***Official*** Pakistan in South Africa

[Langeveldt]

Yeah very happy with the win, again we've showed character in coming back from adversity (although we shouldn't be in these positions to start with really!)
I think justice has been done regarding the bans that have been dished out to certain players reguarding certain actions.. Looking forward to winning the ODI series too!

 

[shortpitched713]

Ah, truly gutted to lose here this way tbh. Asif and Kaneria bowled their hearts out, but in the end it was not meant to be. If we only had one other bowler to keep up the pressure...

Still, a well-earned victory for SA. Prince and Kallis's knocks were the definition of cool under pressure, and there sure was a lot of pressure being built up by Asif and Kaneria.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Yeah very happy with the win, again we've showed character in coming back from adversity (although we shouldn't be in these positions to start with really!)
I think justice has been done regarding the bans that have been dished out to certain players reguarding certain actions.. Looking forward to winning the ODI series too!

Aye, a win for South Africa was a win for the good of cricket (which is saying something because I'm sure most of us like seeing Smith lose).

 

[silentstriker]

Yea, Pakistan needed Shoaib. Asif still got five wickets in the match, and he's quickly on his way to becoming a fantastic fast bowler. The next year will reveal a lot.

 

[TT Boy]

Great win by South Africa and say what you will about the two Cape Town wickets we have seen this summer (or winter) but they have produced two fantastic test matches. Not great for the batsman but it wasn’t a minefield, square turner from one end and a green top at the other but it’s not like every bowler was particularly threatening. Mohammed Sami was still as hopeless as only he can be and if he was taking wickets then they would be problems or questions to answer regarding the wicket.

Unfortunate for Pakistan because if they had anything like a decent second seamer they would have been favourites to take the series.

Both teams still have a way to go at test level, South Africa have three or more players who need to be shown the door indefinitely or for considerable amount of time (not including Boeta, who **** knows why he was playing, the only fan he has is Aussie, which tells you everything). Whereas Pakistan also need to draw a line under a couple of players for ever. They got a fantastic fast bowler in the making it would seem and even with Inzy possibly playing his last test, a middle order of Younis Khan and Yousuf is still pretty formidable and a darn sight better than what most teams in world cricket (Australia exempt) have to offer.

 

[Prince EWS]

Who is exactly Boeta's only fan who you speak of? Just curious.

 

[TT Boy]

Who is exactly Boeta's only fan who you speak of? Just curious.

Aussie, the Englishman with the Manchester Untied avatar. You aren't a fan as well, are you?

 

[Prince EWS]

Aussie, the Englishman with the Manchester Untied avatar. You aren't a fan as well, are you?

Ahh yes, I know him. I thought you were saying his only fan was an Australian. Misinterpretation on my part really.

I thought you may have actually been referring to me - hence my curiousity. I am actually a fan of Dippenaar but I haven't made it particularly evident in any threads here so I would have been shocked if you knew. I also think Richard is somewhat of a fan (in the sense that he hopes he makes the team, rather than actually thinking he should be there, though.) Langeveldt (the member - not Charl) seems to like him somewhat as well.

This was presumably his last chance in test matches which is a real shame because he has quite a good technique and really should succeed with it. Bemused as to why he has been so poor to be honest but you can't keep giving him chances, espeically if he isn't scoring at domestic level. No doubts in my mind that he should be in the ODI team though - his record is fantastic despite a poor CT.

 

[TT Boy]

Ahh yes, I know him. I thought you were saying his only fan was an Australian. Misinterpretation on my part really.

I thought you may have actually been referring to me - hence my curiousity. I am actually a fan of Dippenaar but I haven't made it particularly evident in any threads here so I would have been shocked if you knew. I also think Richard is somewhat of a fan (in the sense that he hopes he makes the team, rather than actually thinking he should be there, though.) Langeveldt (the member - not Charl) seems to like him somewhat as well.

This was presumably his last chance in test matches which is a real shame because he has quite a good technique and really should succeed with it. Bemused as to why he has been so poor to be honest but you can't keep giving him chances, espeically if he isn't scoring at domestic level. No doubts in my mind that he should be in the ODI team though - his record is fantastic despite a poor CT.

Was going to say Human may have a chance in the forthcoming ODI series but South Africa A arrive back in time for that series and even with the full team being rotated throughout, the likes of Morne van Wyk will probably get second crack to impress before Boeta.

 

[Jono]

Great series victory for SA. How awesome have their two home series been? Against India and against Pakistan has had each match having a result, and also been unpredictable until the last day's play (whether the last day be day 4, day 3 or whatever).

SA were impressive when their backs were against the wall, but I think the fact they were challenged so much by India and Pakistan leads me to believe that they're not quite there to be #2 in the world, and the issue is I don't think they'd fare to well ATM away against India or Pakistan. Great to win without Pollock and Nel though.

Hall is one of the best filler players really, does the job whenever he has to. Like him heaps.

 

[haroon510]

well it was a good series. as a pakistani cricket team fan and as a cricket fan, this series was the most intersting one i have seen in a while. teams were matched and all the tests was unpredictable. at the end if pakistan would have one more fast bowler who could keep the presure like asif and kunaria kept, the result would have been different. pakistan lost this series becuase of wrong selection of team. if shabbir was picked in place of sami, i am sure at least he won't bowle that rabbish as sami did. through out the series only kunaria and asif bothered South african batsmans. rana, nazir and sami bowled rabbish. some drop catches from akmal also gave South Africa edge over pakistan.

 

[gunner]

now we can just dream of what could have been had akhtar and gul played the full series

 

[Fusion]

Great job by SA. They played extremely well and deserved to win the series. I'm proud of Pakistan's fight though. Like SA, they were down some key players but made a game out of every match played. Special kudos to Asif and Kaneria. They played their hearts out. In the case of Asif, I sincerely hope that his workload decreases. He won't last long in International cricket if he has to keep bowling like this.

 

[Turbinator]

now we can just dream of what could have been had akhtar and gul played the full series

And a few more grams of ...... just kidding.....

Anyways, really impressed with South Africa to come back against both Pak and India, and win the series.

 

[tooextracool]

Its a pity that Dale Steyn doesnt play more often......
An attack of Steyn, Ntini, Pollock, Harris and Nel would be quite a handful.

 

[adharcric]

Not a very good looking tail if that were to happen.

 

[Evermind]

Nel would miss out for Steyn. You forgot Kallis as a bowling option.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Its a pity that Dale Steyn doesnt play more often......
An attack of Steyn, Ntini, Pollock, Harris and Nel would be quite a handful.

What's the point of playing 5 bowlers? At least one of them - likely Steyn - is barely going to get any overs in.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Nel would miss out for Steyn. You forgot Kallis as a bowling option.

Nel is a better bowler though. I'm baffled.

 

[TT Boy]

Nel is a better bowler though. I'm baffled.

His performances since Australia (away) would suggest otherwise. Nel loses the plot far too often and if he bowled at Cape Town, chances are with his current line and length I.e. here, there and everywhere, South Africa would have been under the cosh and the target would have been far greater than it was.

Say what you will about Dale Steyn but his out bowled Andre Nel for the past twelve months quite easily. It’s unfortunate that Dale has had a long standing injury problem but his performance in the last test match were admirable considering the lack of cricket he has had since September. And any guy who can swing the ball at 145kph is highly valuable and considering South Africa do not have a plethora of swing bowlers available to them, Steyn is an important part of their test development.