Story Pakistan's Home Season [C2005]

[Insomniac]

Pakistan's Home Season, vs England, India, and hosting the Asia Cup, consisting of India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, The SECOND stage.

All Live, On Ten Sports, Your Home For Cricket Action

First up :

Pakistan and England.

To start in the peaceful city of Multan.

Squads are yet to be announced in this bitter encounter between a team coming out very succesfully out of The Ashes, and a Pakistani team, who seem to not like test cricket very much.

England are favorites for the test series, while Pakistan, the favorites for the ODIs.

So what do you think Nasser?

A good contest?

Oh Yes definatly, I can see some fights here, the England Barmy Army here, and the whole Pakistan Nation behind the home team.

Well, Squads are yet to be announced, but who do you expect to perform Nasser?

Well, Michael Vaughan will need to lead the team from the front, and Inzamam has a huge task in front of him.

Difficult to say,

but I think some star players will be Kevin Pietersen, and Shahid Afridi.

Also, Shoaib Malik may just find a spot in the team as an opener, following a half century in the West Indies in June this year before The Ashes

Pakistan's Danish Kaneria will be good to see, and Ashley Giles as well.

While the issue of Shoaib Akhtar, well, I'll leave that to the selectors of the Pakistan team.

Well there ya have it, we will see you in a few days time, at Multan, till then, from Cover Drive, the preview show for the Pakistan home series, its Good-Bye!

Copyright ? 2005-2006, Ten Sports

 

[ashu2411]

looks good, will check for the update.

 

[Dhoni]

Looking forward. Should be a great tournament. Come on India!!!

 

[Insomniac]

Squads Announced :

Pakistan have announced a 20 member squad combined for both the One-Day Internationals and Test Matches.

As below :

Inzamam-ul-Haq (C)
Younis Khan (VC)
Yousuf Youhana
Abdul Razzaq
Shahid Afridi
Asim Kamal
Shabbir Ahmed
Arshad Khan
Shoaib Malik
Salman Butt
Yasir Hameed
Kamran Akmal (W-K)
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan
Shahid Nazir
Danish Kaneria
Rao Iftikhar Anjum
Bazid Khan
Saqlain Mushtaq
Hasan Raza
Mohammad Hafeez



Team Management to be announced

 

[Ramz]

thats a good squad.. good to see Hasan raza included..

 

[Insomniac]

England have named a 13 member squad for the 1st test match :

Marcus Trescothick
Andrew Strauss
M Vaughan (C)
Ian Bell
Kevin Pietersen
Andrew Flintoff
Geraint Jones
Ashley Giles
Matthew Hoggard
Steve Harmison
Simon Jones
Mark Butcher
Chris Tremlett

Well Nasser? You think Pakistan have a chance? England have a very good squad!

Ramiz : Well, it will be a tight series i think, Tests and ODIs!

Ramiz : Thats all the time we have for today!

We will come in few days time with Live Pictures from Multan!

Till then, Good Bye, From Cover Drive!

Copyright ? 2005-2006, Ten Sports

 

[Insomniac]

PCB officials announce that the team will be coached by Bob Woolmer, but the rest of the team management is yet to be announced

 

[Insomniac]

In an interview with Geo TV, Michael Vaughan has stated that his lineup will be most likely as follows with Mark Butcher making a comeback at the expense of Kevin Pietersen, who did not end the Ashes very well, but is certain to play in the One-Dayers:

Marcus Trescothick
Andrew Strauss
Michael Vaughan (C)
Ian Bell
Mark Butcher
Andrew (Freddie) Flintoff
Geraint Jones (Wkt)
Ashley Giles
Matthew Hoggard
Steve Harmisson
Simon Jones

12th Man : Kevin Pietersen

Well, we have Rameez Raja here to talk with us about this lineup, what do you think Ramiz?

Ramiz : Well, i believe that England should have played Pietersen, and leave a bowler out, because this is just not a good thing.

Geo TV : And you think that Pietersen will play a part at all in this test series?

Ramiz : Oh yes, definatly, if Pakistan play Afridi, Pietersen will almost be certain to play, if Ian Bell or Mark Butcher dont have a good game, Pietersen will come in the side if Pakistan decide to play Afridi.

Geo TV: But how about his role as 12th man?

Ramiz : Well, in the Natwest Series and Challenge, his fielding was exceptional. However, that standard slipped in the Ashes, but he played Warne well in the 1st test match on debut, making 2 50s on debut. Knowing England whom seem to like to have their 12th man be a good fielder, only because so their bowlers can rest, or take a long bathroom break, it seems that Pakistan may want to adopt this method, and fight fire with fire, if they feel that they are having a disadvantage because of this, like how the Australians felt.

Geo TV : Michael Vaughan hasnt lost The Ashes now, so is he confident? Or is he under pressure to keep that momentum moving?

Ramiz : Well its a difficult job being a captain of the national team, it can be both actually. Inzamam i know has been watching nearly every moment of the Ashes on TV, trying to figure England's weak spots, and he has been taking notes. I've seen the notes as well, so Inzamam is doing his job as captain.

Geo TV : And who do you think will be the man to watch, or the most consistent man in this series?

Ramiz : Well, Shoaib Akhtar is 1 man to keep an eye on, from the Afro-Asia Cup, he did everything Inzamam told him, bowled his heart out, to the fullest of his ability. Also, Saqlain Mushtaq may make a comeback in the ODIs, but I am doubting the test matches. Bazid Khan and Hasan Raza may also get a game in the ODIs or Tests, both having played ODIs and Tests before. From England, Butcher may be somebody to watch, coming back to the international arena. And also, I must say, England have made a MAJOR mistake in dropping Pietersen.

Geo TV : And who do you think will win this series?

Ramiz : Well, as a commentator i must stay neutral, but in my heart, Pakistan, and in realism, England, and the most likely result : A Draw in the series. 1 Thing I am happy about is this is a 3 test match series instead of 2. I can say that in the West Indies, Pakistan were very likely to win the series if there were 3 test matches instead of 2. Many have told the ICC to eliminate 2 test match series, and make them 3-5 or more!

Geo TV: Well, thats all the time we have today, we will have score updates every now and then, and the score will be updated every second during play right here, in the lower right hand corner, during the match. Also, during the series, we have Javed Miandad to discuss with us during the series. Coming up next , Aik Din Geo Ki Sath, Inzamam-ul-Haq (1 Day with Geo, Inzamam-ul-Haq) ,

Till next time, Good-Bye!

 

[Insomniac]

Well, we're here at the lovely city of Multan, with the crowd piling in, and I must say that every seat has been booked, so its a jam packed stadium, here at Multan.

I have Nasser Hussain with me, and tell me Nasser, This is looking like a great day for both teams, Pakistan tieing with the West Indies 1-1 in that test series, with Danish Kaneria getting 5 wickets in that match, and England not losing the Ashes.

Nasser : Well, Rameez, It's difficult to say, Pakistan are looking like a good side, but a question I want answered is how is the Pakistan line up going to work? Afridi wants to play lower down the order, until he makes a double hundred, which is a long shot off, trying to emulate an Adam Gilchrist innings lower down the order. A century from that position is difficult enough, although Afridi has achieved it, and so has Kamran Akmal in India early this year.

Ramiz : And whom do you think will England play in this match?

Nasser : Well, it could be changed plenty, after the Geo interview, Pietersen could have been included in the side, as that was not an official lineup. Anything is possible at the moment. James Anderson and Chris Tremlett just flew in a few days ago, so they are a bowling option. Although, its that middle order, that may be changed, everything else is set.

Ramiz : It is most likely Ian Bell will play, but its mostly a fight between Pietersen, and Butcher.

Nasser : Yes it is, and England have to do something. They have 1 option, drop a bowler, and play a batsman, but that leaves them to a 4 man bowling lineup, which can be fatal, as we saw in The Ashes, with Gillespie not performing in a 4 man bowling lineup.

Ramiz : Well, both teams have announced their lineups, lets have a look :

Pakistan :

Salman Butt
Shahid Afridi
Younis Khan
Yousuf Youhana
INZAMAM-UL-HAQ
Asim Kamal
Abdul Razzaq
Kamran Akmal
Shabbir Ahmed
Shoaib Akhtar
Danish Kaneria

12th Man : Yasir Hameed

England :

Marcus Trescothick
Andrew Strauss
Michael Vaughan
Ian Bell
Mark Butcher
Andrew Flintoff
Geraint Jones
Ashley Giles
Matthew Hoggard
Steve Harmisson
Simon Jones

12th Man : Vikram Solanki

So Nasser, pretty good line ups?

Nasser : Pakistan looks very strong, but how in the world can you leave out Pietersen? I just do not understand how can England do this? He didnt have a good ending to The Ashes, but he still should have been picked! He made twin 50s ON DEBUT AGAINST Australia. HOW DO THEY DROP HIM!!!?

Ramiz : Well, thats an amazing feat, but I must say why Pakistan would drop Yasir Hameed? Twin 100s on debut. Whose done that? Just 1 West Indian!

Ramiz : Well, thats all the time we have on Cover Drive, coming up next, in about 15 minutes, we will have the toss, and the start of play.

Stay on your TV, because we will be going to the toss, LIVE, very shortly.

 

[Insomniac]

Here is the toss :

Inzamam flips the coin,

Michael calls Tails,

It lands Heads,

So Inzamam, what are you going to do? We're going to have a bat first Ramiz. (Crowd Roars)

And your line up?

We'll have Afridi opening with Salman, and keep our middle order as it has been, with Shabbir, Shoaib, and Danish supplying us with the bowling.

Ok, and good luck in this opening test match.

Thanks Rameez.

Well Michael, disappointed you lost the toss?

Oh definatly, I would have liked to bat on this surface, very nice to bat on.

And your team ?

We have Vikram Solanki as our 12th man, and have dropped Kevin, unfortunatly for him, for Mark Butcher, and our line up stays the same except for that change from the Ashes.

Well, there you have it folks, the news from the center is, Pakistan have won the toss, and they're gonna have a bat.

 

[Insomniac]

Score Update :

First over from Harmison :

0nb 2 4nb 2 4 0 0 2

Score : 15/0

Salman 15* (6)

Afridi 0* (0)

 

[Insomniac]

Pitch it up to Afridi twice in a row, and you'll see 2 sixes in a row.

27/0 in 1.3

Hoggard 0.3 - 0 - 12 - 0

 

[Pak_cricketer]

test match kalra hai ya one day?
(are you playing a test match or a one day?)

 

[Insomniac]

It's All Happening Here, A mix up in the middle of the pitch, and Vaughan misses the stumps, and replays show Salman Butt would have been way out if he had hit, but nobody backing up.

29/0 after 3

 

[Insomniac]

Test match, Hoggard doesnt play ODIs, nor does Asim, and I dont remember ODIs having whites in them, hasnt happened for 16 years i believe.