England bid to end no-ball plague

England are attempting to replicate the intensity of a match situation during training to eradicate the no-balls which have proved costly for them this year, but Alastair Cook is convinced the issue stems from fewer on-field calls being made.

In the first Test, Stuart Broad had Shoaib Malik caught at slip on 40 only for replays to show he had overstepped. Earlier in the same day Broad had overstepped by a distance but not been called. It was the sixth time this year that England had been denied a wicket in such a fashion, following two apiece by Mark Wood and Steven Finn during the summer, and one by Ben Stokes in the West Indies.

At training, bowling coach Ottis Gibson is trying to ensure bowlers come off their full runs and take the same care in marking their delivery stride as they would in a match situation. At a net session on Tuesday, Gibson could be heard calling no-balls and during the first Test Broad pondered whether it would be possible to have umpires at net sessions.

"It's incredibly frustrating," Cook said of the transgressions. "One of the frustrating bits is there has been less and less no-balls called in games and you always know as a bowler if you're never getting called you don't really do too much about it.

"In the nets, Gibbo is onto the guys making sure it's their full run-up and they're not bowling no-balls. It is incredibly frustrating not only for the ten other guys but the one bloke who must feel terrible. No one means to do it but we are working hard to make sure we don't do it again."

The question of calling no-balls on-field was raised at an ICC briefing to the media in Dubai on Monday. Geoff Allardice, the ICC's general manager of cricket, said that umpires still confer with bowlers to warn them when they are getting tight to the line, but confirmed that the instruction was only to call them if they are sure, because once a no-ball is called the subsequent actions cannot be overturned.

He said there were no plans in the near future to take the process out of the hands of the on-field umpires, largely because the officials themselves have said they want to retain the authority in the middle. Umpires, partly for safety, now stand further back from the stumps than they used to while there are some bowlers, such as Finn, who have an action which blocks off the view of the front foot.

Cook, himself, fell victim to a missed no-ball when his dismissal against Shoaib Malik was not referred to the third umpire, only for replays to show that Malik's foot had landed over the line before dragging back, which made it an illegal delivery.

Although frustrating for Cook, who was eyeing a maiden Test triple hundred having previously fallen for 294 against India in 2011, he did have the compensation of setting a vital tone for England's series with his 14-hour 263. His performance, which helped England pile up 598 for 9, ensured there were no early reminders of the batting woes which struck their previous visit here in 2012 when they passed 300 only once and where 94 by Cook was the highest individual score.

Cook said he did not envisage any problem in refocusing his energies in a bid for a repeat performance this week, but was aware that Pakistan's attack will be strengthened by the return of Yasir Shah on a surface expected to have more life.

"It's always a nice place to be as a batter, to score runs early in a series. I know my game is working well. I don't think it's any more or less daunting. For me it's about rhythm - I had a hit yesterday and felt in good touch. You need a little bit of luck to get in and then it's a question of whether you can get into that rhythm and go big again. If you get in here, you have to go big.

"Pakistan missed [Yasir] last game, he's done well but we were prepared to play him in Abu Dhabi. He will strengthen their bowling.

"It will turn more and a bit quicker - last time there was more for the seamers. It's a unique stadium, the shadow is still there at 10am and that allows for dampness in the wicket and movement. It should be a better cricket wicket."