Shoaib's Fitness/Desire

[Shaka]

Shoaib needed to bowl more overs: Alderman

FORMER swing bowler Terry Alderman said Pakistan were unable to deliver the knockout blow at the WACA yesterday because they were unable to get more overs out of speedster Shoaib Akhtar.

The Pakistanis had their foot on Australia's throat at 5-78, but a century partnership between Adam Gilchrist and Justin Langer in the session between lunch and tea steadied the world champions.

Alderman said the tourists needed Shoaib to stand up and break the sixth-wicket partnership. As Gilchrist and Langer threatened to take the game away from Pakistan, Alderman said it was ludicrous that Shoaib's spell after tea lasted just three overs.

"It is a joke," former Test bowler Alderman said.

"He has got three wickets, he has bowled only 13 overs and they desperately need a breakthrough and he bowled a three-over spell when they needed someone.

"Would Dennis Lillee have done that? Would Wasim Akram have come off the bowling crease? I don't think so.

"Thirteen overs to this stage, and having Australia five wickets down - the next batter is Shane Warne, for goodness sake. If they had been able to eke another wicket out before tea, it would have made all the difference."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Interesting comments from Terry Alderman. I thought Shoaib looked too bulky today, I know Woolmer was stressing on Shoaib's fitness before the tour started. I don't know if it was Langer who commented that Shoaib gets tired and to be honest, although he took 4 wickets he does look like he's losing interest by the end of the day. I think that Shoaib might have been held back after tea waiting for the new ball. If anything, maybe he should have bowled more after lunch when the really damaging partnership between Langer and Gilchrist was going.

There is an air of Shoaib bowling for himself rather than when his team needs him.

[Maranello]

I don't necessarily disagree Shaka, but he did bowl 20 overs in the day and was our second most used bowler after Sami. Not bad for a bloke who runs in seemingly half a mile for each delivery, and in actual fact takes seven minutes per over. He bowled more overs than any of Khalil, Razzy or Kaneria. I think for a fast bowler to bowl 20 out of 86 overs in a day is pretty good, and not what Shoaib is used to in the past.

Yes he did look bulky, but to be fair, he did bowl more than his share. From the current good fast bowlers, only a workhorse or water carrier like Shaun Pollock would consistently bowl more than 20 overs in a day.

Woolmer did say that Shoaib's attitude to training and fitness had improved significantly since his heart to heart with Imran during the Calcutta ODI (we all saw it on TV). So let's take BW at his word.

[Shaka]

I know what you mean Maranello, I was making observations about Shoaib in general that he does tire come the day's end, I don't have any complaints about his efforts today. I don't know if it's just his demeanour but he often looks bushed after a few overs. Imran Khan used to have a long run up as well but he used to manage 6-7 over spells without too many problems. I think what Alderman was saying has a slight ring of truth though. If your Imran's or Waqar's smelled blood they would go the extra mile and you'd have to grab the ball off them if you were captain. With Shoaib, when he decides he's had enough, that's it, the adrenaline doesn't seem to make any difference when he runs out of steam. Just makes me wonder if he's as fit as he could be?

[Aussie-Youhana-fan]

Sometimes Shoaib's body language can be a bit deceiving. I agree that he could LOOK a little fitter, but early in the innings he was giving it his all. He, as much as anyone would be well aware of the importance of early wickets. I don't know whether he thinks he can bowl about 80% to the lesser like batsman, and give 150% to the top order.

No doubt he is THE most important cog on this tour. When his body language is good and his charisma shines thru, then a light shines thru Pakistan. The energy levels are there. When things are down with Shoaib and the team, it is very obvious how the heads drop and the lethargy sets in.

It is VERY important that Shoaib is managed well. This will be a long hard tour......

[Zainub]

Would be utopia Shaka, wouldn’t it, if the fastest bowler in the world, which incidentally also happens to be in terms of his physical stature the weirdest bowler of the world could bowl 20-25 overs a day, that too in spells of 6-7 overs each time, and take wickets too?Lets be fair on the man, Shoaib’s body is not ideal for the type of bowling he does, and Waqar Younus talked about from his commentary position on Day 1. He’s not got a normal body, big, board shoulders, and unusual muscles, which put his body under much more stress and pressure as apposed to someone like Imran Khan whose example you sight. It is therefore completely logical, and scientifically understandable that he gets wired out significantly earlier than most of the other bowlers we see or have seen.

As a captain, you can always be tempted to over bowl him, but I’ll always take the safer option and listen to him when he say’s he’s had enough rather than risk him to further injuries by bowling him in longish spells. There is no doubt I would as a Pakistani supporter loved to see him bowl longer spells, but I’d love it even more to see him have a longer career. 3 more years of 7-10 overs spells as opposed to 6 more years of 5-6 over spell…I’ll take the later any day had I the option to choose. Using Shoaib in short burst as an inevitable tactic we have to use in the circumstances, and one that I believe is logical choice in the long term. I would suggest henceforth that in this case Terry Alderman’s criticism of his desire to succeed, or concerns about commitment are rather harsh. Shoaib bowled his heart out today and yesterday. For once, I’m not going to complain.

[Maranello]

Day 3, first session: Waqar in the commentary box thinks that Shoaib on this tour is the most pumped and enthused he has been for a long, long while.

[Shaka]

So here we are again. Eerie really isn't it how events keep repeating themselves

Does anyone else here think maybe Shoaib doesn't deserve a central contract? I hear he has signed it now but a contract seems useless if a player isn't prepared to adapt to the team's needs. Shoaib's stubborn refusal to cut down his run up marks him out as a maverick to me and I'm not sure that players who go their own way should be getting paid to thumb their noses at their employers!

[Maranello]

I thought Shoaib's contract was not signed before leaving for Aus, he was the only one who did not sign it as he was awaiting legal guidance. I never heard of the PCB and Akhtar legal teams flying out to Australia to negotiate the contract, so I assume its still awaiting signature?

Quite foruitous really!

[Shaka]

I'm sure i read somewhere just today that Shoaib has signed the contract last few days. Will check up and get back to you.

[Shaka]

http://www.expressindia.com/cricket/...ntent_id=40443

Pak cricketer Shoaib signs contract with PCB
Press Trust of India

Islamabad, January 6: Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has signed the central contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board after it revised some clauses in view of his prior commitments.


Shoaib had refused to sign the contract, even though 14 of his teammates had accepted it before the Australia tour, leading to a lot of speculation.


PCB Director Abbas Zaidi confirmed that the Board had revised some clauses in Shoaib's contract because of his prior commitments.

"Shoaib has commitments with a number of sponsors and is also playing county cricket next year. He was a bit uncomfortable with some particular clauses which have now been revised to the satisfaction of the Board and his lawyers," Zaidi was quoted as saying in The News today.

Shoaib had objected to some clauses which stated that a player would have to seek clearance from the Board before endorsing any product and was also bound to endorse the products of sponsors who who had a tie-up with the International Cricket Council.

Shoaib, who is struggling at present with a hamstring injury, signed his contract and sent it through his lawyer to the Board. "It was never an issue with us because he just wanted some time to go through the contract properly since he has several individual endorsement and sponsorship contracts," Zaidi added.