The much anticipated series gets underway tomorrow
Start time: 10.30 (local or South African time) or 0830 GMT or 13:30 PST
My team:
Mohammad Hafeez
Nasir Jamshed
Azhar Ali
Younis Khan
Misbah-ul-Haq (c)
Asad Shafiq
Sarfraz Ahmed (wk)
Umar Gul
Saeed Ajmal
Junaid Khan
Mohammad Irfan
(Ps. The tail is a bit too long for my liking)
Best of luck to the Men in Green
re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Pakistan aim to spoil Smith’s party
Big picture
South Africa have consolidated their No. 1 ranking since claiming the spot against England, and while their series victory over New Zealand was a formality, it showed the hunger and ruthlessness not to let the title slip away as easily as it had from other teams over the last two years.
This series against Pakistan should require them to lift their game again although the visitors have not played a Test for six months. South Africa start as favourites, and rightly so, but there is enough firepower in Pakistan’s attack to cause some difficult moments.
It will be down to the batsmen to ensure there are enough runs on the board to make it count. The bounce provided at venues such as the Wanderers will test the back-foot technique of the young and older players alike; for Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali and Nasir Jamshed it is their first experience of South Africa.
Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel pose as a tough a challenge as there is. Swing, seam and bounce. South Africa’s Test unit is now very settled, the decision to stick with AB de Villiers as wicketkeeper allowing them added security of a specialist batsman at No. 7. Dean Elgar’s hundred against New Zealand means, barring injury, there will be no urge to change in this series.
The match will also be dominated by South Africa marking Smith’s 100 Test as captain (99 for his country and one for the World XI). He has not always been a favourite of the fans, although opinions have started to sway in recent months. Winning helps that. It will be a surprise if South Africa do not add another series trophy, but they will have to work for it.
Form guide
(Most recent first)South Africa WWWDD
Pakistan DDLWW
In the spotlight
Apart from a tricky Test in Brisbane, Vernon Philander has not stopped taking wickets. Only injury stopped him from another likely bagful in the second Test against New Zealand. The only issue for him coming into this game is his lack of bowling over the last couple of weeks, but he has a simple action and simple philosophy, which should mean he could slot straight back into the groove.
Junaid Khan bowled beautifully against India in the one-day series a few weeks ago and if he can transfer that form into red-ball cricket he will be a major threat. An early target will be Graeme Smith, who has a tendency to play across his front pad and was troubled a little by New Zealand’s left-armers, and Junaid can test the right handers on both the outside and inside edge. If reverse swing becomes a factor, Junaid will find it.
Team news
South Africa will toy with the idea of an all-pace attack, although it backfired on them the last time they went that way, in Brisbane, and much of the grass had been shaved off by Thursday. Pakistan’s batsmen have also had problems against left-arm spin in the past, which favours Robin Peterson. The rest of the XI looks as expected, with Philander fully recovered from the hamstring strain that kept him out of the second Test against New Zealand in mid-January.
South Africa: (probable) 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Faf du Plessis, 7 Dean Elgar, 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Robin Peterson, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Morne Morkel
Pakistan could have two debutants if both Nasir Jamshed and Mohammed Irfan play. Jamshed is a certainty after Taufeeq Umar was ruled out of the tour with a stress fracture of his shin. Temptation to give Irfan his maiden run will be huge but the more than two metre tall bowler may have to wait his turn if Pakistan opt for either Tanvir Ahmed or Rahat Ali.
Pakistan: (probable) 1 Mohammed Hafeez, 2 Nasir Jamshed, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Umar Gul, 9 Saeed Ajmal, 10 Junaid Khan, 11 Mohammed Irfan/Tanvir Ahmed
Pitch and conditions
Having not hosted a Test since November 2011, the Wanderers will be itching to show off its best side. A belter of a strip has been prepared. Afternoon thunder showers are commonplace in Johannesburg in summer and are forecast for every day of the match but they are not likely to interrupt play too severely. The surface changed from green to white-ish in the days leading into the contest and should be typical of the ground.
Stats and trivia
Quotes
“It has been a bit difficult to separate my preparation from the fanfare of the 100th captaincy but there is a maturity in the group and I expect the team to come out firing.”
Graeme Smith
“This is the biggest challenge we have had for two and half years but it is a good chance for us to show we have improved.”
***Misbah-ul-Haq
***http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-pakistan-2013/content/current/story/602910.html
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Batting (nearly always our Achilles’ heel) holds the key for Pakistan
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Everyone is expecting 3-0 drubbing and Pakistan usually does well when not much is expected from them. Best of luck to Pakistan. Hopefully our bowlers can spoil the party for Smith and co and rest of pundits.
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Go Greens Go
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Win the toss bowl first and put Africa under pressure in the first session
High hopes from Junaid,Ajmal and :yk:
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Younis Khan (Audio). one of our key players
has a good record against South Africa
HowSTAT! Player Analysis by Opponent
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
‘Get in the faces of the South African batsmen’
Batsmen should learn from Miandad: Mohammad Zahid
http://dawn.com/2013/01/26/get-in-the-faces-of-the-south-african-batsmen/
Good analysis but it is not the bowling but batting that will decide the outcome of the series
No matter how good or varied your bowling attack, it is hard to consistently defend below par totals esp. over 5 days
Batsmen need to put runs on the board, 300-350 per innings. That should be the minimum
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
SA has won the toss and will bat.
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
petersen gone ..
SAF 45/1
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Umer Gul Strikes, Smith Gone ..
SAF 46/2
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
A good session for Pakistan, 68 runs and 2 wickets.
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Kallis has to be the one of the greats of Test
Another 50 to him
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Kallis reaches 13000 test runs
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Kallis got jixned by me he is gone
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Amla gone. Wicket for Younis.
SA 139/4. Pakistan bowling on top.
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Younis?
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Legendary bowler Younis strikes again.
Re: 1st Test: Pakistan v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 1-5, 2013
Win the toss bowl first and put Africa under pressure in the first session yk:
You called it