*Official* Sri Lanka in Pakistan Thread

[JustTool]

Huh , Offcourse "What if India had Shoaib Akhtar " , He was'nt even gonna make to any regional team ... Huh Huh .......
And have you got any idea , how many times Shoaib has bowled out the opposition's top order . I rate him 2nd best in the world after Harmison .. Try to ask any one not from ""Mongolia", they are gonna rate him high for sure .. Yeah for you obviously "Agarkar has more spark and killer instinct in his hmmmm Eyes"..

It's all about consistently taking wickets without being tonked around. McGrath can do it. So can Gillespie. It's NOT about who can bowl the fastest - that's why Brett Lee is on the bench. I am sure if it was up to Inzamam he would, (for all of Shoaib's grandtsanding, outrageous claims, feigned injury and flamboyance) have DROPPED him. But Shoaib puts butts on the seats all over the world (so does Brett Lee) and thus he absolutely needs to be retained. But let's not conufse that reason with him being a great bowler - he has potential but has not realised it like McGrath etc al.
By the way, do Mongolians play cricket - is Mongolia in Canada ?

 

[Sanz]

I dont think Shoaib has ever made outrageous claims or feigned injury. Shoaib is a FAST bowler and i think he is more consistent than Gillespies, Nitnis, Lees and Harmisons of this world.

Of course we can't compare him to Mcgrath who is the greatest Fast(well Medium Fast) bowler of 90s.

 

[shaka]

Harmison is turning into quite a consistent bowler though, perhaps slightly more so than Akhtar.

 

[Dydl]

Harmison is turning into a consistent bowler, maybe Akhtar's pace could have something to do with Harmison being slightly more consistent. Akhtar could have tired maybe, leaving the consistence to Hamison.

 

[shaka]

Harmison aint slow and often gets into the 140kph I think

 

[Sanz]

Harmison is turning into quite a consistent bowler though, perhaps slightly more so than Akhtar.

Lets wait till he tours Australia and and subcontinent. Once he shows the consistency he has shown against WI, I would gladly replace shoaib with him.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Harmison aint slow and often gets into the 140kph I think

Harmison hit 98.1mph (that's 158kph) this summer and consistently averages in the low 90s (that's 145+).

 

[reason4passion]

Yup Harmison is way faster than Shoaib And way more accurate and just see how he is Number 1 .. It takes an effort to become number 1

 

[reason4passion]

It's all about consistently taking wickets without being tonked around. McGrath can do it. So can Gillespie. It's NOT about who can bowl the fastest - that's why Brett Lee is on the bench. I am sure if it was up to Inzamam he would, (for all of Shoaib's grandtsanding, outrageous claims, feigned injury and flamboyance) have DROPPED him. But Shoaib puts butts on the seats all over the world (so does Brett Lee) and thus he absolutely needs to be retained. But let's not conufse that reason with him being a great bowler - he has potential but has not realised it like McGrath etc al.
By the way, do Mongolians play cricket - is Mongolia in Canada ?

Offcourse at the international level , The margin of error and the difference between the top strikers from the respective teams is minimum ..
But still some bowlers have flair and fire power and dignity and killer instinct , and Shoaib must be there in the top five ......
Mongolia???

 

[JASON]

Second Test in Karachi starts today (28/10/04), a venue where Pakistan has hardly ever lost.

Pakistan will, without doubt, come out firing to level the series, particularly in view of severe media criticism and pressure on players from Media and fans.

Injury to Sami likely to deplete the bowling slightly.

SL likely to replace Kalu with Chandana or opener Daniel.

 

[imranrabb]

harmison faster then shoiab thats a joke.Shoiab and sami when bowling at full pace are faster then harmo.I havent seen harmo bowl consistently at 95mph for 5 overs only at 90mph-91mph consistently.

 

[marc71178]

I haven't seen Shoaib bowl 5 overs consistently at 95mph - in fact I don't think any bowler in the World at the moment would have a body that would stand up to that - an over at most.

 

[imranrabb]

shoiab did bowl 95mph consistently in the past but now he is getting older

 

[marc71178]

shoiab did bowl 95mph consistently in the past but now he is getting older

Not for 5 overs at a time.

 

[Sanz]

At a time he can bowl only one ball , But I agree It is extremely hard for a bowler to 5 overs in a row at 95 MPH esp with the runup and action Shoaib has.

 

[JASON]

Pakistan bowling severely depleted it seems even before the Test starts.
Although Batting is strengthened.

Shoaib has shoulder injury. Replaced by Riaz Afridi, Sami already out replaced by Naveed ul Hassan. Moin Khan replaced by Kamran Akmal (keeper) , Asim Kamal replaced by Younis Khan.

SL have Maharoof in place of Malinga.

Is Karachi more suited to spinners ? Any body out there who knows an answer to this ?

 

[JASON]

This must be another record of sorts!! (although I suspect it probably has happened before)

2 debutants opening bowling for Pakistan!! (Riaz Afridi and Naveed Ul Hassan)

 

[Sanz]

Jason, Naved ul Hasan isn't really a new comer. He is an allrounder who has been playing ODIs for a while now.

 

[JASON]

Kaneria takes the first 2 wickets to fall . SL 2/80 at lunch.
Atapattu out for 44,Jayasuriya out for 26.

Kaneria 4 overs 2/11.

 

[JASON]

SL struggling. Pak right on top . Current score SL 6/140.
Kalu n.o.8 Vaas n.o. 0

Batsmen out for SL-

Sangakkara 13, Jayawardene 16, Samaraweera 13, Mubarak 13.

There is certainly something spooky about those 13's. There's lots of them.

SL innings likely to close after tea I suspect. (may be before )