Any lessons?(-worma)

Talking about the Eng-Pak thriller, that finally ended in the most unpredictable fashion. Even till the 8th wicket partnership it looked like Eng's game, for hadn't they enacted a similar cliff-hanging triumph a few months earlier? And against a stronger opposition too.

From what I saw, Eng batsmen look all at sea when it comes to reading Kaneria. And then, not forward enough to negate the spin if they can't read it. Ofcourse Shoaib would be unplayable when at best, so not much point planning for that. Although Sami was not far behind..his 2 wkt taking spell with Kaneria was what actually set up the stage for Shoaib, and Pak to crash the Eng gates down. This from Osman's post-match analysis on cricinfo

But as on the final sun-drenched Bangalore afternoon, his most fearsome delivery today - one that makes you wonder what he has been doing for so long - didn't get him the wicket he deserved. Then, he had bowled it to Sachin Tendulkar no less, on the stroke of tea, not too short but nasty, brutish, and blisteringly quick. It caught Tendulkar fending, utterly surprised. Asim Kamal dropped the chance at short leg then; had there been a short leg in place today, a strikingly similar ball would have brought him the wicket of Flintoff, who knew not whether to duck or stand tall and instead did both as the ball looped up off his glove.

So, what lessons for Eng team? Were they complacent? Were they too aggressive? Andrew Miller asks these and few more here.

But it is remarkable, nonetheless, how quickly England have grown to believe their own publicity. "Problem, what problem?" has been the message every day of this tour. Perhaps now they'll take notice of the smoke pouring under the door.

But the Eng team is certainly not looking to change much in terms of approach

So, the message remains unaltered from the England camp. One defeat does not a series debacle make, and at times of adversity such as this, they have an unrivalled team spirit and 18 months of happy memories to fall back on. "It's disappointing, but it's not going to knock us down," added Trescothick, and anyone who witnessed the fightback after Lord's last summer knows better than to question that particular judgment.

Although Miller does suggest

But, if they are serious about rivalling Australia and ruling the world roost for the next decade and more, then a touch less time with the touchstone, and a little more old-fashioned grind, would probably not go amiss.

Meanwhile, probably Vaughan's improved chances of return may help Eng spirits a bit. They surely need more solidity in the middle. The middle order vulnerability is also making the KP hit-or-miss style less affordable to them.

But for me, the way they're playing spin (and add to it the coming to form of the entire Pak pace attack) it looks more troubled times ahead. I won't be surprised if Inzy plays Afridi ahead of Raza next match.