*Official* Pakistan v Australia in UAE 2014

[Spark]

The problem with completely ignoring the performance here is that just like India no lessons are learnt. We will keep seeing similar pitches by everyone who can produce them if we keep playing like this on them.

Who said we should?

 

[Tangles]

There were some comments about normal service being resumed once we are back at home.

 

[Riggins]

I actually reckon Ajmal being out kinda hurt the Aussies. Reckon if he'd been there they might have actually switched on a bit, at least in the first test.

 

[kykweer.proteas]

Congrats Pakistan, that is a huge hiding.

Pakistan will be hoping Misbah can play till he is 50yo, seeing as they still see it worthwhile to get Ajmal back.

 

[GotSpin]

Thank god this series is over.

 

[BeeGee]

I actually reckon Ajmal being out kinda hurt the Aussies. Reckon if he'd been there they might have actually switched on a bit, at least in the first test.

Yeah, I agree. The Aussies put an enormous effort into preparing for Ajmal only to find themselves facing a bunch of bowlers they knew little, if anything, about.

Of course that doesn't address their biggest failing, which was the toothless bowling.

 

[harsh.ag]

I gotta admit that I have hardly ever seen Starc bowl well (that might say a bit about how little cricket I watch nowadays). Is he better than Bird in FC cricket?

 

[cnerd123]

Starc is a poor man's Mitch. Similar action, less spectacular highs, less horrible lows, not as good a batsman.

 

[Daemon]

Starc's meh when there's no swing on offer

 

[Tangles]

He offered variety being left arm when MJ was out of the team. I'd like to see him go back and do some Shield bowling for a bit.

 

[Burgey]

I gotta admit that I have hardly ever seen Starc bowl well (that might say a bit about how little cricket I watch nowadays). Is he better than Bird in FC cricket?

He's a pretty damn good white ball bowler. Yet to do much of anything at test level.

WD Pakistan on the series win. Thoroughly deserved. Out batted, bowled and fielded a hapless Australian outfit (TPC excluded of course).

What annoys me most is australia being beaten basically making the same mistakes over and over again. Funky selections of all rounders who aren't up t it with bat or ball, playing blokes out of position, and this idea of "backing yourself" and "playing your natural, aggressive game" when putting your head down and actually having a ****ing dig is in order.

Six batsmen, a keeper and four bowlers. It's not hard to work out. It's worked since 1877 ffs.

 

[wiff]

Well done pakistan! Excellent performances! Out batted, out fielded, out bowled, out smarted. I really like this team, I look forward to seeing them against the kiwis.

 

[hendrix]

Loving this cricinfo comment:

"AUS must prepare heavy body batsmen against spin. B.Mclum has heavy body, surly he will make good runs against PAKISTAN in UAE."

 

[wiff]

Loving this cricinfo comment:

"AUS must prepare heavy body batsmen against spin. B.Mclum has heavy body, surly he will make good runs against PAKISTAN in UAE."

Heavy bodies are good for smothering anything

 

[Pothas]

Good teams don't get absolutely flogged unless the problems are deeper than a couple of selections

It is happening to everyone now though, apart from South Africa I suppose.

We have seen a ridiculous number of thrashings in recent years, don't really know what it means exactly but it is definitely happening.

 

[hendrix]

Heavy bodies are good for smothering anything

Reminds me of the time I was linked to fatforum.

Far, far more disturbing than foofing.

 

[the big bambino]

Congratulations to Pakistan who dominated everything the moment after they lost 2 early wickets in the 1st test. While we had some blokes missing so did Pakistan whose bowling absorbed the sudden loss of Ajmal without seeming to notice he ever existed. Covered for Junaid too.

I can see why some thought this Pak attack was ordinary but they bowled us out twice in conditions where our guys struggled. They are entitled to have opinions change about them. Personally I enjoyed watching the bowling of Yasir whenever I could - which was on highlights only. I'm guessing I'm not alone in being surprised about Pakistan's batting, with even YK batting far better than his own high standards.

I appreciate the discussion on here about the balance of our side. I prefer 6 batsmen and 3 of our 4 bowlers being pacemen. Though I can understand why Marsh was given a spot even if his bowling wasn't successful. He ended up justifying his selection at six and tbf I don't think picking Hughes or retaining Doolan in place of him would have given us any more runs. I wouldn't have picked Maxwell and his selection gave the team a Mickey Arthur micky mouse look.

All up I'm not too upset with selections. The real failure being the team's inability to perform almost to a man. I'm a little concerned about Clarke's fitness as he looked very stiff in some of his dismissals. I wonder if his back is beginning to get the better of him. For all the concessions to the conditions our batting overall looked fragile as it did for the time leading up to last year's ashes.

 

[adub]

The only problem with the selections I had was the panicy bull**** of dropping SOK and Doolers after the first game. It smacked of the same stupid that gave us the flogging in India last year. We probably would have lost just as heavily but if the XI we went with in the first test was the best we could field (and I would argue it was) then making scapegoats of two of the three least experienced players in the side to bring in two others with next to nothing to recommend them as test players is doing nothing positive for the side and plenty that was negative. Johnson, Smith and Warner came out of it with the reputations intact. The rest all failed miserably.

Pakistan on the other hand were magnificent from pretty much 1 to 11. Very unexpected, but so great for the game. We got towelled up and the credit belongs largely to the Pakistanis making the running rather than us falling over. They were 2/7 FFS after the first couple of overs of the series. But Younis and his mates took over from there and we were trying to play catch up from the second morning on.

 

[harsh.ag]

One more thing, Michael Clarke is the most overrated batsman in the world atm. Hasn't done much for quite a while now. And he sucks at any position above 5.

Aussie Team for India Tests -

Warner
Rogers
Shaun Marsh
Smith
Clarke
Watson
Whatever Keeper It Doesn't Really Matter
Johnson
Pattinson
Harris
Lyon

 

[Jono]

Brydon Coverdale on Australia's travel sickness | Cricket News | Pakistan v Australia | ESPN Cricinfo

"It's lucky the Lehmann-Clarke Australians are not afraid to lose, because if they play this way they will lose often when they have to travel."

heh