'Cook showed noticeable faith in Rashid in Abu Dhabi draw'
Monday 19 October 2015 12:31, UK
England will head into the second Test full of confidence after their "heroic efforts" on day five in Abu Dhabi, says Michael Atherton.
England skittled Pakistan for 173 in their second innings - Adil Rashid recording figures of 5-64 - before bad light denied the tourists the chance to pull off a famous victory in the first Test of the three-match series.
"It was a heroic effort for England to almost win this game as when [Pakistan captain] Misbah-ul-Haq declared on 523-8 on day two, he, like the rest of us, thought there is no way Pakistan can lose," said Atherton.
"The only way they could was for England to grind a total up to the one Pakistan achieved, which they did, and then hope something happened on the final day, which it did.
"England will take great confidence and heart form this, even though the pitches in Dubai and Sharjah may spin sharply and more quickly."
Rashid will look to exploit any turn in Dubai, having bounced back from 0-163 in Pakistan's first innings - the worst figures by a bowler on Test debut - with five scalps second time around, including the wicket of Younus Khan.
Atherton reckons the deteriorating track, coupled with Pakistan's fraying nerves, assisted Rashid on Saturday, but also noted how much confidence England captain Alastair Cook had in his leg-spinner.
"I think fundamentally it was the situation in the match," said Atherton of Rashid's five-for. "Pakistan were under pressure, Rashid wasn't under pressure and England had runs on the board on a wearing fifth-day pitch.
"But you could see what can happen when there are men around the bat and you've got a guy who can spin it both ways and winkle out the tail.
"You could see what can happen when there are men around the bat and you've got a guy who can spin it both ways and winkle out the tail."
"Cook was also noticeably trying to show faith in him, by bringing him on in front of Moeen Ali as if to say: 'You are the senior spinner'."
Rashid's sterling work left England needing 99 runs from 19 overs to take a 1-0 lead, but the players were forced off the field after 11 overs, with Cook's side 25 runs short of their target on 74-4.
Atherton admits the situation was "extremely frustrating" but insists umpires Bruce Oxenford and Paul Reiffel had no chance but to curtail the contest.
"Put yourselves in the umpires' position," added Atherton.
"They came off on the fourth evening at around 5.37pm and having taken a reading the laws of the game state that that is the reading for the rest of the game.
"It's extremely frustrating when you think we are about to see a day-night Test match [between Australia and New Zealand] but it's very hard to apportion any blame to the umpires for doing their job to the rules and regulations."
Live coverage of the second Test between Pakistan and England starts at 6.30am, Thursday, Sky Sports 2. You can also watch without a contract on NOW TV.
