*Official* Pakistan in England and Ireland 2016

[vcs]

Also, how do the rain-hit drawn series by India and SA in Bangladesh factor into the rankings? I always thought that's a tad unfair if those teams lose ranking points due to the weather.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Not to take anything away from Pakistan because it was obviously a wonderful effort, but will be interesting just how much hyperbole is floating around the PP forum atm.

There's plenty of hyperbole here as it is. Every time someone wins a series (or in this case draws) they get touted as "the new undisputed no. 1 side"

 

[Flem274*]

you're so sour zinzan

there isn't a true #1 atm. not aussie-ing it (the poster) here, just that it's too tight. almost everyone can beat everyone and if you lose a marquee player like a jimmy anderson or a younis khan or your batting/bowling loses the plot your team temporarily drops below the rest of the top 7 pretty sharply and you get dicked.

see australia trying to play cricket in slow turning conditions and nz trying to play cricket with a broken bowling attack for examples. i'd include SA too but i can't remember when dale steyn was injured relative to their rankings dive.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Also, how do the rain-hit drawn series by India and SA in Bangladesh factor into the rankings? I always thought that's a tad unfair if those teams lose ranking points due to the weather.

There's a reason why South Africa went from 1 to 6.

 

[StephenZA]

you're so sour zinzan

there isn't a true #1 atm. not aussie-ing it (the poster) here, just that it's too tight. almost everyone can beat everyone and if you lose a marquee player like a jimmy anderson or a younis khan or your batting/bowling loses the plot your team temporarily drops below the rest of the top 7 pretty sharply and you get dicked.

see australia trying to play cricket in slow turning conditions and nz trying to play cricket with a broken bowling attack for examples. i'd include SA too but i can't remember when dale steyn was injured relative to their rankings dive.

We lost Steyn and Philander for the Indian tour and Eng in SA. Which did not help us. Our real problem was an out of form Amla and an unsettled top 6. Good things was Rabada and we have some genuine spin options atm. We will see how SA do this 2016/17 if they recover quickly then can get back to fighting for top spot.

 

[Flem274*]

is Haris Sohail near the test team? From what I remember his twirlies in a desperate attempt to find an ODI 5th bowler went better than expected and while I didn't see the current bloke play there seems to be some disappointment in the allrounder. Sohail #6 sending down a few overs a day on the cards? I thought he was a pretty good ODI batsman.

 

[Prince EWS]

is Haris Sohail near the test team? From what I remember his twirlies in a desperate attempt to find an ODI 5th bowler went better than expected and while I didn't see the current bloke play there seems to be some disappointment in the allrounder. Sohail #6 sending down a few overs a day on the cards? I thought he was a pretty good ODI batsman.

He hasn't played any cricket in almost a year, and hasn't played First Class cricket in over two years. He seems to be permanently injured. Hopefully he gets back on the park soon.

 

[Flem274*]

We lost Steyn and Philander for the Indian tour and Eng in SA. Which did not help us. Our real problem was an out of form Amla and an unsettled top 6. Good things was Rabada and we have some genuine spin options atm. We will see how SA do this 2016/17 if they recover quickly then can get back to fighting for top spot.

Oh yeah cheers for that. South Africa will bounce back imo, though the tour to Australia later in the year will hurt if AB isn't fit and Amla/Faf continue to fluctuate in form.

I'm jealous of your pace stocks. For all Australia wave their dicks around, your group usually stays fit. The talk of benching Morne Morkel due to having Rabada is such a nice problem to have.

 

[Flem274*]

He hasn't played any cricket in almost a year, and hasn't played First Class cricket in over two years. He seems to be permanently injured. Hopefully he gets back on the park soon.

What? Did his plane crash on the way back from the world cup or something?

 

[Prince EWS]

What? Did his plane crash on the way back from the world cup or something?

He did his knee, had surgery, then did it again shortly after and had more surgery. He's been out ever since.

 

[Flem274*]

He did his knee, had surgery, then did it again shortly after and had more surgery. He's been out ever since.

he should join cricsim and be a crab. join the rest of the busted knees.

 

[vcs]

He was spooked by a ghost once and had to return home mid-series, didn't he?

 

[Xuhaib]

Based on nothing but gut-feeling, I would pick England. But yeah, they'd have to draw or better against India in the winter, which I hope they don't.

In case of Pakistan, I think it's also fair to point out that they haven't beaten NZ, SL or SA at home, and lost a game in Zimbabwe (lol).

I think I tend to underrate Pakistan a bit because they are abysmal in the limited-overs formats.

Pakistan won their last away series in SL and NZL.

 

[StephenZA]

Oh yeah cheers for that. South Africa will bounce back imo, though the tour to Australia later in the year will hurt if AB isn't fit and Amla/Faf continue to fluctuate in form.

I'm jealous of your pace stocks. For all Australia wave their dicks around, your group usually stays fit. The talk of benching Morne Morkel due to having Rabada is such a nice problem to have.

Overall our bowlers have stayed pretty fit. Amla will be fine now that he is no longer burdened by the captaincy, did not sit well with him. Question is will Cook continue good form and solve our opener issue, and the fight between Faf/Duminy/Bavuma for 2 spots (which may also get effected by quota issues) but nobody is really settled yet. And the current all-rounder issue as well being fought between Parnell/Morris currently... we will see what happens, I just hope that some some of the younger guys show good form.

PS: Right now I would rate England/Pakistan top, India/Aus close 2nd with SA/SRL still to prove some things after a poor year and SL being so inconsistent. England performance in India will determine whether they are genuine no1s.

 

[vcs]

Pakistan won their last away series in SL and NZL.

Yeah I'm aware of that. But NZ win was a while back, right?

 

[vcs]

Overall our bowlers have stayed pretty fit. Amla will be fine now that he is no longer burdened by the captaincy, did not sit well with him. Question is will Cook continue good form and solve our opener issue, and the fight between Faf/Duminy/Bavuma for 2 spots (which may also get effected by quota issues) but nobody is really settled yet. And the current all-rounder issue as well being fought between Parnell/Morris currently... we will see what happens, I just hope that some some of the younger guys show good form.

PS: Right now I would rate England/Pakistan top, India/Aus close 2nd with SA/SRL still to prove some things after a poor year and SL being so inconsistent. England performance in India will determine whether they are genuine no1s.

Who will captain SA in Tests?

 

[StephenZA]

Who will captain SA in Tests?

Faf... ironically since he got dropped last test and not guaranteed his place. But he and Elgar would be best captains. I would prefer Elgar think AB prefers his buddy Faf.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Yeah I'm aware of that. But NZ win was a while back, right?

The SL 1-1 draw was a while back too. Do you really think Sri Lanka is going to beat Pakistan in UAE now?

Look there's a reason why we don't have a dominant side. Everyone has some red mark on their scorecard. India lost at home to England, Australia lost at home to South Africa, New Zealand lost at home to Pakistan and Australia. West Indies drew against England.

 

[TheJediBrah]

The SL 1-1 draw was a while back too. Do you really think Sri Lanka is going to beat Pakistan in UAE now?

Look there's a reason why we don't have a dominant side. Everyone has some red mark on their scorecard. India lost at home to England, Australia lost at home to South Africa, New Zealand lost at home to Pakistan and Australia. West Indies drew against England.

While this is true, it should come with a big asterisk. Australia pretty much dominated the first 2 tests which were drawn, one due to rain and SA won the third test relatively comfortably when literally all of Aus fast bowlers were injured from bowling 40 overs each trying to get out Faf . . .

I agree that it's obvious that there is no one even close to being the number 1 side though

 

[Adders]

When looking at the "best" team right now.......what sort of time frame should we be covering??

For instance, is Englands win in India really still relevant now for this discussion?? It was 3 1/2 years ago and only 3 players that played in the last test of that series played in this current one.