#360view: Leg-spin thriving in the UAE

Barnaby Read 17:40 23/10/2015
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  • Shah (l) and Rashid.

    The first Test in Abu Dhabi was devoid of excitement for 14 of its 15 sessions, calling on this column to brand it one of the dullest matches in Test history.

    A thrilling evening session on the final day, however, saw England come just 24 runs short of an historic win over Pakistan, the game erupting with life thanks to the exploits of one of the sport’s trickiest and most beautiful arts.

    Adil Rashid’s five-wicket haul on debut took his side to the brink of victory, leaving a trail of Pakistan batsmen in his wake as his wrist spin finally began to spit off the Abu Dhabi wicket.

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    Yasir Shah’s absence denied Pakistan their most potent weapon and spectators a glimpse at cricket’s latest mythical master of leg-spin.

    With Rashid finding his feet and Shah returning from injury, the Dubai Test promised to be a feast for leggie fans before a bowl was even bowled.

    And once Rashid had let the first of his balls go, flicking out the side of his hand, fingers ripping the seam along its edges, it seemed the scene was set for leg-spin to truly make its mark on this series.

    While Moeen Ali’s offies accounted for two more Pakistan wickets than Rashid’s trickier equivalents, it was the latter that got the more threatening response out of the track.

    From day one it has spun off the straight here in Dubai, Rashid finding even more joy on day two to the equal delight and dismay of his teammates both keenly aware of their spinners importance here and that of Pakistan’s main man.

    Shah’s own hustling approach was soon veering up to the popping crease as Misbah-ul-Haq turned to his danger man for the first time in the series with England’s first innings just 11 overs old.

    It is safe to say that Shah is the star attraction in this series.

    To the members of the English press box who have not seen him up close, the fastest Pakistani to 50 Test wickets has been a thing of intrigue.

    It meant his appearance with the ball in his hand drew focus from hacks in the media centre, one renowned Pakistan journalist confirming Shah’s introduction “is the series right here.”

    What followed was not the English collapse that many believed would instantly occur at the sight of Shah, instead Alastair Cook and Joe Root combated Pakistan’s spin king with ease as Shah went without joy in his first six overs, conceding 25 runs in that spell before tea.

    While it wasn’t the impact that many expected or Pakistan would have hoped for, the mere presence of Shah directing fielders with ball in hand and towel tucked into his backside is encouraging for his team and spectators who were left desperately bored by the first instalment.

    Shah had only once before gone an entire innings without taking a wicket and duly delivered a hammer blow as he removed Cook for 65 in the evening session.

    And for their respective countries, Shah and Rashid represent something rather magical.

    Pakistan can no longer rely on Saeed Ajmal to spin them to victory, his void so naturally filled by Shah who is the first leg-spinner of note since the shaming of match-fixer Danish Kaneria.

    As for England, they have not had a leg-spinner in their ranks for what feels like forever, such a dearth of British options that Cook has never captained one in Test cricket until now.

    For a game seemingly bereft of leg-spinners – Imran Tahir is the only frontline Test leggie bar Shah and Rashid and he hasn’t transferred his ODI dominance onto the Test scene with enough regularity – the sight of the two duellists in the UAE is akin to spotting two rare birds performing dances of war or mating.

    While remaining dazzled by their craft you draw quiet breath, scared of startling them into fleeing the scene.

    They must be treated with the respect afforded for dying species, while being encouraged to spark life into a rare beauty so integral to their surroundings.

    Here, in the UAE, the leg-spinner goes about its business.

    And hopefully in Dubai, it will not only survive, but thrive.

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