Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
I sometimes wonder if there's any real point in sending our test team especially to places like Australia and South Africa where we know that our batting will inevitably fail like on previous tours
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
Who was talking about Afridi in ur previous post? Wasnt that irrelevant ? 
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
I sometimes wonder if there's any point in sending our test team especially to places like Australia and South Africa where we are certain that our batting will inevitably fail like on previous tours
No...in essence if you look at all the other teams, they are getting better in test rankings by securing wins under their belt "at home". While Pakistani's have no choice but to venture into uncharted territory.
Honestly, to get Pakistan cricket to good batting standards requires a grass roots approach where Young batsmen are mentored to play long innings on balanced tracks in pakistan. Some thing PCB has no clue of at this point, and they are fine with status quo since it keeps favoritism culture alive and well. One good score against a mediocre home departmental or regional side and "Mr. Batter" is now the new emerging talent who is rushed off to A side or directly to national side. They go on to score one chance innings or fail miserably. Next what happens is that selection "ego" forces the player to keep being selected until finally they fail so many times that there is no choice but to drop them.
The root of all this is that old failed cronies are head of selection so they keep trying their old tricks that simple fail again.
Only an unbiased neutral board can focus on real root issues and possible solve the BIG core issues in next 5-10 years. Otherwise, take is as it is, this is Pakistan cricket standard. And many on this forum also like those in the nation, are fine because they can't change it. Everybody cares about "time pass" more than talking about real issues.
Short answer, no Pakistan shouldn't venture outside to fast pitches as much until domestic culture changes, however right now there is no choice but to play away and whomever wants to play with us as well.
I don't think there are any more tests in the planner for Pakistan for a long while now.
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
I don’t know if I should laugh or cry… comprehension issues I guess.
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
No...in essence if you look at all the other teams, they are getting better in test rankings by securing wins under their belt "at home". While Pakistani's have no choice but to venture into uncharted territory.
Honestly, to get Pakistan cricket to good batting standards requires a grass roots approach where Young batsmen are mentored to play long innings on balanced tracks in pakistan. Some thing PCB has no clue of at this point, and they are fine with status quo since it keeps favoritism culture alive and well. One good score against a mediocre home departmental or regional side and "Mr. Batter" is now the new emerging talent who is rushed off to A side or directly to national side. They go on to score one chance innings or fail miserably. Next what happens is that selection "ego" forces the player to keep being selected until finally they fail so many times that there is no choice but to drop them. The root of all this is that old failed cronies are head of selection so they keep trying their old tricks that simple fail again.
Only an unbiased neutral board can focus on real root issues and possible solve the BIG core issues in next 5-10 years. Otherwise, take is as it is, this is Pakistan cricket standard. And many on this forum also like those in the nation, are fine because they can't change it. Everybody cares about "time pass" more than talking about real issues.
Short answer, no Pakistan shouldn't venture outside to fast pitches as much until domestic culture changes, however right now there is no choice but to play away and whomever wants to play with us as well.
I don't think there are any more tests in the planner for Pakistan for a long while now.
There are a lot of things PCB needs to do if they really want to make Pakistan team a force to reckon. Number one is stop listening to captain for making fast, bouncy tracks as a mixed bag of available pitches for all teams, or atleast make all 'emerging' batsmen to face those pitches at home, train and groom them. Secondly groom a few young players for leadership roles. We had to import Misbah (a la Shortcut Aziz) as captain, if we already had an established player groomed for captaincy then there was no need for such a step.
Thirdly, find few decent keepers and train them for keeping plus batting.
Lastly.... find good pacers.
Isn't that so simple? :D
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
All of Misbaholics have been crying since the whitewash :yk:
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
even Afridiots cry when people see comprehension issues 
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
I wont say much to Misbaholics cz nowdays they are mourning about the TukTuk Wash that just happened few days ago
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
Its okay about the loss, to large extent it was expected, so no mourning here 
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
No...in essence if you look at all the other teams, they are getting better in test rankings by securing wins under their belt "at home". While Pakistani's have no choice but to venture into uncharted territory.
Honestly, to get Pakistan cricket to good batting standards requires a grass roots approach where Young batsmen are mentored to play long innings on balanced tracks in pakistan. Some thing PCB has no clue of at this point, and they are fine with status quo since it keeps favoritism culture alive and well. One good score against a mediocre home departmental or regional side and "Mr. Batter" is now the new emerging talent who is rushed off to A side or directly to national side. They go on to score one chance innings or fail miserably. Next what happens is that selection "ego" forces the player to keep being selected until finally they fail so many times that there is no choice but to drop them. The root of all this is that old failed cronies are head of selection so they keep trying their old tricks that simple fail again.
Only an unbiased neutral board can focus on real root issues and possible solve the BIG core issues in next 5-10 years. Otherwise, take is as it is, this is Pakistan cricket standard. And many on this forum also like those in the nation, are fine because they can't change it. Everybody cares about "time pass" more than talking about real issues.
Short answer, no Pakistan shouldn't venture outside to fast pitches as much until domestic culture changes, however right now there is no choice but to play away and whomever wants to play with us as well.
I don't think there are any more tests in the planner for Pakistan for a long while now.
The bowlers and fielders were not the damn problem, they put up an admirable fight despite inexperience. It is the batting, it has always been the batting. We have to rectify this by sending our best youngsters to England, Australia and South Africa. Perhaps more A tours would help the likes of Azhar, Asad, Umar Amin, Haris Sohail & Nasir in the long-term.
Even better, make green pitches at home. The climate in SA and Australia is hot just like the sub-continent so if they can produce seaming and bouncy tracks then why can't we? And if soil is the issue then why can't we just import it. Flat tracks will not help against the likes of South Africa and Australia.
Our opening problems are well-documented. Hafeez is not a genuine test opener. Even in the ODIs, I see him more as a bowling all-rounder who can make some runs upfront. But I think what's really upsetting the balance of the side is the fact that:
A- our wicket-keeper cannot bat ((admittedly Adnan is no Gilchrist, DeVilliers or Dhoni (though he's a better limited overs batsman. not sure what his record is in away tests) but preferring Sarfraz over him was a mistake, tinkering with an established test keeper was a mistake and I said it before the start of the series)) &
B- we lack a genuine test all-rounder at 7/8. It is easy to be wise after the event but perhaps Razzaq should have been selected. His bowling might have thrived on the fast SA tracks; more importantly he would have given us batting depth.
South African batsmen struggled in the first innings of all three tests (199/5, 109/5, 196/5) but because they have depth in batting (DeVilliers is a proper batsman, Peterson is a genuine all-rounder), they were able to dig themselves out of a hole in both the 2nd and 3rd tests.
To beat a team like South Africa, you have to score 600 runs (combined) in two innings. In Cape Town, Pakistan scored 338 in the first innings but only 169 in the 2nd. Had Pak made 250 (and I think that's a very reasonable expectation), they might have won but would have still lost the series 2-1.
In ODIs you need to post 250+ totals regularly in order to compete with top teams like South Africa. I don't think our current batsmen are quite capable of doing that, so I am not very positive about the ODIs either
However, Pakistan has a better chance in T20s because it's a very short format
And yes not being able to play home games is hindering the development of our cricketers & hampering our chances of becoming a leading test nation. Pakistan need to restrict the amount of teams available in domestic cricket. 8 teams maximum imo (IK has been saying this for donkeys years), in order to reduce the amount of club level cricketers playing who provide an opportunity for genuine players to boost their stats.
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
^^ Yeah that's what I also said.when did I at all talk about bowlers or fielders?..but I call them "balanced tracks" not simply fast and bouncy...since Pakistan has produced world class spinners and they shouldn't be killed either.
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
AA just a general comment and not specific to your post
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
GA...if PCB keeps sending its batsmen to England, SA or Aus...then that means they will never try themselves to work out the local batting pitches. Case in point, think globally, act locally!
However with PCB, yes the bare minimum is to send them overseas for first class experience as well.
Specially the likes of Azhar, Asad, UAkmal, etc..
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
I haven't seen Pak A tour recently, when was last time Pak A traveled abroad?
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
GA...if PCB keeps sending its batsmen to England, SA or Aus...then that means they will never try themselves to work out the local batting pitches. Case in point, think globally, act locally! However with PCB, yes the bare minimum is to send them overseas for first class experience as well. Specially the likes of Azhar, Asad, UAkmal, etc..
The problem is you cannot just send your players to foreign domestic pitches, they have to be highly demanded by the local first class teams.
PCB and Pak players should target county cricket but because of the limited numbers of teams available (which is intentional in order to provide higher quality competition and cricketers), particularly in Aus and SA, I don't see the latter as an option. Any foreign player would have to bring something really special to the table in order to play ahead of local talent in the Australian Pura Cup or Big Bash for instance.
Hence agree the best solution is to act locally, working on replicating (Australian & South African) pitches at home no matter how tough it is or how long it takes. More importantly have only 8 teams in your Premier First Class Cricket. As for the Q of rozi, roti of lesser players, they should just compete among themselves in division 2 or division 3 First Class cricket with the chance to play in Premier FC if they impress enough with their talent and performances.
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
Great now take this to the UNCLES of PCB and beat them into submission..
:(
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
And would playing test matches after the ODIs and T20Is help the visiting teams acclimatize better to foreign conditions (as per the poster below)? makes sense
[QUOTE]
Test matches should always be played after T20/ODI series
I honestly believe that when an international series between two countries is being planned, then the limited overs cricket (T20s and ODIs) should precede the main event that is the Test series. This should be enforced by the ICC.
Not only will it give the visiting team more time to acclimatise to the foreign conditions, but let them sort out the right combinations to use in the test by trialling players in the limited over series and allowing certain players to get in some sort of form. Now I am not saying that had this happened in the current series between Pakistan and South Africa, the final result would have been different but at least it would had evened out the contest to some extent.
Obviously this works both ways say when England played Pakistan in the UAE. Had the ODI series taken place first then perhaps England would have found some sort of form against the spin bowling and the series might have been proven to be a a more tightly matched affair than it was. But at least cries of being unprepared and being sucker punched would have been removed as would have been the case if this had happened in South Africa. I for one would like an even contest than these 1 sided affairs even if this goes against my team.
Plus once the main event that is the test series has completed and one side has won, playing an ODI/T20 series seems a bit meaningless and anticlimactic. A bit like serving starters after you've had the main course, what's the point of that? Just doesn't make any sense at all. Even if we white wash the South Africans in the limited overs cricket, it will be scant consolation after the test series defeat (as it was for England in the UAE).
[/QUOTE]
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
Or is this how one should prepare pitches and utilize home advantage?
or is this taking home advantage to a whole new and retarded level?
Re: Pakistan vs South Africa 3rd Test
^^ yeah key word "scientific"...