Graeme Swann: England made a baffling decision not to enforce the follow-on against Pakistan

I WOULD 100 per cent have enforced the follow-on and piled further pressure on Pakistan.

Normally, I’m in the camp for batting again, taking the game deep and allowing the pitch to deteriorate.

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But for me this was a no-brainer — Alastair Cook should have made Pakistan bat again.

I have a sneaking but worrying suspicion it was done to help Moeen Ali, who has been struggling with the ball and receiving plenty of tap from Misbah-ul-Haq.

Could it be Cooky wanted another day’s wear on the pitch so Moeen could be more effective in the fourth innings?

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If that was a factor in Cooky’s thinking, it was horrific and negative.

You don’t jeopardise the chances of winning just to prop up the morale of one player.

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Rain is almost guaranteed at Old Trafford — even if it is not forecast — so that is a factor as well. Of course, England should still win but it would be madness if they were denied victory by drizzle.

England bowled only 63 overs in the first innings spread over two days, so the seam quartet should still be fresh.

Ben Stokes was swinging the ball and Chris Woakes was metronomic while Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad hadn’t bowled for a couple of hours when Cooky made his decision.

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Maybe Anderson and Broad fancied a rest, perhaps Anderson and Stokes were feeling sore after their injuries.

But, whatever England’s thinking, the decision was still wrong in my view.