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Where is the obvious Zardari-is-responsible option?
In conditions like England's, it's all about, as Shane Warne kept saying, scoring "dirty" runs.
Absolutely - much like both Z Haider and Ajmal's innings, though ZH did unveil some class shots later on, he was scratchy to begin with.
But that said, in the second innings atleast the Pakistani top order fell to some top class off spin - Farhat, Ali and Amin I believe.
U Akmal might have thought he was facing Shane Warne, so distressed was he at the exclusion of his brother that he lost track of time and opponent, and hence padded up to an offie!
Didn't Zardari appoint Ijaz Butt, the utterly incompetent PCB Chairman, who has the identical (to Zardari) tendency to push an issue until it blows up in his face (banning players) and then has to backtrack (unban everyone and even 'un-retire' one?
Hilarious stuff. But then again, I'm biased because I already like you for your sympathies towards the Jalaluddin Anwar Network and Tehreek-e-Inzamam-ul-Haq.BTW, in true Nadeem F Paracha fashion, one might ask me, the source of some ridicule of the Pakistan team, 'what I have done to score runs against the English of late!'
I'll admit, I am a horrible cricket player, having spent my time in school playing soccer and tennis instead. I must now sulk away into a corner, since my lack of cricketing ability leaves me no room to criticize the professionals who ostensibly possess said rare ability, yet disappoint their fans so often.
But SO WHAT if these players are a miserable lot of incompetent and corrupt individuals, would say NFP, aren't there other cricketing failures out there? Was I criticizing them when they were failing?
I admit, I have it 'in' for this Pakistan team in particular because they are 'liberal' and wish to 'make peace with India' and control the 'establishment' .. errr ... I mean insidious cricket board, that is supporting the Taliban ... err .. I mean the Saeed Anwar and Inzamam bloc.
Had this team included a few bearded fellows and that Sohail Tanvir fellow of vitriol against Hindus fame, I would have no problems with it!
New Recruit
"None selection of Karachi batsmen like Asim Kamal and Fuad Alam"
That is just wrong. Their being from Karachi has nothing to do with not being selected. This statement stinks of MQM tactics.
"Love of dinasor failed un athletic players"
What does this mean? Shoaib Akhtar?
Anyway, the biggest problem is the lack of quality batsmen. If you guys watched the matches like I did, you would have noticed that the commentators kept emphasizing the lack of experience Pakistani batsmen showed by showing bad temperament, lack of patience and nervousness. Batsmen like Yousuf or Younis, whether in or out of form, would not show these characteristics because they've been around long enough.
In conditions like England's, it's all about, as Shane Warne kept saying, scoring "dirty" runs. Any first-class cricketer can score a century on flat Sri Lankan tracks (Sehwag, Ganguly), it takes real talent, skill and experience to pull of a century in overcast English conditions (Tendulkar, Dravid). When the ball is darting around and bouncing, you need players that can just stick around until things start going their way. We don't have any players like those, and therefore, require Yousuf and Younis, regardless of form, to make a return.
Players who show chronic nervousness and/or callousness, such as Imran Farhat and Umar Akmal, should be benched. Not everyone is cut out for Test Cricket, as Afridi showed recently. Also keep Kamran Akmal out until he regains some confidence.
As bad as things look, trust me when I say this, it won't take too much to turn things around if we make the right changes now. If all the batsmen can do is give this bowling attack a minimum of 200 runs to defend in each innings, the bowlers will make them look good. If, however, we keep getting bowled out for 72, 80, 124 and so on, our woes shall continue.