Shoaib wants to swap pace for wickets

Entertainment Cricket and Other Sports
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http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/020910/80/d99d6.html

Pakistan tearaway paceman Shoaib Akhtar says he has had enough of chasing speed records and now wants to get down to doing his main job of taking wickets consistently.

“Basically, I am no longer interested in bowling faster,” the player dubbed the “Rawalpindi Express” said on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old along with Australia’s Brett Lee are currently regarded the fastest bowlers in the world and will aim to make their impact on the ICC Champions Trophy.

Pakistan meet hosts Sri Lanka in the tournament’s opening game on Thursday.

Shoaib said: “It is more important to win matches. I am just here to play the game, not to prove how fast I am. Now I need to focus on how well to manage myself.”

The comments mark a huge change in attitude for the well-built fast bowler, who has strained every bit to bowl deliveries over 100 mph (160 kph).

“I have already crossed 100 miles, whether it is accepted or not,” he said. “Everybody knows how fast I am.”

The bowler was clocked at 161 kph (100.04 mph), during a one-dayer against New Zealand in Lahore in April but as such feats are not officially monitored, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has said they must remain unofficial.

Shoaib had been competing with Lee to reach the 100 mph landmark. Lee was clocked at 99.4 mph in South Africa this year, just under the second fastest delivery of 99.8 clocked by Australia’s Jeff Thomson in 1976.

A good-class pace bowler would be looking to average around the 85 mph mark.

Shoaib said he was determined to re-focus his career after several interruptions due to injuries and questions about his bowling action.

The paceman is joint third with Australia’s Dennis Lillee and Shane Warne on 60 games in a list of the fastest to take 100 one-day wickets. That list is headed by his compatriots Saqlain Mushtaq (53 games) and skipper Waqar Younis (59).

Besides his 114 scalps from 68 one-day games, he has also claimed 69 wickets from 21 tests.

But Shoaib still indicated his passion for pace will never die. “I can bowl faster than I have,” he said.

Lets hope he sticks to his word and we see both speed and line and length and his devestating yorkers which bamboozled the NZ players recently. He doesnt need to go for sheer speed and records all the time.

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.Pakistan tearaway paceman Shoaib Akhtar says he has had enough of chasing speed records and now wants to get down to doing his main job of taking wickets consistently. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<

it was about time that he took a more serious approach towards the game!

ps I still remember during the last world-cup instead of bowling yorkers towards the end of an innings, he was trying to bowl short and as fast as he could.............

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nescio, you took the words right out of my mouth :D

i completely agree!!

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I already think shoaib has improved a lot...
in sharjah lahore and autraila he was more looking for wickets....
Lets hope he does well again on thursday

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^yes, I agree with that too, but there is still room for considerable improvement if he wants to get in the same category as Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis…:k:

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Well thats nice to see, Shoaib's S/R in tests indicates that this is a great fast bowler-it is 52! His averageing isa tumbling its 28 now, was 37 a year ago-will fall to low 20's-garunteed.

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Let the better sense Prevail.

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he shouldnt be too..despite of speed if he can concentrate on line and length,only then he can survive more!!!

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chaloo is ko bhee aqal aeeey...koi shahis afridi ko bhee same Dr say checkup kara ker laeey :)

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I disagree with all you guys, I think speed is the main reason he is so good at what he does.
And please don't rate ordinary Lee in pace race against fastest bowler of all time, he is not even close to Akhtar in speed.
If you take Shoaib's speed away than he will be just like Razzaq or Mahmood (I'm not saying they are bad bowlers but they can do everything Shoaib can excpet Shoaib is 5 yards faster then them)
Look at Waqar for example, his pace went downhill after 95 downwards and so did his performance.
Pace is the reason Shoaib destroys the opposition.

Mark Waugh said during the Super Challenge II series couple months back and I quote him "Anyone bowling yokers at 150+ is definatly unplayable."

I say he should stick with his super fast speed, but control his rare wild deliveries and not try to bowl 145+ every single delivery only every other delivery.

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Shoaib's biggest weapon is his speed-but its a two-edged sword-it also makes him very expensive. Reducing his average speed would allow him to become accurate at (still rapid) pace and yet save a near 100mph thunderbolt as his strike delivery.

As for Brett-hardly a mismatch. His fastest recorded ball is 98.7mph~, that puts him 3rd of alltiume behind Akhtar and Thomo. I challange you to face the guy. :)

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well yeah i agree that shoaibs pace is his weapon...
and i wouldd say he has imporived in this year but this unnecassery lay off in morocco has affected his form
he should have playued in morocoo too , he wa unplayable before that.. now he will take time to get into groove..
lets hope thursday is the day...

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by mo_best: *
Shoaib's biggest weapon is his speed-but its a two-edged sword-it also makes him very expensive. Reducing his average speed would allow him to become accurate at (still rapid) pace and yet save a near 100mph thunderbolt as his strike delivery.

As for Brett-hardly a mismatch. His fastest recorded ball is 98.7mph~, that puts him 3rd of alltiume behind Akhtar and Thomo. I challange you to face the guy. :)
[/QUOTE]

Mo bhai that was the thing of the past, he used to to inaccurate before, he has changed his style, he was just off form from not playing international cricket for such a long time.

As for Lee, well I like to see him bowl 150+ consecutively like Akhtar and destroy the oppostion.
There is no doubt he is a great bowler and bright future for his country but Akhtar is still ahead of him by miles.
Lee can bowl 98 mph every other game but Akhtar can bowl 95+ every other delivery.

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So far no sign of progress from him.