***Official*** England in Pakistan

[honestbharani]

I don't remember even India wiining a series in WI in years!! Does it means that you can write India off on its home ground and even though Pak was facing a WI team that didn't had Lara, i think the Pak team bowling attack was a joke in that series(akhter,Shabbir,Sami,Gul were all missing)

What is going to make life more difficult for Pakistan is that they will be playing on home ground, and thay have a horrible record on home ground. I suspect that Pakistan will lose the series 2-1.

Actually BCL played in that series and was man of the series.

 

[nightprowler10]

i agree with you completely.I believe that Rao is simply a world class bowler who would actually have made the great WI side in the 80's. Legends like Sachin & Gavaskar were lucky in the sense that they never had to face a phenomenon like Rao in test cricket otherwise they would have averaged only in 20's.

Rao is the new face of terror in test cricket....i shudder to think as to what will happen when Sehwag faces him.

Are you being sarcastic?

I've seen Rao bowl. He has a lot of potential, but he isn't THAT good. I do believe he should be given another chance. As for predictions, I'm just gonna keep my mouth shut.

 

[nightprowler10]

I don't remember even India wiining a series in WI in years!! Does it means that you can write India off on its home ground and even though Pak was facing a WI team that didn't had Lara, i think the Pak team bowling attack was a joke in that series(akhter,Shabbir,Sami,Gul were all missing)

What is going to make life more difficult for Pakistan is that they will be playing on home ground, and thay have a horrible record on home ground. I suspect that Pakistan will lose the series 2-1.

On top of missing our whole pace attack, there was no Inzamam and Malik in the first test.

 

[luckyeddie]

A Thorpe-shaped gap perhaps?

I say stick with him though he's going to have to learn how to play top-class spin quicksharp because he's going to get pillaged if he doesn't with the whole winter spent on the continent.

Remember that it was never going to be Thorpe v Bell, but Thorpe v KP.

I think Bell will make the tour, but not necessarily start in the first test. I also don't think that he has a problem against spin - just a problem against Warne. Danish Bacon-Kaneria and Shahid Afridi aren't Warne - not even close.

 

[marc71178]

Do him a favour and leave him out.

Likewise with Jones and Giles.

They're simply sub-standard.

So we beat you with 8 men

 

[Shoaib]

Remember that it was never going to be Thorpe v Bell, but Thorpe v KP.

I think Bell will make the tour, but not necessarily start in the first test. I also don't think that he has a problem against spin - just a problem against Warne. Danish Bacon-Kaneria and Shahid Afridi aren't Warne - not even close.

Kaneria has a lot better record than Warne had after playing the No. of tests which Kaneria has played at the moment.

 

[ashes winners]

England will win the test series,Pakistan will win the ODI.The test series will be like last time when England ground them down.

 

[Dasa]

Kaneria has a lot better record than Warne had after playing the No. of tests which Kaneria has played at the moment.

Rather than looking at pure figures, watch them bowl. Anyone can see Warne is much superior to Kaneria and IMO Kaneria won't achieve even half of what Warne has.

 

[Beleg]

Comparing Kaneria with Warne is like comparing Adam Parore with Adam Gilchrist. Warne is 10X the player Kaneria is; it's pretty self-evident in their game and the way batsmen approach them.

 

[wpdavid]

England will win the test series,Pakistan will win the ODI.The test series will be like last time when England ground them down.

Dunno. This side has a very different approach to the 2000 lineup, especially the batting lineup. They'll fancy their chances against the pakistan attack, and I doubt whether we'll see a repeat of Thorpe's boundaryless hundred. I think Simon Jones' fitness is key, as he's by far our best reverse swinger, and I suspect we'll struggle to take 20 wickets otherwise.

 

[luckyeddie]

Kaneria has a lot better record than Warne had after playing the No. of tests which Kaneria has played at the moment.

And that means diddly-squat, seeing as at one time Warne had the career test bowling analysis of about 1-600. Don't get me wrong, Kaneria's a pretty decent bowler, but Warne is just light-years ahead of him at the moment.

 

[simmy]

Dunno. This side has a very different approach to the 2000 lineup, especially the batting lineup. They'll fancy their chances against the pakistan attack, and I doubt whether we'll see a repeat of Thorpe's boundaryless hundred. I think Simon Jones' fitness is key, as he's by far our best reverse swinger, and I suspect we'll struggle to take 20 wickets otherwise.

This side will never struggle for 20 wickets! Whilst Simon Jones is key... someone always seems to put his hand up when needed.

I cant see this being anything other than a series dominated by England.

As for the ODI's well... who cares?!

 

[magsi23]

I wouldnt right off Pakistan in Pakistan wether its Tests or ODI, but England certainly are favourites in Tests and Pakistan in ODI's. Crucial players for me, Afridi, Flintoff, Akhtar, KP and Inzamam, it will depend alot on these players how the series goes, all 5 have capabilities to win the game on their own. it will be very interesting to watch.

 

[Shoaib]

I wouldnt right off Pakistan in Pakistan wether its Tests or ODI, but England certainly are favourites in Tests and Pakistan in ODI's. Crucial players for me, Afridi, Flintoff, Akhtar, KP and Inzamam, it will depend alot on these players how the series goes, all 5 have capabilities to win the game on their own. it will be very interesting to watch.

U have forgotten another key player for Pakistan i.e Umar Gul.

 

[Shoaib]

If Pakistan plays with following teams ,then there is no chance that they lose even a single match against England in either Tests or ODIs
Tests
Taufiq Umar
Shahid Afridi
Hasan Raza
Inzamam-Ul-Haq (C)
Younis Khan
Asim Kamal
Kamran Akmal (WK)
Riaz Afridi/Mushtaq Ahmed
Shoaib Ahktar
Umar Gul
Danish Kaneria


ODIs
Salam Butt/Imran Farhat
Shahid Afridi
Shoaib Mailk
Inzamam-Ul-Haq (C)
Yousuf Youhana
Asim Kamal/Hasan Raza
Abdul Razzaq
Kamran Akmal (WK)
Shoaib Akhtar
Mohammad Sami/Danish Kaneria
Umar Gul


And keep watching the telecasts to see how the Pakistani players bring English proud from sky to earth just like in the series against India early this year.

 

[Steulen]

If Pakistan plays with following teams ,then there is no chance that they lose even a single match against England in either Tests or ODIs

Pakistan's pace attack is nowhere near as good as England's.
The batting is about equal.
Kaneria is better than Giles.

Ergo: close series, England marginal favourites.

 

[simmy]

They are more than margina favourites IMO..

If Aus couldnt handle this pace attack... Pakistan will have even less of a chance!

I think that as long as the England players play Kaneria well (as they had to play Warne) then they will post big big totals.

Home or not... Pakistan will find it very difficult to stem this Eng side as will India.

 

[mofo123]

pak test team has to be.

shoaib malik...not an opener but he did well in that position in WI and he should be put there as no1 else is coming good
yasir hameed...hes good excpet the wide ball he tends to get out to
younis khan...world class bat
inzi...world class bat probably the best bat on show in the series
youhana...world class
razzaq/afiridi...having an awesome run, great all rounders
akmal...keeper skills beyond belief
kaneria...decent? nah hes awesome not saying warnes class but a leggy who did well in india has got to be good
sami/gul...id give gul a run but sami steamed thru aus A in the recent match
akhtar...world class
saqlain mushtaq...WORLD CLASS cant wait to have him back

how can u say that is a weak team?
and pretty much similar for ODIs?

 

[godofcricket]

My Pakistan Team:

Tests:

1: Salman Butt
2: Shoaib Malik
3: Yousuf Youhana
4: Inzamam ul Haq
5: Younis Khan
6: Shahid Afridi
7: Abdul Razzaq
8: Kamran Akmal
9: Shabbir/Rana Naved
10: Shoaib Akhtar
11: Danish Kaneria

ODI's:

1: Salman Butt
2: Shahid Afridi
3: Shoaib Malik
4: Yousuf Youhana
5: Inzamam ul Haq
6: Younis Khan
7: Abdul Razzaq
8: Kamran Akmal
9: Rana Naved
10: Shoaib Akhtar
11: Sami/Shabbir

 

[BoyBrumby]

Dunno. This side has a very different approach to the 2000 lineup, especially the batting lineup. They'll fancy their chances against the pakistan attack, and I doubt whether we'll see a repeat of Thorpe's boundaryless hundred. I think Simon Jones' fitness is key, as he's by far our best reverse swinger, and I suspect we'll struggle to take 20 wickets otherwise.

I'm sure I read somewhere that he also has a stress fracture in his ankle on top of the bone spur. V bad news if so.

Assuming Jonah's fit, will we play the extra spinner? If we do I think there's a strong case for Harmy missing out. From memory Hoggy did ok-ish in India last time & we all know Harmy gets a bit weepy if he ventures below South Shields!

My XI

Trescothick
Strauss
Vaughan*
Owais Shah
Pietersen
Flintoff
G Jones+
Giles
Swann
Hoggard
S Jones