****Official****Pakistan in South Africa

[kykweer.proteas]

Azhar playing out maidens over maidens against RP yes RP bowled tightly but not as well that he should be going under 1 rpo.Misbah, Shafiq and Sarfraz throwing their wickets away yes tight bowling brought its pressure but that does not excuse awful judgement . Dropping AB couple of times on 3rd morning that give SA the breathing space when Ajmal had his foot on their throat followed by letting RP off the hook while batting, should have put Hafeez on with the in out field as soon as he started hitting out with Philander Hafeez is a good odi bowler would have got RP after a couple of hits.I thought SA batting was below par the whole game and had Pakistan taken their chances with some support from Ajmal a target of 250 would have been a winning one. SA fought back hard but it was sloppy cricket from Pakistan that aided them to comeback.

But Ab dominated on day 4, yes I agree Ajmal didn't have a lot of support, but Amla and Ab were toying with Pakistan, and I'm confident we could have chased 300... And robbie p was also playing Ajmal without any troubles, and if he was aiming for 4's and not sixes vs hafeez he would probably have gotten to a 100.

We played Ajmal with ease on day 3, and as I suggested we just approached him wrongly on day 2. I also mentioned that Pakistan should have attacked peterson cause we only had three bowlers, but what can we do, we were waiting for pak to make a move and it never came lol

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Azhar playing out maidens over maidens against RP yes RP bowled tightly but not as well that he should be going under 1 rpo.Misbah, Shafiq and Sarfraz throwing their wickets away yes tight bowling brought its pressure but that does not excuse awful judgement . Dropping AB couple of times on 3rd morning that give SA the breathing space when Ajmal had his foot on their throat followed by letting RP off the hook while batting, should have put Hafeez on with the in out field as soon as he started hitting out with Philander Hafeez is a good odi bowler would have got RP after a couple of hits.I thought SA batting was below par the whole game and had Pakistan taken their chances with some support from Ajmal a target of 250 would have been a winning one. SA fought back hard but it was sloppy cricket from Pakistan that aided them to comeback.

Coulda shoulda woulda didn't oops

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

South Africa v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Cape Town, 4th day : South Africa excellent, but not yet great | Cricket Features | South Africa v Pakistan | ESPN Cricinfo



Cricket must be the only team sport where in the mind of followers you're not playing only against your opposition, but also against performances of teams of the past.

I can't imagine a football fan saying after winning the scudetto 'Bah, they're still not as great as Torino in the '40s'.

I've read somewher on the web that winning 1-0 in Australia was not enouth 'because Australia at their peaks won 3-0 in South Africa' but those were just comments. Now this, on cricinfo, the day after winning a series... what a weird game

I don't usually comment on cricinfo, but in this case couldn't resist posting "Firdose Moonda: terrible but not yet replaced". Naturally she didn't publish it - she must only publish 10% of comments once the complaints about her are removed - but I'm pleased to know she would've read it. Seeing as she doesn't seem to have someone to spell/grammar/sanity check her articles I'm guessing she's her own comments moderator as well

 

[hendrix]

But Ab dominated on day 4, yes I agree Ajmal didn't have a lot of support, but Amla and Ab were toying with Pakistan, and I'm confident we could have chased 300...

you've got to be joking

 

[sonnench]

you've got to be joking

If the situation called for it, I don't really see why we couldn't of tbh..... We were only 6 down because our guys were hitting out towards the end. If the situation had called for 300, they would of buckled down and chased it, like they have done so recently when the pressure was on.

 

[hendrix]

If the situation called for it, I don't really see why we couldn't of tbh..... We were only 6 down because our guys were hitting out towards the end. If the situation had called for 300, they would of buckled down and chased it, like they have done so recently when the pressure was on.

Amla and De Villiers and even Kallis were hitting out because that was the best way to reach the target. Had they "buckled down" they might've been nowhere near it by the time they were 6 down.

The way they batted was the best way of getting to the target. This wasn't a wicket or an attack in which a batsman could do a Faf.

 

[NasserFan207]

Amla and De Villiers and even Kallis were hitting out because that was the best way to reach the target. Had they "buckled down" they might've been nowhere near it by the time they were 6 down.

The way they batted was the best way of getting to the target. This wasn't a wicket or an attack in which a batsman could do a Faf.

Yep. And we all saw what happened to England whenever they tried to deadbat Ajmal and co in the UAE. Attack is the best defence. You won't win a battle of patience against bowlers with such good control.

Its similar with Philander, Smith hit the nail on the head calling him the seam version of Ajmal.

 

[Satyanash89]

What a choke by pakistan.

I really feel sorry for South Africa sometimes.
If they lose, people are like "LOLZ choking Saffas", if they win, they say "bah, the other team choked"
Great comeback from SA, helped by some bad batting by Pakistan in the second innings

 

[Xuhaib]

If the situation called for it, I don't really see why we couldn't of tbh..... We were only 6 down because our guys were hitting out towards the end. If the situation had called for 300, they would of buckled down and chased it, like they have done so recently when the pressure was on.

you were 88/3 and then 150/4 when Amla went yes Amla went for an expensive drive but no denying he dot get beaten in the air with that ball 150/4 with 100 needed I don't think its that easy especially when Faf and Elgar had no idea what Ajmal was bowling you can't expect 8-10 to bail you out twice in a match especially with the pressure of the chase. I know its hypothetical now but strongly feel 250 would have been serious game on and not a walk in the park.

 

[Marius]

Kyle Abbott has got a call-up as cover in the squad after Morkel pulled out.

Kleinveldt will probably play though ahead of him though.

Pakistan in South Africa 2012-13 : Injured Morne Morkel out of third Test, Kyle Abbott in | Cricket News | South Africa v Pakistan | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[LegendaryProtea]

Isn't this as good a time as any to give Abbott a debut? He's just finished a whole season at an average of 15, the series is already wrapped up, South Africa are 14 matches unbeaten and a bowling spot is open for one match in the first XI. I hope he debuts.

 

[Quaggas]

Isn't this as good a time as any to give Abbott a debut? He's just finished a whole season at an average of 15, the series is already wrapped up, South Africa are 14 matches unbeaten and a bowling spot is open for one match in the first XI. I hope he debuts.

Would have to agree. Option, not a forward, so jack up the vol. Kleinveldt a solid, but known quantity.

 

[kykweer.proteas]

you were 88/3 and then 150/4 when Amla went yes Amla went for an expensive drive but no denying he dot get beaten in the air with that ball 150/4 with 100 needed I don't think its that easy especially when Faf and Elgar had no idea what Ajmal was bowling you can't expect 8-10 to bail you out twice in a match especially with the pressure of the chase. I know its hypothetical now but strongly feel 250 would have been serious game on and not a walk in the park.

Why not? Why can't 8-11 bail us out again? They played Ajmal with ease on day 3. Amla and AB would never have gotten out like if we needed 300. After we got to 100 we basically approached it like a T20 with easy wickets when there was no doubt in the result. Game set and match. 182 was game on at the start maybe but we got to 182 fairly comfortably.

Like I'm not saying we would have won without a doubt, just by going how our team has played these situations in test matches the last 2 years, I'm very confident they could have chased 300.

 

[Marius]

Would have to agree. Option, not a forward, so jack up the vol. Kleinveldt a solid, but known quantity.

I don't know.

Kleinveldt is the man in possession and he is still something of an unknown quantity for the Pakistanis.

We should also not hand out Test caps willy nilly, Kleinveldt is the next man in the pecking order, and should play.

But maybe give Abbott a run in the ODIs and T20s.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Why not? Why can't 8-11 bail us out again? They played Ajmal with ease on day 3. Amla and AB would never have gotten out like if we needed 300. After we got to 100 we basically approached it like a T20 with easy wickets when there was no doubt in the result. Game set and match. 182 was game on at the start maybe but we got to 182 fairly comfortably.

Like I'm not saying we would have won without a doubt, just by going how our team has played these situations in test matches the last 2 years, I'm very confident they could have chased 300.

Ajmal is not some average spinner that the tail can easily negotiate. England has a better tail than yours and they didn't manage it too often. I doubt your tail would have bailed you out twice and Hafeez would have taken care of Pieterson (check his stats against left-handers plus he got him in the first match). A couple more wickets and it would have been very tough. Obviously all this is assuming that we had 250+ on the board.

But there is no point in arguing over this. We can just wait for when you guys visit the UAE this summer and see how your tail performs against Ajmal and Rahman.

 

[Prince EWS]

All Tests are sacred, even dead rubbers. There's certainly no question of Rory needing to be rested so he should be playing.

 

[benchmark00]

But there is no point in arguing over this. We can just wait for when you guys visit the UAE this summer and see how your tail performs against Ajmal and Rahman.

Indian cricket team got hold of your password?

 

[smash84]

Indian cricket team got hold of your password?

 

[Prince EWS]

Agent Nationaux will be very happy.

 

[hendrix]

all tests are sacred, even dead rubbers. There's certainly no question of rory needing to be rested so he should be playing.

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