http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/5296056.stm

[i]"A large proportion of Britain's Asian population fail to pass the cricket test. Which side do they cheer for? It's an interesting test. Are you still harking back to where you came from or where you are?"

Those were the words of then Conservative MP Norman Tebbit in 1990, who controversially questioned the loyalties of British-born Asian cricket fans in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

For first-generation immigrants, supporting England was somehow not an option.

But based on the research of a two-part Radio Four programme 'Taking the cricket test', a newer generation of British-born Asian fans appear to feel differently.

Writer and broadcaster Sarfraz Manzoor used Pakistan's four-Test summer series in England to discover whether the 'Tebbit test' is just as valid 16 years on.

Manzoor, a lifelong Pakistan cricket fan, followed the team to London, Manchester and Leeds, as well as visiting Manningham Mills Cricket Club, a predominantly Muslim team in Bradford, to talk to British-born Pakistanis and examine whether they had divided loyalties.

"The programmes look at the role of cricket in the relationship between England and Pakistan, the historic questions involved and bringing it right up to date and asking whether we are passing or failing 'the cricket test'," said Manzoor.

And Manzoor's findings exceeded his own expectations.

"I was fully expecting to see British-born Pakistanis all supporting Pakistan, I was not expecting was to see many of them supporting England," he told BBC Sport.

"I met a 40-year-old lawyer who remembered seeing England play Pakistan in the 1980s and he spoke of the racism he experienced back then.

"But when I asked about his kids' allegiances, he said they supported England in football and cricket.

"Even the most ferociously patriotic Pakistani fans, based on the people I spoke to, assumed their children would want to play cricket for England.

"The opportunities are so much better now than they were for people who are in their 30s and older."

The football analogy is particularly poignant because no British-born Pakistan fan Manzoor spoke to had any identity contradictions supporting England.

John Terry's England are well supported by Pakistani cricket fans

"Pakistan don't play football to a great standard, so it is no issue to support England," he said. "But cricket is one of the few places they can be proud to be Pakistani, to be something other than just purely English.

"A lot of Pakistani cricket supporters were also fervent England football fans - some were attending the Test matches wearing England football shirts."

While in Leeds for the Headingley Test, Manzoor made the detour a few miles south to Beeston, home town of three of the 7 July suicide bombers.

According to Manzoor, one of the three, 22-year-old Shehzad Tanweer, had been playing cricket the evening before travelling to London.

"I wanted to know: 'How can you be playing cricket one day and murder and maim the next?'" said Manzoor.

Manzoor also spoke to England's Sajid Mahmood during the course of his research and found the 24-year-old to be the ideal role model.

Sajid Mahmood (left) and Monty Panesar represent a new face of English cricket

The Lancashire-born fast bowler, who along with his cousin, boxer Amir Khan, has successfully managed to preserve his Islamic upbringing while simultaneously celebrating his English roots, confirming the two identities can live together symbiotically.

"How did his family produce two British Muslim heroes, while other families have been producing radicals, people that are alienated and angry?" said Manzoor.

"His answer was that his family gave him the opportunity to explore and develop his own interests.

"When he told his family that he wanted to be a cricketer, they didn't say 'No you're going to be an accountant' they said 'We'll support you in what you do'.

"It is a rare thing but it provides a lesson for Pakistani parents to improve and get the best out of their children." [/i]

[b]Im a cricketer and if i was to play cricket for anyone as time over i have explained, it wouldnt be pakistan or kenya or india coz i aint a resident there, it would naturally be england, so when im supporting anyone, naturally i support england. Mahmood and Panasar are doing a great job in representing the diversity of britain on the cricket pitch.

Inshallah pray that i can represent England Women in the same manner LOL.[/b]

i do support pakistan someimes i gta admit :oops:

thats only coz they are not [ finally ] bringing islam onto the cricket pitch and thats the way it iissssssssssssssss

Quote:

Yawn,

I hate cricket wish it hadn't been invented.

Thats just insulting.

how are you going against your faith by supporting england mister jihad man? ...and yet when one supports them in football its ok?

"MuslimSister" wrote:

"Jihad Soulja" wrote:

and anywayz supporting the England footy team has been embedded in me sicne I started skool.

But cricket yh, thts embedded in our culture, we r one of the best teams in the world, even our own boys r in da england team, we have 2 support Pakistan afterall, we r Paki.

So...its OK to support the England footie team cos this is something that has been embedded in your since you were a kid.

However, we HAVE to support Pakistan cricket teams cos we're Paki's. And anyone who backs England when they play against Pakistan are "traitors".

Intresting views.

Exactlyyyyyyyyyyy what i was sayin to him sis....and im told im twisting his words!! subhannallah.

So basicly jihaddude, you just support the ones who win...right..? And who says you have to support Pakistan in football..there are others apart from england too you know?! But just coz you think the Paks are beter at cricket you suport em? isnt that called being a glory supporter or something?

[ i aint pickin on you, but like muslimsis said, its interesting ]

i aint taking sides, but if england also had their full team on instead of a bunch on newies then they too would have had some hope.

The return of Rawalpindi Express has helped a lot though. Mashallah pakistan have proved to be deserving winners