafeez powers Pakistan to 299

Having gotten used to seeing Misbah-ul-Haq steer Pakistan in recent matches with slow, yet steady fifties, the question was whether Pakistan could manage just as well without him. Misbah failed, but another of their seniors, Mohammad Hafeez, ensured Pakistan didn't suffer a meltdown. With an idea of the kind of score Pakistan would need to stretch a Zimbabwe batting line-up high on confidence after Tuesday, Hafeez chose to be aggressive from the outset. He also ensured he batted right through, giving Pakistan the safety net needed as they raced towards 300.

Zimbabwe were guilty of dropping catches in the first ODI but those let-offs, fortunately, didn't cost them in the end. While they were relatively better today, one lapse cost them plenty of runs. When on 30, Hafeez went for the slog sweep but as the ball dipped towards deep square leg, Brian Vitori was a touch too late on the dive. He couldn't hang on and Zimbabwe were made to rue the missed chance.

Hafeez's driving, flicking and defense against the seamers was solid and he used his feet against Prosper Utseya, lofting two sixes over long-on. He launched Elton Chigumbura over the same region as he progressed to his fifty off 65 balls. Following Misbah's departure, Pakistan had lost all their experienced batsmen, but Umar Amin stepped up to give Hafeez the support he needed. Amin looked busy at the crease, looking to push the singles and attempting the odd slog, though he wasn't always successful in connecting. Zimbabwe had a chance to send Amin back on 11, when he was sent back attempting a single, but the throw missed the stumps at the bowler's end.

Amin opened up at the start of the batting Powerplay, taken in the 36th over, clipping Utseya wide of midwicket and then launching him over cover the next ball. Three overs later, he lofted Tendai Chatara over the sightscreen and followed it up with a slash past point. He found the gaps with ease through the off side and reached his maiden fifty in ODIs off just 61 balls. Pakistan smashed 43 in the Powerplay without losing a wicket, setting the platform for their late-innings acceleration.

Amin was eventually run-out from a direct hit by Chatara, but not before adding a valuable 129 with Hafeez. Hafeez made sure his side didn't lose the initiative, like they did on Tuesday with a collapse, batting positively and finding the gaps. He had all but bettered his highest ODI score (139*), made on the same ground two years ago. A blazing cameo from Shahid Afridi took Pakistan to the doorstep of 300.

It was a good recovery from the morning when Pakistan had lost three wickets within the first 25 overs and scored at a rate not greater than four an over. Nasir Jamshed was under pressure to keep his place, having looked rather edgy on Tuesday. He moved to a promising 32, before he was trapped in front by one from Utseya that straightened. Ahmed Shehzad failed to replicate his form from the T20s, falling for 5. He pushed at a ball moving away from him and spooned a catch to backward point, giving Vitori his first wicket.

Misbah was watchful, as is his signature style, but ended up putting too much pressure on himself by staying scoreless for 13 balls. The need to show some urgency prompted him to shuffle across his stumps to whip Vitori into the gaps on the on side, but he couldn't get it past short midwicket, where Sean Williams took a sharp catch. The relief was only temporary for Zimbabwe, as Hafeez took the advantage away.

Zimbabwe are a win away from registering a rare series win against a major side. Their batsmen may find the conditions easier in the afternoon, but 300 will require them to go a few steps higher than they did on Tuesday.

Faisal Iqbal hopes to carve out spot for hims

Another tour, another opportunity and more hope for middle-order batsman Faisal Iqbal to find his identity within the Pakistan team. Since his debut in 2001, Faisal operated mostly as a "replacement player", in the shadow of Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq, and was never able to cement his place in the team.

He has played 26 Test matches over the past 12 years. He last played for Pakistan in 2010 but was part of the Test squad for last one year without being part of the playing XI. He was retained in the squad for the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe but uncertainty looms over his chances to play. Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq and Misbah-ul-Haq ahead of Iqbal in the pecking order to occupy the middle-order spots, while Mohammad Hafeez and Khurram Manzoor will mostly be preferred to open the innings. Should he get the chance, the Zimbabwe Tests, he knows, could be crucial for his career.

"I always have been treated as a replacement in past. I was actually groomed to take over from Inzamam or Yousuf once they were done with their careers, but unfortunately I have been deprived," Iqbal told ESPNcricinfo. "For most of my career, since my [international] debut, I have kept waiting for a proper slot so that I could play as a permanent player, and I am obviously disappointed. But I am always optimistic and ready to grab the chance.

"It would be great to get games in succession to prove myself. I obviously won't be looking at Zimbabwe as an easy opponent as, for a batsman, it's all about one good ball. They are after all an international side and every run is important against them. I have plenty of experience and even scored an ODI hundred in Zimbabwe, so things won't be alien for me."

Iqbal, who is a nephew of former captain Javed Miandad, had a prolific career at junior level, from his time with the Under-15s. But his time with the seniors has, for the most part, been overshadowed by allegations of nepotism, something Faisal describes as a "daunting factor" and one of the major blows for his career.

"I might have been victimised in past and things have not been fair for me," he said. "I am a professional player and have never taken my cricket for granted. I have scored runs on the ground with my own hands, haven't I?"

He has often impressed on comeback: after his first recall in 2002, he scored 83 against Australia; then came 139 against India - the highlight of his career - which helped Pakistan to a 341-run victory in Karachi in 2006. In that fateful series against Sri Lanka in early 2009, he scored a half-century in his first innings back. His problem, though, has been consistency. A lack thereof has resulted in him being repeatedly dropped.

Faisal will be hoping to get his chance on September 3, when Pakistan face off against Zimbabwe in Harare for the first of two Tests. This time, he'll hope to make that good start and go on to build on it.

England still hold edge despite changes

Any event in the aftermath of an Ashes series has got its work cut out to capture the imagination but a short, sharp Twenty20 series has got a chance, with the World T20 next March adding much-needed relevance. Australia will also be extremely keen to take something home and recent history suggests they are a good bet to do so, with the last three Ashes winners struggling in the limited-overs matches that followed.

But Australia may have to wait until the ODI series to find much-craved success because England's T20 squad is largely fresh and eager to impress selectors ahead of a global tournament. There are potential places in the ODI team at stake too, with England likely to continue rotation of the players involved in more than one format until preparation for the 2015 ODI World Cup begins in a year's time.

Australia also need to reverse a poor recent record in bilateral T20 series. Since June 2010, they have only won five of 19 matches. That they managed to defy that form with a run to the semi-final of the World T20 in Sri Lanka was down to a remarkable tournament from Shane Watson and a good showing from the now-retired Mike Hussey.

George Bailey returns to lead the side along with a host of one-day specialists including Mitchell Johnson, the mere mention of whom draws guffaws from England supporters, but his good showing in the Champions Trophy suggests he could earn their respect.

England also change captains with Stuart Broad taking the reins. He has a squad full of players in form having recently played in the Friends Life t20 and closing rounds of the Yorkshire Bank 40. Michael Carberry heads that list after over 500 runs in the Flt20 and is in line for a first international appearance since his solitary Test in Chittagong three years ago. Ravi Bopara has also found his touch and will use the limited-overs internationals to stake a claim for a place on the Ashes tour as a potential No. 6

Saqlain invited to help West Indies spinners

Former Pakistan offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq will conduct a three-week spin-bowling clinic for a select group of current and emerging West Indies spinners, including three women cricketers, from September 3.

Saqlain was invited to conduct the clinic on the suggestion of West Indies coach, Ottis Gibson in a bid to better the skills of players who are likely to represent West Indies at different levels.

The group of spinners includes Devendra Bishoo, Shane Shillingford, Veerasammy Permaul, Ashley Nurse, Anisa Mohammed, Shaquana Quintyne and Stafanie Taylor. The players were picked by the WICB selection panel.

Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree and Nikita Miller were considered for selection but could not be picked due to their unavailability. Narine and Badree are scheduled to play in the Champions League T20, while Miller has been picked for the West Indies A squad for the India tour in September. Permaul and Nurse will also leave the clinic to travel with the West Indies A squad.

Saqlain, renowned as one of the first offspinners to use the doosra, took 208 wickets in 49 Tests and 288 wickets in 169 ODIs over a career that stretched between 1995 and 2004. After a successful county stint with Surrey, he was appointed as a spin consultant by New Zealand Cricket in 2009 and has, more recently, played the same role with the Bangladesh team.

Spinners selected to attend the clinic: Devendra Bishoo, Jesse Bootan, Yannic Cariah, Bryan Charles, Akeem Dewar, Larry Edwards, Ramaal Lewis, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai, Ashley Nurse, Veerasammy Permaul, Shane Shillingford, Jomel Warrican, Shaquana Quintyne, Stafanie Taylor, Anisa Mohammed

Shehzad, spinners sink Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe had their moments where they stretched Pakistan with a confident start in their chase of 162, but tackling the spinners in the middle overs was always going to be the bigger proposition. Pakistan's spin trio - led by Shahid Afridi - put the stranglehold on the scoring with regular wickets and the hosts found the target rapidly slipping away from them. Once the required rate neared an improbable 12, the final passage of play turned tepid. In both innings, Pakistan found the going tough in the first half of the innings but clawed back in the second. Ahmed Shehzad weathered a sluggish start with a solid half-century that set the base for Shahid Afridi to play his natural game and push Pakistan to a competitive score. The Pakistan seamers struggled to contain the openers, but following a few quiet overs of spin, the momentum shifted. Brendan Taylor was looking to play himself into some form, after a poor series against India, and he didn't have the time or an attacking partner at the other end to help his side reclaim the edge. After being put in to bat, Pakistan lost their first three wickets inside nine overs, all off questionable shots. Tendai Chatara accounted for the first two, and his second wicket to get rid of Mohammed Hafeez was made possible thanks to a brilliant reflex catch by Taylor. That catch was a good example of Zimbabwe's fielding in the early part of Pakistan's innings, but they couldn't put enough pressure on Pakistan in the second half. Pakistan progressed to a less-than-satisfactory 57 for 3 after ten overs, but the turning point in the innings came in the 12th over. It was Elton Chigumbura's first and he leaked 17, which included a pulled six by the debutant Sohaib Maqsood and two swept boundaries by Shehzad past short fine leg. Pakistan ensured they maintained that momentum till the end of the innings, picking 75 runs off six beginning from the 12th. Maqsood looked promising in a stand of 55 with Shehzad, pouncing on anything short from the seamers. After pulling Chigumbura over deep square leg, he tried to clear the straight boundary the following ball but was done in by an impressive running catch by Vusi Sibanda. Shehzad's knock was vital in giving Pakistan a base to build on, which was crucial given the under par scores from the rest of the top order. He managed only one boundary in the first ten overs and began to open up in the company of the confident Maqsood. He was caught on the edge of the long-on boundary for 70, attempting a second six. Afridi, sent in at No.6, made a cameo 23 to give the bowlers a solid score to defend. Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza helped Zimbabwe race to 35 off five overs - at the same stage Pakistan had already lost two wickets. Taylor said at the toss that Zimbabwe were more comfortable chasing, and the openers certainly gave the impression. Sibanda didn't look too troubled by Mohammad Irfan's pace and lift, improvising by arching his back to steer the ball wide of the fielders on the off side. Saeed Ajmal was brought on in the sixth over as damage control. Captain Hafeez reverted to his seamers and Anwar Ali struck in the first over of his second spell when he trapped Hamilton Masakadza lbw attempting to pull a ball that wasn't short enough. A set Sibanda lost his leg stump to Afridi, staying back to a flat, quicker delivery. Sean Williams was trapped lbw on the sweep, but didn't appear satisfied with the decision. What Taylor needed was a form partner and the team management probably erred by not promoting Elton Chigumbura. Chigumbura performed better than some of the specialists in the one-dayers against India and when he walked in today Zimbabwe needed in excess of 17 an over. Timycen Maruma, who came in ahead of him, faced 13 balls for ten runs, at a time when Zimbabwe were desperate for a massive surge. The spinners held sway and the margin of victory was a comfortable 25 runs.

Zimbabwe bring focus back to cricket

In a relatively quiet month for international cricket, save for the ongoing marquee Test series in England, Zimbabwe and Pakistan have managed to shoehorn a series to fill a gap in the calendar. Shortly after the series was confirmed came the off-field distraction involving the Zimbabwe players and the cricket board. A familiar pay dispute led to fears over whether the tour would get under way but, thankfully, the players made peace with the board with the formation of a players union.

The dispute, however, disrupted the hosts' practice schedules and though they have since resumed training, it remains to be seen if it has been sufficient. This is in contrast to the preparations ahead of the recent home series against India. The players trained for ten weeks, but it wasn't enough to stretch an experimental Indian side. The batting was the biggest let down, followed by the fielding. The result was a 5-0 thrashing. It will only get tougher against Pakistan, who're playing full strength despite the low-profile nature of the tour.

Prosper Utseya, the offspinner, has insisted that the players are in the right frame of mind. "We have managed to put that [contractual issue] behind now and some of the players have been offered contracts," Utseya told the Zimbabwe Herald. "Obviously I am not sure what they've got, but they looked happy. It is good that ZC have managed to meet us halfway going into the series."

Series wins in the West Indies have given Pakistan confidence after the gloom of the Champions Trophy. The performances of the youngsters in the two T20s in the West Indies, including Umar Amin and Zulfiqar Babar, should have pleased them immensely. A few players have been busy in the Caribbean Premier League, though, among them, only Mohammad Hafeez features in the upcoming T20s. The rest of the squad have been training in Lahore.

Smith achieves his moment, England miss

It is not often that striking Jonathan Trott for six has been portrayed as a career-defining moment, but that will understandably be Australia's ambitions for Steven Smith after he completed a maiden Test hundred to quell England hopes of an unprecedented 4-0 victory in the Investec Ashes series.

This series has long fallen to England but Australia could yet cobble together a reasonably cogent argument that they are finishing the stronger and, with another five Tests in store in the Great Brown Land to come, Smith's unbeaten 138 - extended from 66 overnight - will support their contention that they can be competitive in the return.

As for this final Test of the series, England could draw comfort from the fact that Alastair Cook and Joe Root survived 17.3 overs before bad light clipped a few minutes from the second day. They will hope that their decision to field two spinners for the first time in a home Test for four years will be justified by the end of the match but, after conceding nearly 500 and with an unsettled forecast for Saturday, the odds are not in their favour.

To discover Trott trundling in as a bit-part bowler in England's attack was no bad thing for Smith with a first Test hundred in the offing. Trott had only four Test wickets to his name and Smith allowed himself an over of reconnaissance before asking Brad Haddin, his batting partner: "Do you think I could hit him over the top?" Keep a clear mind, Haddin advised and Smith did just that.

His response to the first ball of Trott's second over, a graceful loft over long-on for six, might have been the final genial blow in a practice session, a gentle mickey-take of a team-mate. Instead, as his delighted expression showed, it was further proof of a potential breakthrough.

Smith had been overshadowed by Shane Watson on the opening day. Conditions were more exacting as he resumed his innings but he reined in the most adventurous elements of his game, surviving against a ball that regularly nibbled around off the seam. His occasional full-blooded moments were well judged, which has not always been the case. When the mood takes him, he does not lack for courage.

England will sense that they wasted a good bowling opportunity. When play finally began at 2.30pm - morning drizzle having delayed the start by three-and-a-half hours - the skies remained heavy, the pitch had a darker tinge and there was more encouragement for the seam bowlers than there had been on the opening day when Australia moved blissfully to 307 for 4.

Smith's mind attuned to a more taxing task but, understandably, the same could not be said for the nightwatchman Peter Siddle, who was picked off in Anderson's third over of the day when he tried to whip the ball through midwicket and was bowled by a late outswinger.

A year ago at The Oval, England were 250 for 2 before conditions changed, South Africa hurried them out for 385 and Hashim Amla's triple century went on to ensure that England lost by an innings. With Australia five down for 320, England must have sensed their opportunity.

But England were unable to make the same impact. Anderson and Broad bowled without much luck and Chris Woakes, although he exerted reasonable control, again made little impression as a third seamer. If he had been adequate at best on the first day, he would have hoped for better in more favourable, oft-times gloomy conditions, but he carried little menace.

When Haddin on-drove him into a puddle on the boundary edge, it did not enhance England's mood. If they asked for the ball to be changed once, they must have asked a thousand times.

England also wasted a review with Haddin on 15, Matt Prior persuading Cook to turn to the DRS for an imagined leg-side glance in which the bowler, Anderson, had no interest. The ball missed the bat by a distance, underlining the feeling that England, who began the series as superior in their use of the DRS to Australia, now possess the same confusion.

By the time Smith's century arrived, followed shortly afterwards by tea, the skies were clearing and batting conditions had erased. Smith had achieved his moment; England had missed theirs. But Trott underlined that he is not quite as harmless as he appears. Four balls after Smith experienced the most fulfilling moment of his career, Haddin departed, trying to manufacture a chop behind square on the off side but deflecting the ball on to his stumps.

With 36 overs remaining at tea, and a 7.30pm finish on the horizon, Australia's main consideration was whether to have a bowl at England at the tail end of the day.

They declared with 75 minutes left after a satisfying post-tea thrash brought a further 95 runs in 13 overs. England, whose professionalism knew no shame, dawdled through only 11 overs in the first hour, three by the offspinner Graeme Swann, retreating into obsessive ball drying and continued requests to change the ball rather than actually caring much about propelling it in front of a capacity Oval crowd.

James Faulkner, a debutant allrounder who has made his name in one-day cricket, was well suited to instructions to make quick runs after tea. Three boundaries off Broad in four balls, the best of them a forearm smash over cover, gave him some fun before Woakes, in his 23rd over, took his first Test wicket when Faulkner's top-edged pull was neatly taken on the run by Trott at deep square leg.

Thirty-two overs had passed, and Australia had added 137 runs, before England introduced spin. Unsurprisingly, it was Graeme Swann, not Simon Kerrigan, whose method deserted him under Watson's onslaught on the first day. Swann needed only two balls to strike, tossing one up and defeating Mitchell Starc's lusty swing by a distance. Anderson ended a vigorous contribution from Ryan Harris with an excellent high catch off his own bowling.

As Australia hit their way towards a declaration, England eschewed the option of turning to Kerrigan. An ambitious captain would have risked another mauling to give Kerrigan his first Test wicket. A conservative captain would have protected him for another day. Cook, to no great surprise, took the path of minimal risk.

Malik wants to bat up the order for Pakistan

Shoaib Malik, the 31-year old Pakistan allrounder, believes he has another "five or six years" of cricket left in him. Malik, who was dropped from the national squad after the Champions Trophy, also wants to bat up the order instead of No 6 or 7, where he's been used of late.

"Representing your country is the biggest thing (and) of course I want to play for my team (Pakistan), I want to do well for my country," Malik said. "I still think I can play for another five or six years. I am fit but I want to see myself consistent. I do not want to bat at No 6 anymore. I want to bat at No 3 or 4."

Malik averages 39.02 in 51 ODI innings batting at Nos 1 to 3. At positions 4 to 7, his average comes down to 31.16 from 128 innings.

Malik last played Test cricket in 2010 but was part of Pakistan's limited-overs units until the Champions Trophy earlier this year, after which he has been ignored for the tours of West Indies and Zimbabwe. He admitted that injuries and poor form had contributed to his decline, but said he had now regained his strength. "I was struggling with my shoulder and my elbow but I have had surgery for my elbow and I have worked hard in the gym every day (since being dropped). Now I am absolutely fine. I can even bowl 30 overs in one day. I am very happy and I want to play as an all-rounder. That is my priority."

Malik is currently playing in the Caribbean Premier League, where he is the second-leading run-getter in the tournament with 223 runs from seven innings at a strike-rate of 114.94. Malik's side Barbados Tridents will face Jamaica Tallawahs in the second semi-final in Port-of-Spain on Friday. "It (CPL) is so far, so good (for me). I have played some good innings, (I have been) bowling also. I want my team to be in the final and win this CPL."

He said that Barbados captain Kieron Pollard's faith in him as an all-rounder, since they spoke at the Champions Trophy, had boosted him. "When someone gives you that confidence it is always good," Malik said, revealing that Pollard encouraged him to bowl as much as possible and extend his all-rounder aspirations.

What's next for England?

Whatever else happens over the last three days of this match, England may reflect on the Oval Test of 2013 as having provided a disconcerting peek into their future.

It is not just that their two debutants in this match -Chris Woakes and Simon Kerrigan - have endured tough baptisms into Test cricket. It is that, over the last four years, England have now brought 12 new players into their Test side without any of them making an incontrovertible case for long-term inclusion.

You have to go back to 2009, when Jonathan Trottwon his first Test cap, to find an England player who can be said to a have made an uncompromised success of his elevation.

Since then a dozen men have been tried - Michael Carberry, Steven Finn, James Tredwell, Eoin Morgan, Ajmal Shahzad, Samit Patel, Jonny Bairstow, James Taylor, Nick Compton, Joe Root, Kerrigan and Woakes - and, while four or five (Taylor, Finn, Bairstow and Root in particular) may yet prove themselves worthy Test players, none have yet progressed to become long-term, automatic selections.

As a result, England continue to rely on the same trusted characters. But the unsettling suspicion is that, scratch beneath the surface of this strong England side, and there are doubts about their bench strength.

While England look relatively well stocked with top-order batsmen - the likes of Varun Chopra, Luke Wells and Sam Robson - and tall, fast bowlers - the likes of Jamie Overton, Boyd Rankin, Finn and Tremlett, who responded to be overlooked for this match by claiming five wickets for Surrey on Thursday - they are no closer to finding a replacement for the swing of James Anderson or the spin of Graeme Swann.

Maybe that is not surprising. Anderson and Swann are two of the best bowlers England have possessed in decades. But they are both over 30, they are both required to shoulder heavy workloads and neither can be expected to do so indefinitely.

While it had been presumed that Monty Panesar would inherit Swann's role in this side - and there are whispers that this could, just could, be Swann's final Test in England - recent revelations about Panesar have thrown some doubt over his long-term involvement. Suffice it to say, it would be naive to conclude that his bizarre behaviour in Brighton recently was simply an aberration.

That would mean that Kerrigan could be England's first choice spinner much earlier than had been anticipated. Aged only 24 and with an impressive first-class record, Kerrigan no doubt has a bright future. But on the evidence of this game, he is some way from being a Test cricketer.

In some ways, the second day of this Test was even more depressing than the first for Kerrigan. There are caveats to the decision not to bowl him - it was a day truncated by poor weather and conditions favoured the seamers - but to see Trott called into the attack ahead of him hardly provided a ringing endorsement of his captain's faith in his abilities. Perhaps a more sympathetic captain might have found a way to involve Kerrigan a little more.

Any judgement on Woakes' debut depends on how you perceive his role. He bowled tidily enough on a flat wicket and will surely never let England down. Whether that is enough to justify a Test career as a third seamer is highly debatable, though. And, while he may yet score match-defining runs from No. 6, what has become clear is that he cannot be viewed as a viable alternative as the incisive swing bowling replacement of Anderson. England don't have one.

Jamshed determined to make Test comeback

Nasir Jamshed, the Pakistan batsman, has set his sights on a Test comeback after being dropped from the side ahead of the Zimbabwe tour which begins on August 23. Jamshed enjoyed a prolific ODI season last year, where he scored 462 runs in eight innings at an average of 66, establishing himself as a regular, though he didn't hit the same highs in his 16 ODIs this year. His Test performances, have been found wanting, with only 51 runs in four innings, and a high score of 46 in a difficult series in South Africa. Speaking at the last day of the national training camp on Saturday, Jamshed said: "Test cricket is an important format and essential for every big player. I am disappointed over being dropped from the Test side. I will try my best to regain a place in the five-day format too by giving good performances in ODIs and T20s. If I am given another chance in Test cricket, you will find me a more mature player. I have realised my mistakes [in South Africa] and I have learnt the lessons." Another notable selection was of the allrounder Anwar Ali, who first gained prominence with his display of swing bowling during the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2006. He has only played one T20I for Pakistan, in a match against Zimbabwe in Canada on October 2008. Since then he has worked on his batting, becoming a competent allrounder in the domestic scene. Over the last two seasons, he has taken 107 wickets at the first-class level, while providing contributions with the bat as well. Anwar was hopeful that his new-found ability with the bat would hold him in good stead for the tour: "This time I have come back in the team with improved batting skills too to play my role in the team as an effective all-rounder." © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.