What you babbling bout too slow?? did you see the ball that jagged back and took umar gul's middle stump??? its not slow at all its just in consistent as hell. The bounce the seaming, its not a rubbish cricket surface either it is the only surface in Pakistan where there has never been a draw... or almost 95% of the time this pitch has produced a result. I would rather take pitches that spit at batsmen then ones that are belters..It will take a player in good nick to get results on this pitch Moyo showed us it can be done!!

__________________

Wooooooh Umar Gul has ripped the Heart out of the WI with 3 wickets... got Lara and Sarawan both as well as Gayle!!!!!!

WI 80/3

Mr Hutt, it would seem that Gayle, Inzi and Yousaf, three players who have written/spoken after the first day's play, all disagree with you

Gayle: Inzi: Yousuf:

Batsmen would complain, wouldn't they! If it's slow and low they complain.... and if it turns square they complain... and if it's two-paced they complain... and if the ball swings or reverse swings batting is "very tough"... and if the ball seams batting is "very tough"... and if there is pace and bounce like that Harmison found at Sabina Park they expect their glory to be hailed for standing there rather than running into the pavillion.

Batting ain't supposed to be easy.. and whilst slow and low isn't the only way of making it tough... it's acceptable. The result is a pitch that will suit some batsmen more than others: players who like pace on the ball, like Laxman and Inzi, will always struggle.... but Kirsten would be a good bet for a double century here - and if Chanderpaul can really get going (past 50) I suspect he'll take some stopping.

Yousuf made a century Maranello.. Gayle made 40... so what if some balls keep low on them, its easy to critisize any pitch for a batsmen if it aint a belter. FYI Inzis batting after he has returned is not upto Test Standards as well he keep trying to play across the line, doesnt realize his reflexes and hand/eye coordination has become as slow as his lumbering gait.. for the love of god the guy cant even dive.

__________________

I don't understand your problem Hutt. I did see the match today. I don't have a problem with pitches that make it tougher for the batsmen to dominate, very few people who call them selves cricket fans would in this day and age, but I also remember that we have a tour to SA just around the corner. Last year when India came we had a fantastic surface at the NSK, a bit grassy but with some bounce and pace to go with it, both teams ended up getting small-ish first innings totals, but it was entertaining to watch. Now that was the kind of surface I liked. That was the kind of the surface we need more of in Pakistan if we don't want to keep getting bowled out for next to nothing when we go to places like England, Australia and South Africa, not this slow, low ping-pong bounce surface that might well produce a close contest but does no or very little to help solve some of Pakistan's long term problems. And I'm more upset because there was grass on the pitch to start with and it hadn't been rolled on so extensively (meaning it might well have been initially quite similar to last year's surface) until the grounds staff were asked on the eve of the test to shave the whole thing off and roll it so much it will become an absolute dust bowl by the fifth day. I don't care if this test goes right down to the wire, or how much of an even contests it becomes between bat and ball - I'd still think not think too much of pitch's quality, simply because it prioritises short term good of the homeside over its long-term good. I disagree with this approach, it hasn't taken as anywhere in the past, and it will not in the future either.

And I don't understand either you slacking of Inzi, he's a bit out of touch fair enough, but its only a matter of time before he's back, he's too good a player not to. And that dive you're talking about, I saw that too, I'm not sure if you know or not, but Inzi has a long term back issue, and ever since this injury flared up the last time, he's almost stopped diving altogether as it makes sense so too. I see you praise Yousuf a lot, which is very well justified of course, but he's a worse fielder then Inzi, and dropped a/some sitter/s in the last test...I don't remember reading you criticizing him for that. So not sure why you should go off at Inzi like you have, especially given he's some one who is proven him self time and time again.

My problem is that i want my team to first win one test series before planning for the next one.

Im not saying we shouldnt have green wickets to prepare us for S.A but cmon one green wicket wont help, if we want our batsmen to be prepared maybe we should stick them on a green wicket in the bloody nets and then bounce their noses off in order for them to be prepared.


I praise Moyo because at no stage in Inzis career has he approached a record like this.

Please dont tell me Moyo is as bad a fielder as Inzi is... NOONE is as bad a fielder as Inzi is!!!

Back problems??? so he doesnt dive? ok.. is that why he doesnt move or try to do anythng in the field as well? is this why his captaining is so orthodox?? maybe he should just sit out the fielding and bat.. i bet you would love to see that.. Inzis resting because he has a back problem but he will bat!!!

Im not saying he is anything short of one of the best batsmen pakistan has produced. However in the last year he has not done much.. and although i do agree it might just be a bad patch of form.. but his decision and i do insist it was his decision not go back on the field in england cost us the bloody match!!!

Who do you think made that decision to shave the grass off?? who else but Inzi decides what kind of wicket the gorundsmen will make for his team!!

He is lazy, thin skinned & a horrible strategist

Not excatly the qualities of a Great Captain. This is my problem with him.

and to top it all off after Pakistan's batting finished he comes on and says he is not happy with the way the team performed today.. well what the hell did he contribute in the first innings.. if it was nto for Moyo we would not have even won a bloody test all series!!

Im sorry but I have to agree with Zainub on this one. Mr hutt, there is no sense in comparing inzamam and mohammad yousuf. they are both class batsman and have done well in their careers. perhaps you have forgotten what inzamam did against england last year after england were full of confidence after winning the ashes. Scored a century in the first test. TWIN centuries in the next test and i think another century in the test after. Inzamam is not known for his fielding, however i do believe that despite his critics, he is not as bad as they say he is. If you do want to compare both of them, maybe the fact that mohammad yousaf has been run out, and ran his partners out more than inzamam has done might make you try and see sense. inzamam is not in form at the moment. however, we all know he will bounce back and all teams are terrified of him when he is at his best. remember his match winning innings against bangladesh.
Also, i would not blame inzamam for the condition of the pitch. why would he order this kind of pitch and then tell the press that "this pitch cannot be test standard". Makes no sense at all Hutt. Clearly the orders that wer given were given by people much higher up. also, IMO, inzamam's decision was completely justified to have a sit in in that test against england. it was not him, but Hair that cost us the match.
We all want to see pakistan win test series, however, slagging off players that are too good in the game will not help. Tell me, how well do you think the pakistan team will do, after hearing inzamam has been dropped from the team because of bad form and captaincy?

I was not slagging him off... i think he is a great batsmen but just not a good captain. Thats the problem with our supporters cannot take any criticism of the "great inzi" at all.

btw WI all out for 260... last wicket fell to runout by Moyo. Pakistan need to play till tommorow if we are to win this test series Go Pakistan!!!


Maybe you think his sit in was justified and Zainub as well but the aftermath of the whole incident clearly proved it was just his stubborness nothing to do with honour on which he would not come out. The sit in was not Hairs fault, are we going to keep blaming him for everything now?? Hair was wrong on the ball tampering charge he certainly did not organize the bloody sit in!

__________________

Pakistan 11/0 off 12 overs. The sort of start that will have Rachael cooing in admiration!

__________________
A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes
Mark Twain