*Official* South Africa in Pakistan

[pup11]

I just can't understand why South Africans are so keen only to play 2 match test series in recent times (when they tour the sub-continent). They played a 2 match test series against Bangladesh,India,Sri Lanka and now Pakistan. Do you guys know the reason behind this?

 

[Richard]

Well there's no reason to play more than 2 against Bangladesh, and SA and SL have always played loads and often just 2 games per series.

Pak it was originally scheduled for 3 but changed at the last minute; and Ind it was a hastily fitted-in thing anyway. Same was true in 1999\2000 when they played in Ind too.

So... hope that answers. Just a combination of different circumstances in each of the 3 cases, really.

 

[pup11]

Well there's no reason to play more than 2 against Bangladesh, and SA and SL have always played loads and often just 2 games per series.

Pak it was originally scheduled for 3 but changed at the last minute; and Ind it was a hastily fitted-in thing anyway. Same was true in 1999\2000 when they played in Ind too.

So... hope that answers. Just a combination of different circumstances in each of the 3 cases, really.

But still South Africa are just not playing enough test matches in the sub-continent. I am also not a huge fan of 2-test match series.

 

[Richard]

Indeed. But if circumstances were different, they would have done. You can only do what's doable to you, and the UCBSA can't organise schedules around what's not there to be organised.

Hopefully their next series in India might be possible to organise as a slightly longer one, and hopefully next time they won't have the problems of last time in Pakistan.

 

[nightprowler10]

I love the way a relatively irregular poster like you knows that about Amir.

Nah, I've mentioned it before eons ago, so he's actually almost spot on (I started following cricket again during the '04 Asian Cup). Though I have to say the fact that he remembers something so random that I posted probably a year ago does creep me out a bit.

 

[Richard]

I know, I remember you mentioning it. If it'd been, say, Fusion or Gelman who'd said that I'd not have been surprised at all. But Shoaib\BhupinderSingh? Strange.

 

[Burgey]

I just can't understand why South Africans are so keen only to play 2 match test series in recent times (when they tour the sub-continent). They played a 2 match test series against Bangladesh,India,Sri Lanka and now Pakistan. Do you guys know the reason behind this?

That's right.

We all know that ODIs are major money spinners, but why not 3 of them and 3 tests? Just diminishes things imo.

 

[Richard]

I hate 3-ODI series too, though.

Would always go 5 ODIs and 3 Tests myself. And occasionally, on a full-length tour, 5 ODIs (or a tri-series) and 5 Tests.

But a 5-Test-series is something special, even more so these days. Not just to be flung out lightly.

India-Pakistan, England-South Africa, England-Australia, that's it at the moment. Nothing else really screams "give me 5!" South Africa and Australia, of course, have traditionally played a 6-Test home-and-away series every 4 years as opposed to the normal pattern with all other countries.

 

[Craig]

Two Tests eh? What a waste of time

 

[nightprowler10]

Two Tests eh? What a waste of time

Don't agree that its a waste of time, but yeah its a bit stupid not to have at least three Tests. Still, some Test cricket is better than none.

 

[Craig]

Don't agree that its a waste of time, but yeah its a bit stupid not to have at least three Tests. Still, some Test cricket is better than none.

I think two Test series is becoming the fast food version of Test cricket.

 

[Pup Clarke]

I think two Test series is becoming the fast food version of Test cricket.

 

[TT Boy]

Revised Test/ODI itinerary after Peshawar and Rawalpindi were ‘dropped’. PCB claim due to the grounds not being up to international standards but according to CSA sources, safety concerns was the paramount reasoning for the change of venue.

Oct 1-5: 1st Test in Karachi

Oct 8-12: 2nd Test in Lahore

Oct 18: 1st ODI in Lahore

Oct 20: 2nd ODI in Lahore

Oct 23: 3rd ODI in Faisalabad

Oct 26: 4th ODI in Multan

Oct 29: 5th ODI in Karachi

There is still talk that Karachi won’t happen and given the impending state of emergency in Pakistan, this tour maybe in some jeopardy.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Thu 27 - Sat 29 - TBC v South Africans

National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex, Karachi

Mon 1 - Fri 5 - 1st Test, Pakistan v South Africa

National Stadium, Karachi

Mon 8 - Fri 12 - 2nd Test, Pakistan v South Africa

Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Tue 16 - TBC v South Africans

Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore

Thu 18 - 1st ODI, Pakistan v South Africa

Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Sat 20 - 2nd ODI, Pakistan v South Africa

Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Tue 23 - 3rd ODI, Pakistan v South Africa

Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad

Fri 26 - 4th ODI, Pakistan v South Africa

Multan Cricket Stadium

Mon 29 - 5th ODI, Pakistan v South Africa

National Stadium, Karachi

 

[TT Boy]

Already a thread, even though, the date is wrong by a year.
http://www.cricketweb.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24636&page=3&highlight=south+africa

 

[haroon510]

only two tests... don't like that.. two test matches are usually fixed.. one team would win one and the other team would win the other one.. what is the point of having a series when there is no result.

 

[Perm]

only two tests... don't like that.. two test matches are usually fixed.. one team would win one and the other team would win the other one.. what is the point of having a series when there is no result.

Good cricket, strong individual performances. Also, you can't just assume that two Test match series are usually fixed, have you ever considered that the team who is down 1-0 after the first Test will dig a little deeper and put in a better performance?

 

[BhupinderSingh]

Hoping for a good series but please get rid of this 2 Tests rubbish between the major test playing nations.

 

[Perm]

Hoping for a good series but please get rid of this 2 Tests rubbish between the major test playing nations.

Exactly, South Africa had a two Test tour of Pakistan not that long ago, not to mention the New Zealand-Sri Lanka series. These two Test series should be played against Bangladesh, much like Australia did in 2005.

 

[pup11]

Most of the test series South Africa plays outside home are 2- test series especially when they play in the sub-continent.
Really can't remember when was the last time South Africa played in anything but a 2-test series in the sub-continent.
Anyways is South Africa happy with the situation and security arrangements in Pakistan.