Pakistan are good at home, but they don't travel well. Made worse by the omission of the very important MoYo, and the controversial inclusion of Mo Asif.

Mentally, South Africa are stronger. I pick the saffers to win 2-0.

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Nobody has a batting stance quite like the mighty Shivnarine....

why is Yousuf not playing?

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Frank Skinner: "You know when Glenn McGrath trod on that cricket ball? Don't you wish it would've been a landmine?"

Complications with his wife's pregnancy.

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/rsavp...ry/275721.html

Depending on what happens, he might miss the whole tour....

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Nobody has a batting stance quite like the mighty Shivnarine....

that's bad news. Sad news for Pakistan, but more sad news for Yousuf, I hope his wife pulls through.

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Frank Skinner: "You know when Glenn McGrath trod on that cricket ball? Don't you wish it would've been a landmine?"

No Moyo.. means curtains for Pakistan.


Shoaib has just been included in the squad also... Gul also has an ankle problem, this tour aint starting too well

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Here's the story....

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/rsavp...ry/275790.html

I thought Shoaib was supposed to be unfit. If so, then why is an unfit player standing by for an unfit player?

And surely having one controversial selection (Asif) is bad enough. Now there are two....

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Nobody has a batting stance quite like the mighty Shivnarine....

I think it was more lack of match practice then match fitness that was mentioned. He has been playing in the domestic competition, i do not understand the decision either, i think it is a result of pressure from fans and media to include Shoaib.

I just hope Mrs Moyo has a healthy baby and we can have him back or its over

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I'll try and explain. When the squad was announced initially, they said they weren't happy with his level of match fitness, so he went a played a game in the domestic Quaid-e-Azam trophy, in which he did well, so when Umar Gul got that ankle injury of his, he was asked to be sent to SA by the first available flight. Problem in that was that he couldn't find a plane in time (seat allocation problems) and now will miss the first test starting today because he'd still be travelling then. So I expect you can see him after the first test, possibly in the third, a possibly of which Woolmer has spoken of too.

Umar Gul remains a doubtful starter for today's match too, as does the South African paceman Daryl Styen, who is suffering from a thigh strain. I have a good feeling going into this test, although we'll probably be missing our two most inform players in Gul and Yousuf. But the enforced absence of Malik and Razzaq means after ages Pakistan will finally field a side with at least six specialist batsmen, one hopes Asim Kamal and Faisal Iqbal will not let this opportunity go by waste. With Kamran Akmal coming in at 7, even though he's been somewhat short of runs off late, the batting looks okay, provided these guys are prepared to apply them selves. Bowling looks okay to with Naved, Asif, Nazir and Kaneria, but again it may be a matter of how well and how quickly everyone adapts to the different conditions in South Africa.

Pakistan (probable) Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Faisal Iqbal, Asim Kamal, Kamran Akmal (wk), Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Shahid Nazir, Mohammad Asif, Danish Kaneria

South Africa (probable) Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince, Herschelle Gibbs, Mark Boucher (wk), Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini

Port Elizabeth is called the "friendly city". Bowlers may disagree with that. St George's does have a reputation of NOT being bowler friendly at all...

Traditionally it takes some spin, but low and slow is probably a better description.

Team Selections:

Well, South Africa will have to make at least one forced change: Herchelle Gibbs. He has been banned by the ICC for 2 tests. Team management have also said they are seriously looking at resting one or two bowlers for the remaining 2 tests. They will probably rest Pollock for the St George's match, and Ntini for Newlands. Or perhaps the other way around.

Can't see how they can rest both.

Pakistan will of course have Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Akhtar back. That will make a huge difference. Although Graeme Smith said they've got their plans for Yousuf...We'll see. Faisal Iqbal will probably be the one sitting out.

Asif did not get much back-up from the other 2 pacers in the first test. Don't know if the Pakistani's will drop both Rana and Nazir, but one of them will have to make way for Akhtar.

Gul was at team practice yesterday, but was limping around, favouring his ankle it seems. And Shoaib looked exhausted after the training session...

Its Port Elizabeth. The wind will blow, the band will play, the track will be dead. But, stranger things have happened.

Can Pakistan come back from behind and level the series in PE? That will leave it all to play for once again at Newlands.

It will a tough one that, who to drop from Nazir and Rana, they both bowled really badly in the initial part of the first innings, before recovering some what, though over all, they still bowled well under par and failed to maintain the pressure for the majority of the time they were on. They both faught well with the bat, and if Gul isn't fit, then decided who to drop from the two might be a tricky decesion, I'm not sure as yet, but I'm hoping Gul can make it through by Friday and we can play an attack of Asif, Gul and Shoaib, which will be handy. Also, will be very nice to have Yousuf back.

Interesting to know that SA might rest Ntini and/or Pollock, that would seriously weaken their attack, and give us a real sniff. I though both of them bowled splendidly along with Harris, Nel, was rubbish in my opinion for most part, yet still kept on going on as he was the best bowler in the world! Annoying. Anyway, it will be interesting to see how SA will pick if Pollock or Ntini are rested, Morkel perhaps, or Hall? Is anyone else in contention too?