Misbah ‘concerned’ over reverse swing achieved by England pacers

But the Pakistan skipper falls short of backing suggestions that the hosts could have been involved in ball-tampering at Edgbaston

LONDON: Alistair Cook described it as a “load of rubbish”. But minutes later, his Pakistan counterpart fell way short of doing that.

Misbah-ul-Haq gave due credit to England pacers who took the hosts 2-1 ahead by flooring Pakistan in the post-lunch session on the final day with some extra-ordinary reverse swing that seemed to come out of nowhere.

But Pakistan’s captain also used the word “concerned” and stressed that he won’t pass any judgment on allegations that England tampered with the ball as there were “umpires and match referees present” to look into such matters.

It was a bit of a doublespeak and did raise a few eyebrows as the comments Misbah made at the press conference here at The Oval on Wednesday indicated, to some extent, that Pakistan were “concerned” as to how England managed to significantly reverse the ball after four eventless days of the third Test at Edgbaston.

“For the first four days, the ball did nothing and suddenly in one session on the final day it started reversing. So we were obviously concerned.”

When asked whether he agreed with suggestions that England used illegal methods to obtain reserves swing Misbah said he won’t pass any judgment.

“The umpires are there, the match referees are there. I’m not there to judge those things,” he said.

But most of his comments were more diplomatic, more Misbah-like.

“Reverse swing happens. Somehow on the last day (of a Test) it happens. They are very good bowlers. Broad and Anderson know how to prepare the ball (for reverse swing). They can bowl cross seam bouncers. They can keep working on the ball. They know how to take care of the ball in their home conditions.”

When asked whether any illegal means could have been used, Misbah said that there are many legal means that can help achieve reverse swing.

“Cross seam bowling, throwing from the boundary, shining it. Taking care of the ball. Any team doing it right exploits it in a better way. It’s an art. We will have to carefully do something about it so that we can also use it to our advantage.

“We will have to learn how to prepare the ball (for reverse swing). But it will take some time as most of our fast bowlers have played very less cricket. They are learning slowly. I know that they will because this is one aspect we will have to give due importance.”

The insinuation that England tampered with the ball came on a Pakistani TV show soon after England recorded a thumping victory in the third Test at Edgbaston despite suffering a first-innings deficit. At a time when the Test seemed headed towards a draw, the English pacers started reversing the ball forcing the Pakistani battling line-up to collapse.

It is a bit of a role reversal because in the past, it was the English media who would almost always accuse Pakistani fast bowlers of ball-tampering. Such allegations were the norm back in the nineties when Pakistan’s pace duo of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis shepherded the tourists to series-winning triumph in England.