England Seek Solution to Ajmal Puzzle

Abu Dhabi: England have been working overtime to solve the Saeed Ajmal riddle for the second Test after being baffled by the Pakistan spinner in the opening match in Dubai.

The 34-year-old Ajmal, whose action has come under scrutiny, took seven wickets as England were skittled for 192 in their first innings last week and bagged 10 in the game as Pakistan went 1-0 up in the three-match series with a 10-wicket win.

His "doosra" ball caused particular havoc in the England order and the coaching staff have left no stone unturned in the build-up to the second Test, which begins at Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Wednesday.

Batting coach Graham Thorpe has used data from the Decision Review System (DRS) to work out lengths bowled by spinners while England physio Ben Langley has been replicating Ajmal's deliveries by throwing the ball down from 20 metres.

"He's very good at it," opener Alastair Cook told reporters. "Ben can land it quite well." Much has been made in the British press of Ajmal's action and whether or not his arm straightens more than the permitted 15 degrees, but England batsman Jonathan Trott attempted to take the mystery out of the equation on Tuesday.

While much of the talk has been about Ajmal, England coach Andy Flower will expect a much more resolute performance from his batsman when play begins on Wednesday at a stadium which is a green oasis in the dusty suburbs of Abu Dhabi.

Flower said his world number one test side were under-cooked in the opening defeat and the focus will be on the likes of Cook, Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen to start scoring some runs on a pitch which is usually batsman-friendly.

Pietersen scored just two runs in Dubai, Bell managed four and Cook eight.

Chris Tremlett is a doubtful starter after sustaining a back injury. He might be replaced by either Graham Onions if England are to go in with a third seamer or Monty Panesar if conditions dictate a second spinner.

Pakistan have no reasons to make any changes to the winning combination. They might look to replace the sedate Asad Shafiq with the explosive Umar Akmal.

Another trial by spin awaits the visitors, one that will determine the eventual result of the series.

Teams from

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Adnan Akmal (wk), Abdur Rehman, Aizaz Cheema, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Imran Farhat, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Saeed Ajmal, Taufeeq Umar, Umar Gul, Umar Akmal, Younis Khan, Wahab Riaz

England: Andrew Strauss (capt), Matt Prior (wk), Ian Bell, Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steve Davies, Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Graham Onions, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Jonathan Trott, Tim Bresnan

Pitch and conditions
Matt Prior, England's wicketkeeper, rightly praised Dubai as an excellent Test pitch. It was not quite the benign surface that many had anticipated, offering a little encouragement for seam and spin bowlers alike. Abu Dhabi will be different, the warnings go, but at least the quicks on both sides will find the cooler temperatures in their favour.

Stats and trivia

• England could slip from the top of the ICC Test Championship if they lose to Pakistan by more than a one-Test margin in the three-Test series.
• Saeed Ajmal passed Graeme Swann after the first Test as the leading spin bowler in the ICC Test rankings.
• Ajmal's 1 for 167 in Sri Lanka's second dig at Sheikh Zayed Stadium last year is his worst analysis in a Test innings.
• Umar Gul has dismissed Alastair Cook five times in seven Tests, making the England opener Gul's joint-second most-frequent victim
• Jonathan Trott and Misbah-ul-Haq both passed 2,000 runs in Tests in Dubai.
• When Cook and Strauss stride out to the middle, it will be the 100th time they will be opening together.
• Abu Dhabi has hosted 2 Tests involving Pakistan. Both Tests have ended in a draw.

Match facts
January 25-29, 2012
Start time 1000 local (0600 GMT)