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Misbah-ul-Haq has admitted it was a worrying moment to see his star spinner, Yasir Shah, poleaxed in the nets when he took a blow on the shoulder on Wednesday.Yasir was sent for a precautionary scan but Misbah said he would be okay for a match where he is expected to have another significant impact on a ground with a history of helping spinners.He is the fulcrum of Pakistans attack, allowing them to operate with four frontline bowlers. The one Test he has missed since his debut was against England in Abu Dhabi last year, after he suffered a back spasm. England were able to score 598 for 9 and almost stole a victory on the final day. Yasir may not have made a major difference on what was a dead pitch for four days and two sessions, but Pakistans attack was far less daunting without him.Since Yasir returned, Pakistan have won three consecutive Tests against England - at Dubai, Sharjah and Lords - during which he has taken 25 wickets.Seven of the last 12 five-wicket hauls in Tests at Old Trafford have been taken by spinners and although that period overlaps the rotation of the square the surface has retained his characteristics of offering bounce and turn.However, even buoyed by their success at Lords, Misbah was eager to stress how the players start with a blank sheet of paper in this match, despite Yasir riding on the crest of a wave following his 10-wicket haul which propelled him to No. 1 in the world.It doesnt matter which ground we play on, Misbah said. If a bowler is really good he can produce results anywhere. He bowled beautifully at Lords but everyone will need to bowl well again, not just Yasir. All four need to step up.How England respond to the challenge posed by Yasir has been a recurring theme and their performance at Lords, especially in the first innings when they were well placed to compete with Pakistans 339, revived memories of collapses inspired by Shane Warne, which came more from within the mind of the batsmen than the actual threat posed by the surface.But saying that Misbah is outwardly calm is an understatement so it was hardly surprising that he was not shouting from the rooftops about a repeat performance in Manchester and instead was preparing for a better showing from Englands batsmenIts all about how you apply yourself, overcome mistakes of previous Test. Every game is new, wicket different, you have to adjust and that could sometimes be a challenge when youre a little bit down and short on confidence, but international players can do that. We have to be ready for that. If they play Yasir well we should have other plans. While there are many reasons for Pakistan to be a content, confident side going into the second Test they may want to look with caution at the example of India in 2014 when they won at Lords only to fold in the following three Tests. The matchwinning skills in Pakistans first-choice attack - injuries would test their depth - mean that such a swing in fortunes is more unlikely. There is even an argument to say that in Mohammad Amirs case, with the pressure of his comeback Test dealt with and overs under his belt, he may be better for the run out.Another key difference is that in the India series two lively surfaces at Old Trafford and The Oval played firmly into Englands hands. In this series, Pakistans attack is as likely to enjoy such conditions as Englands.Still, Pakistan are not without issues the main one being their opening combination of Mohammad Hafeez and Shan Masood. They made scores of 40, 7, 0 and 24 at Lords, meaning that Azhar Ali was exposed early at No. 3 and Younis Khan was at the crease inside 20 overs in both innings.Pakistan nailed their colours to the mast by playing the same batsmen in both their pre-series warm-ups and the only chance for the reserve players to have a hit will be in the two-game against Worcestershire following the second Test. Still, Masood could find himself under pressure if he does not deliver at Old Trafford with Englands seamers seemingly having his number outside off stump.It can happen in these conditions against the new ball, Misbah said. Dont be impatient, give them confidence and back them. You have got to believe they can deliver, thats the only way.Hafeez has now completed his 12-month suspension for a suspect action and is eligible for a re-test, which Pakistan are considering trying to fit in before the third Test at Edgbaston.That could give us a big advantage, Misbah said, if we have him when the opposition have four or five left-handers.A serious fifth-bowling option, and a spinner who turns the ball the opposite direction to Yasir. It would make an already compelling Pakistan attack look even more threatening. For now, they are managing superbly well with what they have available although they would probably appreciate Yasir not being peppered by his team-mates. . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field. .C. -- Calgarys Kevin Koe did it the hard way again. . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Chase Elliott has been inching toward his first career Sprint Cup victory all year, only to come up short time and time again.He needs it to come Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, where anything but a win will likely eliminate the rookie phenom from NASCARs playoffs.There have been five times this year that Elliott has finished second or third. Hes been inside the top five a total of nine times. He might have even won at Charlotte Motor Speedway two weeks ago until he wrecked. Then a tire problem at Kansas dropped him to last in the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings and on the edge of elimination.We are obviously disappointed in the way the past two weeks have gone, having such strong cars, Elliott said Friday. But it puts us in a pretty simplistic situation for this weekend.The third and final race of this leg of the Chase will trim the title contenders from 12 to eight, and Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick already have spots locked down. There are no guarantees for the remaining six spots, as drivers have come to Talladega the last two years in good position only to be bounced out after a bad day at the superspeedway.At the bottom of the standings along with Elliott are Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, who raced for the title two years ago, and Brad Keselowski, who was in a must-win situation at Talladega two years ago and got the victory needed to advance to the third round.Also in shaky position: Joey Logano, who won all three races in the second round last year, and Martin Truex Jr., winner of two races in the first round this season but suddenly is one sub-par day away from being bounced out of the Chase.Truex made it to the championship round a year ago and didnt seem too stressed about his chances on Friday. Hes sixth in the standings.You just go race, see what happens, Truex said. Were either going to make it or were not. Worrying about it, thinking about scenarios, what do you have to do? All those things, it doesnt do anybody any good.Elliott is realistic about his chances. He finished third in two of the first three Chase races and soared into the second round behind improved performance from Hendrick Motorsports. Then he led 103 laps at Charlotte, only to be caught in an accident that wasnt his fault. He finished 33rd and then 31st at Kansas.Typically very hard on himself after a poor finish, Elliott was encouraged by how well his Hendrick Motorsports team has been running. He said he believes he can race his way into the third round -- and race for the championship.I 100 percent think if we can advance through this weekend, I without a doubt feel like we can be a contender, Elliott said. If you dont feel that way, you need to go home.Heres a look at how some other drivers are approaching Talladega:TRUEXHes a very good restrictor-plate raccer, and finished second to de facto teammate Hamlin in the Daytona 500 as the Toyota camp ran a well-strategized race.dddddddddddd Hell try to be smart again on Sunday rather than risk his title chances after moving to the top of the list of favorites at the start of the Chase. Truex has three wins in the last seven races and his Furniture Row Racing team has been one of the most consistent this year.It is his intent to race toward the front all day and not drift back into the pack -- a strategy some drivers use in an effort to stay far behind accidents. Truex believes thats a risky plan.The closer you are to the front, the better your odds are of getting through a wreck if it happens, he said. Ive been crashed riding around in the back trying to stay out of trouble.LOGANOTied for the eighth and final transfer position, Logano finds himself in an odd position. He raced for the championship in 2014, then swept the second round last year.But hes winless in the Chase this season and finds himself in danger of elimination along with Team Penske teammate Keselowski. Logano helped Keselowski to his must-win victory at Talladega two years ago, but with the season on the line, each needs the best finish they can get.Logano sounded Friday like a driver looking out only for himself.I dont really think about how people are trying to knock me out, I think about how Im going to knock other people out, he said. Thats my attitude. If Im on defense, were not going to win. We better stay on offense.CARL EDWARDSLike Truex, he wants to race up front all day. He finished fifth in the Daytona 500 when the Toyotas executed perfectly to get four of the top five positions, but isnt expecting that teamwork to work the same on Sunday.Edwards is fourth in the standings, and Toyota drivers have five spots in the top 12. The manufacturer wants all five drivers to advance on Sunday, which will be Toyotas 1,000th race in the Cup Series.Edwards isnt sure how it will work.I feel like Daytona was just a once in a everything aligned and that was unbelievable how well it worked, Edwards said. More often than not even if you have a plan, man, they fall apart so easily here. I think you have to really, really be conscious of the developing race and different circumstances.KESELOWSKIHes won the last two plate races this year, including at Talladega in May, and he has that 2014 experience on his resume. Still, Keselowski is in a deep hole. Working in his favor is that hes got the best winning percentage at restrictor-plate tracks of any NASCAR driver in history.What works best for Keselowski is staying calm.I dont think it is a must-win situation, he said. I am not worried about it. ' ' '
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