*Official* Pakistan in England 2010

[Shri]

This series could be the launching pad into potential greatness for Umar Akmal. Won't do him a world of good if he continues to throw his wicket away. Make or break series for him imo.

 

[Faisal1985]

No offence man!!, i just think the Aus batting order is in a rocky period, they were taken out for something like 200 runs by NZ and before that we took them out for 150 so the writing was on the wall a while ago, not that Pak wasn't impressive!!, they certainly were but they'll be facing a different prospect in England who have a solid top order who have been consistent of late,

I have no doubt Pak will cause problems in this one and might even win a test, but unless their batters are inspired and play above themselves it's gonna be mighty hard for Pak to live with England i believe.

No offense taken mate....we shall see how it turns out..and that's what makes it that much interesting...

 

[Faisal1985]

This series could be the launching pad into potential greatness for Umar Akmal. Won't do him a world of good if he continues to throw his wicket away. Make or break series for him imo.

True that...i hope he learns as well...and Waqar really has to start taming him now....

 

[Oscillatingmind]

England to win it 3or2-1 depending on weather. Pakistan to pick up the first game.

 

[Avada Kedavra]

2-1 to Pak or 2-2.Expect AAG to perform very well.The only question is if Pak batting can stand up and be counted.

 

[zaremba]

2006??

What I was getting at was that ball tampering might just be an issue this time around..it was an issue in 1992, 2006..not sure if it was an issue in 1996 too.

But with respect you're wrong. There was no English media outcry alleging Pakistani ball tampering in 2006. The allegations were made by an Australian and a West Indian umpire. Now, Pakistan were criticised by some for their subsequent behaviour in refusing to play (and plenty of English commentators also supported them in that regard), but as for whether they were guilty of ball tampering, the English media kept out of it an reported on
the matter pretty responsibly.

I can't remember any allegations being made in '96 either.

 

[zaremba]

TBH, what Anderson did in that video and what Akram and Waqar were doing to the ball was pretty much the same, the only difference was that Anderson after scratching the ball like Waqar and Wasim, pealed off a little bit of leather that was popping up...

Now the part where he pealed off the leather in regulation can be done in front of the umpire...but what he did before that can't be allowed either, regardless of whether it was in front of the umpire or not...

Faisal, I want to repeat, I don't want to get into a "you cheat and we don't" type of argument. The only point I was making is that the allegations made by the English media in the past have not been unjustified or unfair, and to say that "there will be allegations of ball tampering as soon as Aamer starts reversing it" is just symptomatic of a slight persecution complex which is not helpful.

So I will not comment on whether what Anderson did us comparable with what happened in 1992 (the evidence is there for people to make their own minds up). All I will say is that when he did that, there was indeed a media outcry, as this clip showed. Which further undermines the argument that Pakistan are treated any differently than anyone else.

 

[Black_Warrior]

But with respect you're wrong. There was no English media outcry alleging Pakistani ball tampering in 2006. The allegations were made by an Australian and a West Indian umpire. Now, Pakistan were criticised by some for their subsequent behaviour in refusing to play (and plenty of English commentators also supported them in that regard), but as for whether they were guilty of ball tampering, the English media kept out of it an reported on
the matter pretty responsibly.

I can't remember any allegations being made in '96 either.

Buddy, I cant remember the exact sources but I am pretty sure I read a couple of pieces calling Asif and Gul and Inzamam cheats..Not trying to say everyone in the English media is like that..its just as a Pakistan supporter it hurts when an acquired skill of one of your brightest talents is labeled as cheating.

 

[zaremba]

Buddy, I cant remember the exact sources but I am pretty sure I read a couple of pieces calling Asif and Gul and Inzamam cheats..Not trying to say everyone in the English media is like that..its just as a Pakistan supporter it hurts when an acquired skill of one of your brightest talents is labeled as cheating.

Well tbf it's wrong for either of us to consider "the English media" as a single entity, which in our discussion up till now we have tended to do. Since there are thousands of people expressing opinions on TV, radio, press, the internet, you're likely to find all sorts of bizarre opinions if you look hard enough .

That said, I never read any such opinions about Asif, Gul or Inzamam being expressed, anywhere. And I would be astonished if any such pieces were printed in any respectable media sources. If you can find them, I'd be genuinely interested to see them. Given the nature of the defamation laws in England, if you print that sort of thing you'd better know that you have evidence to back it up, and everyone knew that (apart from the umpires' opinion) that evidence just wasn't there.

Without getting into the rights and wrongs of their actions, the people who whipped that particular storm up were Hair and Doctrove, and Inzamam by keeping his team in the dressing room. It genuinely wasn't either the England team or the English media.

And as the Anderson and Broad incidents show, English players are held up to as much media scrutiny (both in England and worldwide) as those from Pakistan.

What I would love is if we can all appreciate the coming series, between two developing and possibly well-matched teams, without paranoia and without allegations of persecution.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

So Shahzad stays in squad and Bresnan is out,clear indication there that Bresnan's poor summer has dropped him down the pecking order for the winter.

 

[zaremba]

It's worth the selectors having a good look at Shahzad, I think. He looks promising. I'm a little bit surprised to hear that Bresnan has been dropped, because he seemed highly valued by the selectors for the balance which he supposedly brings - do we know whether he is being "rested" or is this a straightforward chopping?

 

[GIMH]

Pietersen could do with some huge runs in this series. Three tons, please.

 

[superkingdave]

Shazhad would be 12th man though in any case I guess

 

[Kylez]

Foxsports are showing the whole series, gun news.

 

[Gotchya]

Asif - Pietersen should be a very good contest ..

 

[Teja.]

Strauss to do reasonably well. Pieterson to be demolished.

 

[Spark]

Strauss ought to do well, he's a very good player. Knows his own game to a T.

Key for Pakistan (and for us going forward) is to get him driving, though, so there is a possibility that Asif/Aamer could get the wood on him.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Shazhad would be 12th man though in any case I guess

Initially, yeah, no doubt. However if Jimmeh doesn't perform I think he could be replaced by the end of the series. He's still largely neutered when the ball doesn't swing conventionally and (with half an eye on the winter) the Kookaburra never seems to go half as much as the Duke. Shahzad looks (based on the limited evidence I've seen so far) the best old ball reverse bowler we've had since Jonah in his tragically brief pomp, so might be very useful down under.

 

[morgieb]

I think it'll be 2-1 England's way. Pakistan's bowling will win one game but England are better overall.

 

[marc71178]

Tiredness wont be an issue.

To be honest, if my team had to play 6 Tests in 7 weeks I wouldn't be happy with that scheduling.