Pakistan V WI iccct

[Zainub]

Godneess me! Its exactly the opposite here OF. There is no point in looking at the forecast, it stays the same everday, bright sunny and hot. Average temprature through out the summer remains above 35 degress C. And even if it doesn't it still feel very hot. You sweat like mad.

I'm hoping though that the weather stays alright on Saturday. Fingers crossed.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

I read on the BBC's site that Brian Lara took a fast one on the jaw (cricinfo said the back of his head under the helmet). Either way, it sounds painful and dangerous. Any word at all on his condition? Will he be able to turn out on Saturday?

I was listening to TMS, and they said Lara was hit on the back of his head,hard luck Pakistan, but well done West indies.

[Nikhil]

For a long time, I did not care to see who had won the toss, since I was so confident it was Lara. But I was shoked when I read on the beeb that it was Inzi. What a stupid decision. Goodness me. Anyways, hardluck Pakistan.

WI did their job well. Now the final, won't predict anything. I just hope it's a good game after all. There have hardly been any tight matches in the entire tournament, a one-sided final will be an apt finish may be .

[Zainub]

Nikhil I just read you are a liverpool fan. Thanks for giving our season a kick start!!!

[Ernest]

Yes Nikhil considering the conditions it was a silly decission to bat first, I wonder why.I am looking forward to the final, I too hope it is not one sided, I hope to listen to a lot of overs on TMS.

[Nikhil]

Zainub, yes. I'm Pool fan. I would have said "you are welcome", but you are clearly not . It was one of those off days (I hope). We have a good team and a superb manager. Things are still settling down. We will do a good job in Europe for sure.

Yeah Ernest, a good match is what needed now. Hope the weather stays fine on Saturday, since that's the single most decisive factor now.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Nikhil

For a long time, I did not care to see who had won the toss, since I was so confident it was Lara. But I was shoked when I read on the beeb that it was Inzi. What a stupid decision.

I'm sure the decision came from the new coach.. and that it was far, far from stupid: the plan didn't quite work out.. but I can't help thinking that the failure of the plan was more down to poor execution than to bad planning.

Sure, the wicket was going to be difficult for the first 10-15 overs (hour or so)... but the general consensus was that the pitch would then be at it's best.. and that it would actually get progressively more difficult (becoming very, very hard work in the second innings).

Add in the fact that the major Pakistan's strength is in the batting, that their record is stronger when batting first, and the suspicion that the WI bats are prone to panic when chasing a big total.. and I don't think you can criticise the decision THAT much - I'd save citicism for the execution.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Rachael

and I don't think you can criticise the decision THAT much .

I can guarante that every Cricket writer, in every paper will say that it was the wrong decision....It may have been based on some good thinking, and ultimatly the Batters failed to do a good job, but it was the wrong decision, even if they hadn't batted like Bangladesh on a bad day...

No side in the entire tournament has batted first when they have won the toss. In the big matches (i.e. the ones that were not horrendously one-sided) only England won when batting first - what does that say to you? It should have said win the toss and bowl, it gives you the best chance of winning...

[R W S]

It was a poor decision but not all the blame should be placed at Inzi's door. Surely Bob Woolmer is also culpable?

[Rachael]

I don't know how important the various factors were in the making of the decision.. but quite aside from the fact that the pitch was expected to be a difficult one for the 2nd innings.. Pakistan have to contend with a self-perception of themselves as a team that gains little or no advantage from conditions encouraging swing (witness the furore when pitches to favour swing bowling were prepared for the Pak-Ind Tests earlier in the year).

My suspicion is that the current Pakistan team would rate themselves as a bating unit AGAINST swing rather better than they would rate themselves as a bowling unit taking advantage OF swing.. and that the pressure of being expected to do huge damage in the first hour of play with the ball would have been deeply unattractive.

The flip side of that would be a conviction that the WI bowling attack would also lack the weaponry to take advantage of the early morning conditions... leaving the WI unduly despondent from an early stage.

The other factor that leaps out at me is the discipline of the bowlers and the focus in the field: I've long felt that all the subcontinental teams benefit from batting first because knowing what total they are defending (and seeing it disappearing) concentrates bowlers and fielders on the job in hand (leading to greater discipline).. kinda-like knowing what total is needed concentrates the minds of the English batsmen (and leads to more calculated risk-taking).

All in all.. even with hindsight.. I suspect it should go down as a defendable decision.. and perhaps one that the coach would back again in the same situation: you cannot base your decisions on the assumpton that a very, very good ODI batting line up that is used to turning up and destroying al comers, is just going to go AWOL!