Agent Nationaux
International Coach
He dropped Cook at 30 odd.
Clearly someone made a bet that they couldn't find an Akmal worse than Kamran.Just watching the highlights now.
I know he's not a specialist, but Umar's keeping really deserves more comment. It's quite staggeringly inept.
And while I don't disagree with Brumby, I think they lost anyway.Clearly someone made a bet that they couldn't find an Akmal worse than Kamran.
Am I misreading, or do you genuinely think Umar's a better keeper than Kamran? I mean, I know this is like asking whether cow **** or horse **** attracts more files, but look at Umar keeping to Afridi. Look how early he rises. He's not got a bloody clue.And while I don't disagree with Brumby, I think they lost anyway.
Yeah, Kamran's terrible, but Umar's a whole different level of merditude.Am I misreading, or do you genuinely think Umar's a better keeper than Kamran? I mean, I know this is like asking whether cow **** or horse **** attracts more files, but look at Umar keeping to Afridi. Look how early he rises. He's not got a bloody clue.
Kamran was definitely technically better, which is why he spent a not insignificant part of his career just being sub-par rather than a complete joke, but by the end he was so stuffed mentally that even when he did everything largely right he could still drop the ball cold. I'd back Kamran's worst day to be worse than Umar's worst day and he'd be more potentially match-losing, if you like. Umar is also a much better batsman so if I was forced to have one of the other keep for my side and bat seven-ish I would actually pick Umar.Am I misreading, or do you genuinely think Umar's a better keeper than Kamran? I mean, I know this is like asking whether cow **** or horse **** attracts more files, but look at Umar keeping to Afridi. Look how early he rises. He's not got a bloody clue.
It's a shame your opening batsman isn't ranked #2 in the ICC ODI bowling rankings. That'd be super-handy.Problem is that Adnan is a **** batsman. However I would go with him in the next ODI. What we need is a good all-rounder, so we can find a slot for Junior.
Yeah, but what he really means is to have another one down the order. It'd be seriously good for them if they had another of the top-5 ranked allrounders in the world there too.It's a shame your opening batsman isn't ranked #2 in the ICC ODI bowling rankings. That'd be super-handy.
It is pretty amusing that a team with two of the top four ranked ODI allrounders has such great problems balancing its team that even despite playing with no wicket keeper, they have a #8 at #7 followed by four number 10s. The problem is caused by two things really - firstly that they don't seem to have anyone in the country who can keep to a decent standard without batting like a rabbit, and secondly that all their best bowlers are spinners.Yeah, but what he really means is to have another one down the order. It'd be seriously good for them if they had another of the top-5 ranked allrounders in the world there too.
Hang on
There fixed.It is pretty amusing that a team with two of the top four ranked ODI allrounders has such great problems balancing its team that even despite playing with no wicket keeper, they have a #8 at #7 followed by four number 10s. The problem is caused by two things really - firstly that they don't seem to have anyone in the country who can keep to a decent standard without batting like a rabbit, and secondly that all their best bowlers are spinners.
Afridi and Hafeez should really be bowling near enough to 20 overs every innings; they're well and truly good enough for that. It makes it hard to play two specialist spinners on top of that though - in fact it'd make it hard to play one in some conditions.
I'd be rolling with this for the rest of this series:
1 Hafeez
2 Azhar
3 Younis
4 Umar
5 Misbah
6 Shafiq
7 Hammad Azam
8 Afridi
9 Sarfraz (or Adnan if I must because Sarfraz isn't in the squad - but a proper keeper anyway)
10 Gul
11 Ajmal
Probably not the best eleven players in a lot of people's eyes and I wouldn't argue but it's the best balanced eleven they can muster IMO. They have to make use of Afridi and Hafeez as frontline bowlers - which they've performed as of late without doubt - to avoid having a tail like a rat and/or no wicket keeper.
Saying Hammad Azam is a Razzaq type is a bit like saying I'm a Hafeez type though.I meant a Razzaq type. And we have one, his name is Hammad Azam and he is sitting on the bench. If we had him for Abdul Rahman, we could get rid of Cheema/Wahab and slot in Adnan as a keeper. That way we can keep junior.