Re: Pakistan vs England, 1st Test, Multan
This will definitely confuse all those predicting the final 11 for Multan Test
Pakistan weigh up playing eleven
as showdown starts in Multan
MULTAN: Pakistan cricket team’s think tank was pondering late Friday night on the playing eleven for the first Test against England starting here at the Multan Cricket Stadium from Saturday (today) with a toss-up between Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi to open the innings with Salman Butt to accommodate recalled batsman Hasan Raza in the middle order.
‘The News’ has learnt that till late evening, captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and coach Bob Woolmer were thinking whether to have Malik or Afridi to open (Pakistan innings) with specialist Butt as it had been decided to give Hasan his first chance since November 2002.
“They remain undecided on whether to open with Afridi and Butt or Malik and Butt. There is also some debate on whether to play Mohammad Sami or Rana Naved as the third pacer with Shoaib Akhtar and Shabbir Ahmed being the first-choice pace bowlers,” a team source said.
The source added the captain and coach were confused as Afridi had agreed to open if he didn’t find a place in the middle order and his performances in his last five Tests warranted him a spot in the starting line-up against England. "The idea is to go in with six specialist batsmen including Afridi or Malik, wicket-keeper and four bowlers. “Neither Afridi nor Shoaib Malik (whoever plays) will be pressed into bowl too many overs which will be shared among the three pacers and Danish Kaneria,” the source said.
He explained that Afridi could win the nod over Malik as his bowling and hard-hitting batting had been a crucial factor for Pakistan in their last few series while Malik had not done much bowling. “The team’s think tank also feels it would be a good option to go in with two leg-spinners on a dry pitch.”
“Woolmer and Inzamam are keen to give Hasan Raza a chance at the number six position as he has been in prolific form in recent months and also got runs against England in the tour match at Lahore. The feeling is that this is the right time to play him as he is in exquisite touch and is likely to score runs given his confidence and high morale at the moment. And as it is Asim Kamal has struggled for form,” the source stated.
Sami, it seems, is in close contest for a place with Rana Naved who has been bowling well in recent months. “Shoaib, since he is in the squad, can’t be ignored while the captain has a lot of confidence in Shabbir despite problems with his bowling action. So the axe is going to fall on either Sami or Rana Naved,” the source said.
Pakistan’s expected combination of Shoaib Malik or Shahid Afridi (with) Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Hasan Raza, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed and Danish Kaneria appears logical with the only serious doubt being the selection of young Butt who himself has been in poor form. One just hopes that Inzamam is not seduced into changing his mind on the morning of the match going by the dryness of the pitch and talk that it will take spin on the last two days and try to go in with two pacers and both Kaneria and Mushtaq Ahmed.
It would be a mistake that Pakistan could regret early on in the series and could decide the course of the series.
England, on the other hand, have some selection problems of their own due to the injury to their captain Michael Vaughan who is also an experienced top-order batsman with 62 Test appearances.
While the presence of someone as outstanding as Andrew Flintoff in their line-up gives them the advantage of trying to play with two pacers (Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison) and two specialist spinners (Ashley Giles and Shaun Udal) with Paul Collingwood to provide some back-up medium pace stuff, it is their batting which is a concern for them.
There are no problems with the opening slot unlike Pakistan as Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss form an experienced and dangerous pair while Flintoff at number five, Collingwood at number six and Geraint Jones at seven followed by the two spinners who are competent batsmen ensure make up for a dependable and solid lower middle-order.
But England is facing problems at the number three and four positions as both Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen are struggling for form and failed in the two tour matches as well failing to cope with the different pace and bounce of the Pakistani pitches.
And Vaughan’s cover - the 20-year old Alistair Cook of Essex is yet to join the team. And Pietersen in particular played a very important role in England’s Ashes win over Australia particularly with his match-saving hundred in the final Test at The Oval.
On paper England’s current batting line-up appears to be more fallible than the one that came in 2000 and this is something that Pakistan must exploit to topple them.
England’s probable team for the first Test should be: Trescothick, Strauss, Bell, Pietersen, Flintoff, Collingwood, Jones, Giles, Udal, Hoggard and Harmison.
Both sides have a lot to prove in the series. England would be keen to prove to the world their Ashes victory was not a fluke and to continue their outstanding form of the last 18 months in which they have won 12 out of 14 Test matches.
While Pakistan who have lost five, won two (including one against Bangladesh) and drawn one of their last eight home Test rubbers since 1998, have a lot to prove specially under a foreign coach. One series against New Zealand in 2002 was abandoned after just one match, which Pakistan won.
Pakistan’s last series win at home came in October 2003 against South Africa in a two-Test series.
http://jang.com.pk/thenews/index.html
and that tells a lot about ur cricketing brain.
is that true? can any one confirm that plzzzzzzzzz?