Australia v Pakistan 1st Test - Perth

[Shaka]

Originally Posted by Rachael

If Pakistan can come away having at least made each Test go into a 4th day.. and having done passably in 2 sessions out of 3 on each full day of play... whether that be by restricting the Aussies or batting with resolve.. then I think they'll be able to come home with their heads held high and with something positive to build on.

Rachael, no one's under any illusuions that Australia are the over-whelming favourites but that can work in Pakistan's favour. We don't need to think about having to win or having to survive. My approach would be to play the combination best suited to the conditions and at Perth an aggressive bowling approach is IMO the best way to go.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Shaka

My approach would be to play the combination best suited to the conditions and at Perth an aggressive bowling approach is IMO the best way to go.

You'll get no argument from me on that front: if Woolmer had more than 2 batsmen who looked the part at this level then I'd recommend trying the NZ approach of stacking the batting and trying to make the team tough to beat.. but is that really credible?

NZ can put out Vettori (with a highest ever batting rating of 661, a Test century and 8 Test 50s to his name) at no 9 or 10: Pakistan can't even put someone with that sort of record out as an opener!

Woolmer needs to look for positives to take away from this tour.. and if he could even briefly get the Aussie batting line up under pressure that will be something positive to take away... but even on that front he's been skewered by injuries: had he been able to call on Umar Gul and Shabbir Ahmed as well as Akhtar, Kaneria and Razzaq then i think he could, indeed, have aspired to pressure the Aussies.

With those two absent? Still the best bet.

[Shaka]

That's right Rachael, we could pack our batting line up but we'd still probably get blown away on a track which will be the complete opposite to what Pakistani batsmen are used to. Unless the two rookie fast bowlers are complete wasters, in which case they shouldn't be there ahead of a reserve wk or Taufeeq Umar, then one of them should play. Three pace bowlers, plus Razzaq and Kaneria can put the pressure on the Aussies if they perform well.

The news I'm hearing is that Inzi is looking to bowl first so definitely going for the front foot approach.

[Maranello]

Shaka and Rachael I agree with your conclusions; just wondering though, which would be more demoralising at the end of Day 1...that Australia are 380 for 3... or that Pakistan were all out for 200 (65 overs) and Australia are 100 for 1.

I am not so sure that Woolmer would be able to exact many positives from either scenario.

[Zainub]

Before I make a comment, I'm a little confused still about who might play tomorrow, cricket info have included Malik in their probable team whearas a local news channel I listened to a shortwhile ago said we were going to hand Khalil his debut cap tomorrow...Personally I'm still undecided on who b/w Malik and Khalil should play, I hope however plays does the job expected of him.

Undecided on the toss as well, just finished reading Justin Langer's column at the BBC website, he's not taking anything for granted, and has given us enormous respect. Link here

[Maranello]

Maybe that's because he got out very cheaply against us in the warm-up games?

The team...hmmm...horses for courses dictates that we play:

Butt-Farhat-Younis-Inzamam-Youhana-Razzaq-Akmal(w/k)-Akhtar-Sami-Kaneria-Khalil

I am going for Khalil and Razzaq, and leaving out Malik, nothing against the latter, he is probably my favourite Pakistani cricketer of the current lot, but our bowling is very light if we don't play Khalil. Three seamers, plus Razzy and Kaneria is a good attack on paper.

Batting wise, we will be very light, in that we only bat till 6 and the tail starts at no.7, and Woolmer & Inzamam are so defensive (risk-averse?) that they will play Malik or Naved-ul-Hasan before they play a third seamer...

[Shaka]

Maranello, I'd probably play Yasir Hameed ahead of Farhat as the latter has not made any impact whatsoever in the warm up games. Yasir's natural confidence and aggression might be a better bet than a struggling Farhat, though neither has really made much of a case for themselves. I agree that Shoaib Malik probably least deserves to be left out but at the end of the day his off spin is not going to be utilised and it would be a big decision to play him ahead of a specialist batsman...even though he's done better than most of them recently! Still, this isn't the subcontinent so he's the one who should miss.

It's a case of saying we are going in with full amunition as far as bowling is concerned with Shoaib, Sami, Khalil and Kaneria as strike bowlers, six batsmen, with Razzaq as the allrounder. It's not really THAT light a batting order, just a case of going into a test match with an old fashioned line up of specialists!

[Zainub]

Looks like we will bowl first if we win the toss (news here)....

And some more bad news (here)....Aus might play Lee

ps: I'm off to sleep now otherwise I might miss the start of play tomorrow. Sweet dreams everyone!

Ta-ta

[Shaka]

Huh...Inzimam is saying we will go in with 4 specialist bowlers with the choice being between Mohammed Khalil and Naved Rana. If he goes with Rana that's not a specialist bowler, he's a bits and pieces player. That would be a kop-out and a waste of time IMO. If Khalil has anything about him he must play, Rana gets a bit of away swing with the new ball, after that he's just a medium pace trundler. With Razzaq in the side we are covered in that area already, the left arm quick would give some variety and with his height Khalil might get some lift off the wicket.

[Maranello]

Yes playing Rana Naved-ul-Hasan is a cop-out. If he is a better or equal bowling option to Khalil and Asif, then why the heck did these two lads make the trip?

On the other hand, playing Naved for his batting ability seems dangerous; I doubt if he will be worth more than 10/15 runs unless he is very lucky. Hence, we are playing him instead of Malik/Asim (genuine batsmen), and instead of Khalil (hopefully a genuine wicket taking option), and he is neither.

For some reason, Woolmer speaks very highly of Hasan's attitude, his enthusiasm both to training and working as part of the team. All that is very well, and should ensure that Hasan gets an extended run in the ODI side. He is essentially a bits and pieces player, and David Capels or Derek Pringles never win you Test matches!


PS: Even if we do play Naved ul Hasan, we will have 5 specialist batsmen, a decent batting all-rounder in Razzaq, and a bowler who can bat a bit (Naved ul Hasan). Hardly a strong batting line-up... might as well go for broke with five batsmen and Razzy.