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Nottingham: Pakistan will begin a four-Test series against England on Thursday in the belief that its young side is about to start a new era in the national game.
Pakistan will be back in action just five days after securing a tense three-wicket triumph over Australia at Leeds which squared that Test series 1-1.
Many observers had predicted that Salman Butt's team, playing as the 'home' side due to security concerns in Pakistan, would have collapsed in pursuit of a modest target of 180 on Saturday. Instead, his side came through for an exhilarating victory.
"It's a new beginning for Pakistan cricket, and especially for a young side," Butt said as he prepared for Thursday's start. "To win against the world's best is always an achievement. We would have loved to have done it in front of our home crowd, but we need to tell them that we love them and we hope we will be playing in front of them soon."
The bowling attack in particular attracted lavish praise from the captain. "Mohammad Aamer is definitely one of the best bowlers in the world at the moment," Butt said. "If not the best then certainly in the top three and Mohammad Asif is the best bowler with the new ball"
Butt was hardly exaggerating the threat posed by the opening duo. Both are capable of conjuring deliveries that home in on the stumps and even if England can see them off, the first change bowler, Umar Gul, is a master of the art of reverse swing.
Danish Kaneria remains a world-class spinner, despite a modest series against the Australians, and Umar Amin had the happy knack of picking up wickets on the rare occasions he was used.
There are few mysteries concerning the England lineup, with Pakistan set to run into Graeme Swann, the spinner with the most wickets in the world in 2010.
England's selectors named a 12-man squad on Sunday (Tim Bresnan replaced Ajmal Shahzad on Wednesday) and publicly stated a preference for six batsmen, meaning the only outstanding selection issue concerns which of the five bowlers will be the 12th man.
Stuart Broad and Swann are certain to play on their home ground, which leaves James Anderson, Steven Finn and Tim Bresnan competing for the two remaining places.
Ian Bell's broken foot, sustained in the one-day series with Bangladesh earlier in the month, means that both the South African-born Jonathan Trott and the Irishman Eoin Morgan will play in what is widely seen as an audition for a single place on the Ashes tour to Australia in November.
Team news
England Bresnan was only drafted into the squad on Wednesday as a late replacement for Ajmal Shahzad, he is unlikely to feature, barring further injuries.
Squad from Andrew Strauss (C), Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Eoin Morgan, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Paul Collingwood, Steven Finn, Matt Prior (WK), Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan
Pakistan have two-spinner option could be tempting but Gul is a handy third quick alongside Aamer and Asif. The batting looks thin, but without recalling Younis Khan or Mohammad Yousuf there aren't many other options.
Squad from Salman Butt (C), Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (VC & WK), Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal, Danish Kaneria, Azhar Ali, Zulqarnain Haider, Tanvir Ahmed, Abdur Rehman, Fawad Alam.
Pitch and conditions
Trent Bridge has a history of favouring the swing bowlers which will suit both attacks and if there is warm weather reverse swing will also become a weapon. The forecast is good for the opening day, but rain is forecast for Friday - although the bowlers won't mind seeing cloud cover.
Stats and trivia
Match facts
July 29-August 02, 2010
Start time 11:00 local (10:00 GMT)
