England is hopeful that Pakistan will provide pitches that will offer more assistance to the bowlers in the remaining two Tests of the series. The hosts faced a humiliating defeat in the first match in Multan, despite creating a batting-friendly pitch and scoring 556 runs in their first innings.
Chris Woakes, England’s key all-rounder, mentioned that the loss on a flat pitch might lead Pakistan to prepare either green tracks or turning wickets for the next two matches in Multan and Rawalpindi.
“There was talk about green surfaces,” said Chris Woakes after England’s triumph in Multan. “I suppose it did have a tinge of green on day one, but it just got better and better. The ball is firmly in their court. When it’s a home series and it’s only three matches, and you lose the first, you’d like to think that the next two are going to be result wickets, whether that be green or turners. We’ll see.”
Despite only picking up two wickets in the Test match, Woakes made crucial breakthroughs by dismissing Babar Azam in the first innings and Abdullah Shafique in the second innings, who had scored a century in the initial inning.
Woakes stressed the importance of building pressure and working in tandem with the bowler operating from the other end on placid pitches like the one encountered in the first Test.
“I probably didn’t think I was going to get another opportunity to do this,” Woakes admitted. “In a way, I’d probably given up on it. But when you get the backing of the dressing room, of Ben and Baz (Brendon McCullum), you feel 10 feet tall and like you can go out there and win games of cricket for England. I’m never going to average 25 in these conditions but I don’t think many would.”
“Thankfully in this Test match, I’ve been able to make a couple of breakthroughs with the new ball on a wicket which was offering pretty much bugger all, so I’m pretty pleased I contributed. There are going to be periods in these conditions where you do have to hold and you’re working for the guys at the other end.”
