‘Spinning wickets not an issue’

England spearhead James Anderson has denied seamers are discouraged by the spin-friendly pitches here, saying he was fully focused on how to win the third and final Test against Pakistan starting on Friday.

Spinners have dominated Pakistan's wins in Dubai in the first Test and in Abu Dhabi in the second with 34 of the 40 wickets going to slow bowlers.

But despite these statistics, Anderson refused to accept the spin-friendly nature of the pitches was discouraging for fast bowlers.

“I don't think so,” Anderson said on Wednesday. “Seamers have got plenty of wickets. Broad bowled well in the last game and Umar Gul got four wickets in the first, so it is just that the spinners have outshone us in the first two Tests.” Broad has taken eight wickets in the series, while Anderson's tally stands at five. Anderson said he was happy with England's bowling performance to date.

“Our job is to get 20 wickets in any Test match and we thought it might be a difficult job here but probably we have exceeded our expectations in that department.”