*Official* Pakistan in Australia

[Top_Cat]

In any case two of Pakistans best players in Younis Khan and Danish Kaneria weren't available this game while Australia played a full strenght squad.

Lee, Clark, Hilfenhaus. At least two of those, fit, would have started the summer ahead of those in the side.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I don't think Ponting was trying to say it was one of the most difficult wins he'd been involved in or anything, more that it was a big moment for the new Australian team. Every member of the bowling attack had a good game, and the team performance was very solid overall in a comfortable win, against opposition most people expected to be competitive.

At the very least it was the best team bowling performance Australia has put in for a fair while, IMO.

 

[Xuhaib]

If pakistan had taken their catches in the first and really decisive innings, this game would probably have been closer.

In any case two of Pakistans best players in Younis Khan and Danish Kaneria weren't available this game while Australia played a full strenght squad.

Even though Umar gul has been in terrible form, Sydney provided perfect conditions for reverse swing. Umar gul who is primarily probably the worlds best reverse swing exponent has not found reverse swing conducive conditions since the 2020 in England.

If the next wicket will assist reverse swing, they should play gul, this coupled with Kaneria and Younis will make for tremendous test match viewing and I feel Pakistan with the emergence of Umar Akmal and Aamer will have a slight edge in terms of talent.

Butt
Farhat
Faisal
Misbah

That sure is talent.

 

[mohammad16]

Lee, Clark, Hilfenhaus. At least two of those, fit, would have started the summer ahead of those in the side.

No, Kaneria and Younis Khan are an automatic selection over any of those names you mentioned except maybe Brett Lee.

If you want to talk about outside names, why not mention Shoaib Akhtar and Afridi?

I know Afridi doesnt have a reputation in test cricket but he has been a match winner on the test level at times in the past. If you consider how much he has improved as a bowler since the last time he played test cricket, he would be a tremendous asset in the test side with his new found drift, googlies and slower cutting leg breaks.

Butt
Farhat
Faisal
Misbah

That sure is talent.

Faisal will not play if Younis plays.

 

[Uppercut]

I think Pakistan holding their chances on the opening morning could have made a huge difference. Hussey in at 30/2 with Australia prone to a collapse recently would have been pretty nervy for the Aussies, the whole match would have panned out completely differently.

Of course, we'll never know, because Pakistan didn't practice their slip catching properly and got stuffed. Good fielding, and especially good slip catching, is such an undervalued skill IMO.

 

[Uppercut]

I know Afridi doesnt have a reputation in test cricket but he has been a match winner on the test level at times in the past. If you consider how much he has improved as a bowler since the last time he played test cricket, he would be a tremendous asset in the test side with his new found drift, googlies and slower cutting leg breaks.

Well he retired from the game, so it's as relevant as bringing up Shane Warne as a notable absentee.

 

[Top_Cat]

No, Kaneria and Younis Khan are an automatic selection over any of those names you mentioned except maybe Brett Lee.

I was specifically commenting on your assertion that OZ had a fully fit side whilst Pakistan didn't. Not the case. Even of the current attack, it'd be a stretch to say Hauritz and Siddle are fully fit.

Anyway, Pakistan will probably pick Kaneria and Younis for the next Test. Remains to be seen of course but I think they'll make very little difference. Too many holes in Pakistan's batting line-up to plug.

 

[mohammad16]

I was specifically commenting on your assertion that OZ had a fully fit side whilst Pakistan didn't. Not the case. Even of the current attack, it'd be a stretch to say Hauritz and Siddle are fully fit.

Anyway, Pakistan will probably pick Kaneria and Younis for the next Test. Remains to be seen of course but I think they'll make very little difference. Too many holes in Pakistan's batting line-up to plug.

Well I dont know about Younis and you are right about Pakistans batting worries but I feel Kaneria makes a significant difference in the Pakistan line up. Ajmal is a very capable bowler but he is more in the one day mold while Kaneria can be a very dangerous strike bowler. Pakistan did drop catches first innings but perhaps could have done better with Kaneria. Pakistan has always dropped catches but their bowlers usually learn not to rely on the fielders.

 

[DaRick]

Lee, Clark, Hilfenhaus. At least two of those, fit, would have started the summer ahead of those in the side.

Clark, perhaps (on the right deck), but Lee? I feel that the selectors would've been reluctant to remove the triumvirate of Hilfenhaus/Siddle/Johnson unless they really had to. You know, given how injury-prone Lee is and that the above attack is potentially a quite good one. Clark would've been good on wickets with some life (or uneven bounce).

 

[Top_Cat]

Clark, perhaps (on the right deck), but Lee? I feel that the selectors would've been reluctant to remove the triumvirate of Hilfenhaus/Siddle/Johnson unless they really had to. You know, given how injury-prone Lee is and that the above attack is potentially a quite good one. Clark would've been good on wickets with some life (or uneven bounce).

At the start of the summer, Lee was a dead cert to be recalled, the selectors were falling over themselves to pick/fellate him. Was only when he broke down that his chances went south.

 

[Top_Cat]

Well I dont know about Younis and you are right about Pakistans batting worries but I feel Kaneria makes a significant difference in the Pakistan line up. Ajmal is a very capable bowler but he is more in the one day mold while Kaneria can be a very dangerous strike bowler. Pakistan did drop catches first innings but perhaps could have done better with Kaneria. Pakistan has always dropped catches but their bowlers usually learn not to rely on the fielders.

Been a long time Pakistan fan myself and, tbh, they've never exactly been short of quality bowlers. Only when the side has in-form batters too have they won consistently. The two openers look a bit out of their depth, Iqbal is barely hanging on at 3, MoYo looks rusty and the rest only hit their straps occasionally. Umar's the only guy in the line-up who looks really positive and in form right now and he was more reckless than positive, especially in the second dig.

The whole line-up is just a bit short of work to beat a team like OZ in their own backyard (understandable, of course). A few of the guys are just as likely to have a run of outs as hit a glorious hundred. This doesn't make for a consistent and strong Test. No amount of glorious looking shots from Umar is going to change that.

 

[Rant0r]

Yeah I don't think they'd want to break up the Johnson/Siddle/Hifenhaus trio, throw in Bollinger there, Clark wasn't picked when he was fit and Lee is probably done (thankfully).

 

[mohammad16]

Been a long time Pakistan fan myself and, tbh, they've never exactly been short of quality bowlers. Only when the side has in-form batters too have they won consistently. The two openers look a bit out of their depth, Iqbal is barely hanging on at 3, MoYo looks rusty and the rest only hit their straps occasionally. Umar's the only guy in the line-up who looks really positive and in form right now and he was more reckless than positive, especially in the second dig.

The whole line-up is just a bit short of work to beat a team like OZ in their own backyard (understandable, of course). A few of the guys are just as likely to have a run of outs as hit a glorious hundred. This doesn't make for a consistent and strong Test. No amount of glorious looking shots from Umar is going to change that.

I never said they would beat them, I just said in terms of talent they would be on par if not slightly better than Australia provided YK, DK and Gul play. Despite Pakistans capabilities, they are still far behind the Aussies in terms of mental toughness and good test winning outlook. Their batting apart from the opening pair is not consistent but provided their bowlers give them a chance can do reasonably well. So it should make for some really exciting test cricket. Kaneria always makes for good viewing.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Obviously Lee might not be picked now, but he definitely would have been at the start of the summer, or at the start of the Ashes. Like T_C said, the selectors were falling over themselves to pick him after that spell of reverse swing against the Lions just before the Ashes.

 

[Rant0r]

Do you think he would have made a difference though ?

 

[stephen]

A full strength Aussie bowling lineup now would consist of:

Johnson
Bollinger
Hilfenhaus
Hauritz
Watson

 

[Rant0r]

Interesting that you leave Siddle out, i'm not disagreeing, but surely you couldn't leave out Bollinger now. It makes the selection table very interesting.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

If Lee was fit and in form I'd definitely have him over both Siddle and Hilfenhaus, easily. I doubt he'll ever be at his best again though and his test career is almost certainly over.

But yeah, assuming he was bowling like he did in the Ashes warmup game for example, or for a year or two leading up to the tour of India last year, he'd be in Australia's best team. Lee/Bollinger/Johnson/Hauritz/Watson would be a hell of an attack.

 

[Nate]

For all those anti-Steve Smith people, and I have been one of them - try and catch a replay of his spell in the 20/20 tonight. So good.

 

[Rant0r]

Surely you're not going to pick him on 4 overs of McCricket ?

But seriously, did he actually look like he was landing them ok ?