ENGLAND found it tough enough against Yasir Shah's conventional leg-breaks yesterday – but will not yet be losing any sleep over Saeed Ajmal's top-secret new mystery delivery.

Ajmal has made much of his 'teesra' delivery, to be unveiled during the forthcoming three-Test series against Pakistan.

After only Alastair Cook (133) had got the better of Yasir (5-76) on the opening day of the warm-up match against a Pakistan Cricket Board XI at Dubai's GCA ground, batting coach Graham Gooch made it clear England were not worried about Ajmal.

Gooch has significant respect for the off-spinner, who already has a 'doosra' in his armoury and gave England plenty of trouble on Pakistan's infamous Test tour of 2010.

But the former captain knows from his own rich experience as one of England's greatest batsmen that words can sometimes be cheap in international cricket.

"He's the top wicket-taker of 2011 in Test cricket, so it's going to be a good challenge for us," said Gooch.

"But we'll wait and see about the teesra. Saying one thing and doing it are two different things in my book."

Recalling his own battles with Australia's master leg-spinner Shane Warne, Gooch said the propaganda had not always been matched by reality.

He added: "Shane would come over and say he'd got this ball or that ball, but it's all a little bit smoke and mirrors, isn't it?

"You don't play the bowler and what he says, you play the ball that comes out of his hand."

Opener Cook clearly managed to shut such irrelevances out of his mind in a 260-ball innings full of fine footwork, shot selection and concentration against Yasir and seamer Mohammad Talha (4-42) in a total of 269-9 declared.

And it was just as well that he did as England again lost wickets in clusters.

Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell both made ducks, while Eoin Morgan registered a third successive failure.

For Gooch, though, there is no reason to worry too much about the form of his batsmen – and every reason to be impressed by Cook.

"He's come up with some runs in a part of the world where it's a bit slow and you've got to get into the tempo of the play and work a bit harder," he said.

"He's been a bit of a rock for England in the recent past, and he wants to carry on – as do all the other players."

Gooch acknowledges England face a tough test of their world-beating credentials, but expects them to show their class.

"We know the challenges ahead, and Pakistan are a very talented side.

"They've had some very good results recently, and it's going to be tough cricket over here. We'll need to be at our best to win this series."