Pakistan vs England Jul-Aug-Sep 2010

[King Pietersen]

No, he isn't. You're blinded by your patriotism and love for Anderson.

The only guy in World Cricket that comes close to Anderson in swinging conditions is Steyn, but I'd personally still take Anderson if the conditions match the ones seen throughout the last Test. Steyn swings the ball, but not nearly as much, and doesn't have the control to accurately swing the ball both ways to right and left handers consistently like Anderson. Jimmy's problem is that he's too inconsistent and when it's not swinging can go for runs, but when it's swinging there aren't many better bowlers than James Anderson. I love watching Dale Steyn bowl, and he's far and away the best bowler in the world, but Anderson's the superior swing bowler for me, his ability to swing the ball both ways with very little change in action is so impressive, and he reverses the old ball. Can't ask for much more from a swing bowler really.

^I think he'd be close - with a swinging ball Jimmy is pretty damn good. Who beats him? Steyn probably does. Maybe Zaheer Khan. If Kemar Roach or Mitchell Johnson get it right then they are good too. Aamer isn't consistent enough yet. I really like Asif, but he's more a seamer a la McGrath.

Steyn's the only one that comes close out of those guys. Zaheer's a good swing bowler, but isn't as capable of ripping a batting order apart like Anderson is; Roach and Johnson are primarily seam bowlers and Roach is nowhere near Anderson's level yet. When Johnson gets it right he is devastating, but his wrist position negates the large majority of swing, so he mainly relies on pace and seam movement. Aamer's top class but not proven enough yet to be regarded a better swing bowler than Anderson. Asif again is top class, but he relies more on his accuracy and seam movement than out and out swing.

 

[playkid12]

:laugh comign from the guy who thinks Zaheer Khan is one of the best Test seamers out today.

Pot calling the kettle black much

Reading comprehension, much? It's like I lose brain cells talking to some of you. I never said Khan was one of the best Test seamers out today. I just argued that he was rank 7 when someone called him a pathetic bowler.

playkid12 added 2 Minutes and 21 Seconds later...

Considering they had the conditions and the pitch to do it in the last Test, I think they failed pretty badly at it, when you look at how many runs England scored.

The C A L L O U T

 

[ali_ed2001]

Considering they had the conditions and the pitch to do it in the last Test, I think they failed pretty badly at it, when you look at how many runs England scored.

Do not forget that we do have the worst wicketkeeper in the history of the game. I believe Akmal missed 3-4 chances, and any top level team would make you pay for that like England did.

 

[Insomniac]

Do not forget that we do have the worst wicketkeeper in the history of the game. I believe Akmal missed 3-4 chances, and any top level team would make you pay for that like England did.

Actually, Parthiv Patel was worse.

 

[Sureshot]

It's like I lose brain cells talking to some of you.

Seriously, are comments like this neccessary or are people so incompetent at discussions they feel the need to revert to insults to get their point across?

Consider this an across the board warning. It's pathetic and adds nothing to the forum. So stop it.

 

[War]

The only guy in World Cricket that comes close to Anderson in swinging conditions is Steyn, but I'd personally still take Anderson if the conditions match the ones seen throughout the last Test. Steyn swings the ball, but not nearly as much, and doesn't have the control to accurately swing the ball both ways to right and left handers consistently like Anderson. Jimmy's problem is that he's too inconsistent and when it's not swinging can go for runs, but when it's swinging there aren't many better bowlers than James Anderson. I love watching Dale Steyn bowl, and he's far and away the best bowler in the world, but Anderson's the superior swing bowler for me, his ability to swing the ball both ways with very little change in action is so impressive, and he reverses the old ball. Can't ask for much more from a swing bowler really.



Steyn's the only one that comes close out of those guys. Zaheer's a good swing bowler, but isn't as capable of ripping a batting order apart like Anderson is; Roach and Johnson are primarily seam bowlers and Roach is nowhere near Anderson's level yet. When Johnson gets it right he is devastating, but his wrist position negates the large majority of swing, so he mainly relies on pace and seam movement. Aamer's top class but not proven enough yet to be regarded a better swing bowler than Anderson. Asif again is top class, but he relies more on his accuracy and seam movement than out and out swing.

100% on point here .

 

[Slowcoach]

So, here is the update on the Pakistan cricket saga...

Younis Khan retired as captain, 3 times.

Shahid Afridi was captain, for 1 Test, because he was the only man for the job, but he retired, and Salman Butt was made captain, because Shahid Afridi was the only man for the job.

Kamran Akmal is vice captain, but is going to be dropped. Though he may be retained due to his superior batting ability, which resulted in scores of 0 and 0 in his last two innings.

Salman Butt may resign in disgust, because he was not consulted over Mohammad Yousuf's possible recall.

Mohammad Yousuf was recalled, even though he is retired, and banned for life.

Younis Khan is not recalled, because his appeal against his life ban was postponed.

Mohammad Yousuf is recalled, even though he is retired, and banned for life, because his appeal is not postponed, because he did not appeal.

Salman Butt may resign in disgust at not being consulted over Mohammad Yousuf's recall.

Which means Shoaib Malik, who was dropped, sacked, and banned, is the only man for the job.

But Shoaib Malik may resign in disgust, at Mohammad Yousuf's selection, due to Mohammad Yousuf not being happy with Shoaib Malik destabilising the team, while Mohammad Yousuf was captain.

Shoaib Malik may also be dropped, due to Danish Kaneria being dropped, and Saeed Ajmal being picked, thus negating the need for an offspinner.

Which leaves Younis Khan as the only viable option as captain. But Younis Khan is banned for life, pending appeal, due to destablising the team, while not even being in the team.

Which leaves Mohammad Yousuf as the only viable option. Only Mohammad Yousuf is retired, and banned for life, and can not be picked unless Salman Butt is consulted over his selection.

But Salman Butt is going to resign in disgust.

Which means Mohammad Yousuf is captain, because even though he is retired, and banned for life, he is the only man for the job.

Mohammad Yousuf is also match fit, and has been practicing.

The only problem is the last time Mohammad Yousuf said he was match fit, and had been practicing, he wasn't, and chose not to play, due to not being match fit, and not having been practicing.

Which still leaves Mohammad Yousuf as the only man for the job, even though he is retired, and banned for life.

But first we have to work out if it is The Judean People's Front, or The People's Front of Judea.

 

[angryangy]

One or two need to step up their game

Eleven need to do that. They were weaker in all departments from how they played against Australia. They didn't just bowl accurate and put together a few top order scores. They were also competent in the field. England didn't have to get in any sort of great position for Pakistan to revert to making soft mistakes; Kamran Akmal was on show almost instantaneously and he alone allowed England to get past 300.

One suspects that a single win goes straight to their heads, which is funny because a single loss also seems to go straight to the selectors' heads. Yousuf could have been a passable selection at the start of the tour, but at this point, it's just another problem for the captain and coach. He has scarcely played at all in the last six months and scarcely played well in the six months before that. So a guy who direly needs a couple of months worth of cricket is going to get one tour game to find form. If he can't get runs, then he's a real liability, because his fielding is D grade quality at the best of times.

 

[Owzat]

I suggest they are more susceptible to the effects of playing too much limited overs cricket, but my reference to upping their game was aimed at those BATSMEN who are good enough in the side, some need dropping as they aren't good enough

It's always a good idea to take someone's comments in context rather than out of context by selective quoting and taking whatever damned timeframe pleases you or to make your point. Pakistan are better than 182 and 80, you implied so yourself by mentioning the win over Australia. They need to dump at least two batsmen, bring back Yousuf Youhana and Younis Khan (halfway there), find a keeper who can bat AND catch, and ditch the canary for good. The REST need to up their games, stick around and fight it out.

Farhat
KHAN
Ali
YOUHANA
Malik
BATSMAN
WICKET-KEEPER
Aamer
Gul
Asif
AJMAL

Not quite wholesale changes, certainly not "eleven" as some had decent enough games :

Gul : 74 runs @ 74.00 & 4 wkts @ 25.50
Malik : 47 runs @ 23.50
Aamer : 29 runs @ 14.50 & 4 wkts @ 19.00
Asif : 0 runs @ 0.00 & 6 wkts @ 22.17

And while Akmal dropped a few clangers, he still took five catches including one or two decent catches

Batting is their main worry. Some got good deliveries, but it reminds me of England back in the 90s series of Ashes. They got good deliveries, but got so much into hanging their bat out and fending at balls that weren't hitting their stumps that they got out. The ready made excuse is there that the ball was doing something, but that doesn't mean batsmen are all excused failure before facing a ball. Only three Pakistani batsman got past 20, two of them were tailenders. Even in England's 2nd innings five batsmen made 20+. At least 1st innings several BATSMEN faced 40+ balls even if they did get bogged down

Pakistani balls faced (match)

113 Aamer
88 FARHAT
79 MALIK
56 Gul
50 ALI
41 Kaneria
23 BUTT
18 UMAR AKMAL
16 Asif
10 AMIN
5 Kamran Akmal

Kaneria can face 41 balls and can barely bat, says a lot about some of the other efforts. Butt, the Akmals and Amin should hang their heads in shame.

Owzat added 12 Minutes and 0 Seconds later...

Jimmy's problem is that he's too inconsistent and when it's not swinging can go for runs, but when it's swinging there aren't many better bowlers than James Anderson.

People find it hard to call someone the best when they suffer inconsistency as you freely concede - and so does Anderson! (runs that is) Can you take him to Australia where he is unlikely to swing it? His accuracy needs to improve, is it worth taking him on the offchance he suddenly works out how to swing it down under?

No surprise England name an unchanged XII., let's hope Pakistan put up more of a fight and score a few runs. Could also perhaps do with less helpful conditions, really test the bowling attack. If two of the groundsmen can try to simulate aussie pitches that would be great, perhaps we could use the ball they use down under as well.................

 

[MUFC1987]

Raza Hasan has been playing in my local league, so seems weird to see him called up to the Test Squad. He even played in a second team rather than a first XI.

 

[deathrevenge9]

 

[Insomniac]

Raza Hasan has been playing in my local league, so seems weird to see him called up to the Test Squad. He even played in a second team rather than a first XI.

Wow, you're kidding.

I've heard only good things about Raza Hasan, so it seems abit surprising.

 

[MUFC1987]

Wow, you're kidding.

I've heard only good things about Raza Hasan, so it seems abit surprising.

Don't worry, I didn't tell you the full story.

He was over visiting Hammad Azam who is another Pakistan Under-19 Player, who plays for their first team, so he was only turning out for their seconds to give him a bit of practice and to keep him match ready.

Shame our club doesn't get any quality players turning up willing to play for free.

 

[Insomniac]

Your 2nd XI was playing your 1st XI - like a friendly between your club?

How did Raza Hasan perform?

 

[BKB1991]

So, here is the update on the Pakistan cricket saga...

Younis Khan retired as captain, 3 times.

Shahid Afridi was captain, for 1 Test, because he was the only man for the job, but he retired, and Salman Butt was made captain, because Shahid Afridi was the only man for the job.

Kamran Akmal is vice captain, but is going to be dropped. Though he may be retained due to his superior batting ability, which resulted in scores of 0 and 0 in his last two innings.

Salman Butt may resign in disgust, because he was not consulted over Mohammad Yousuf's possible recall.

Mohammad Yousuf was recalled, even though he is retired, and banned for life.

Younis Khan is not recalled, because his appeal against his life ban was postponed.

Mohammad Yousuf is recalled, even though he is retired, and banned for life, because his appeal is not postponed, because he did not appeal.

Salman Butt may resign in disgust at not being consulted over Mohammad Yousuf's recall.

Which means Shoaib Malik, who was dropped, sacked, and banned, is the only man for the job.

But Shoaib Malik may resign in disgust, at Mohammad Yousuf's selection, due to Mohammad Yousuf not being happy with Shoaib Malik destabilising the team, while Mohammad Yousuf was captain.

Shoaib Malik may also be dropped, due to Danish Kaneria being dropped, and Saeed Ajmal being picked, thus negating the need for an offspinner.

Which leaves Younis Khan as the only viable option as captain. But Younis Khan is banned for life, pending appeal, due to destablising the team, while not even being in the team.

Which leaves Mohammad Yousuf as the only viable option. Only Mohammad Yousuf is retired, and banned for life, and can not be picked unless Salman Butt is consulted over his selection.

But Salman Butt is going to resign in disgust.

Which means Mohammad Yousuf is captain, because even though he is retired, and banned for life, he is the only man for the job.

Mohammad Yousuf is also match fit, and has been practicing.

The only problem is the last time Mohammad Yousuf said he was match fit, and had been practicing, he wasn't, and chose not to play, due to not being match fit, and not having been practicing.

Which still leaves Mohammad Yousuf as the only man for the job, even though he is retired, and banned for life.

But first we have to work out if it is The Judean People's Front, or The People's Front of Judea.

Haha, Good Stuff.