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Pakistan vs England: Jamie Smith gets the right way and method to highlight ‘great talent’, says Nasser Hussain | Cricket news
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Pakistan vs England: Jamie Smith gets the right way and method to highlight ‘great talent’, says Nasser Hussain | Cricket news

Jamie Smith is an amazing talent.

If anything, his first innings epitomized what Rob Key and Brendon McCullum are talking about.

When England faced pressure at 98-5, he took it, grounded it out and got used to the low bounce.

You have to put pressure on bowlers when they are tired, you have to go after them – that’s exactly what Smith did.

Score Summary – Pakistan vs England, Third Test

England 267 all out in 68.2 overs: Jamie Smith (89), Ben Duckett (52); Sajid Khan (6-128), Noman Ali (3-88)

Pakistan 73-3 in 23 overs: Gus Atkinson (1-3), Shoaib Bashir (1-29), Jack Leach (1-33)

A lot of people will talk about England’s pace, that they need to go faster or not so fast. What Smith did so well was get the mode and method right.

Lots of straight bat shots until he came in, and once he came in he was a cross bat with sweeps and slogs.

The first part of this inning, which got him in, consisted entirely of straight bat shots. And when he got used to the low bounce, he put his foot down.

It was a case of the more you hit, the more aggressive you can be.

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England’s Jamie Smith is just nine short of a brilliant century on day one of the third Test against Pakistan

Spinner Sajid shows Pakistan’s depth

You have to love Sajid Khan’s character.

He has the mentality of a fast bowler – he is aggressive – and that is reflected in the way he bowls. He has an aggressive action, an aggressive mentality.

I don’t think he’s had the success he’s had because of the pitches, far from it. When you see him bowling, he gets a lot of action and spin on the ball.

Sajid was really positive and it also shows the depth of domestic cricket in Pakistan.

He has bowled very well since he came in, not just because the pitches were turning – he has actually made them turn.

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Watch all 13 wickets fall on a thrilling first day of the third Test between Pakistan and England

Low-scoring thriller to decide the series?

England scored 120-6 as I don’t think they adapted from Multan. It turned big in the second Test, while in Rawalpindi it turned a little but remained low.

He turned a little, and he will turn some more. It’s quite dusty at the ends and it’s crumbly. But what is happening for most hitters these days is the lack of bounce.

I have no objection to a rotating tone. I don’t mind if the tone stays low. On a test match pitch you shouldn’t get the ball that Ben Duckett got in the first session.

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Highlights from day one of the third Test between Pakistan and England

Right now it’s pretty even. You would say that Pakistan will have to bat last and it will turn more and more.

It’s like an arm wrestle. Slowly it goes one way and then the other. After an eventful day, the stakes are still high.

I think it will be an exciting three days. The pitch can turn and roll on the ground very well, who knows, you never know in Pakistan. It could be a low-scoring thriller that would decide this series.

First test: Multan – October 7-11 – England won by one innings and 47 runs

Second test: Multan – October 15-19 – Pakistan won by 152 runs

Third test: Rawalpindi – October 24-28

Watch day two of the second Test between Pakistan and England in Rawalpindi, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 5.50am on Friday, ahead of the match from 6am. Stream with NOW