The following picture makes me so sad 
:crying: :teary1: :teary2: :teary3:
http://www.cricketnext.com/topstoryphotos/stevemark.jpg
I will miss them!
The match is over and I am out of this thread well played PAK and GOOD LUCK next time :k: :k: :k:
I just realized that all the talk about not having our main players in this team is just bunch of mumbo jumbo, the last 2 test series we played against Australia both home and away had all of our main players, Wasim, Inzi, Saeed, Youhana, then why did we loose badly then, we had experience and talent but still we were thrashed badly.
So if we don't win this series, not because we didn't have the old guys but because we weren't good enough.
And the 2nd thought that came to mind was about Waqar's alledged "pitch doctoring". I guess that move by Waqar came back to bit him in his a$$, he specialy told the groundsman to make the pitch supporting the spinner but I think he forgot that the opposition has the 2nd best spinner in the world on their side. So if he hadn't messed with the pitch Pakistan might have won the match because with the exception of McGrath their other 2 bowlers didn't look dangerous to our batsman.
**Steve Waugh not a fan of neutral Test venues
Michael Donaldson - 8 October 2002
COLOMBO - Steve Waugh isn't a fan of neutral venues for Test cricket. After Australia won the first Test against Pakistan by 41 runs at the "nice" venue of Colombo Oval, Waugh said he'd rather not play at neutral venues if it could be avoided.
"It's good if you're watching it on TV," Waugh said.
"But from a player's point of view you want some atmosphere at the ground.
"You want crowds ... this is a nice place to play but you want to play at a place like Eden Gardens (in Calcutta) where you play in front of 85,000 - that's what you play for in Test cricket.
"I'm not having a go at what happened here but playing in front of 500 people is not the same as playing in front of 70 or 80,000.
"If there's a reason to play at a neutral venue, fair enough, but otherwise, no."
Crowds of only a few hundred turned up each day to watch what turned out to be an excellent Test match here but Sri Lankans generally don't watch Test cricket let alone when their own side isn't involved.
The series is being played at neutral venues after Australia refused to tour Pakistan for security fears.
The next two Tests will be played at Sharjah, which is closer to being a home venue for Pakistan as it's an Islamic country with a large expatriate Pakistan population.
Pakistan has played two Tests there, for wins against the West Indies, as well as a welter of one-dayers.
"This was an important win for us here," Waugh said.
"Conditions will suit Pakistan more in Sharjah and they've played quite a bit of cricket there and they'll have big support there."
© 2002 AAP
**
Makeup your damn mind you coward!
First you say you want to play at a neutral venue just because you are afraid to play in Pakistan and now since your team has a realistic chance of loosing the series, you say you don't like playing at neutral venue, the conditions in Sharjah which will be supporting Pakistan.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by UMAIR316: *
Makeup your damn mind you coward!
First you say you want to play at a neutral venue just because you are afraid to play in Pakistan and now since your team has a realistic chance of loosing the series, you say you don't like playing at neutral venue, the conditions in Sharjah which will be supporting Pakistan.
[/QUOTE]
I think after playing in Colombo, and seeing the dismal crowd attending, he has developed serious misgivings about the whole concept. Basically what he is saying is that neutral venues should be avoided, and if a host country is unsafe or whatever, might as well, scrap the whole series and be done with it.
Can't say I disagree with him. Playing one-days in neutral venues is fine cz the game is short and dramatic, but to play test matches where the crowd is indifferent to either of the teams must be taxing on the players. It probably feels more exciting to be boo'ed by an emotional local crowd, than being faced with deathly silence of an empty stadium.
It has probably nothing to do with whether Australia or Pakistan will win the series, eventually, or not.
**Rain helped us beat Pakistan: Steve Waugh
COLOMBO: Australia's cricket captain Steve Waugh celebrated the 41-run win in the first Test against Pakistan on Monday by admitting bad weather may have saved his team from defeat.
Waugh said the rain, which wiped out the post-tea session on the fourth day with Pakistan comfortably placed at 179-3 chasing 316 to win, helped his side regroup.
"The rain probably helped us and allowed us to regroup for the final day," Waugh said. "With our bowlers fresh, it was never going to be easy for Pakistan to score the remaining 137 runs.
"We felt the Pakistanis were a bit pensive this morning and we knew we had to tighen the screws with a few quick wickets.
"Warnie (Shane Warne) did that at the start. It was a gamble going for the new ball but I realised Warne was a bit tired."
The second new ball turned the match Australia's way as fast bowlers Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie claimed the last five wickets for 32 to fashion their team's tense win.
**
This Steve Waugh guy seems to amaze me everytime he says somethings. One day he will say something that makes you hate him and some days his words are so true!
If I would have said this people would have said I was giving excuses of the Pakistani loss, for 2 staright days in a row 3 and 4th day, Pakistan were in full command, if they would have played out the rest of the day, I can guarentee 100% that Pak would have been the eventual winners.
Like Waugh said, they had a chance to regroup the next day and put pressure on the Pakistani batsman, the way Pakistani batsman were continuing their assault on Aussie batsman at the end of day 4, the could have won at the end of day 4.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by UMAIR316: *
This Steve Waugh guy seems to amaze me everytime he says somethings. One day he will say something that makes you hate him and some days his words are so true!
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Basically you hate him when says something you dont wanna hear, and next day his statements seem true because he says something you wanna hear.
[QUOTE]
If I would have said this people would have said I was giving excuses of the Pakistani loss, for 2 staright days in a row 3 and 4th day, Pakistan were in full command, if they would have played out the rest of the day, I can guarentee 100% that Pak would have been the eventual winners.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, you are making an excuse - Please give the Credit where it is due. Australians bowled very well and Pakistani middle order and tail didn't bat well in second innings.
[QUOTE]
Basically you hate him when says something you dont wanna hear, and next day his statements seem true because he says something you wanna hear.
[/QUOTE]
I'm not the only guy in the world who hates him whenever he says something, but sometimes he says stuff which are so true
[quote]
Yes, you are making an excuse - Please give the Credit where it is due. Australians bowled very well and Pakistani middle order and tail didn't bat well in second innings.
[/quote]
Thats the majority of the reason why Pakistan loss, but yes they played better than us, I didn't madeup that excuse, Steve Waugh cameup with that statement, and I agree with it.