Australia v Pakistan Dec 16-Jan 6

[admin]

Please, add your thoughts about the three-Test series to this thread. A frank exchange of views is welcome as long as those views aren't trite and designed to irritate - that they are backed up with reasoned argument and/or facts.

Schedule

Date                Match             Venue 
Thu 16-20 Dec       1st Test          Perth 
Sun 26-30 Dec       2nd Test          Melbourne 
Sun 2-6 Jan 2005    3rd Test          Sydney

[vvvrulz]

First test in Perth should be interesting. I remember the Indians getting rattled here last year, and losing almost every match since.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by vvvrulz

First test in Perth should be interesting. I remember the Indians getting rattled here last year, and losing almost every match since.

Curious choice at first glance: the one ground where the pace and bounce is truly outstanding.. and perhaps the one ground where Akhtar and Sami might actually prove a decent pairing. Then again.. it's the ultimate Shane-Warne ground
and is probably the favourite ground of McGrath and Gillespie..

I'd stil have started somewhere more favourable to swing bowling.. on the grounds that the Pakistan contingent is led by a new ball pairing that wouldn't know lateral movement if it hit them in the face.

[Zainub]

An excellent interview of Pakistan's coach Bob Woolmer on the BBC Website here

Originally Posted by Woolmer on how to beat Aus and Pakistan's chances

"It's not really rocket science what you've got to do. It's getting a side good enough to do it. We have to compete on a ball-by-ball basis. If we can win more balls than them - if we can get a wicket, or bowl a dot ball, not get hit for four, take a brilliant catch or, from a batting perspective, not throw our wicket away - then we've got a chance."

Originally Posted by Woolmer on Pakistan's strengths and weaknesses

"We don't have a four-pronged pace attack which I think is what you need to beat Australia at Perth, four not two. Our batting is a bit up and down at the moment, It's not 100% guaranteed that we're going to score 500, which is what you need to do if you're going to beat Australia. I have a team of "impact" players who need to learn to defend a bit more. We have to forget about reputations and play each ball. We just need to get in against their bowlers and then take them on."

This is what I essentially like so much about Woolmer, he never gives you the impression that he under rates his side but willing conceedes the areas it needs to improve in, unlike some of our previous coaches...who... I won't even mention what their habbits were. Woolmer seems to be hopefully optimistic about our chances, which is very nice to know, since I am too. If we give if our best shot we'll make a contest out of this.

Common Pakistan!
We can do it!

[Maranello]

Let's not all get carried away here! If Pakistan "make a contest of it", it will be excellent, but in reality, an honourable fighting defeat will be a great result...just as long we don't thrashed in all three Tests by massive margins and cave in without a fight! In that nightmare (but not improbable) scenario, its the young players' morale and Woolmer's medium term job security that I fear for the most! We have improved a lot under BW, things are looking positive, let's hope that a thrashing Down Under does not derail all that - hence, I am hoping for an honourable defeat.

[Zainub]

Sorry M, but I can't "hope" for defeat, not even when I try to, just can't. What I'm hoping for though is that we justify our abilities and the talent we have, and play well. If we do that, we'll have a chance. I just have that feeling. I know on paper it seems very difficult but if we play well enough we'll have a chance. I stand by that.

Big question here as always is IF(and that's a big if) we can play well enough...

[Maranello]

Feelings are useful, but not really relevant I am afraid

Not talking about you or anyone else on this forum, but in general I find it funny when supposedly intelligent observers beging talking about "gut instinct" - do these people use their guts for thinking?

PS: judging by some of their output, maybe they do.... But what do they digest their food with then?

[Zainub]

Not sure I agree completely, but I'm a great beliver in the "go by your instincts theory" ...I've paid for it a few times thouugh but over all results have been good Ok so I stand by it. In my exams when ever I come across a MCQ that I'm in two minds about, I go by my gut feeling, I think I wouldn't be exagerating if I'd say that in my personal experiences so far, more often than not I've got my MCQs right...I know certain captains that would ball first on what would apparently look like a perfectly flat track because of what their gut feeling is ...yes, they might end up being 300-2 at stumps but then you can always blame you bowlers...;-)

Long live Nasser Hussain ;-) !!!!!

[Maranello]

That's not instinct ZR, that is guessing based on the best available information, a rational method, and the most logical and efficacious approach in the situation you describe (exam MCQs).

However, rejecting reason and the available information, and giving precedence to instinct over logic is mindless and only demonstrates sheer ignorance. Glad you don't do that

[Realcharm]

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