Sharjah: England pacer Mark Wood, who impressed in the recent Ashes series, is looking forward to give his best against Pakistan on wickets which may not be responsive.

“We have to try and create 20 chances during the Test match and then we are hoping that’s all we need. In summer at home, we took those chances in the Ashes and we will have to do the same here. We know that we are not going to get many chances with the pitches and the heat here, and it’s also the Kookaburra ball which doesn’t do as much as the Duke, so we have to convert those half-chances.”

Wood revealed that all the England pacers have found ways to counter challenges. “We have learned different skills to go about it. Jimmy [Anderson] is very good with the cutters and so is [Stuart] Broad. Getting the ball to reverse is going to be vital and we will have to look after the ball very well.”

Wood bowled impressively in yesterday’s two-day match against Pakistan A at Sharjah. He gave away just 24 runs from his 13 overs and bowled five maidens as well as took a wicket. The secret to his bowling well was his patience. “I won’t say that I am a naturally patient bloke. I guess I am hyperactive and want to be in the action all the time, but it is the way that cricket is here that I will have to adapt and be patient,” he said.

Wood candidly admitted that the cricket here was different from what he has experienced back home this summer. “I think the brand of cricket one wants to play back home is that aggressive style, but we have got adapt a bit here. We tried to be smart, had fielders around the bat and tried to do things like bump the ball at times just to be different. I think the Pakistan side never really got away from us today. I think the key to this series is allowing that sort of period where they do get a partnership but not get more than four runs an over. The kind of run rate we kept was brilliant. If we had taken the half chances, it would have been a brilliant day, but I think we have had a good day.”

Pakistan A team’s star performer Fawad Alam who strengthened his chances to clinch a place in the Test eleven through a half century feels he is happy with his personal performance and the team’s batting. “I am pretty much happy with myself and team performance as we did a good job against the best bowling side. Though it is a kind of practice match they bowled really well but it is not going to be easy for them in Test matches,” he said.

Alam then went on to hail Iftikhar Ahmad’s unbeaten 92 runs. “Iftikhar played well; he is a consistent performer in our domestic cricket that is why he got selected. He batted well under pressure after we lost three wickets and build up a good partnership with me.”

When asked why Alam hasn’t got to play more Test matches despite his consistent performance, Alam said: “I don’t know. I am still learning and waiting for my chance to deliver again.”

Alam feels that his team’s spinners bowled better than the England spinners. “I think England bowlers Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid bowled well but our spinners were better here as the conditions were favourable for our spinners. Though it wasn’t easy England batsmen played very well against our spinners.”