Pakistan on the rise

Pakistan's victory over England in the third Test at The Oval was good for Pakistani cricket, good for English cricket and good for Test cricket in general.

Good for Pakistani cricket because it suggested that, after a torrid 18 months which included the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore, the subsequent cancellation of international cricket in Pakistan, a disastrous tour of Australia and some woefully inept performances in England, skipper Salman Butt's side might have turned a corner.

Good for English cricket because after two relatively powder-puff series against a weak Bangladesh outfit, Andrew Strauss's side were sorely in need of a few tough rounds before this winter's Ashes series, a haymaker or two coming back at them to provide a bit of seasoning, to fully focus the mind.

And good for Test cricket in general because it is essential for the integrity of the format that the traditional powers keep producing world-class players and quality sides. With Zimbabwe currently in the wilderness and Caribbean cricket showing signs of terminal decline, it is vital Pakistani cricket is revived.

Coach Waqar Younis's side arrived in England having lost all nine matches down under and minus senior batsmen Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan, who were charged by the Pakistan Cricket Board as being the baddest apples in a pretty mouldy crop of tourists andslapped with 'indefinite' bans.

There followed a two-Test series against Australia, during which Butt saved his side from a heavier defeat than it could have been in the first match with two half-centuries, before his bowlers hit their straps in the second, dismissing Australia for 88 on a murky day in Leeds and limping home to a three-wicket victory.

But Pakistan, their batsmen all at sea against a swinging, seaming ball, recorded scores of 80 and 72 in the first two Tests against England, leading many commentators to conclude their squared series against the Aussies was a false dawn and predict a 4-0 series whitewash.

However, there were encouraging signs at The Oval that rather than being melted by their previous experiences in England, Butt's inexperienced team had been forged into something altogether stronger - a team with the potential to become, in Butt's words, "one of Pakistan's finer sides".

Umar Akmal and        Mohammad Amir celebrate guiding Pakistan to the win over England

"It shows the character of a very young team to come back against the Aussies and now come back from 2-0 down against England," added the engagingly forthright Butt. "Everyone was writing us off but we've all worked hard, got out heads down and it's paid off.

"The biggest challenge is always playing away from home, but I enjoy challenges, that's why I'm an opening batsman, and if you win straightaway it doesn't feel as good - it's good to see guys learning."

In Waqar, who took over after the debacle in Australia, they have a highly-qualified teacher, taker of 373 Test wickets and a man who Butt said has had "a great impact on the side".

"He played during the golden years of Pakistan cricket so having someone like that in the dressing room spreads confidence," added Butt.

"He gives the youngsters the belief that they can one day become heroes, because no-one becomes a hero without hard work - he's done a great job so far."

While Butt was keen to laud the youngsters in his side, he did not forget to praise Yousuf, whose return to the side after his ban was lifted was like an extra lock being bolted onto the door for the England bowlers, as well as being a tremendous confidence boost for his less illustrious team-mates.

But while Yousuf, who turns 36 on day two of the fourth Test at Lord's, may not have much more Test cricket in him, in 18-year-old paceman Mohammad Amir, who took 5-52 in England's second innings at The Oval, they have a potential great of the future.

"He's the best young fast bowler at the moment, I've never seen such talent at that age," said Butt. "Even Wasim Akram said at that age he wasn't that good."

When Paul Collingwood was asked prior to this series whether Pakistan had the best bowling attack in world cricket, he was sceptical, stating that he thought England's batsmen could "get on top of" Amir, Mohammad Asif and Co. When Strauss was asked the same question after his side's third-Test defeat, he fired back, rather tetchily, "it's not my job to big them up", which I'll allow you to interpret as you wish.

While 'mystery' spin bowler Saeed Ajmal, who has bamboozled England's batsmen in the last two Tests with his many variations, has made Pakistan's attack even stronger, their batting continues to be creaky, despite the reappearance of Yousuf.

Pakistan have passed 300 once in 10 Test innings this summer, in the first innings at The Oval when Yousuf made 56, and made a real dog's dinner of the fourth-innings run-chase, limping home with four wickets to spare.

But while Butt's statement that the batting is getting better because "against Australia we won by three wickets, this time we won by four" was tongue in cheek, a knock of 88 on debut from wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider (now back in Pakistan with a broken finger) at Edgbaston, 92 not out from Azhar Ali at The Oval and a fluent 48 from Butt himself in the second innings suggest perhaps that a corner has been turned. Now if they could only persuade Younus, scorer of 16 Test centuries at an average of 50, into a u-turn...

Pakistan's dander is well and truly up heading into the final Test at Lord's and England, seeking momentum with an Ashes series looming, had better be on their guard. "I'm a very happy customer at the moment," said Butt, and the same goes for the rest of his team.

This article is written by Ben Dirs