Amir centre of attention ahead of England tour

We have no animosity towards the pacer but

Lord’s crowd might be a different story, says Broad

KARACHI: As Mohammad Amir awaits his British visa, there is growing interest in the cricketing world on whether the left-armer, once regarded as the world’s most exciting fast bowler, will be able to feature in Pakistan’s tough tour of England this summer.

Amir’s last match on English soil, a Test at the hallowed grounds of Lord’s, ended in disaster for him and two of his team-mates as they were caught red-handed for spot-fixing.

Once Amir receives his British visa, which ‘The News’ has learnt he will get within the next couple of days, the last hurdle in the way of the 14-year-old’s return to Lord’s will be removed.

That’s because he will be spearheading Pakistan’s pace attack in the opening Test of the four-match series which will begin at Lord’s from July 14.

Amir is one of the few trump cards Pakistan have as they get ready to face rampaging England in their own backyard.

That’s precisely the reason why both English players and the British media is focusing on him in the lead up to the series which will also include five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 game.

England star Stuart Broad has fired a warning soon after Amir was named in Pakistan’s 17-man squad for the four-Test series.      

“I don’t think any ill feeling or negativity from the players will have carried through – the crowd might be a different story,” Broad said.

“We know that Lord’s is a passionate crowd and they all have their own minds.

“There was a lively reaction to Ben Stokes’ dismissal last year - it looked like a nasty atmosphere for a while so I guess the fans will have their own feelings on Amir.

“I think he’s served his time and the ICC have got their guidelines to what the punishments are for certain crimes and people have their opinion on that.

Amir, who spent time in jail and served a five-year ban for spot-fixing, admitted he had deliberately bowled a no-ball in the fourth Test against England at Lord’s in 2010.

He was cleared to return to the sport in September and could make his first Test appearance since his suspension after being named in Pakistan’s 17-man squad on Sunday.

England won the fourth Test six years ago by an innings, with Broad notching up his highest Test score of 169, his only century in the longest format of the game.

“It’s certainly not devalued in my mind, I still scored those runs and (am) still on the honours board. I think the result was devalued,” Broad said.

Pakistan will play four Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7.

Broad believes that Steven Finn can find his form on his home ground after an indifferent return to the Test side. Finn has taken four wickets in two Tests against Sri Lanka, having recovered from an injury-affected winter, but Broad said the surfaces in the series so far, at Headingley and Chester-le-Street, had not catered to his strengths.

“I think he’s been searching for a bit of rhythm but Lord’s is his home ground, he should find rhythm - he traditionally bowls from the Pavilion End and bowls really well there,” Broad said. “He can use the slope to his advantage, not try and swing it or throw it up there, just do what he does, throw it into the pitch and use the natural variations of that. Questions marks have been over his bowling slightly because he’s not got loads of wickets but, for me and him - particularly him as a real hit-the-deck bowler — those wickets haven’t suited our style of bowling.”

“It’s certainly not devalued in my mind, I still scored those runs and am still on the honours board,” he said. “I think the result was devalued. We couldn’t celebrate - we didn’t celebrate — it was all a very strange time. But I don’t think any feelings will be dragged into this Test match from that Test match. I think only three or four players are playing in the England team now who were then, and Pakistan have had a huge change over.

“I don’t think any ill feeling or negativity from the players will have carried through - the crowd might be a different story. We know that Lord’s is a passionate crowd and they all have their own minds.”