*Official* South Africa in Pakistan

[nightprowler10]

Asim Kamal is the unluckiest bloke in Pakistani cricket in a long time.

 

[Pup Clarke]

According to BBC Sport Pollock has been dropped by SA to accomadate faster bowlers such as Morkel and Steyn.

I am truly flabagasted by this decision.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Well i was dreading Pollock coming over to England next year. Maybe i might be saved

 

[Richard]

well at least Inzi hasn't been banished according to reports. But still a few question marks about other selections of the pakistan squad. Where is Mushtaq Ahmed surely he should be picked & what about Asim Kamal other than the big middle-order & the recent rise of Misbah he is the most level headed Pakistani batsman i've seen in a while would personally definately have him in the squad ahead of Hameed or Iqbal.

Can't see Misbah doing any better than the last 6 times or whatever it is unless something's seriously changed in him.

Mushtaq Ahmed recalled? Surely we've seen that 3 or 4 too many times?

Always thought Asim Kamal was incredibly unfortunate but I read that he'd lost form the last year or two - has he regained it?

 

[Richard]

According to BBC Sport Pollock has been dropped by SA to accomadate faster bowlers such as Morkel and Steyn.

I am truly flabagasted by this decision.

Can't see it doing him much harm TBH, don't rate the chances of any three of Pollock, Morkel or Steyn if we get the usual Pakistani featherbeds.

 

[Pup Clarke]

But he is SA's best bowler, why on earth would they consider dropping him no matter what the conditions are like, do they truly expect Morkel and Steyn to do a better job than him. So it's likely that SA's attack will be Ntini, Steyn, Morkel, Kallis, Harris.

 

[Richard]

He may be their best bowler, but I don't see any of their bowlers doing that well in Pakistan TBH. Hence, missing a tour there won't do any of them any harm. As long as Pollock is recalled once they get back to South Africa, all will be well.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Why don't the South Africans just forfit the tour, saying that none of their bowlers will do well in Pakistani conditions, grow some balls FFS and select yuor best team good or bad conditions.

 

[Pup Clarke]

I'm sorry but this is a test series against a decent team, you don't just omit your premiere bowler cause the conditions aren't right. This isn't some meaningless ODI series to Kenya, Canada or Zimbabwe.

 

[Richard]

Cancelling the tour would not only make a mockery of everything cricket is about, but incur fines and many more things.

As I say - I don't think there's much to separate Pollock and Morkel in typical Pakistan conditions, so I don't really think they'd be doing anything outrageous to select the latter ahead of the former. Whoever doesn't play is more likely, IMO, to be end-up being greatful than to be disappointed.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Whoever doesn't play is more likely, IMO, to be end-up being greatful than to be disappointed.

Not true, Pollock was most surprised that this decision had been made and quite rightly imo.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Why not drop Ntini?. He's surely not gonna be a handful in these conditions.

 

[Richard]

Not true, Pollock was most surprised that this decision had been made and quite rightly imo.

Now, yes, but possibly not after Pakistan pile-up 550 fot 7 in every Test on lifeless surfaces.

 

[Richard]

Why not drop Ntini?. He's surely not gonna be a handful in these conditions.

I doubt it. I'd not mind at all if he'd been dropped either. He hasn't been, though, and he's the one likely to suffer for it.

 

[Pup Clarke]

How about these two attacks...

SA - Harris, Adams, Boje, Tshabalala
Pakistan - Saqlain, Kaneria, Mushtaq, Rehman

 

[Richard]

Don't see any spinners doing much unless the batting's awful TBH. You reckon sacrifice 'em so as not to damage the vital seamers?

Though Asif might, and only might, have something to change there.

 

[Pup Clarke]

I reckon that no one should waste the time or effort to watch this farce of a series. The best bowler being "dropped" because the conditions aren't meant to be to his liking. May as well drop Ntini, Nel, Morkel, Steyn tbh. At best Pollock can tie up an end and maybe take some wickets, I mean this is hardly a fantastic batting line up that Pakistan have got.

 

[Richard]

I forgot! It's ripe for the taking!

Criminal! Bring back Pollock!

 

[Pup Clarke]

Well...duh, I mean you've got batsmen of the calibre of Hafeez, Butt, Akmal even Shoaib Mailk at a push, it'll be a given that Pollock would take wickets at the top of the order.

 

[aussie]

Don't think Pollock not playing is as bad as it sounds. I remember watching SA's series in SRI last july & Pollock looked very inffective & i didn't see it but i sure most on CW remember an incident in one of the test when he forced to bowl off-spin.

By picking Morkel & Steyn they won't have Pollock's experience in those conditions or accuracy etc, but their is the reverse-swing factor which they could exploit plus if you ask the Pakistani batsmen who they rather see on SA's team sheet i reckon they would go for Pollock.