Ponting is clueless: Shoaib

[Zainub]

Obvious here to me that Woolmer is more than just dissapointed with his comitment. As he should be rightly. I hope he gives him a real kick in the a** and tells him to get his act together fitness wise. It would be nicer though if he could go and talk to Shoaib about this whole be a triathelete or shorten your run thing privately.

I also agree VVV Rulz that Shoaib is a better bowler now than he has been ever before, has matured, still is maturing, and still needs to mature further. Just like a lot of other players he is a test class bowler, needs to work on a few more things to be a world class one.

[Maranello]

Couldn't agree with you more, if Woolmer is publicly expressing his disappointment, I would hope privately he is giving Shoaib the full hair dryer treatment. If he doesn't have one, he could borrow one from a certain OAP in South Manchester

Shoaib really needs to work on his fitness. I think his commitment is not bad, but when his fitness lets him down, he loses motivation. When was the last time he actually went through a three or even a two Test series without breaking down mid-way?

Maybe Shoaib is too old at suddenly become a fitness freak, but hopefully Woolmer will ensure that all the younger players do not develop into such "physical wrecks".

[Beny]

I'd say he dropped off after the 1st test...

There is no reason that Shoaib cant shorten his runs up... If he wan'ts to that is. It takes some work but there is no reason he can't do it.
I think Shoibs very good at telling the media what they want to hear and giving himself the image that he wan'ts to present. He talks up his commitment and loyalty but unfortunetly his actions dont really match his words at the momment.

[Zainub]

You are right about the run up thing. Allan Donald talked about it briefly during comentary in the Eng SA game. He said at first he too was reluctant to shorten it up because he feared it would mean sacrificing a lot of pace, but he said it didn't happen like that and he actually felt a lot more steady at the time of delivery when he started bowling with new shortened run up...it does take some time though, even AD said that you have to work over it in the nets for a while to get used to it.

One is compelled to think that with Shoaib's physique he could bowl at decent pace from even 20 meters if enough effort was applied, Shoaib has gone public saying he no longer craves for just pace so pace should not be the issue here; just a matter of adjusting to it, and finding your ryhym bowling with it, that's it - and most good fast bowlers history has shown have done the same as their career progress so they must have been mad...

all this will really make people start questioning again if he's refusing to shorten his run up only because it might change the image of him that he's carved out with such hard work as calling Punter clueless and making Haydos his bunny...

[Shaka]

Shoaib himself has said that he has a fragile body yet he doesn't want to even contemplate shortening his run up. It's a case of vanity IMO. Shoaib blows hot and cold and he needs everything to be just right to perform. When he was knocking over NZ for around 100 last year you couldn't get the ball out of his hand. Didn't see any signs of tiredness in that spell.

[Mike_Hock]

He deffinatly has a great talent although sometimes I feel its wasted on him. If someone like Hoggard or Ntini had as much talent as Shoaib they would make formidable bowlers because they put so much effort and dedication in.

Perhaps when you have as much talent as Shoaib it can go to your head and you lose the will to improve.

[vvvrulz]

Agreed.

Speaking of the New Zealand thing, I get the feeling that if Shoaib goes wicketless for a while, he does indeed suddenly have hamstring worries, he doesn't seem to bowl long spells without taking wickets.

[Shaka]

Hit the nail on the head there Mike. But then that's what seperates the greats from the maybe's.

[Maranello]

Yep exactly right Shaka - Imran Khan was more talented than Shoaib will ever dream to be, but worked much harder on his fitness and his game from a much younger age. Shoaib due to his poor fitness is probably only good for another 1 or 2 years, he is quite old anyway at 29, without the fitness, and with his lengthy run-ups, he is not going to be around for long as a fast bowler. And once his pace goes, there is not much else left.

[redback]

there was a picture in a melbourne newspaper after the third test it was the presentation of trophys ect ect all the pakistan players were standing there clapping and watching while shoaib was sitting on his backside looking very disintrested no a good role model for they younger players at all