*Official* South Africa vs Pakistan Series

[Anil]

Originally posted by Bazzaroodoo
Pakistan were pitiful. Wasim was the only guy who turned up, bowling tightly and taking wickets, plus a couple of sixes at the end when the cause was lost.

Once again I state - this is why subcontinental teams will struggle in the World Cup. Pakistan were supposed to be the best equipped to cope, yet they couldn't hit Pollock of the square it would seem...

Firstly, Pakistan were supposed to be the best equipped to cope because they had a good pace attack, not because of their batting(I am not saying their batting is totally weak, but their main strength is their pace attack).

Secondly, Pollock is one of the stingiest bowlers in international cricket in terms of giving away runs and one of the best bowlers of this era.

So when you say, Once again I state - this is why subcontinental teams will struggle in the World Cup, it really doesn't mean anything and it really doesn't prove anything.

 

[marc71178]

Originally posted by Rik

Originally posted by royGilchrist
And I echo VRs sentiments about Agarkar. He is not that bad. But his criticism here is more out of fun then being based on fact.

Hahaha ya think?

It started out as fact based bu thas evolved into fun!

 

[marc71178]

Originally posted by Mr Mxyzptlk
Yeh and Pollock is only barely of international quality......

That is a joke right?

 

[marc71178]

Firstly, Pakistan were supposed to be the best equipped to cope because they had a good pace attack, not because of their batting(I am not saying their batting is totally weak, but their main strength is their pace attack).

Oh yes, and they did so well in that game didn't they?

 

[aussie_beater]

Originally posted by marc71178

Firstly, Pakistan were supposed to be the best equipped to cope because they had a good pace attack, not because of their batting(I am not saying their batting is totally weak, but their main strength is their pace attack).

Oh yes, and they did so well in that game didn't they?

Not as well as they were expected to....conceded over 270 odd runs.

 

[yorker]

Originally posted by Bazzaroodoo
No but bare Wasim the Pakistanis were going for 6+ runs an over. Pakistan needed to score quickly, and dominate the bowlers. Instead Pollock bowled 10 overs for 12.

One cannot judge a team from a single match,Pak is capable of bouncing back, however i have a feeling that Pak will lose this series 4-1 or so as they don't have a set pair of openers and also because Pak have a very poor record against SA!.
As for the bowlers, i thought Saqlain did well, gave away 41 runs in ten overs.Sami was in the team coz Akhter was out with a ban, he's inexperiance and as such is often expensive. Razzak bowled extremely poorly, but then he has just returned from injury.The bowling will improve with the return of Akhter and Afridi.
The big question mark is on Waqar Younis, he has been unimpressive in onedayers since quite some time.There are reports that Waqar's future as captain and player in the one-day squad for the WC depends alot on how he fares in the remaining matches of the one-day series.If Waqar perform poorly then there is a strong possibility that either Akram or Inzi will lead the Pak team in the WC and Waqar won't even find a place in the onedayer team!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Originally posted by marc71178

Originally posted by Mr Mxyzptlk
Yeh and Pollock is only barely of international quality......

That is a joke right?

Well, he is the captain of my World XI so...

 

[basil]

Re:On Waqar!

The PCB boss had earlier (a month back)indicated that Waqar may face the axe as a captain in onedayers when he said that there will be different test and onedayer team.However he changed his decision when Waqar pleaded that he he should be given a chance to lead both sides in Zimbabwe and South Africa before judging his performance.Waqar's position in the one-day team is under scrutiny as the general feeling is that he is too expensive and is taking up the place of a more deserving bowler in the one-day squad.The feeling is that Waqar is upsetting the balance of the one-day team.It all now depends on if Waqar can lift his own performances and that of the team in the remaining four games in South Africa against the odds or else he might find himself out of the World Cup squad.

PCB chairman and chief selector Wasim Bari were also not happy at the insistence of Waqar supported by Pybus to recall Saleem Elahi as a opener in the team. Saleem's selection in the team has raised many eyebrows despite his high scoring in Zimbabwe.In fact the PCB chief during a recent press conference in Karachi made it clear that while he had hopes from Taufiq Umar but had reservations about Saleem succeeding in South Africa due to many chinks in his armour.




[Edited on 10/12/2002 by basil]

 

[marc71178]

The bowling will improve with the return of Akhter and Afridi.

What has happened to Afridi, appears to have disappeared!

Mind you, I don't think he will imporve the bowling a great deal...

If Waqar perform poorly then there is a strong possibility that either Akram or Inzi will lead the Pak team in the WC and Waqar won't even find a place in the onedayer team!

I thought Waqar had already been appointed for the WC, I'm 99% certain he'll lead the team there!

 

[Gotchya]

Waqar is not going anywhere. Atleast not until the WC even if he concedes 70 runs of every ten overs he bowls from now on !

That would be more destabalising. Look at the side ! we have already lost an experienced hand in Saeed Anwar, what good would it do to axe Waqar ? surely his experience has a lot of weight. And he's not a liability as yet.

However, Saleem's inclusion may get proved to be a waste, some other youngster could have been given the go or best to cal back Anwar. But the selectors have closed those doors. So Pakistan are now stuck with pitiful openers, a volatile middle order and the SA tracks are lumbering. If anything is looking good then it is the pace attack.

Afridi is being wasted down there but on another note, you need some sort of solidity at the top. Afridi's stroke play may be rewarding at times, but mostly he puts the middle order under pressure by getting out early. At the moment he seems to be an expensive inclusion infront of a good middle order basman.

He's should be playing at the top spot or not at all !

 

[Anil]

Originally posted by marc71178

Firstly, Pakistan were supposed to be the best equipped to cope because they had a good pace attack, not because of their batting(I am not saying their batting is totally weak, but their main strength is their pace attack).

Oh yes, and they did so well in that game didn't they?

I didn't say that their pace attack did well but they still have a great attack(whether you accept it or not) which can be potentially devastating against most comers in this WC.

Bazzaroodoo posted saying that his statement that the subcontinent teams would struggle in SA was justified because the Pak batsmen couldn't force Pollock square of the wicket in one match. I found that statement unsubstantiated, infact ridiculous. The reasons I mentioned were to prove that his statement proves nothing and I think I proved it well enough.

Marc, you just have to get rid of the habit of taking one sentence or part of a sentence out of a post and skewing it to fit your arguments.

 

[Gotchya]

Originally posted by Bazzaroodoo
Pakistan were pitiful. Wasim was the only guy who turned up, bowling tightly and taking wickets, plus a couple of sixes at the end when the cause was lost.

Once again I state - this is why subcontinental teams will struggle in the World Cup. Pakistan were supposed to be the best equipped to cope, yet they couldn't hit Pollock of the square it would seem...

Bracketing up subcontinental teams, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka what similarities do they have ? vastly different teams who depend on different strengths.

This was just the first match, Pollock will get his share of runs ! he's a good bowler on any pitch, and is bowling on home pitches atm. Once the batsmen get accustomed to the conditions I am sure they will get him to the boundary.

You are being very sweeping when you say that sub continental teams will struggle. Their batting may struggle and that too not for long because the pitches are not that bouncy or bowler friendly.

 

[Anil]

Originally posted by Gotchya

Originally posted by Bazzaroodoo
Pakistan were pitiful. Wasim was the only guy who turned up, bowling tightly and taking wickets, plus a couple of sixes at the end when the cause was lost.

Once again I state - this is why subcontinental teams will struggle in the World Cup. Pakistan were supposed to be the best equipped to cope, yet they couldn't hit Pollock of the square it would seem...

Bracketing up subcontinental teams, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka what similarities do they have ? vastly different teams who depend on different strengths.

This was just the first match, Pollock will get his share of runs ! he's a good bowler on any pitch, and is bowling on home pitches atm. Once the batsmen get accustomed to the conditions I am sure they will get him to the boundary.

You are being very sweeping when you say that sub continental teams will struggle. Their batting may struggle and that too not for long because the pitches are not that bouncy or bowler friendly.

Exactly. Look at how England is struggling on the pace friendly pitches of Australia. Every team except Australia have struggled on the SA tracks. So, when he tries to confine the problem to subcontinent teams, it is very clearly a statement which has no substance.

Besides as you rightly pointed out, the subcontinent teams play to widely differing strengths and weaknesses and you just can't bunch them together.

 

[warrioryohannan]

Originally posted by Bazzaroodoo

Once again I state - this is why subcontinental teams will struggle in the World Cup. Pakistan were supposed to be the best equipped to cope, yet they couldn't hit Pollock of the square it would seem...

There are differences b/w the strength and weakness of the Asian teams.Pakistan main strength is their pace attack.Even if the pacers faired poorly in all the 5 onedayers, it will still be recognize as one of the best attack in the WC!

India-- They have the best batting line up in the game, only Australia can match them!

SL-- Their strength is their batting, but mainly they rely on one man , Muralitharan.Without him they are a below average side!!

 

[Bazza]

Originally posted by Gotchya
This was just the first match, Pollock will get his share of runs ! he's a good bowler on any pitch, and is bowling on home pitches atm.

Funnily enough, he will be doing that for the rest of this series. Oh and the world cup too!

Anil - England are not struggling with the pitches at the moment, they are struggling with the opposition (and we've had many arguments over this in different threads!)

 

[yorker]

Wasim to challenge Justice Qayyum recommendations

KARACHI: Pakistan's former captain and fast bowler Wasim Akram has decided to challenge the Justice Malik Qayyum recommendations specifically made against him in the Supreme Court.

In a significant development, Wasim, 36, has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that he will be filing a petition soon in the higher court challenging the fines imposed on him and the condition that he not be given the responsibility of leading Pakistan again.

This latest development, though belated, is seemingly a last ditch effort by the former captain to try to clear a major hurdle in the way of his being reinstated as captain for the World Cup.

"Why challenge the Justice Qayyum recommendations now? The match-fixing commission had given its recommendations to the Board more then two years ago. If he was so upset about it he would have filed a petition in the court almost immediately," an observer noted.

Though it is not known when exactly Wasim's lawyer will file the petition, but if Wasim is moving the petition in a bid to qualify as captainship material for the World Cup then the time remaining for him is limited.

Wasim is still regarded as a prime candidate to lead the Pakistan team in the World Cup atleast by the Board Chairman and a particular lobby but a specific recommendation made by the Justice Qayyum match-fixing commission is a legal hurdle in this happening.

The Board spokesman said that while the PCB had no objections to Wasim filing a petition, but it would not provide with him any sort of support.

According to well placed sources, the Board has given serious thought to having Wasim lead the team in the World Cup as it is not satisfied itself that Waqar Younis automatically commands a place as a player in the One-day squad.

So much so that sometime back Lt. General Tauqir Zia had even sought the legal opinion of Justice Qayyum on the subject of reinstating Wasim as captain and the problems the Board could face because of the recommendations against him.

The PCB spokesman confirmed that Justice Qayyum had sent back a detailed report to the Chairman on this subject but refused to divulge details.

"Obviously we cannot divulge details of that report which is confidential."

Insiders say Wasim's name has cropped up for the captaincy in recent weeks because, apparently, even some of the players including the junior ones had made some complaints to the chairman about Waqar's attitude and form.

Wasim is named in the preliminary World Cup squad of 30 players, as many believe that he unlike Waqar commands an automatic place in the One-day squad if he maintains his fitness.

 

[yorker]

Originally posted by marc71178
What has happened to Afridi, appears to have disappeared!

Mind you, I don't think he will imporve the bowling a great deal...

Lately Afridi had been bowling well.Had he played in the last match as an opener, Waqar wouldn't had to persists with Sami/Razzak when they were proving expensive and Pak could easily have saved 20 odds runs!

I thought Waqar had already been appointed for the WC, I'm 99% certain he'll lead the team there!

The PCB chairman had always maintained that Waqar would lead the team as long as he is fit and is in FORM.I can't say if it will be a wise move to change the captaincy right before the WC, could be a disaster !

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by Bazzaroodoo
Funnily enough, he will be doing that for the rest of this series. Oh and the world cup too!

Oh well Bazz, Pakistan 54-1 off 9.5 overs, with our new friend Elahi 30* off 32 balls with 5 4s. Pollock incidently has conceeded 22 runs off 5 overs...nearly twice the number he conceeded in nearly 10 overs in the last game...and hasn't taken a wicket. Don't worry though, I'm sure he'll get a few

 

[Gotchya]

Pakistan going well now at 5.88 an over

94/1 of 15 overs, Elahi has 48 Razzak has 31.

Has anyone noted a ****** in the commentary box ? maaan !

 

[V Reddy]

For a guy who doesn't have the technique Elahi is doing a damn good job