Pakistan in South Africa

[puddleduck]

whats more effective?
An Afridi 10 ball 20 or a 10 ball duck from Farhat or Hafeez

Err what a pointless post! However a 10 ball duck is equally as ineffective as a 2 ball duck. Quite clearly any score that is more than another score is more effective, unless you are batting to save a draw in which case a 150 ball 20 is clearly more useful than a 15 ball 30.

Not sure why you think Afridi would have been suited to this pitch, good bounce, up and at him is not Afridi's favourite. He might have done alright in the first test match as it was fairly slow, but this pitch has got a bit of bounce, and is due to only get quicker. If Yousuf and Younis both struggled to get big scores and looked uncomfortable early on, I'm not sure why you think Afridi would have provided anything different against an inspired Ntini with a new ball in his hand.

Although that said, Farhat really looks like he doesn't have either the skill or temperment to suceed at this level, so perhaps Afridi would be a better bet than him, as he's bound to hit a few of them to the boundary at least, and when he gets out there isn't that strange sense of, "for god's sake what are you doing".... you already know it's coming

 

[Gunner786]

Although that said, Farhat really looks like he doesn't have either the skill or temperment to suceed at this level, so perhaps Afridi would be a better bet than him, as he's bound to hit a few of them to the boundary at least, and when he gets out there isn't that strange sense of, "for god's sake what are you doing".... you already know it's coming

my point exactly

 

[Gunner786]

news just through that kamran akmals father has been shot dead

he might be headed back to pakistan real soon

 

[nightprowler10]

news just through that kamran akmals father has been shot dead

he might be headed back to pakistan real soon

He hasn't been shot dead. I thought he was just injured after getting carjacked. They did shoot him but I think he's alright.

 

[irottev]

Bowling Paradise??? Must be. THe South African pitches have been pretty poor lately for tests.

 

[aussie1st]

news just through that kamran akmals father has been shot dead

he might be headed back to pakistan real soon

Thats a shock to hear, hope all his good for his father. Would Akmal be continuing through this game as it's going to be a tough ask on him to play cricket.

 

[puddleduck]

Bowling Paradise??? Must be. THe South African pitches have been pretty poor lately for tests.

Not at all mate, the pitch was fine, it had a bit in it for the quicks, but it was far from a minefield. It was what I would like to see more often on a first day, in that there was something in it for both bowlers and batsman, with a quick outfield.

Days 2 and 3 should be pretty good for batting, whilst the first session or two and the new ball should do something.

The problem arrises because batsman have metaphorically got fat and lazy feasting off perfect batting strips around the world, that the moment they bowlers get a little bit of help they get out playing ridiculous shots.

Most of the wickets in the South Africa innings, and to be honest some of the Pakistani wickets could have been avoided with better batting.

 

[evertonfan]

The problem arrises because batsman have metaphorically got fat and lazy feasting off perfect batting strips around the world, that the moment they bowlers get a little bit of help they get out playing ridiculous shots.

That's not far from what i've been thinking you know. It's too often a case now that batsman of all countries (except Australia of course) are expecting flatbeds to play on and as soon as there is movementabout they end up looking out of there depth because they are taken completley by surprise. I think far more bowler assisting pitches should be made nowadays.

 

[puddleduck]

Pitches like this one would be pretty perfect. We don't need minefields, and sticky wickets, but a pitch like today is far better for the game than some of the, in my opinion, absolute travesties that get produced in Pakistan. I know the weather obviously plays a part, but some of the pitches that get produced in Pakistan are more suitable to stretches of the M4 than for cricket.

Something that starts out on the first morning with a little movement, and dies down a bit whilst quickening up by day 3, and then gets worse again with more turn and some variable bounce by day 5 is the perfect pitch for cricket. If you bat well first up, you've got a fantastic chance. If you bowl well first up you're also right in the game.

 

[kodos]

Bowling Paradise??? Must be. THe South African pitches have been pretty poor lately for tests.

No it wasn't poor at all, don't think you've seen the highlights yet but it was the combination of very good bowling as well as batsman's playing poor shots like Prince who flashed outside off stump. These are the sort of pitches that should be produced often, not the 500+ flat tracks we see nowadays.

Yousuff has had a pretty ordinary start to the year only 30 odd runs, anyone backing him to achieve close to the feats he set last year

 

[Gunner786]

actually wrong info guys

he was shot but is in stable condition now

No it wasn't poor at all, don't think you've seen the highlights yet but it was the combination of very good bowling as well as batsman's playing poor shots like Prince who flashed outside off stump. These are the sort of pitches that should be produced often, not the 500+ flat tracks we see nowadays.

Yousuff has had a pretty ordinary start to the year only 30 odd runs, anyone backing him to achieve close to the feats he set last year

well the time he spent at the crease it looked like he started exacty where he left off last year,

might have a big innings 2 time around

but depeneds on pakistani bowlers now and how they get Sa out in 2nd innings

 

[aussie1st]

Yousuf was bound to have an off day even the Don didn't score a 100 every match
You would think he should be able to carry on that form but who knows form can change in an instant.

 

[puddleduck]

He has a poor record in South Africa generally, so it will be interesting to see whether he can set that right, if he can't do it this series when he's in the form of his life, then he may never do it. Which doesn't bode too well for trying to turn around his record against the Aussies either.

 

[aussie1st]

Thats what I've been saying with Ponting in India.
Yousuf is easily in the best form of his career which he wouldn't have been in with his past tours so he should be able to make a break through here.

 

[nightprowler10]

I had just left for school when Yousuf got out so I'm not sure what happened, but anybody who watched him play would agree that he looked like he was still in Pakistan playing against the West Indies. That shot he played when he guided Kallis' delivery down to the third-man for four was absolutely perfect.