***Official*** Pakistan in England

[Nate]

Bad shots by batsmen, poor bowling, etc.

 

[Scaly piscine]

And oddly enough after you posted this, his average actually improved in this test, now its just slightly over 30. So , now what?

It'll be back towards mid 30s soon enough. I'm sure the Aussies are quaking in their boots worrying about this new one dimensional demon finger spinner.

Anyway I vote Younis Khan's dismissal one of the most overrated deliveries ever. It spun a tiny bit, pitched middle, hit middle and off, Younis Khan played all around it then got into the right defensive position after the bails fell off. I hope there were some good arm balls before it because otherwise that really was pretty awful batting.

 

[silentstriker]

It'll be back towards mid 30s soon enough. I'm sure the Aussies are quaking in their boots worrying about this new one dimensional demon finger spinner.

Anyway I vote Younis Khan's dismissal one of the most overrated deliveries ever. It spun a tiny bit, pitched middle, hit middle and off, Younis Khan played all around it then got into the right defensive position after the bails fell off. I hope there were some good arm balls before it because otherwise that really was pretty awful batting.

It's very odd that the best players of spin just happen to forget how to bat and decide to throw their wicket away as soon as they face him, isn't it?

 

[TheEpic]

You know so little its absolutely laughable. Did you actually SEE the ball? Did you see the spin? The drift?

If he was so one-dimensional, and in the same league as Giles, Boje etc, then its unlikely he would have got ALL of his test wickets against sides which favour playing spin, with a lot of those 31 wickets being big name batsmen.

Have you heard/seen comments from former/present international batsman and spin bowlers praising him as a very promising young talent?

But you know better. Cretin.

 

[Scaly piscine]

You know so little its absolutely laughable. Did you actually SEE the ball? Did you see the spin? The drift?

If he was so one-dimensional, and in the same league as Giles, Boje etc, then its unlikely he would have got ALL of his test wickets against sides which favour playing spin, with a lot of those 31 wickets being big name batsmen.

Have you heard/seen comments from former/present international batsman and spin bowlers praising him as a very promising young talent?

But you know better. Cretin.

Some of us actually watch the path of the ball, others get caught up by the hyperbole the commentators come out with...

Go watch it on YouTube (put Panesar in the search, the 5th one down, 2:47 in), you'll see it was a stock Panesar delivery that Younis Khan played all around. At the moment the ball passes the bat the bat is covering leg stump after that moment he curtain rails his bat to middle and off where it should have been. This creates an illusion that the ball did a lot to beat a good defensive shot which looks as tho it had the stumps covered (and it would have) - but there was nothing much to beat because Younis Khan adjusted after the ball had gone past.

 

[TT Boy]

Seems like Pakistan have no worries about losing the third test three nil. Both Asif and Shoaib will not play at the Oval, being rested for the one day series…

 

[Swervy]

Some of us actually watch the path of the ball, others get caught up by the hyperbole the commentators come out with...

Go watch it on YouTube (put Panesar in the search, the 5th one down, 2:47 in), you'll see it was a stock Panesar delivery that Younis Khan played all around. At the moment the ball passes the bat the bat is covering leg stump after that moment he curtain rails his bat to middle and off where it should have been. This creates an illusion that the ball did a lot to beat a good defensive shot which looks as tho it had the stumps covered (and it would have) - but there was nothing much to beat because Younis Khan adjusted after the ball had gone past.

The ball pitched on middle and leg from what I remember watching of it yesterday, (you tube doesnt really show much because of the picture quality). Now to beat a quality batsman at Headingley coming from around the wicket with a ball like that deserves a lot of credit. The point is that is is pretty hard to defend against a ball like that when a SLA is mixing it up a bit. Younis' did slightly curtain rail the bat after the ball had gone past, but I dont think that gives an exagerated impression of how good the ball was. The ball spun enough off the pitch (not the rough) to go from middle and leg to hit off...with loop and drift as well as spin...pretty much the perfect SLA around the wicket delivery.

The thing is, Panesar has troubled ALL of the Pakistani batsmen at some point. He has spun the ball off the pitch more than pretty any finger spinner I have seen for years. He has great control, and as someone said the other day, is attacking whilst also slowing down the run rate. When I watch him, I am starting to expect a wicket sometime soon.

The guy has played 8 tests or whatever..he will develop into a world class spinner if his potential is realised, and at the moment I can see no reason why it won't.

SP, I think you need to watch a full spell of Panesar bowling to appreciate how well he actually has bowled

 

[Fusion]

Seems like Pakistan have no worries about losing the third test three nil. Both Asif and Shoaib will not play at the Oval, being rested for the one day series…

Better to lose 3-0 then to rush them back in and possibly aggravate their injuries. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing I would like more than a pride saving victory, but I don't want to lose either Shoaib or Asif again for a long period.

 

[aussie]

His first wicket was a rubbish ball. His second and third wickets were decent balls, I'll give him that. His last wicket was a short ball that he got lucky on. Far from convinced.

all true, but its the most consistent spell he has bowled so far in his career, so hopefully he can take that performance into the Oval & beyond.

 

[Scaly piscine]

The ball pitched on middle and leg from what I remember watching of it yesterday, (you tube doesnt really show much because of the picture quality). Now to beat a quality batsman at Headingley coming from around the wicket with a ball like that deserves a lot of credit. The point is that is is pretty hard to defend against a ball like that when a SLA is mixing it up a bit. Younis' did slightly curtain rail the bat after the ball had gone past, but I dont think that gives an exagerated impression of how good the ball was. The ball spun enough off the pitch (not the rough) to go from middle and leg to hit off...with loop and drift as well as spin...pretty much the perfect SLA around the wicket delivery.

The thing is, Panesar has troubled ALL of the Pakistani batsmen at some point. He has spun the ball off the pitch more than pretty any finger spinner I have seen for years. He has great control, and as someone said the other day, is attacking whilst also slowing down the run rate. When I watch him, I am starting to expect a wicket sometime soon.

The guy has played 8 tests or whatever..he will develop into a world class spinner if his potential is realised, and at the moment I can see no reason why it won't.

SP, I think you need to watch a full spell of Panesar bowling to appreciate how well he actually has bowled

Lets put it this way, if Younis Khan had just kept his original pose when the ball goes past his bat then it would have looked like a poor defensive shot as it was. He left two stumps exposed for Panesar to hit - it certainly didn't clip off stump, it hit middle, middle and off bail after pitching on middle, a ball that should be bread and butter to defend for any decent batsman.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Monty favourite for BBC Sports Personality of Year

This caught my eye! From today's Guardian:

As the wickets fell at Headingley yesterday so too did the odds on Monty Panesar winning the 2006 BBC Sports Personality Of The Year. England's new cricket hero, who took three wickets as Pakistan crumbled, is now the 5-2 favourite to win the title. With no outstanding candidate for the honour this year, the spinner has leapt ahead of the likes of David Walliams (11-4), Steven Gerrard (100-30) and Jenson Button (7-1).

Obviously a pretty lean year tho, given matey-boy from Little Britain is 2nd fav!

Full article here:

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/englandpakistan2006/story/0,,1840020,00.html

 

[Swervy]

Lets put it this way, if Younis Khan had just kept his original pose when the ball goes past his bat then it would have looked like a poor defensive shot as it was. He left two stumps exposed for Panesar to hit - it certainly didn't clip off stump, it hit middle, middle and off bail after pitching on middle, a ball that should be bread and butter to defend for any decent batsman.

it still would have looked like a good ball if Younis hadnt have moved his bat.

Sorry but the ball certainly did appear to hit the off peg...go back and have a look at how the off stump moved after it was hit...the middle stump didnt move...it was a very good ball, regardless of whether it hit middle or off

 

[marc71178]

It's very odd that the best players of spin just happen to forget how to bat and decide to throw their wicket away as soon as they face him, isn't it?

Clearly it is.

All luck obviously.

 

[marc71178]

Sorry but the ball certainly did appear to hit the off peg.

Clearly did yes.

To have done that from round the wicket on a pitch that wasn't doing much suggests this bloke has some talent.

 

[greg]

Yousef x3
Younis x3
Inzamam x3
Tendulkar
Kaif
Dravid
Jaffer
Tharanga x2
Sangakarra x2
Samaraweera
Jayasuriya
Iqbal x3
Afridi
Farhat
Umar

 

[silentstriker]

Yousef x3
Younis x3
Inzamam x3
Tendulkar
Kaif
Dravid
Jaffer
Tharanga x2
Sangakarra x2
Samaraweera
Jayasuriya
Iqbal x3
Afridi
Farhat
Umar

Dravid, Tendulkar, Inzamam, are all exceptional players of spin. Only Lara (and a couple of aussies) are missing from that list (monty hasnt faced them yet). Any bowler would be proud to have those as his wickets.

 

[Gloucefan]

Clearly did yes.

To have done that from round the wicket on a pitch that wasn't doing much suggests this bloke has some talent.

Exactly it hit the off bail above off stump not middle. Not that anyone could possibly make a decision looking at youtube anyway...

I'd say as middle is unmoved and off has moved whatever happened the ball was very near off stump.

 

[Scaly piscine]

it still would have looked like a good ball if Younis hadnt have moved his bat.

Sorry but the ball certainly did appear to hit the off peg...go back and have a look at how the off stump moved after it was hit...the middle stump didnt move...it was a very good ball, regardless of whether it hit middle or off

Certainly didn't hit the off stump, you can see from the angle the ball is travelling on the replay on the YouTube video that it either hit middle high up or the middle of the bail, since off stump moved a touch I'd suggest it was the bail, especially as the bail took a while to fall off.

 

[Gloucefan]

Monty is best in world - Fletcher

Coach Duncan Fletcher says Monty Panesar is the world's best finger spinner after his display in England's win over Pakistan in the third Test.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/4776217.stm

That however IS hyperbowl, last time I checked Marali was an off-spinner (all be it a wristy one). Also he has a way to go before you could fairly rank him higher than Harbhajan Singh.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Monty is best in world - Fletcher

Coach Duncan Fletcher says Monty Panesar is the world's best finger spinner after his display in England's win over Pakistan in the third Test.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/4776217.stm

That however IS hyperbowl, last time I checked Marali was an off-spinner (all be it a wristy one). Also he has a way to go before you could fairly rank him higher than Harbhajan Singh.

Murali is an offie, but certainly not an orthodox one. I don't think it's a huge stretch to say Monty is the best orthodox (i.e. without a wrong 'un) finger spinner about just now.