**Official** Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2014

[Howsie]

vs. Wellington 35 out of 98 (arguably won ND the match taking the wickets of 5 batsmen in a dogged 2nd dig from Wellington)
vs. Wellington 19 out of 96, 22 out of 60 (took out Wellington's middle order)

Sodhi, bowling his side to victory since 2012.

I'd give him this series and Sri Lanka no doubt. reassess when New Zealand tours England next May. Perhaps somebody stands up between then and now.

 

[Hurricane]

Smali pak players just look better against spin based on visually watching them

 

[smash84]

Smali pak players just look better against spin based on visually watching them

All I am saying is that looks can be deceptive. We need to dig a little deeper to get to the truth. This and the last series is clouding people's judgment a fair bit.

 

[Mike5181]

Against the West Indies Sodhi took 8 wickets @ 28 including the wicket of Chanderpaul [twice], and he was our best bowler in the first test here. How has he not been contributing again? Spouting off about when "enough is enough" doesn't quite make sense here.

 

[Dan]

All I am saying is that looks can be deceptive. We need to dig a little deeper to get to the truth. This and the last series is clouding people's judgment a fair bit.

I don't think you quite realise how utterly inept Australia, in particular, has been against spin in recent years.

 

[cnerd123]

Nah it isn't that they just look better, but they factually are better. A bastman faces so much more quality spin on spinning tracks growing up in the subcontinent than they do in the rest of the world. It just isn't about technique and their footwork. Their mentality is a lot better too - shot selection, reading the bowler, confidence. You can only develop that by playing a lot of spin bowling.

Even if a NZ batsman and a Pak batsman have the same technique and style of play, the Pak batsman is likely to do a lot better because he will have a better understanding of how to use his technique to survive and thrive against spinners.

The issue with Pak batsmen isn't their ability to play spin - it's just their ability to bat long sessions and to bat under pressure. And they seem to be overcoming that with each passing series.

 

[Hurricane]

All I am saying is that looks can be deceptive. We need to dig a little deeper to get to the truth. This and the last series is clouding people's judgment a fair bit.

Looks are not deceptive. I judge everything by looks. I said Tom Latham was the real deal in this thread when his score was on 19 and not after he made 103.

Just because you have seen a spinner run through pak doesn't prove anything except they are not an order of magnitude better than anyone else. I have long made the same point about Indian batsman because Patel has taken wickets against them.
They are about 10% better if you forced me to crudely put a figure on it.

I made my mind up they were better when one of the pak batsman chipped down the wicket but got beaten in flight. He didn't panic and invented a get out of jail shot. That impressed me

 

[smash84]

Perhaps ***** has a point, that Pak batsmen fall to any half decent spinner whenever pressure is applied.

 

[Kippax]

Against the West Indies Sodhi took 8 wickets @ 28 including the wicket of Chanderpaul [twice], and he was our best bowler in the first test here. How has he not been contributing again? Spouting off about when "enough is enough" doesn't quite make sense here.

Because his manager was getting into the ring and stopping the fight whenever an opponent started to get the upper hand.

 

[Mike5181]

because his manager was getting into the ring and stopping the fight whenever an opponent started to get the upper hand.

it's a conspiracy guys.

 

[Prince EWS]

it's a conspiracy guys.

Of course it is. It's Kippax.

 

[Dan]

****ing Agribusiness.

 

[the big bambino]

Industrial/military complex.

 

[Kippax]

it's a conspiracy guys.

Well, it's just smart use of a Carlos Spencer sort of player, really. It just seems like Wagner is the only low GI food people want to take on the hike.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Even though Sodhi's average was garbage it's still better than Craig's average of infinity. You can't really drop him for the series if you're going to play a spinner. How he continues to bowl through the rest of the series is going to be interesting in terms of predicting his ceiling.

 

[Kippax]

Well tbf I found Craig was a lot tighter and created a lot more chances on the Sharjah warm-up pitch than Sodhi (despite what the figures say). Part of that was the weaker batting obvs, but I think Hendrix was right about Craig's fate being sealed before he began on a pitch that was as tired and low as Abu Dhabi. I don't think that means we should go full Howsie and banish him forever.

 

[BeeGee]

Well, it's just smart use of a Carlos Spencer sort of player, really. It just seems like Wagner is the only low GI food people want to take on the hike.

Can't go wrong with wags, he's healthy and delicious.

 

[Kippax]

Can't go wrong with wags, he's healthy and delicious.

Yep, unfortunately people hoping Sodhi can be hidden by Southee and Boult success with the older Kookaburra (like they enjoy with the older Duke) will probably be in for another Uni Oval-style bitter disappointment.

 

[Bahnz]

Well tbf I found Craig was a lot tighter and created a lot more chances on the Sharjah warm-up pitch than Sodhi (despite what the figures say). Part of that was the weaker batting obvs, but I think Hendrix was right about Craig's fate being sealed before he began on a pitch that was as tired and low as Abu Dhabi. I don't think that means we should go full Howsie and banish him forever.

Does anyone know what the pitch at Dubai normally plays like? More of the same, or does it offer more for the bowlers?

 

[Kippax]