LONDON:
England are seeking more regular help for their
spinners after recruiting
former Pakistan bowler Saqlain Mushtaq for the Old Trafford Test which starts on Friday.
Saqlain linked up
with England for practice in Manchester today and will
work with spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, as well as advising batsmen how to play
Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
England have **t had a permanent spin coach since Mushtaq Ahmed returned to
Pakistan at the start of 2014 and they are keen to address the situation. It is thought a coach will join the squad for the winter tours of India and Bangladesh, where spin will be prominent.
Saqlain is one of the contenders for the role while Daniel Vettori, the
former New Zealand left-arm spinner, recently spent time
with the
England Performance Programme at a training camp in Dubai. Robert Croft, who played 21 Tests, was recruited for a part of last winter’s tour of South Africa.
Mushtaq Ahmed worked closely
with Graeme Swann during his time
with England, helping Swann become one of the world’s best spinners.
England k**w Moeen needs mentoring, especially as he has struggled to make an impression
with the ball since
England regained the Ashes last summer.
Rashid has played only three Tests, against
Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates last autumn, but is back in the squad for Old Trafford as
England look to square the Investec ******, which
Pakistan lead 1-0.
former England pace
bowler Andrew Caddick will spend a day
with the team before the Third Test at Edgbaston, which starts on August 3.
Caddick has been invited for the training session on August 1, in which he will observe the session and
work alongside England’s fast bowlers.
Caddick took 234 wickets in 62 Tests and was part of an effective new-ball combination
with Darren Gough under the captaincy of Nasser Hussain. Meanwhile,
England head selector James Whitaker is ready to clarify the role of his panel next week when he names the squad for the Third Test. Whitaker and fellow selectors Angus Fraser and Mick Newell were criticised for leaving Jimmy Anderson out for the First Test at Lord’s, even though the paceman had declared himself fit to play.
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