*Official* Pakistan in England 2010

[Faisal1985]

The score was too low. Alam the culprit in my opinion who didn't get it going when it was needed the most...

But full credit to Swann what a bowler he is turning out to be...really puts a crazy rip on the ball...

Plus as for the clear mind...i didn't have any problems accepting that we just can't bat or field at this level...

 

[Jarquis]

Uhh, both of England's dropped catches were horrid.

 

[Manee]

Good to see that Akhtar has still got it with the ball. Just managed to see his first over, but am searching the web for some highlights. The fact that he can still clock 96mph at 35 years old is extraordinary, I do believe that once gone, people will start to appreciate that he was/is one of the quickest of all time and definitely had his fair share of skill.

 

[Faisal1985]

Good to see that Akhtar has still got it with the ball. Just managed to see his first over, but am searching the web for some highlights. The fact that he can still clock 96mph at 35 years old is extraordinary, I do believe that once gone, people will start to appreciate that he was/is one of the quickest of all time and definitely had his fair share of skill.

With a shorter run up today too.

 

[Manee]

With a shorter run up today too.

Bob Woolmer used to try to get him to do that, I recall, but he always seemed against it. The bowling action and the unique flexibility he has means that he could probably bowl 80mph with no run up whatsoever; it is all about searching for that extra 5mph that could take him up near 100mph, with Shoaib.

 

[Faisal1985]

Bob Woolmer used to try to get him to do that, I recall, but he always seemed against it. The bowling action and the unique flexibility he has means that he could probably bowl 80mph with no run up whatsoever; it is all about searching for that extra 5mph that could take him up near 100mph, with Shoaib.

This. ..especially his elbow's flexibility really gives him that sling required for pacey deliveries.

Woolmer was a true genius...the best coach Pak ever had...

 

[Manee]

This. ..especially his elbow's flexibility really gives him that sling required for pacey deliveries.

Yeh, a hyperextension of the elbow is so valuable for speed. It is interesting though, because RP Singh has a similar hyperextention but does not exploit it like Shoaib and so no one really notices.

YouTube - Michael Holding on Shoaib Akhtar's hyperextension

 

[Faisal1985]

YouTube - SHOAIB AKTHAR IN HI-MOTION

Gives a real flex to that shoulder and elbow.

Think RP needs to bend his back a bit more and get his bowling arm make a bigger arc like Akhtar...in this video you can see Akhtar's bowling arm visible from behind on the right side...

 

[marc71178]

Argument to be made that T20 is the only format where his form hasn't gone to pot. Why drop him for both limited overs forms? We only play Strauss in ODIs after all.

Probably linked to what games he could've played as an alternative. Highly unlikely he'd have played yesterday if he was in the T20 squad.

 

[S Chanderpaul]

Hmmm go home Wright and take Colly with you.

Get Buttler in the team as soon as possible!

Yardy's LO batting seems to have improved a lot recently, he's had quite a few decent scores at a very good rate this season.

 

[zaremba]

Good to see that Akhtar has still got it with the ball. Just managed to see his first over, but am searching the web for some highlights. The fact that he can still clock 96mph at 35 years old is extraordinary, I do believe that once gone, people will start to appreciate that he was/is one of the quickest of all time and definitely had his fair share of skill.

AWTA. A serious bowler.

 

[Blog it for six]

Great to see Shoaib's pace, but also his showmanship. Great verbals to the England batsmen and that kiss he blew to Kieswetter was priceless!

A very pragmatic win for England today, helped in no way by that man Morgan again!

 

[King Pietersen]

Definitely agreeing with the call of Buttler in place of Wright. I see him as the future of our side so I'd love to see him given an early go. I definitely see Buttler and Hales being fixtures in our LO's sides in the future. Collingwoods chances are running out too for me. He might be the skipper, but he's still not producing with the bat. A few overs of off-cutters and the captaincy I don't think is enough to warrant a place. Definitely needs to start producing the goods with the bat soon.

 

[S Chanderpaul]

Definitely agreeing with the call of Buttler in place of Wright. I see him as the future of our side so I'd love to see him given an early go. I definitely see Buttler and Hales being fixtures in our LO's sides in the future. Collingwoods chances are running out too for me. He might be the skipper, but he's still not producing with the bat. A few overs of off-cutters and the captaincy I don't think is enough to warrant a place. Definitely needs to start producing the goods with the bat soon.

Reckon Taylor has more of a chance than Hales at the moment. Hales's LO game seems to off gone off the boil lately aswell.

Get Buttler in for Wright and Taylor for Colly if he fails throughout this ODI series.

 

[four_or_six]

Probably linked to what games he could've played as an alternative. Highly unlikely he'd have played yesterday if he was in the T20 squad.

Yes, Flower said he wanted KP to play the championship match that starts on the same day as the 2nd T20.

 

[Faisal1985]

Great to see Shoaib's pace, but also his showmanship. Great verbals to the England batsmen and that kiss he blew to Kieswetter was priceless!

A very pragmatic win for England today, helped in no way by that man Morgan again!

only if he had taken that catch....

 

[Faisal1985]

YouTube - Shahid Afridi at the post-match Press Conference, 1st T20I v Eng, Cardiff.

Post match press conference. Afridi says Hameed is 30 31 and has a brain of a 15-16 years old lol....

 

[Goughy]

Well that was interesting.

- Im not a fan of Bopara and Davies but at least they are cricketers. Kieswetter just guesses. To completely disagree with a poster on here, I have seldom seen any one less capable of dealing with 90mph balls. Not just out of his depth but appeared to be playing a different sport.

- Nothing changes does it? Shoaib bowled with real gas and is still a complete dick. One of the more unlikeable players to have played the game in recent years but a serious bowler.

- Its interesting that Afridi was possibly the most technically correct Pakistan batsman in that game. I dont know what that says for Pakistan. For all Afridis silly decisions and big hitting he often gets his feet into good positions and has decent fundamentals-- at least compared with the rest.

- The batting of Pakistan was just woeful. Seriously no technical base to build on. It was scary to watch how unprepared they were for international cricket. Saying that, Swann was amazing. Turning it square.

- Last nights game further illustrated that in T20, as opposed to Test cricket, good ground fielding is more important than catches.

- Talking about fielding, the less said about Pakistans the better.

- Good to see solid pros bring the game home for England. Yardy is a much maligned cricketer.

 

[Uppercut]

- Last nights game further illustrated that in T20, as opposed to Test cricket, good ground fielding is more important than catches.

Really?

I'd probably agree with the concept but I definitely don't think last night's game illustrated it at all. The key moment in deciding the match was Shoaib's dropped catch off Morgan.

 

[Goughy]

Really?

I'd probably agree with the concept but I definitely don't think last night's game illustrated it at all. The key moment in deciding the match was Shoaib's dropped catch off Morgan.

But their ground fielding was **** and they took a couple of good catches. England dropped more than I can remember in recent times but fielded like demons. Shoaibs drop was comedic and obvious but I dont think you can say it decided the game. England saving 20 in the field and Pakistan giving 20 away was a bigger factor IMHO.