Rawalpindi Express asked to make a stop at Hampshire

Shoaib is being offered a One-year contract by English County Hampshire in replacement for Shane Warne. Shoaib is still undecided.

My view is that any Pakistani bowler playing county cricket should only bowl at medium pace and should have it written into their contract that they will only bowl a certain amount of overs a day, otherwise they'll end up being flogged to death.

Better still, they shouldn't play at all. Most of our bowlers who play in English cricket generally go into decline - look at Mushy, Razzaq and Saqi if you need any examples. It's our batsmen that could do with learning to play on seaming wickets.

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
My view is that any Pakistani bowler playing county cricket should only bowl at medium pace and should have it written into their contract that they will only bowl a certain amount of overs a day, otherwise they'll end up being flogged to death.
[/QUOTE]

I agree yaar. But I don't like it when Pakistani players play for Eng counties since they don't get any benifits from it. They still lost to Eng.

I think he better accept this offer.. this way he will learn some cricket as well :rolleyes: and then inshallah when he comes back…it will be good for pakistani team..

I hope he joins the Hants and never comes back to the Pak team.

Why are you all hating on Shoaib-he's a fantastic player, he went thru a bad patch at the world cup-at his worse-and he still took like 12 wkts at 22 apiece with a s/r of 24-thats a great set of stats.

County Cricket will do him a world of goods if its only 1 season, he will learn how to control the ball better and adjust to conditions faster-it made great bowlers out of Immy, Wes and Waqar (helped them great great-they were great b4 and after).

He's the best fast bowler we have, his stats lay that out-he's a match winner and franly a few bad performances does not change that. i tried to skool you all b4 the cup started, but I knew nothing (so you said) and I will try again-Shoaib is brilliant, just stick with him.

He should go for it....it couldnt have been offered to him at a better time, it will polish the few rough edges he has and will provide him with better adjustment and coping skills.

talking of Shoaib, was the complaint about his bowling action settled one way or other? Ofcourse authorities let him play and so offically there is no issue, right?

I'll say this much. I seem to bowl faster than when I throw. Is that the case with all people?

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
My view is that any Pakistani bowler playing county cricket should only bowl at medium pace and should have it written into their contract that they will only bowl a certain amount of overs a day, otherwise they'll end up being flogged to death.

Better still, they shouldn't play at all. Most of our bowlers who play in English cricket generally go into decline - look at Mushy, Razzaq and Saqi if you need any examples. It's our batsmen that could do with learning to play on seaming wickets.
[/QUOTE]

The Game Responds:

          *You should have told that to the monkey himself; Waqar Younis. The assclown was finished before the age of 30 only due to playing county cricket, thus getting no break from cricket whatsoever. People, That Is All.*

County Cricket is :nook:

Latest news is that he's agreed to join Hampshire.

He missed out in 2000 with Notts after an injury. I hope he learns how to play hard and disciplined cricket in the counties.

Let the guy make some money :p Only if these cricketers made 1/2 the money the US atheletes make, there wont be any match fixing allegations at least.

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by a1kashur: *

I agree yaar. But I don't like it when Pakistani players play for Eng counties since they don't get any benifits from it. They still lost to Eng.
[/QUOTE]

It doesn't matter whether they play for customs, PIA, PNSC or an English County. Fact remains that, except on very rare occasions, Paki players cannot play under pressure, cannot organise a run chase, or play against swing despite us being the masters of swing. This too despite the number of matches they play month in month out.

I believe it is mental thing. Pakistani players play for glory, not for country.

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by mo_best: *
Why are you all hating on Shoaib-he's a fantastic player, he went thru a bad patch at the world cup-at his worse-and he still took like 12 wkts at 22 apiece with a s/r of 24-thats a great set of stats.

[/QUOTE]

Point is that like all Paki team players, he doesn't produce the goods when it counts. He didn't do it for us in 1999 either.

It's no point beating Zimbabwe in Morocco, or Sth. Africa in Timbuctu if the only teams you can beat (and that too unconvincingly) in a World Cup are Namibia and Netherlands

Shoaib accepts Hants offer.

Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar says he will play county cricket for Hampshire next season.
The 27-year-old, who is the world’s fastest bowler, has been offered a one-year contract by the county.

They want cover for Australian spinner Shane Warne, who is serving a one-year ban after being found guilty of taking a banned diuretic.

Shoaib said: "Hampshire offered me a contract a few days ago through my agent Gary Millere and I was happy to accept.

"The deal has yet to be signed but I will probably go to Hampshire next week for a fitness test.

"I am delighted to play county cricket again after missing a season with Nottinghamshire in 2000 due to injury.

“The legendary Imran Khan always stressed it was good to play county cricket since it helped to polish up one’s game.”

Shoaib, nicknamed the Rawalpindi Express, added he had sought permission from the Pakistan Cricket Board to play in England during the summer.

Shoaib sent down the fastest recorded delivery of all time - 101.2 mph - against England in Cape Town during the World Cup.

He then made 43, the highest score by a number 11 batsman in the history of one-day cricket.

Another Asian bowler going down the drain.
We all know how performance of Saqlain,Razzaq,Srinath and Kumble detoriated after county.
Also Shoib is so much injury prone that he cant play all the matches for Pakistan how can he can keep himslef fit for so many matches in county?

Ask Hampshire to keep Shoib forever and not let him come back tp Pakistan.PCB will give all his expenses to keep him away from Pakistan.

Aloo,

Shoaib had a poor WC 2003, he had a wonderful 1999 WC-he isnt a 1 man team, the others have to do their part. What didnt he do in 1999, we lost that final cos our piteful top order posted a record low of 132.

Not his fault.

This is from Tuesday so it’s before the Zimbabwe match but still of some interest:

Shoaib: There are going to be bust-ups but we’re not falling apart

."…If we don’t get through, then you have to say that Pakistan cricket is not in a good place. We really need to start thinking about where we want to be in three years’ time - because that’s what the successful teams are doing. When Wasim and Waqar are gone, people like myself and Yousuf Youhana, who have been around for a while, need to get our heads together: we will be the senior players.

I’ll do whatever it takes to make the team successful - I’ll go around and find new young players to play for us the way Imran used to, if that’s what it takes. I don’t want to be captain or anything. I just want to put my hand up, take some responsibility, because our team means a lot to me. "

=======================================

It’s worth reading the whole article, but that part’s interesting because at least Shoaib’s recognising that what he’s produced so far isn’t good enough.

I think the first thing anybody who wants to be part of the future line up for Pakistan has to realise is that the superstar era is over.