Shoaib Akhtar's crazy record against New Zealand in the first half of his career

[Starfighter]

Well NZ were (and still are) allergic to genuine pace and they don't come any quicker. Not the easiest action to pick up either.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

He should’ve pulled a headband more because he lost a lot of hair bowling so fast.

 

[Bahnz]

NZ batsmen always had problem with Pakistani bowlers, Shoaib and Waqar in particular. On the other hand, Indian bowlers were dealt with far more comfortably. May be, the key was to just bowl fast and straight. Not every one could do it though. These are special men.

I do think there is a bit to this. I think the efforts of Wasim and Waqar on their various tours of NZ in the early 90's (they came here in 92/93, 93/94 and 95/96) left a bit of a scar on the mindsets of the emerging crop of batsmen coming through at the time. Even really average bowlers like Sami had fun against us by employing the Waqar method.

Having said that those are some magic deliveries. There's really no one in the world today who can produce 155+k speed at will in a test match setting,

 

[TheJediBrah]

Oof he looks very chucky in that video

 

[The Hutt Rec]

It was such a relief as an NZ fan when the tour got cancelled after that first test (though obviously the circumstances were horrible) ... 643 vs 73, what an absolute shamozzle.

 

[mr_mister]

Largest ever gap in a test after each side has completed their 1st innings? Would have to be close right

 

[TheJediBrah]

Largest ever gap in a test after each side has completed their 1st innings? Would have to be close right

Yeah it is. There are 2 higher but the leading team's innings was a declaration so you probably don't count that as a "completed" innings.

 

[marc71178]

Yeah it is. There are 2 higher but the leading team's innings was a declaration so you probably don't count that as a "completed" innings.

Why not?

 

[TheJediBrah]

Why not?

a lot of stats analyses don't count declarations as "completed innings".

Anyway if you do count them, then there are 2 higher gaps in 1st innings. Highest was England declaring 903-7 and bowling Aus out for 201 in 1938

 

[marc71178]

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of any analysis doesn’t count a declared innings as not completed unless it’s a contrived situation such as setting up a 4th innings chase.

 

[TheJediBrah]

ok

 

[trundler]

I've seen it Cricinfo a few times. Here's an example:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/29203464/who-top-scored-most-their-team-tests

 

[mr_mister]

^lol @ Carl Hooper and Mark Waugh being so high on the list for least amount of times top scored for their side. predictable AF

They were kings of the cameo innings weren't they

 

[Aaron510]

If I were facing a 156kmh yorker I would simply bop it over long on for six

How you play this? Lol that’s some fast bowling

 

[Moss]

I do think there is a bit to this. I think the efforts of Wasim and Waqar on their various tours of NZ in the early 90's (they came here in 92/93, 93/94 and 95/96) left a bit of a scar on the mindsets of the emerging crop of batsmen coming through at the time. Even really average bowlers like Sami had fun against us by employing the Waqar method.

Having said that those are some magic deliveries. There's really no one in the world today who can produce 155+k speed at will in a test match setting,

Yup Wasim, Waqar and Shoaib aside, there was Sami on debut in 2001 and the 'legendary' Mohammad Zahid in 1996/97 as well. This 'tradition' was even continued to an extent by Amir/Asif in the 2009 series and Wahab/Gul in 2011 I think. I guess NZ being something of a predictable opponent with a familiar approach meant that they were particularly susceptible to those moments in a match when Pakistan would awaken and inflict its brand of craziness on the proceedings. This final at Sharjah in 1996 was quite typical really; NZ chasing a measly 160 and coasting at 80 for 2, next thing you know W&W combine with the spinners (and some questionable umpiring, for those who remember that game) to shock and awe NZ into submission for 119. NZ really made it a habit to get caught in the Pakistani firing line in that period of 2 decades approx. Shoaib, who is pretty much the definition of mercurial, took full toll.

Osman Samiuddin alluded to it in this longwinded but fascinating piece he wrote about Pakistan's inexplicable ability to effect dramatic turnarounds in games:

"In the ’90s these passages of play came to personify the Pakistan side so much, in England, Sri Lanka, in the West Indies, in Sharjah, in New Zealand (especially and always New Zealand), they became so abundant that it looked like it was happening to formula."

 

[Flem274*]

the history just makes the past three(?) series so much better, especially the lord colin debut 6fer

azhar's cartwheeling stump gets me every time

 

[trundler]

Miandad loved NZ too

 

[thierry henry]

Just to emphasise a theme that has already been covered...

MOHAMMAD SAMI took 8 wickets, 5 bowled, on test debut against NZ. This included bowling them to victory with a second innings 5-for.

3 years later, Sami took 5/44 against NZ as we were left teetering at 8/96 in our second innings in a drawn test which had been extremely high scoring until this outburst.

Aside from these 2 games, Sami never took more than 5 wickets IN A MATCH in his 36-test career.

In a 2003 ODI against NZ, Sami took 5/10 (!!!) including 4 wickets bowled, and 4 wickets in a single over.

NZ's collapses against Pakistani fast bowlers, even completely useless ones, are a thing of legend. It actually wasn't until after they retired that I realised that my perception of Wasim and Waqar was really strongly coloured by the fact that they did better against us than almost anyone else.

 

[thierry henry]

Wasim and Waqar averaged less than 20 against NZ in both tests and ODIs.

Waqar took 79 ODI wickets at 15.84 ffs

 

[mr_mister]

what is the reason for this? Can it be really be as simple as Jedi alluded to earlier, how NZ batsmen are more used to facing the likes of Harris and Larsen(exaggeration of course but still)?

Is express pace just not something they are brought up against?

I mean they produced Bond so I can't believe quick bowlers don't exist in the system