^^ what about Salman Butt,how do you grade him ,choota anda, baara anda,
Pakistan target Australia](BBC SPORT | Cricket | Pakistan target Australia)
Pakistan have their sights set on beating Australia in the forthcoming one-day series in the Netherlands.
The two sides join India in the warm-up for September’s ICC Champions Trophy.
“Australia is the team to beat at international level and after the Asia Cup I hope that the team keeps the right momentum,” said Inzamam-ul-Haq.
“Both the tri-series and ICC Trophy are great challenge for the young team. The aim is to win both the events and we are capable of it.”
Pakistan open the competition on Saturday, when they take on arch-rivals India.
The two sides met during last month’s Asia Cup, with Pakistan emerging victorious but their failure to grab a bonus point in the match saw them miss out on a place in the final.
“Both the events will be very testing, more than the Asia Cup, because the Australian and Indian teams are powerful and conditions are different,” said coach Bob Woolmer.
“We are working in the way where the team must learn consistently and show improvement, and both things are important for any team to grow.”
Pakistan will also play Australia at Lord’s on 4 September in a final tune-up match.
DUTCH TRI-SERIES FIXTURES
21 Aug India v Pakistan
23 Aug Australia v India
25 Aug Pakistan v Australia
28 Aug Final
But Aussie batsman Matthew Hayden emphasised that his side’s focus is on the Champions Trophy, a tournament they have never won.
“We’ve won a lot of other world tournaments but this one here we’ve performed poorly,” said Hayden as the side prepared to leave Melbourne.
Six Australia players have been nominated for individual titles at next month’s ICC Awards, including Hayden and captain Ricky Ponting for player of the year.
“It’s a recognition of the quality of players that we’ve got and their ability to demonstrate that over a period of time,” said Australia coach John Buchanan.
Australia wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist will not play in Holland in order to be at the birth of his second child.
He will be replaced by Brad Haddin for the warm-up matches.
Afridi Pak’s trump card against India: Woolmer
Pakistan’s coach Bob Woolmer intends to use the flamboyant Shahid Afridi strategically in the matches against India and Australia in the cricket tri-series beginning in Amsterdam on Sunday.
“Afridi knows about his role and he, along with Salman Butt have been told clearly what their roles are going to be,” said Woolmer as his team prepared to build its reputation afresh.
Afridi has a splendid record against India and is one of the most powerful hitters in world cricket - a fact which would come handy on a small VRA ground in coming days.
Woolmer, a master tactician, sees an important role for Afridi, given the fact India has a pace bowling attack which pitches the ball up, an advantage otherwise but which could be a handicap on short boundaries of VRA ground.
Irfan Pathan, Laxmipathy Balaji and Ajit Agarkar all like to pitch the ball up. It could make the ball disappear faster in the trees lining the straight boundaries of the ground.
The coach also intends to send the 12th man with a walkie talkie on the field from now on.
“It is important there is a two-way communication between the coach and the players. I intend to use the walkie-talkie through the 12th man from this tournament,” he said.
"Both this tournament as well as in England are testing grounds for us. I would know better once these events are over how to assess my team.
“Our two opponents are good sides. It will allow me as well as the players to know about their ability and what is required,” said the Englishman.
Woolmer is not at all disheartened by the fact his team did not make it to the finals of the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka last month.
“We won four out of five games which was a good showing. We intend to build on that performance.”
“The boys must learn to handle pressure and we would know the evidence of it in the coming days. Essentially, both these tournaments (the tri-series and Champions Trophy) are knock-out in nature and there is no coming back. It is a pressure and a good way to know how players are able to handle pressure,” he said.
“Woolmer par Afridi ka jadoo chal geya”
I wonder who will have to sit out since it seems that Bob wants both Butt and Afridi in the team.
Malik can't be dropped, not after his showing in the Asia Cup and he can hit just as well as Afridi or Razzler - well perhaps not as well as Razzler. Imran Farhat is improving and maturing as a batsman or at least that's what I thought and I'd hate to see him out. hmm.. problematic team selection.
Samb jee kyon pershan hoo rahe ho. I think he will play Afridi against India and maybe Butt against Australia.
Woolmer can be such A-fridi'ng Butt-head.
^^
So if its Afridi-Butt playing in each match, and Farhat is a must, then who is sitting back? Yasir?
And I think the way Woolie is pushing Yoyo on 3rd position, shows that he must have told him to take the lead if he is the senior batsman, and also if he wants his position to be secured in the squad. Otherwise with his last 10 months performance, he definetely has his last chance. No one can live on the past glory for so long. Others are ready to take his position. We have wide variety of players that we can groom up. If he is making 10 odds run in every inning, a youngester like Yasir at his position delivering 20+ and some time 50+ with nominal SR is a much better choice in current circumtances. We need application not theory based ‘technically correct’ oldies.
^ who said Farhat is a must? I think his place is threatened the most.
If we drop Farhat for Afridi that would be too risky. Offcourse there is a chance that Afridi click against India but the odds are always against Afridi since he is a tukka batsman. Afridi will look really good with a walkie talkie on the boundary line where he'll get a good chance of looking at the ladies section of the crowd. On a serious note, the weather forecast for Indo-Pak match is not looking too good.
What time EST is the Ind-Pak match?
Is ARY Digital (US-CAN) showing it?
I agree, the 12th man role is now very crucial and I'm sure Afridi will do a good job communicating with Woolmer
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ameena81: *
If we drop Farhat for Afridi that would be too risky. Offcourse there is a chance that Afridi click against India but the odds are always against Afridi since he is a tukka batsman. Afridi will look really good with a walkie talkie on the boundary line where he'll get a good chance of looking at the ladies section of the crowd. On a serious note, the weather forecast for Indo-Pak match is not looking too good.
[/QUOTE]
LoL@ boundary line thing. Waisay I hope they dont make Afridi bat up the order. If they want to fit him in, it should be somewhere in middle order or number 3 at best. His primary role should be to send down some tight overs in middle of the innings.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *
Samb jee kyon pershan hoo rahe ho. I think he will play Afridi against India and maybe Butt against Australia.
[/QUOTE]
horses for courses policy in effect. Makes sense. Afridi is capable of smashing the Indians, and Butt might well be more effective against the Aussies. Good spot.
^ That indeed sounds a decent thought. We havent employed 'horses for courses' for like so many years, maybe never.
It wouldn't make much sense to have Afridi bat late in the order instead of early on. With the fielders set in the first 15overs is where Afridi can get a lot of runs.
I would take out Imran Farhat, he has had some good games. But most of his showing was in Pakistan. Outside of Pakistan i don't think he has done much.
^Agreed, Farhat is just ok, I think he's a bit overrated.
Also, I agree, I don't see Afridi batting middle order. He'd get cought out very quickly. His best shot at sticking around and scoring a bit is if can hit the ball with the restictions in place.
The 2 obvious guys to sit are Farhat and Yunis Khan. No way Yassir goes, he's too good a batsman.
In other news, if anybody knows about the weather, please post something. No way I want to nap on Friday night and get up at 3 AM for a rain cancelled game.........
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by smooth_guy: *
What time EST is the Ind-Pak match?
Is ARY Digital (US-CAN) showing it?
[/QUOTE]
4:30 AM EST
NO
:k: :k:
i agree…
Its good to see Woolmer is gonna use Afridi sensibly, hopefully he wont send Afridi out to open against the Aussie bowling...but hopefully he will click in the role assigned to him.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by saby: *
LoL@ boundary line thing. Waisay I hope they dont make Afridi bat up the order. If they want to fit him in, it should be somewhere in middle order or number 3 at best. His primary role should be to send down some tight overs in middle of the innings.
[/QUOTE]
It will be suicide and big gamble by chacha Bob if let Afridi play as opener or @ #3. Afridi should come @ #5, #6 or #7th.