***Official*** India in Pakistan

[Neil Pickup]

Neil, you've got competition in the avatar size stakes.

I know. It sucks, doesn't it? Blatant abuse of something or other...

 

[nehrafan]

Afridi on the pitch

He described the wicket as totally flat and not at all helpful to the bowlers.

"It's totally dead. One needs wicket to help bowlers and batsmen to the same extent," Afridi said.

 

[Armadillo]

You just don't learn do you. Even if Sehwag were to make 300+ (highly likely with Pakistan's substandard attack (!)) The curator cannot transform the pitch from flat to bouncy in a matter of days. Looks like the better team are in trouble because they can't get the pitches that they prefer.

 

[Pratters]

Looks like the better team are in trouble because they can't get the pitches that they prefer.

Umm In India if the Indians prepared a similar wicket instead of traditional wickets to help Kumble and Harbhajan, same reactions would come up. Doesnt prove India or Pakistan is the better team.

 

[Deja moo]

I know. It sucks, doesn't it? Blatant abuse of something or other...

Now don't you go mess around with his settings or something

 

[James]

As depressing, demoralizing, destructive, disappointing and purely pathetic as this display has been for me as an Indian fan, I've got to say that was some ridiculous batting. First Younis and Yousuf, you'd think it doesn't get any better. But that was nothing ... Afridi went berserk. Hell, even Akmal got a century ..... H O L Y S H I T

Please watch your language.

 

[aussie]

ha afridi must have killed India, also must commend Akmal he seems to really coming up as aa top class keeper-batsman. I reckon India will be looking for a draw so the much vaunted batting line-up all need to contribute.

 

[nehrafan]

You just don't learn do you. Even if Sehwag were to make 300+ (highly likely with Pakistan's substandard attack (!)) The curator cannot transform the pitch from flat to bouncy in a matter of days. Looks like the better team are in trouble because they can't get the pitches that they prefer.

They had more than just few days, had almost a month time. The intention was always to prepare dead track to negate the threath posed by Indian pace attack, in particular by Pathan.

 

[nehrafan]

I really don't think any batsman or a keeper should be labelled a class player on the basis of his performance on the dead track of Lahore. 20 years back a Pak wk (Tasleem Arif) scored a double ton against Australian team on a similar dead track in Faisalabad, but the guy dissapeared within a few years !!!!

I think whenever Pak feels threatenend by the opposition, they start making dead track , unless they start making sporting pitches, they will never improve their skills.

 

[marc71178]

The first two on that list were timeless tests though.

They'll still hold the record for most runs in a Test though, regardless of length.

 

[PAKMAN]

I really don't think any batsman or a keeper should be labelled a class player on the basis of his performance on the dead track of Lahore. 20 years back a Pak wk (Tasleem Arif) scored a double ton against Australian team on a similar dead track in Faisalabad, but the guy dissapeared within a few years !!!!

I think whenever Pak feels threatenend by the opposition, they start making dead track , unless they start making sporting pitches, they will never improve their skills.

Nice to have u back nehra fan after u disappeared after the last defeat

 

[luckyeddie]

They'll still hold the record for most runs in a Test though, regardless of length.

Yes, well, as far as the greatest comedy sketch of all time goes, "Coventry City have NEVER won the F.A. Cup" - so no three piece suite for you.

 

[Mecnun]

Good solid start from India after a sterling batting display from Pak. There were some cracked areas on the pitch and I wonder how these will look at day end tomorrow. I am looking forward to Dhoni batting by the way after his opposite number did extremely well.

 

[luckyeddie]

There were some cracked areas on the pitch and I wonder how these will look at day end tomorrow.

Pretty bad if a drinks trolley should sort-of accidentally explode, I reckon.

 

[swede]

Yes what a fantastic "match",

perhaps someone else "will decide" to go for six sixes or perhaps another fascinating record could drop during the series, say perhaps a team could skip declaraing and just see if their first innings could last all 5 days or whatever. Let a team score 1,000 runs or why not an individual player? how incredibly exciting!

What it has to do with cricket is beyond me.
If they do not want to play test cricket then why do it????

skip it and go straight to the one-dayers instead of this complete utter nonsense. At least then they would not sully the name of test cricket with this bore-fest.

What is the point? Does any other game allow such kind of self-destructive behaviour.
Its pathetic.

The ashes showed what cricket can be like.
Fast timeless cricket, aggressive batting, high run rates, crowds flocking to games etc. If not for the weather there wouldnt have been even a thought about draws or declarations or all this rubbish.

Now we have had a very defensive declared- drawn-contrived Aus v SAF series and it look as though this is once again going to be the same in Pakistan.

The biggest mystery is why the Pakistan cricket board cannot explain their low crowds. I would find it very very obvious.

 

[Jono]

My fantasy cricket situation in this match is a mixed bag. I have Younis Khan, Akmal, Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Agarkar... all good there. But I also have Gambhir since I fully believed he would play, and Umar Gul because I'm an idiot.

 

[Mecnun]

Pretty bad if a drinks trolley should sort-of accidentally explode, I reckon.

I believe Afridi has realised that he is just not going to get a call up for come dancing no matter what he does.

 

[Jono]

Rain delay.

 

[Fusion]

The only way to discourage PCB in making dead track and to opt for "sporting pitches" is either direct pressure from ICC or if Sehwag punishes Pak bowlers and come up with another 300 + figure!!

Indian batsmen should really punish Pak bowlers and make a mockery of their so called fast bowling attack, if they do that (which i'm sure they will) then we will see sporting wkts in the remaining two test matches which will help the better team in India to win the series.

Would you like to share with the rest of us the name of the team IN INDIA that will win the match?

 

[Jono]

Akhtar not bowlong off his full run-up. Possibly due to his ankle injury. possibly because it doesn't matter how fast you bowl on this wicket its only ever going to bounce at waist high at 130 km