Dont have a problem with using DRS, esp. to show what happened than what would have happened.. But of course, even with technology aid, you will always have these umpires who just can't make the right ****ing decision...
Firstly, I don't take FC records too seriously especially ones in Pakistan... Wasim, Waqar, Inzy, Anwar, none of them had great FC records when they started.If unproven bowlers with fairly average domestic records (okay Junaid's is good; he's still unproven though) who have both played one especially good Test match each in their entire careers isn't depth, then you don't know what depth is.
Well then you don't know what depth is, my good man.
But why are you bringing in Australia..I was not comparing Pakistan's depth with Australia's. All I said was that Pakistan has depth in seam bowling department..did not say whether it was better or worse than Australia's.Depth is when Peter Siddle is labelled the leader of your attack and then doesn't want a rest in case he can't get back in?
Bet that 6+5 combo must look real tempting for England now.
I actually think Junaid is a bit gun and should be the second bowler selected on the team sheet after Ajmal tbh, but that doesn't mean Pakistan have fast bowling depth. I don't really rate Wahab very highly, Gul leaves me cold these days and his action has completely deteriorated, while Cheema is decent bowler (with experience in England too, which could help) but not one who'd I'd expect to average less than 33 long-term. So yeah, fair cop to say I'm writing off Wahab, but I'm definitely not writing off Junaid; I just don't think he's proven much at all yet to consider him strong depth right now.Firstly, I don't take FC records too seriously especially ones in Pakistan... Wasim, Waqar, Inzy, Anwar, none of them had great FC records when they started.
Secondly I have seen enough of Riaz and Junaid to reach the conclusion that they can be good to very good bowlers for Pakistan..and experience tells me very good bowlers can often win you a test match.
Thirdly, I have no issues with you writing off Riaz and Khan because I understand you haven't seen them enough and you rely a lot on stats..Fair enough..I am happy to wait and let them perform and you to change your mind
After getting rolled for 192 and 160 and dismissing the opposition for 338 on a road, I don't think they'll be looking to improve matters by bringing in another bowler at the expense of a batsman, as crap as Morgan admittedly is.
SA are very tough to beat on tour tbf, it's at home where they're unexpectedly wobbly.
How so?Oh come on, the order is the whole fun
Mine would be.... hmmm.... hard to balance current form vs long term class when drawing up the list, depends on your personal emphasis I suppose.. my order would be something like
Tendulkar - still looks a million dollars and churning out solid scores if not hundreds)
Kallis - still majestic at the crease and scoring big
Trott - seems to make mostly tough runsClarke - improving massively, gets tough runs now
Cook - lean run lately but been churning out hundreds
Dravid - looks out of form in current series but been massive the last year or so
Sangakkara - consistent and seems to get a hundred in every series
Hussey - playing tight again, amazing run of form in the last year
Amla - improving, a flair player, and making more hundreds now
De Villiers - improving, ditto with the flair but still learning how to make tough runs
Omitted Bell as I still think he's allergic to tough runs
I think the only way they can actually come to the conclusion that the extra bowler would be worth more than the extra batsman at this point is if they think Morgan and Bopara are as unlikely to score any meaningful runs as I do, and if they actually did share my POV there they'd have left those two at home and brought over a real batsman like James Taylor.
To be fair, England did warm up nicely enough leading into this Test. so they don't really have an excuse for being caught cold. And I can think of more testing, alien conditions than the "road" this wicket was.
And now compare it to Eng, SA and OzThat's a dire point really
Wahab Riaz won Pakistan a test match in England
Junaid Khan has a 5 wicket haul against Sri Lanka on conditions that would suit their batting.
Neither could make it to the playing XI.
If that is not depth, I don't know what is.
Good post
I have no doubt in my mind that Pakistan will get their ***es handed out to them in Australia, South Africa and England..however I also think that it will be more due to the batting falling like a pack of cards and getting bundled out for totals like 70 and 120. I can't recall the last time Pakistan were let down by their bowling attack on an overseas tour. Every time they have lost badly overseas, it was their batting.
When did I talk about Pakistan's batting? Have I ever talked positively or confidently about Pakistan's batting? Not even when flat track bully Mohammad Yousuf was in the team. Not even when cricinfo couldn't stop writing about how awesome Hafeez and Taufiq Umar were in 2011. I still think Hafeez and Taufiq Umar are crap despite their 100 run stand.
I don't think that's true at all, maybe a lot of people thought England would win the series and they might still do but I don't know many that thought England would have there way. But don't let what you say get away from the fact that the bowlers bowled pretty well and dismissed Pakistan for not a high score all all for this track but it was the batsmen who came up short.
I don't feel it has that 'Aura' as our previous attacks had... I mean, you can't expect our team to rattle out a top notch England side as we did thus match as we could have before...
