This series between Pakistan England has been a peculiar affair.
The last time England faced Pakistan, they came up against the raw pace of Mohammeds’ Amir and Asif, bowlers in a team that faltered in the longest form of the game, one minute looking strong the next self-imploding meekly.
The 2012 model is an all together different proposition. Pakistan are a team united by the common aim of succeeding in all forms of cricket, and their test credentials have been proven to be sound in this 3 match series against supposedly the “best test team in the world”, England.
England have been bowled out for under 200 in 3 of their 4 innings in this series, reopening the old debate that English batsmen can't handle spin in the sub-continent.
For all the preparation that went into last years Ashes series win including weeks of preparation matches, training and a team building exercise in Germany, the same has clearly not been implemented for this tour of the United Arab Emirates, venue of all Pakistan's home cricket matches since 2003.
In fact, after three months rest from cricket, England's batsmen look so out of touch it's scarcely believable that these are the same players that crushed Australia just 12 months ago.
But if this is test cricket, I'm Ashley Giles! Today saw Pakistan bowled out for 99 with England 104/6 before close on the first day. Sheer madness.
The ICC must be licking their lips though in their plush Dubai offices. They have 2 of the worlds best cricketing nations going hammer and tongs at each other in some of the most exciting test cricket seen in recent times.
Sure, the batting's been wretched, from both teams let's face it, but the ICC must feel they've seen a possible template for the future of test cricket here: Quick matches, lots of wickets, bucket loads of excitement, almost no technique to speak of.
The introduction of the Decision Review System has resulted in a surge of successful LBW appeals, and with wickets tumbling, the chances of 5-day test matches are becoming a thing of the past.
Surely it won't he long before DRS is mandatory; Sachin Tendulkar will soon retire so even India might elect to use the currently optional technology in the not too distant future.
It's been more like t20 cricket in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and I reckon the ICC will have loved that.
Me, well England have been pummelled and naturally I'm sad about that, but whilst entertainment has been high, England just haven't shown the skill or application to cope with the spin Pakistan have to offer.
5 day tests? You're having a laugh, and the ICC might just have found a good idea for the future of test cricket: the much discussed world test championships, recently delayed until 2017, resurrected and played in front of the ICC's plush offices in Dubai perhaps?
I can hardly wait...
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