Woolmer's reign earns precious time with magnificent win

[Shaka]

Woolmer's comments have been published since the match. So far the same critics who would no doubt have had the knives out if we had lost as expected are keeping remarkably silent:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/4389411.stm



Pakistan future bright - Woolmer


"People said this was the weakest Pakistan team ever to tour abroad - I'm happy the boys proved them wrong"
-Bob Woolmer

Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer believes the win over India in the Bangalore Test could be a springboard for future success by the team.

Their 168-run victory enabled Pakistan to share the three-match series 1-1.

"I am convinced the team will come of age on this tour. Bangalore has provided the spark and we must cash in on it.

"This was our eighth Test since I took over and for the first time, we played to our true potential," said Woolmer.

"We played some serious cricket. We saved the first Test through hard work and could have won [the second] at Calcutta had we not lost our way on the third day.

"Beating a team like India is a great achievement and everyone contributed, from number one to 11."

Woolmer said pre-match claims that it was the weakest Pakistan team ever to tour India had spurred the players on, and he also praised the performances of skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and vice-captain Younis Khan in Bangalore.

"Inzamam has been batting at his peak. He is also leading from the front and that has inspired the team. Younis Khan proved everyone wrong by hitting 267 and 84 not out," he commented.



The result prompted scenes of celebration back home in Pakistan and national president Parvez Musharraf sent the team a message, congratulating them on their "magnificent all-round effort".

Former captain Imran Khan, who led Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup final, described it as a "great win".

He added: "It is always difficult to come back in a series from one down and all credit goes to Inzamam for leading from the front in his 100th Test match." Pakistan now hope to carry the confidence gained from the victory into the six-match limited overs series which concludes the tour. They have won their last four one-day matches against India, most recently a six-wicket success in Calcutta last November.

[Zainub]

Those who claim this win is being over rated, I'm sorry to say, don't know what they are talking about. Hanif Mohammad, arguably the greatest batsman Pakistan have produced termed this win as the start of a new era in the history of Pakistan cricket. And those who claim Woolmer has no part to play in it, also I'm afriad, don't have a clue of what they are talking about. Bob remains one of the biggest fans of Younis, and I'm sure his retaining in the side after a horrible first test must have come after a level of persuation from him. And it turned out to be a series leveling decesion in the end as he went on to make in excess of 500 runs from there own in after making just 1 and 0 at Mohali. Our players will be the first to tell you how big a part Woolmer has to play in our win. People need to keep their prejudices aside and see things as they are, and not as they want to see them. Yasir Hameed, Imran Farhat, Salman Butt, Taufeeq Umar (and anyone you can name) have to share as much blame for their on-again-off-again test careers as do the selectors. Please spare me of this Woolmer bashing. I'm sick and tired of it.

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Zainub Razvi

Hanif Mohammad, arguably the greatest batsman Pakistan have produced.

ZR, agree with everything you say except this bit. Miandad is inarguably the greatest batsmen Pakistan has produced, I have no qualms in saying that. Yes, I have my problems with Miandad the captain, and Miandad the coach, and certainly cannot stand Miandad the pundit, but credit must be given where its due. Haneef was the lynch-pin of our batting in the early period, and had a few memorable Test knocks, but also quite a few mediocre ones over his career. Miandad on the other hand sustained brilliance over many, many years, and infact got better and better.

For the record, the top-ten best ever Pakistan batsmen, in order, are: Miandad, Haneef Muhammad, Zaheer Abbas, Majid Khan, Asif Iqbal, Salim Malik, Saeed Anwar, Imran Khan, Shoaib Muhammad and Mohsin Hasan Khan. This excludes players currently playing; of course, the key question is around Inzi. How high will he have risen by the time he retires? Hopefully the retirement is a long way off, and by then, hopefully he will have done enough to be our greatest ever batsman; at the moment, I would put him at no.3, above Zaheer but below the top two.

[Shaka]

I was waiting for Asif Iqbal's column in The Jang (News International) and as always he is the voice of reason in Pakistan, saying exactly the right things with all his usual insight and objectivity. A great read, the full article is here http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/mar20...sports/s10.htm

Bangalore: A win that means much for Pak cricket

From Asif Iqbal

Former Pakistan and Kent cricket captain

LONDON: If Inzamam-ul-Haq had written the script for his 100th Test himself, he could hardly have done better. He got a big hundred, Pakistan won and the captain handled the team with flair and imagination and gusto, sealing his place as Pakistan’s captain till he retires from the game.

No one had given this young and inexperienced Pakistan side even an outside chance of winning a Test in India - myself included, and I have never been happier to have been proved wrong. It was an outstanding exhibition of guts, courage, commitment and teamwork and full credit goes to both the players and the management, which includes primarily the captain and the coach.

They come in for a huge amount of flack when things do not go right and it would be niggardly not to give them full praise when things go so swimmingly right. (Are you reading this Nauman?? )To have achieved this series-levelling victory on Indian soil in the absence of Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed and Umar Gul was no mean feat, particularly after the crushing defeat at Kolkata. The Pakistan captain claimed that the win showed the character of his team and he had a huge point there.

[Zainub]

I respect your admiration of Asif Iqbal Shaka. I make it a point my self too, to go and read his columns on line. But I nevertheless disagree with him on the issue of Inzi being banned for our next test.

We can forever argue if the ICC's rules are too strict or not, but the fact remains that as long as they are in place you should be sensible enough to abide by them and not land your selves in trouble, especially not when you have already been warned not to do so. Chris Board said he went to speak to Woolmer during the lunch break on the final day and conveyed to him clearly of his concerns about excessive appealing and showing dissent at umpires' decesions. Inzi should have been more carefull.

It is unlikely I think given Board's remarks that this appeal we have made will be of any use. We are appealing more in hope than in anticipation. Although I'm disapointed b/c it means we will be without our best batsman (inarguably, happy now M ?) but I do think all the same that the ban is justified. Inzi after all has been lucky in the recent past to get away with just fines. Our over rates in Australia were deplorable. And Inzi got away with just fines then. But this time Chris Board probably has had enough. And I think Inzi probably realises that him self too.

[Shaka]

Well let me just say I am glad that Inzimam showed some passion on the day. The stupid dope has gone un-punished for far too long IMO playing by the rules. I hope everyone gets jumped on as soon as they step out of line in future, no matter what their reputation or internatinal background. I look forward to these laws being implemented acros the board and in all situations everywhere and anywhere. After all, if docile Inzi can be brought to book, no one should be exempt.

[Maranello]

I wouldn't hold your breath Shaka. If the rulebook was implemented fairly and justly across the board, most of the Australian XI would be permanently suspended or banned. That is why there is often one rule for them, and a different one for their opponents.

Also, countries like India and England would certainly not take kindly to any sanctions from match referees or umpires; remember the undignified fuss created by the likes of Vaughan and Ganguly? One could only hope, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

I personally am satisfied with the sanction imposed on Inzamam. The rules are there for a reason; these are good rules, and both teams agree to them before playing; they will only be relevant if they are uniformly and fairly enforced. There can be no favouritism, and as such I don't see a problem with his sentence, it's a small price to pay for a big win. But the rules are rules, and must be applied, no one is above the law!

I am not blaming Inzamam, it is a first offence and I am sure he meant well, but it's the "law". Anyway, compared to the joy and euphoria of this win, some tiny fine, and a suspension, is meaningless. Yes it will be tough to be without someone who is inarguably our best batsman (that one's for ZR) for the first Test against WI, but on the bright side, this will allow YK to develop into the role in a non-pressure environment, and will also give someone like Shoaib Malik a run in the middle-order. Hence, not all bad.

[Occasional Fan]

Originally Posted by Maranello

Remember the undignified fuss created by the likes of Vaughan ...?

You just reminded me of that episode, Maranello. Any idea what the eventual outcome was? It seemed just to fizzle out of the news at the end of the series (or perhaps I took my eye off the ball).

[Zainub]

As far as I'm remembering it was in the middle of the series, and he got fined 100% of his match fee after he criticised umpires for going off for bad light when a/c to him they had the best light in the day.

[Occasional Fan]

That's certainly correct, Zainub, but wasn't there talk of an appeal? I'll have a look into the records in a moment and post whatever I find.

Hmm! What I find is that there was also some debate over Clive Lloyd's comments to the media about Vaughan (I remember it now!), and there were calls from the Professional Cricketers' Association for review of Lloyd's conduct. That was at the end of January. Since then, a search on the BBC reveals nothing. ICC and Cricinfo are not searchable for disciplinary matters, as far as I can see. Maybe it did all just fizzle out in the end - and quite right too in my opinion! Vaughan was caught bang to rights, and the best for everyone is probably for him to pay up and then shut up.