Godzilla
Danish ok nothing to write home about and like you said we dont have much of a choice.
I dont think I could stomach another draw.
[This message has been edited by Kajoor (edited December 06, 2000).]
In Khabarnama they reported that the pitch will support the spinners once again so God bless us.
Now check this out and do read the last paragraph carefulyy. What is going on?
Wasim says he'll come through bad patch
From The News
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Pakistan's premier all-rounder Wasim Akram on Wednesday vowed to give a fitting reply to critics calling for his head after he failed to impress in the first two Test matches against England.
The 34-year-old former Pakistan captain told 'The News' that he was distressed himself by his lack of form, but pointed out that every cricketer went through such periods. "I am not the first cricketer to be struggling for form, it happens to everyone. You may have some bad days but eventually you come through."
He, however, made it clear that it was unfair to expect him to take a bagful of wickets on the pitches prepared for the first two Tests which favoured the slow bowlers. Pointing towards the brownish pitch prepared at the National Stadium for the third Test, he said it was again going to help the spinners.
"I have no complaints because I have been through such times before. But in my personal opinion, yes, I am disappointed at the pressure being mounted on me from some quarters and the media. Personally, I believe it is unfair on me. My past performances for Pakistan should be kept in mind while analysing my form in the first two Tests."
Wasim has come under unusual pressure from some quarters after failing to impress in the first two Tests on pitches tailormade for spinners. The message sent out to him by the Pakistan Cricket Board and selectors being clear; either he has to perform in Karachi or face the ignominy of being dropped from the team.
The only bowler to have taken over 400 wickets each in Tests and One- day Internationals, Wasim said he remained committed to doing well for Pakistan. "And what I said earlier that I will review my options after every six months and will retire if I feel I am of no use to the team, still stands."
He also insisted that he had no differences with Waqar Younis as reported in the media and he was obviously disappointed with such stories. Wasim, who played his 100th Test at Faisalabad, is said to be fast losing support in the Board and even within the team because of his lack of form. But the interesting thing is that while there is talk of dropping him, no one really has the answer as to who would be an adequate replacement for him.
In the last few years, the cricket board and selectors have juggled around with the careers of several promising fast bowlers and never bothered to show consistency and keep faith with them so that one or two of them could be groomed as replacements for Wasim and Waqar who have an astonishing 700-plus Test wickets between them.
While the two might not say anything publicly, Wasim and Waqar clearly are unhappy with the lack of confidence in their abilities as fast bowlers by the think tank of Pakistan cricket which has insisted on preparing slow turning tracks against England instead of trying to attack them through a quartret of pacers.
An example of this can be seen in the build-up to the Karachi Test. Nasimul Ghani, the PCB advisory council member, was specially deputed by Chairman Lt General Tauqir Zia to prepare the pitch for the third Test and he produced two of them, one which would encourage the pacemen and the other, the usual void-of-grass track made to assist the spinners.
And after much debate the Pakistan think tank again opted to go into the third Test with an all-spin attack. But then perhaps this insistence on spinners can be put down to the so-called brittle Pakistan batting line-up. For the record, though, players like Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Abdul Razzaq and Moin Khan have scored a bagful of runs even on away tours and on assortment of pitches.
As such it is hard to understand the lack of confidence which is generally shown in the Pakistan batting line-up. But while many seem to have lost confidence in the abilities of Wasim, his captain and close friend Moin Khan is keeping faith with him.
On Wednesday he insisted Wasim would come out of the bad patch. "Everyone suffers from lack of confidence at some time in his career and then one has to be fair and also assess the sort of pitches on which he has bowled in this series."
Moin said Wasim was an outstanding and great bowler and he had lot of confidence in his abilities. "To my mind he is a source of strength in any playing eleven." While Moin's words will serve as a source of encouragement for Wasim, there are people who are out to see his ouster from the team.
An incident in the Faisalabad Test clearly reflected this. During the match a Pakistan team official went and told umpire Mian Aslam why he was not calling Wasim's no-balls and he should be called. To his bad luck the umpire went and informed Wasim about this incident. The rest is obvious.
Wasi is not playing the final test apparently due to a back injury but after reading this I am not buying the excuse. Is this the end of Wasim's career People definately don't like him. Its not too long ago when he took three consecutive man of the match award. What is the boards problem.
htats so sad. politics involved in paki cricket are embarassing enough for me to rue my roots.
anyway, a promising start, i cant wait to see highlights tonight. if its a batting track, its another draw, i for one reluctantly suspect the english batting line up might be more robust than ours/
by the way imtold the news is well known for promulgating rumours and unsubstantiated stories, so im not sure if we can trust their reports.
Even if there story is not true Wasim was either dropped or he opted out himself(wise thing to do)
Go to sportsmasala.com and wait for todays papers
Well here is DAWN
Wasim's withdrawal controversial
By Our Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 7: Wasim Akram withdrew from the third and final cricket Test against England in controversial circumstances to prompt speculation that it was not the back spasm but something else which kept him away from the game.
Wasim had an extensive work-out with the Pakistan team before the toss. But when teams were exchanged, Wasim's name was missing.
Though Wasim tried to convince a few journalists that he stiffened his back during sleep, it is anybody's guess if a player has back trouble, it is not possible for him to bowl at full run-up, attend fielding and warmup sessions.
"It is a face-saving explanation. It would have been an insult for such a great player had it had been said he was dropped," a source said on the condition of anonymity.
It is not the first time Wasim has 'withdrawn' shortly before the start of the match. He did the same in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final at Bangalore against India when he pulled out from the match 15 minutes before toss.
Sources added that the entire selection committee and a few Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials were against playing Wasim in the background of his poor form. He only had the backing of skipper Moin Khan but he was vetoed.
With Wasim not playing because of a `back spasm', he faces an uncertain future. Pakistan's next assignment is the tour of New Zealand and it would require the legendary fast bowler to perform in the domestic Quaid-i-Azam Trophy to press a claim in the touring party.
The Quaid-i-Azam Trophy resumes after Ramazan and the Patron's Trophy to be competed by the departmental sides will also be played in January.
The team management's claim that Wasim had injury also is a hollow explanation
in the background that the bowler himself told a few English journalists on Thursday morning that he was looking forward to proving his critics wrong by performing in the Karachi Test.
Wasim tried to put up a brave face while talking to reporters emphasising that his career was far from over. He stressed that he had no control over his injury though he was keen to play in this game and excel with the red cherry. "This is an injury which most of the fast bowlers get," he said.
Said Paki management, these generals, they should be running the country what they doing in cricket, in politics everywhere. I wish they could be shot in the head. I am ashamed with their attitude of making slow pitches, if you want to play cricket and 80% of your cricket you will be playing abroad then why not prepare your player at home as well and make fast pitches, no wonder its always a bad start for your players abroad. After getting use to these dead pitches.
When this Paki nation will learn anything. Backword management, backword PCB...I hate them.
Shame Wasim is not included in final test, it may be his last series in home country.