Two results

Two results. One inevitable, one surprising. The PCB lifts its ban on Shoaib and Asif (come on, did you really think the ban was going to last? This blogger was skeptical about it lasting and it didn't). And England lose the second test to Australia after a spectacular collapse on the last day. Thats surprising. But both of these results had one thing in common. A failure of nerve. The PCB (yes, I know it was a "tribunal" appointed to investigate the ban that did the lifting, but again, lets get real) was suddenly confronted with the possibility that they might do something right for a change. That was too much for them to handle. And England, somehow, found a way to lose after scoring 551/6 in the first innings. Their astonishingly feeble batting on the last day (70 runs in 64 overs) must have been a sight to behold (or slept through). In a way, they might have sunk this series. If they can pull off a comeback from here, this Ashes will be even better than the 2005 version. But I'm not holding my breath. And neither am I expecting Pakistani cricket to ever, ever, get it right.