Summer takes sour turn for Strauss and England

Sunday saw the first defeat for Andrew Strauss and England in test matches in 6 games, and only their third in the last year. On the batting pitch in the country, at the Brit Oval, England were bowled out for under 240 twice by a rejuvinated and revitalised Pakistan.
Salman Butt is the first to say what all England fans have been thinking since this test began. When it comes to Australia, will we have the firepower, both batting and bowling, to win downunder for the first time in 24 years. Salman seems to think not.
"If this is the English bowling they will find that hard in Australian conditions," he said. "England are best in their conditions but anywhere else you play I think Australia have the edge."
He also thinks that Australia will benefit from being at home.
"In my experience Australia are a much better side in their home conditions. The ball doesn't swing as much and the bowlers have to work hard."
Not an exclusive opinion by any stretch of the imagination. Jimmy Anderson is one of the best bowlers in the world at the moment, but he has been playing in favourable conditions, and when the ball stops swinging, or refuses to reverse swing, he seems slightly devoid of variations to trouble test-quality batsmen, and on the flat, hard pitches in Australia it could be a long series for the Lancashire paceman.
Amid a turbulant week in English cricket, Ricky Ponting added his own measure of fuel to the flame, claiming that the team that welcomes England to it's shores in just 100 days has the same chance of completing a whitewash that the side had in 2006/7. A bold claim, baring in mind that side had two of the greatest bowlers ever to hold a cricket ball, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.
Strauss dismissed these claims as silly, but after the way his side have been beaten over the last four days, some doubts must surely be planted firmly in his unconcious.
One positive to come from The Oval is the return to form of Alistair Cook. The young opener has had a dry summer against Bangladesh and Pakistan, but he proved yesterday why he is tipped to be at the top of England's lineup for years to come. A nervy start, not entirely unexpected, gave way to a Cook of old, belligerant in defence, punishing anything too short or full, a glorious off drive against Wahab Riaz, the shot of the day. Despite the slightly comical way his hundred arrived Cook must feel that he has recovered at least a modicum of form, and more importantly confidence, with only one test remaining between now and the first match against the old enemy.

Worthy victors this week, Pakistan must feel they have banished the demons of the first two tests, the 72 and 80 all outs forgotten blips in the development of a young side. However, the influence of Mohammad Yousuf cannot be underestimated, and the return of the exiled batsman must have made a huge difference to the whole side. In what is an extremely tough time for the whole of Pakistant, the side shoed unity and a team spirit strong enough to overcome any obsticle put in front of them. Their fielding has improved dramtically, and in Mohammad Aamir they may well have unearthed a cricketing gem, the likes of which we have never seen. The next Wasim Akram? Why limit him to just that?
Combine that with the unreadable Saeed Ajmal and the simply outstanding Mohammad Asif and you have possibly the best bowling attack on the planet right now. Underestimate Pakistan at your peril.