England look to break habit of dropping first test with Pakistan, says Woakes

VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH ENGLAND'S CHRIS WOAKES, NEWS CONFERENCE WITH PAKISTAN COACH MISBAH-UL-HAQ, ENGLAND TRAINING

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS:

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (AUGUST 3, 2020) (ENGLAND AND WALES CRICKET BOARD - MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY ENGLAND AND WALES CRICKET BOARD)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND'S CHRIS WOAKES, ON ENGLAND LOSING FIRST TESTS OF LATEST TEST SERIES, SAYING:

"I'd love to be able to put my finger on it (why England have lost the first test in the last few series) and I'm sure management and the team would as well, but I almost think - I mean, it's getting to a stage where it's not coincidence, but it is just coincidence that we keep losing that first test match. But we want to put that right. Obviously, this is a new series and we want to make sure that's right. We'll do as much analysis as we usually do. We try to make sure we're as well prepared as possible. We know the conditions here at Old Trafford, so like I say, there are no excuses and hopefully we can put that right this week and start with strong performance against Pakistan and hopefully get one up in this three-match series."

2. BEN STOKES, BOWLING IN THE NETS DURING TEAM TRAINING SESSION

3. JOFRA ARCHER, BOWLING IN THE NETS DURING TEAM TRAINING SESSION

4. STOKES BOWLING

5. SAM CURRAN, BOWLING IN THE NETS DURING TEAM TRAINING SESSION

6. WOAKES, BOWLING IN THE NETS DURING TEAM TRAINING SESSION

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND'S CHRIS WOAKES, ON HIS POSITION WITH ENGLAND, SAYING:

"I hope I've done enough to be in that starting 11. But like we've touched on, I think competition's high at the minute. We've still got two of England's greats charging in and taking wickets every time they play, and we've got exciting fast bowlers as well. It's not an easy team to just be cemented in. So, as you touched on, my record in England is brilliant. I'm obviously playing for that. I want to keep getting better, I want to bring myself and every time I get the opportunity to play for England, whether it's home or away, I'm giving 110% and trying to do my best for the team. And I'm really pleased with how it went with the last series against West Indies. I was obviously really pleased to get the nod the last test match and thankfully I was able to show up and put in a strong performance. So, hopefully it's enough to keep me on the team for this week, but selections are not an easy thing and I'm in a position where I've obviously done really well and if I'm selected, then great. If I'm not, I'll get myself ready for whenever the next game is."

8. STOKES BOWLING

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND'S CHRIS WOAKES, ON BEING IN BIO-SECURE BUBBLE, SAYING:

"I think you would have heard the other guys say as well, that we're obviously staying in the hotels on the grounds and you know, pitch-facing rooms so whenever you wake up or you have an hour off whatever it is, you're constantly looking at a cricket field which makes it a little bit tricky. But we've gotten used to it. We actually had that test series against West Indies which thankfully went pretty well. We won, and that's the main reason we're here; to hopefully try and win cricket matches. Yeah, it's been tricky, and it has been tough at times, but we've got through it. This series is a little bit quicker than the other one in comparison to us going through that three-week camp prior. So, hopefully it will go relatively quickly as well."

10. SQUAD ON PITCH AND SPLITTING UP AFTER TRAINING

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (AUGUST 3, 2020) (PAKISTAN CRICKET BOARD - MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY PAKISTAN CRICKET BOARD)

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAKISTAN COACH, MISBAH-UL-HAQ, ON TRYING TO WIN FIRST TEST OF THE SERIES, SAYING:

"So we should be ready for an England team that now already has had three matches experience. And the last two test matches, they won those two test matches. So, we have to be ready to come into this test series and right from the word 'go,' at our best if we want to win the test series here. And we are aware that slightly, you could say, the advantage is in England's hands, but if we are alert and just go 100% in the first test match, I think that is the only way we can beat England. Otherwise, we will find ourselves in difficulty."

12. WHITE FLASH

13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAKISTAN COACH, MISBAH-UL-HAQ, SAYING:

"That is the most important thing; that we can do well here, and we can win. So, that belief is there. And obviously, there are some players who were already part of the tours in England in 2016 and 2018 and there are some youngsters, new faces, the good thing is they come with confidence. They've already performed at test level. They're not experienced enough, but still, they are in a good frame of mind and that is the key. When you come to England and Australia and South Africa, you already have that self-confidence and belief in yourself, that can help you. Obviously, it's difficult with English conditions, especially with the experience of England's bowling attack. It's always difficult. But, the only way you can cope with that is self-belief, confidence and then trust your game. Go there and play at your potential. And this is what we try to do."

STORY: England will look to come out of the gates with a win in the first match of a three-test series against Pakistan, Chris Woakes said on Monday (August 3) after being asked about a growing trend of England dropping the first match of international test series.

England beat West Indies 2-1 in the first international test series since the COVID-19 pandemic suspended the sport in March, but only after losing the first match and having to stage a comeback.

Woakes said the side are looking for a better start against a more formidable Pakistan.

With a strong field of bowlers, Woakes said it is tough to be "cemented" into the squad but that he hopes his past performances for England, including in the West Indies series, are enough to secure his spot on the pitch.

Pakistan coach Misbah-ul-Haq, on the other hand, said his side have come hungry and full of confidence that they can throw England off balance as they look to notch an early win in the series as well.

The three-match series kicks off on Wednesday (August 5) in Manchester behind closed doors with the squads staying in a bio-secure bubble throughout.

The second (Aug. 13-17) and third test (Aug. 21-25) will be held in Southampton.

(Production: Kurt Michael Hall)