1st ODI: West Indies v Pakistan - St Vincent

[Captain]

I believe we have had this disscusion but again, yesterday we saw that PAK really don't need the services of Akhtar anymore to win, the young bowlers, Rana(in spirit) and Shabbir and Gul are stepping up and Anjum is blossoming, so there is no need for Shoaib, obviously he brings in the element of pace but if you look at all the bowlers in the world that teams depend on they don't nessasarily bowl at 100mph alot, e.x. Gough, McGrath, and for PAK the W&W combination used brains instead of sheer pace, to be sucessful. Although if Shoaib learns reverse swing like Waqar Younis then with his pace he will be unplayable.

Also he has the ability to draw attentionto himself as an individual, rather than the team, and thats harmful to any team that is still in rebuilding stage,e.x. here in the USfootball there is a team called the vikings, they had a young player taht played for them yet he drew attention to himself alot rather then the team, and he has unbelievable talent, he can run the show all himself as long as you get the ball to him and you will win, however, he has a big mouth that really brings the team down, last season he walked off the field with 2 secons left in the game, that hurt his team because with his talent they still could have one, and now they realised him and the problem is fixed.

[Zainub]

Originally Posted by Pakindya Fan

I just can't see why shoaib akhtar wasn't picked. I think the selectors have to start realising that even though pakistan can win without he brings an extra dimention to heir bowling atack

I think our selectors do realise that - but they just weren't convinced with regards his fitness - frankly I wasn't either (it's just not merely about his weight, he just didn't look, to me, like he was match fit). Bring me a fit Shoaib who can give me 20 overs in a day, for five days, and five tests, ...Boy I'll so take that Shoaib.

Originally Posted by Ninjaman

I'm not saying that counseling is bad at all, just bringing it in to rectify faults that should not be there in the first place in players selected for international cricket, shows the weakness of our set up.

Well then in principle we're in agreement, we might differ over how talented Gayle, Sarwan and Hinds are there's no arguing that on-their day they can be good enough. I don't believe though that 'techinical defficencies' as they're called is what seperates them from doing it just on their day and not more consistently. As Rachael always says there have been many, many player with not enough natural talent or ability, and even flaws in their technique (read Steve Waugh's weakness against short pitch bowling) - but given you're mentally strong you can learn, or rather enable to get the best of what you have - be it limited. Of coarse, sports psychology will be no magic wand - I don't see any remedy playing that kind of role - but it definately think of it as one of the measures needed to be taken.

Improving the first class cricket structure though, I would tend to agree, would help West Indies cricket in the long run more than any other remedy we can think of. I wonder if it would have been a better idea to make Bennet King head coach of the West Indies Youth Academey (do they have one?) instead of the senior side....

[rineet]

Shoaib Akthar should have been included in the sqaud. I saw a report on TV that Akthar is working out for 4 hours in the gym daily. That means he is surely match fit. Also, Shoaib Akthar says that he wants to play for Pakistan till 2013. Now,thats a joke isn`t it? I cant see him play till he is 38. No fast bowler who bowls at his pace can play for that long. Why does Akthar make such statements? Merely to get the attention of the selectors?

[Captain]

I believe so.

[Zainub]

Why does Akthar make such statements?Merely to get the attention of the selectors?

Not only of the selectors, but just people in general - he loves attention, and would go to most lengths to get a share or all of it. I don't know why the media has to fall for it though every single time. If we learned to ignore what he says (and not make every thing he says back page mega news) he'll eventually shut up some day.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

Surprised not to find a match thread open already, but here it is. Your comments here, please.

OF there was a match thread http://world-a-team.com/showthread.php?t=3066 it was sticky at the top of the page like it should be.

[Occasional Fan]

That was a series thread, Ern, as I understood it. I think we have normally had one thread per game, haven't we? Or perhaps that was only for tests. Anyway, not to worry, eh?

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

That was a series thread, Ern, as I understood it. I think we have normally had one thread per game, haven't we? Or perhaps that was only for tests. Anyway, not to worry, eh?

Well OF,
I was under the impression that a thread had to be started for the series, like it was in the old SSS forum, but we used to start threads in the national forums.
No harm done-no probs.