***Official*** Pakistan in South Africa

[gunner]

True, although Inzamam has just as many selfish innings as he has unselfish ones, but overall very much a team player. I have yet to see Younis play a selfish inning to be honest.

name 1 selfish inzi innings?

 

[Jono]

I would probably put Inzy in the most underrated category IMO. He's completely unselfish when it comes to taking credit and all he does is help his team win, even if his captaincy leaves something to be desired.

No way, in general people know who Inzy is and remember his accomplishments. Many casual cricket fans (I realise they aren't the barometer of who is rated and not rated) don't even know who Younis is let alone realise how good a test batsman he is. His average is closing in on 50, and whilst that's not the benchmark it used to be, and his average is skewed by a ridiculous average of 106.10 against India (FFS Younis stop belting us all over the park), he's still very much up there in the top 10-15 test batsman in the world. I bet if you asked many cricket fans, passionate and casual, he wouldn't be mentioned though.

 

[Isolator]

Akmal is absolutely brilliant to watch when he gets going. I was really disappointed with his form in England, would have been great to see him get stuck into them.

 

[silentstriker]

Great win by Pakistan. However, they might be weaker for test #3. Good to see Kaneria and Asif take wickets, but it will be tough winning the final test. SA will come at them hard.

 

[silentstriker]

Cape Town Preview​

South Africa's record in the last 15 matches: 11-2-2. The only team to beat them at Cape Town has been Australia. Without Australia, their record has been 11-2, with New Zealand and West Indies managing a draw. The hosts will take that type of record any day.

In the last fifteen matches, the team that has won the toss has elected to bat first 14 out of 15 times (it was a draw the singular time the side elected to field). Four victories have been by an innings, while four victories have been by defending a target and five by chasing.

Losing the toss does not seem to significantly affect the outcome of the game. In the matches that had results, the averages per wicket have been the following:

1st Innings: 33.7
2nd Innings: 35.8
3rd Innings: 25.0
4th Innings: 32.5

The average run rate is a touch over 3. Oddly enough, the 3rd innings seems to be the worst for batting, and chasing a total in the 4th innings is quite possible.

There have been following successful chases in the last fifteen matches:

South Africa (chasing 88): Won by 7 wickets
South Africa (chasing 67): Won by 10 wickets
Australia (chasing 337): Won by 4 wickets
Australia (chasing 95): Won by 7 wickets
South Africa (chasing 211): Won by 5 wickets*

The following chases have been unsuccessful:

Australia (chasing 451): Made 280
India (chasing 427): Made 144
Sri Lanka (chasing 377): Made 306
West Indies (chasing 421): Made 271
England (chasing 501): Made 304

This shows that the pitch is pretty good to bat on in the 4th innings. Any chase below around 250 has a good chance of being successful. The worst day to bat on seems to be around day four before the pitch starts becoming pretty good to bat on again on the final day.

Some information for individuals:

Makhaya Ntini: Doesn't really seem to enjoy this ground, with an average of 28.55 and no five wicket hauls (slightly above his career average) from 10 matches here.
Shaun Pollock: On the other hand, Pollock has been excellent here, with an average of 19.52, and 51 wickets from 11 matches.
Kallis: Loves this ground, averaging 67 from from 13 matches, including four centuries.
Prince: Averages about 50 from five matches, with one century.
Graeme Smith: Averages 54, from 8 matches, including two centuries.

So all in call, while Ntini will look to improve his record slightly, the other key players have been been excellent at the ground.

SA have to be the favorites, going by their superlative record at the ground (except vs Australia).

* Note: This was not a typical Cape Town wicket

 

[Fusion]

So relieved that we won! Akmal makes up for horrible keeping with his bat. All of his good scores seem to come at just the right time. Younis is a gun player. Incidently, didn't agree with the MOTM award going to Inzi. Thought Asif should've gotten it.

 

[FRAZ]

I just lost a dinner bet , Damn !!!!!!!

 

[FRAZ]

The foundation was definately laid by Shoaib Akhtar ,So ladies and gentlemen this is what the diffference between A+ and B Class bowlers .When didn't he perform bar a series with India on lifeless pitches !!!

 

[pasag]

I just lost a dinner bet , Damn !!!!!!!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

So relieved that we won! Akmal makes up for horrible keeping with his bat. All of his good scores seem to come at just the right time. Younis is a gun player. Incidently, didn't agree with the MOTM award going to Inzi. Thought Asif should've gotten it.

That's extremely harsh on Inzamam then.
Consider that Pakistan was 135-6 with a lead of 11 when Inzi came in. He had just Sami (10), Shoaib (4), Kaneria (1) and Asif (7) to keep him company and yet the last 4 wickets produced 129 runs, extending the lead to 141.

If not for Inzamam's runs, Pakistan would likely have lost this Test. He was superb with the tail and put Pakistan in control. Asif capitalized on Inzi's boost.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

hen didn't he perform bar a series with India on lifeless pitches !!!

Well on the one pitch in that series with some life, he took 3 for 107 from 24 overs. Razzaq outbowled him in that game.

Then there was the series in India on lifeless pitches a couple of years back. Pathan and Balaji outbowled him then.

 

[silentstriker]

Smith said the third Test was "huge" but admitted that the prospect of the World Cup changed the team's thinking. "If the World Cup wasn't there, there would be no talk of resting guys. We want to win the Test series but we want to win the one-day series because you're really hoping to have your World Cup squad together and performing well.

"We've got five [one-day] games before the World Cup for preparation so we've got to look at that as the most important."

What is happening to our beautiful game?

 

[Langeveldt]

What is happening to our beautiful game?

I'd rather win a world cup than this test series? Plus we might as well concentrate on our strengths

 

[mohammad16]

shoaib and gul have returned to pakistan......... does this mean they wont take part in the ODI series aswell?>?????

 

[silentstriker]

I'd rather win a world cup than this test series? Plus we might as well concentrate on our strengths

He seems to be saying that the ODI series, which is not the WC but merely preparation for it, is more important.

It's one thing to say that a WC is more important than a Test series, but an ODI preparation series too?

 

[The Baconator]

CW Report

 

[Fusion]

He seems to be saying that the ODI series, which is not the WC but merely preparation for it, is more important.

It's one thing to say that a WC is more important than a Test series, but an ODI preparation series too?

He thinks the ODI series is vital to his team's chances in the WC. He's obviously hoping to rest up some guys, as well as get the team in the right grove for the WC. While I may disagree with that approach, I can understand it. From SA's perspective, winning against Pakistan at home probably does not mean as much as the other way around. Winning the WC, however, would probably mean plenty. I know you, along with some others, don't place much importance to ODI's or WC. That's not how others, including the players and boards, see it though. And before you jump all over me, let me reiterate my pecking order:

Test series victory over Aus > WC > All other test series > All other ODI series.

 

[silentstriker]

He thinks the ODI series is vital to his team's chances in the WC. He's obviously hoping to rest up some guys, as well as get the team in the right grove for the WC. While I may disagree with that approach, I can understand it. From SA's perspective, winning against Pakistan at home probably does not mean as much as the other way around. Winning the WC, however, would probably mean plenty. I know you, along with some others, don't place much importance to ODI's or WC. That's not how others, including the players and boards, see it though. And before you jump all over me, let me reiterate my pecking order:

Test series victory over Aus > WC > All other test series > All other ODI series.

 

[Langeveldt]

????

Seems totally rational to me, most people agree that test cricket > ODI cricket and Australia > Everyone else

 

[shortpitched713]

What is happening to our beautiful game?

Haha, I'm not the only one SS.