Pakistan tour of West Indies Apr/May 2011

[Slowcoach]

What the hell did curator had in mind when he prepared this surface. It has uneven bounce and turn of a fifth day pitch . I think the curator supports Pakistan a lot more than he does the home team .

Guyana always turns.
Traditionally it is a high scoring rain affected drawn test where the spinners do all the work.
Maybe the curator prepared a result wicket to give this appalling WI attack a chance to take wickets.

Saying Sammy should be dropped for Rampaul is foolish...Rampaul is too fat to bowl quick all day in Tests...he drops his pace to low 130's/high 120's because he simply can not do the work. It is all very well charging in and bowling 140 in a 20/20 or ODI, but in a test he simply does not have the fitness to do it all day for 2 or 3 days a Test.
Sammy deserves a spot in this rubbish team...because with their stars out there are simply no alternatives.

I don't have much faith in Bishoo's ability to take wickets with his skidding non spinning legspin...he is made for ODIs where batsmen struggle to get under him...but that will mean nothing in Tests.

 

[angryangy]

Although it seems to be his stock ball, it must be just a tactic, because he does throw in the odd perfectly good leg break. However, bowling an over of turning leg breaks is a lot harder than bowling one amongst a handful of darts, which is exactly why I too have my doubts. His Test game will need to be a lot different.

 

[sami ullah khan]

Don't worry, our batsman are going to treat him like Shane Warne . Any bowler who wants success must debut against this current batting line up of ours.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Managed to catch a few glimpses of the match yesterday. First time I got to see Rehman in a Test match. Why is he in he team? I wasn't impressed - there was no flight and and no turn. The wickets he got were gifted, not earned. Ajmal, on the other hand, was brilliant.

And Smith! Out to a part-timer like Hafeez. That was just appaling. Windies need to sort their stuff out against the spin stuff. I think the seamers bowled just bowled 20 overs between them. That is unheard of during a Day 1 Test match in the Carribbean.

Let's see what Bishoo and Roach do today. So wish Edwards was playing.

 

[Rehan_24]

Nothing will work for Windies hopefully. Pakistan will win

 

[War]

It's not so much about being certain that Sammy will forever be a useful player as it is about being uncertain if anyone else will do the job.

Ultimately, there is nothing to say that any of Bishoo, Rampaul or Edwards are in good Test form. That is the key problem. They may have good claims, but until the game is actually played, it boils down to heavy guesswork and these things have a habit of turning into Murphy's Law.

Bishoo could be anything, but he will definitely be a d?butante in the next Test he plays. We all hope for him, but too much is probably already expected of him. Best case scenario for Edwards is a decent strike rate, but he is still expensive; it's not only fatigue that needs to be protected against where he is concerned. Rampaul really has as much to prove as Bishoo despite his greater experience. His attempts to go all the way have been marred by flashes of uncanny awfulness and he needs to demonstrate that he is in control of himself for good. Meanwhile, there is Roach. He has been a mainstay, almost a ready-made player, but if you need an entire Test attack to be carried by someone, he's not that guy yet.

It's not about the raw skill or maturity of the players in question, it's being able to give them enough time to show it. Such a heavy payload of risks usually needs a counterweight, a stabilising force that can be relied upon. To that end, this squad does indeed lack players like Dwayne Bravo or Jerome Taylor, but if they were in, there'd be even less reason to pick both of Rampaul and Edwards at once. Concerns about an unstable lineup would diminish considerably.

Yea all true about those bowlers. But as selector i have no worries of issues backing the ability via guesswork (also international performance in ODIs in the case of Bishoo) of Edwards, Bishoo, Rampaul in tests because in test history (especially in the cases of Edwards & Bishoo) their styles of bowling have proven continuously to bring success @ test level.

Instead of hopeless sticking with Sammy, whose style of bowling on modern-day flat pitches is proven recipe for failure.

There are whispers that the selectors now want Sammy to politely move along, but this is the bed they've made for themselves. After some seasons where they could bemoan the lack of fit options, now they have those very players available and are little better to show for it. At face value, I'm not convinced any of these players should be part of a four man attack. I'm also not convinced that these selectors, the board or the coach have the wherewithal to really persist with them until they are up to it.

Well hopefully those whispers come to pass indeed.

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Saying Sammy should be dropped for Rampaul is foolish...Rampaul is too fat to bowl quick all day in Tests...he drops his pace to low 130's/high 120's because he simply can not do the work. It is all very well charging in and bowling 140 in a 20/20 or ODI, but in a test he simply does not have the fitness to do it all day for 2 or 3 days a Test.
Sammy deserves a spot in this rubbish team...because with their stars out there are simply no alternatives.

I don't have much faith in Bishoo's ability to take wickets with his skidding non spinning legspin...he is made for ODIs where batsmen struggle to get under him...but that will mean nothing in Tests.

Very big & strange calls of Rampaul's & Bishoo's test match bowling credentials id say. Careful you could have egg on your face in the coming years.

 

[shravi]

Nice shot, Azhar. He was looking so good until that as well. The only one who knew how to play on this pitch. Looking forward to seeing Shafiq as well. Classy batsman.

Bishoo is also great to watch. That delivery to Shafiq just now was a beauty.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Wow 67 for 5 never expected this

 

[shravi]

Great performance by Pakistan against a West Indies side without Gayle, Bravo, Edwards or Taylor.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

I wonder what would happen if bravo gayle and all played?

 

[Aoun13]

I wonder what would happen if bravo gayle and all played?

I guess situation remain the same since loads of work was done by Bishoo and Roach.
Nevertheless it now become a regular thing for Pakistan to loose the edge which thier bowlers able to produce for them. It was a sad story for the last year and it is still thier.

 

[TumTum]

I don't have much faith in Bishoo's ability to take wickets with his skidding non spinning legspin...he is made for ODIs where batsmen struggle to get under him...but that will mean nothing in Tests.

Can't be any worse than Steve Smith.

 

[cricket_icon]

ohhh pakistan.....so unpredictable yet predictable. Once again a sound bowling performance backed up by TERRIBLE batting. they made Bishoo seem like the best spinner ever. dont get me wrong, i think he is pure class but his been made to look a god against Pakistan. there is no defence for batting display of a 160 all out against such weak opposition. still ajmal has been absolutely magic. in the last year or so i think him and swann have been the two best spinners on the planet. whos ur pick? im edging ajmal simply because of his variety and mind boggling doosra.

 

[BKB1991]

Lol what a TEST match this is turning out to be. Both teams trying their best to screw up from good positions.

 

[Paki007]

I am very happy for ajmal right now finally got his first 10 Wickets haul.Pakistan will gonna chase and win this by.........1 wicket