Pakistan vs India 2nd test Kolkata 16-20 march

[workkey]

my team for this match
yasir
taufeeq
younis
youhana
inzi
abdur razaq
kamran
sami
khalil
arshad
kaneria

[Zainub]

Hey, you beat me to start a thread for the series, I was in the process of rechecking my preview, was giving it a spell-gram check

Anyway, I think you've picked a very good side, one very close to the one I would have picked, I'd probably stick with Taufeeq Umar for the opening slot though

I'm expecting Younis Khan to perform, will not look nice if we have to drop our vice captain (he had a shocker in Mohali where he almost bagged a pair and also dropped a few catches) if he does any of that buisness again I'd not be very happy, and that vice captaincy of his will not prevent me from considering dropping him , what was most disapointing about his performance (more then the actual performance on paper) was the attitude he seem to have (laughing and smiling away rather casually ironically even after miss fielding and dropping catches) I hope he is not taking his role in the side for granted, if he is then he is in need of some serious pep talk from Inzi and Woolmer

Mohammad Sami also needs to diliver, those no balls must come to an end, and forget the bad luck and dropped catches, some how he needs to find a way to get wickets, otherwise things might start looking bleak for him ahead

Finally our fielding MUST improve, we haven't got the best bowling attack in the world, far from it, we won't get opportunities to dismiss some of the best batting talents of the world every other over, so when the chances do arrive we must accept them, the task of taking 20 wickets with such an inexperienced bowling attack is difficult as it is, and dropped catches do not make it easy. WE MUST IMPROVE (Can't stress on that enough)

[workkey]

sami is horrible with his no balls stuff and still seems not serius in overcoming this problem of his

[Nikhil]

India 126/1 at lunch. Both Dravid and Sehwag look set. The run rate slowed a bit with Dravid's arrival, though it's just a comparison. It's still a very healthy 4.3 RPO.

The best part of this session is that Pakistan actually bolwed 30 overs in a session. It is a surprise to see any team bowling 30 overs per session, even when the spinners are working. Well done Pakistan in this regard.

[Zainub]

You're right, good over rate from us in this session, probably down to the following factors
1) No Shoaib in the team
2) Two spinners, Afridi and Kaneria bowling in tandem towards the end of the session
3) Afridi virtually storms through his overs

Any in case, I sense the same old early headaches for Pakistan, Sehwag is off to his customary blazing start and India have got another very good platform to work on. As I'm writing India have resumed after lunch and we've broght back Mohammad Khalil into the attack. Khalil replaced the injuired Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who had problems with his shoulder. Sehwag's just dispatched the first ball after the lunch for a four, and its been very predictable up till now I'm afraid.

I have something to say about the pitch. After all the speculation about the pitch having grass it's turned out to be in the end the same old slow low flat & dead as dodo type. That's why I don't ever pay attention to any of that pre match speculation on playing conditions, it nothing but speculation, rarely ever comes true.

Another thing that I've noticed today is that India's batsmen, particularly Sehwag, have approached Kaneria slightly differently it seems to me. I think they are trying to unsentle him right from the start, and take the attack to him, which is a different to the "caution first" approach they went for in Mohali. Kaneria's a smart bowler though, I'd expect him to do the job for us still. Although admittedly this run rate (easily over 4 an over) is scaring the creaps out of me!!!!

Interesting that we've picked Shahid Afridi, despite all the support for his recall, and also my personal liking of him (not only as a cricketer, but also an honest human being) I've got to say I think I would have rather opted for an offspinner like Arshad Khan instead. He'd be more of serious threat with the ball (I don't think the Indians are taking Afridi very seriously, not at least from what I've seen so far). I'd happily take my words back though if Afridi performs

And lastly congratulations to Steve Bucknor on playing his 100th test, he's had a brilliant test so far (got the Ghambir decesion spot on and also spotted a very thin inside edge on the only other serious LBW appeal we made in the first session, that against Rahul Dravid off the bowling of (who else but) Kaneria. Good to see his wife down here to support him.

[Nikhil]

Afridi has got *two* official warnings for running on the pitch so far. He is one bowler Inzamam would want to have. He has to be careful now.

Sehwag is in the 80's now and looking a bit twichy. He has to get a lot of strike else he will get himself out.

I did not notice this, Sachin needs only 27 runs to reach the 10000 runs milestone. Not a bad venue to get to such an important milestone, if he gets it in this match.

[Zainub]

And Sehwag has got him self out! Just as you said Nikhil Sehwag was looking to loft it over long off, miscued it completely, the ball went high up over the covers, Inzy ran back and took a very well judged catch, end of his innings (and what a massive relief too) at 81 (I'm almost sick of the sight of seeing him bat, and bat, and bat, and bat and bat...)

Now Nikhil please also say India will get bowled out for less then 200

[Nikhil]

I guess it's the opposite. I think Dravid and/or Sachin are going to score century (each). But you never know. The pitch being such a batting beauty, Sehwag must be kicking himself. There was a century in the offings.

[Zainub]

Sachin looking a bit circumspect, 15 balls faced already and he's still not off the mark, long way to go before he can score a century at this stage. In fact a couple of quick wickets here and we'd be right on top

ps: one really can't stress enough on the importance of getting Sehwag's wicket, he has such a huge impact on the scoring rate, since he's been out (at an almost perfect time for Pakistan, shortly after lunch) India have managed to score only 11 runs in 6 overs at 1.83

[Zainub]

After 20 balls faced Sachin got off the mark with a splendid cover drive off Afridi

Meanwhile on the other end Inzi's brought back Sami into the attack, and as per usual the first ball of a spell from one of faster men is pushed away for a four

Rahul Dravid has now also passed his fifty and looks very dangerous indeed, his fifty came off 99 balls and included as many as 8 fours.

Although things have somewhat slowed down since lunch at the first drinks break of this session India are still on top, 178-2 and scoring at 3.8 an over