Key Mouth - Watering Battles Ahead Part 3 Author: Maaz; Views: 405; Date: 1-01-2012, 03:24;

KP vs Rehman

KPs struggle against slow left arm orthodox bowlers speak for themselves and has been well documented and picked up on by many columnists and pundits. Rehman is likely to get the nod in the starting line up and surely he can be a threat for the mighty flamboyant aggressor. Either way there will be drama when the two go head to head with KP looking to take him apart. Rehman must ensure he holds his nerve and keeps it simple. He should be studying footage of how other left arm spinners have troubled KP in the past and take that into consideration. Rehman was the joint quickest Pakistan spinner to the milestone of 50 test wickets.

Anderson vs Gul

Anderson was accused of ball tampering by Gul last year so there will be some fierce competition between the two when they go head to head. Both are the senior pacers who will be looking to make a statement on those docile tracks. One can expect plenty of sledging and chin music when one is facing up to the other. Anderson will need to concentrate on penetration and pace as there will not be much sideways movement or swing available whereas Gul will be trying to shape the ball across the English left handed openers with the odd one fuller in length and darting back into those pads as the surprise change up. Gul should be focussing on giving the two a stern test of their patience. Gul will inevitably take the new cherry and will need to ensure he doesn’t provide too much width to Strauss or stray on those legs of either opener where they are very strong. Anderson will fancy getting Taufeeq and Hafeez early by getting it to deviate a fraction in those nagging channels.

Swann vs Younis

YK is a master class at encountering spin and was on an exile from national representation when the hosts toured in 2010 and played Swann woefully as the Nottinghamshire finger spinner averaged a phenomenal 12. Swann would not know what has struck him when he faces up to YK who is so tight at prodding with the full face in front of the front pad when he plants his first stride down and sweeps productively, drives smoothly and nudges around the corener tidily. YK covers the angle and spin, operates with soft hands and dabs the ball on to the turf with a firm sense of authority. If Swann gets him early, the off spinner has seen the back of prolific batsmen of spin bowling. It’s a first class education seeing YK negotiating with the spinners in the manner and ease in which he does. YK will know Swann personally from his Nottinghamshire days in 2005 so there is a possibility that they have faced up to each other in the nets in the past although that all counts for nothing in a match context.