Despite England’s loss to Pakistan, who gained their first victory in 12 test matches, all the talk following that victory has been about the spinners on both sides and the state of the pitch that was used in the previous test match writes Merv Colenutt.

The performances of the Somerset spinners Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir in particular, were going to be instrumental in the outcome of the game.

Bashir has certainly had his critics around the country this summer, picked for England, but not good enough for Somerset on numerous occasions, so what were we to expect on a turning 8th day pitch that had been flat in the previous test and was likely to be the same early on in the 6th day, but following wear and tear, the spinners from both sides were always going to be the game changers.

Bashir has had a difficult year and he needed to come up with a good performance especially in the Pakistan second innings, which was played virtually on Day 8 of this second test match and to be fair on a wicket that was now showing signs of considerable turn, he bowled really well picking up 4 second innings wickets.

I accept we all have different opinions, none more so than the selectors picking Bashir as the no 1 spinner, although there is little doubt that Jack Leach having returned from illness and injury, has regained that no 1 spot.

What I liked about Bashir’s performance was in the fact that he always appears to bowl better at left handers, but on this occasion he bowled far straighter at the right handed batsmen, giving them very little room outside of the off stump, that obviously comes from playing in test match cricket, before you always felt he gave the batsmen too much width outside of off stump, or bowling to much at a batsman’s legs.

Bashir is still only 21 and still learning his trade and he is at a different end of his career to Jack Leach.

We have to remember also that Pakistan are used to turning wickets, with spin their main option and even Jack Leach in trying to curb the left handers sweep on a wearing wicket, saw him bowl around the wicket to the left handers.

I felt also that wicket keeper Jamie Smith came in for some unjust criticism for dropping a catch, I believe in a field of brilliant wicket keepers throughout the country, the Surrey man has been exceptional with the gloves throughout the Summer and has batted superbly.

However Smith is likely to miss the test series in New Zealand with Essex keeper Jordan Cox replacing him, in the event of anything happening to Cox, you feel that if England want to continue to make progress, the name of James Rew might be the next name on the list, surely the selectors would not take a step back and recall either Ben Foakes or Johnny Bairstow.

I would also hope that no other country goes down the same route as Pakistan by playing 2 test matches on the same pitch within days of each other, surprised the World’s International Cricket Council allowed this to happen and with very few spectators to watch the action.