Who should replace Afridi?

[Zainub]

Fair point Workey. I can't argue with that, I'll stick my neck out and admit I was saying the same thing about him a fornight ago, but I've got one last glimer of hope left. I'm doing this out of gut feeing, although he doesn't deserve this with his hair, but just one last chance.

[workkey]

oops u spelled me wrong ...

i have been his supporter too since he played his first match and took 11 wickets there but i dont know what has happened to him now ....he is just trying to bowl fast rather then trying to get some movement in the air or of the pitch

[Zainub]

Sami is one of those bowler that needs assistance from the pitch to get movement, unlike Shoaib or Rana even he does not hit the deck hard , and is a skiddy kind of bowler.

Another criticism he faces is that he doesn't seem to have any plan when he's bowling. Manjerakar say its like "he just takes a ball in his hand, runs up and bowls". That's a valid point. Because I have never quite figured out what his standard stalk delivery is, he seems to be trying too many things at the same time.

ps: Sorry about missing the extra K in your name, you see my spelling is total trash sometimes, but I shall try and not make that mistake again from now on, given you've shown your liking to join the rest of the pedant club on WAT.

[Rachael]

I guess the one remaining no 6 bat available to Woolmer would be Shoaib Malik.... but if he moves to 6.. who opens? I'm not sure what I'd do... but probably swap Sami out and bring in Mushtaq instead... move Shoaib to 6 and restore whichever of the other opening bat candidates is showing the best form domestically.

[Mongoose]

I don't know the fringe players well enough to say who shold get the nod - Razzaq would probably be the choice if fit. I think Raza shouldn't be picked. He just didn't look like a quality batsman in Multan. Another leggie in Mushy? I don't think it will fill a hole in the team. Pakistan look to be moving forward these days, and I think Mushy's test days may be behind him.

[Zainub]

Alas no openers are showing any promising form domestically, I suppose you could convert Asim into an opener if you don't want to see Malik open, Asim does have a very decent technique and his temprement makes him ideal to bat at any position from 1 to 6 in the order. Although he's never opened before in his life.

Realistically speaking Rach, this is unlikely to happen, given Shoaib Malik and Butt have put on 3 50+ opening stands in four innings, and this doesn't happen every day in Pakistan. Bobby and Inzi will look to stick with these two, and hope that Malik can overcome his weeknesses outside off, and concentration lapses when he in his late 20s. Malik's also come out in the press saying he feels like he's in good form, just a matter of occupying the crease for long enough to get a big score.

Got my hand on Inzi's column in a local paper though, he said who replaces Afridi will depend on the pitch. He mentioned Arshad Khan could be in for a chance if the surface looks conducive to spin bowling, and didn't mention Mushy. I guess it's not surprising why so many people English members here want to see him play, but he's 35+ and not getting any younger, I'm certain his career is finished. He might be getting loads of wickets in England, but conditions here, as the first 2 tests have shown, are totally different, and when he was given a chance to prove him self, in the warm up games, he was overwhelmingly poor. There is also a lot of speculation about Asif, I might be wrong in my initial judgement that the coach and captain are happy with Sami, might not turn out to be that way. He's being talked up by the media. Let's see what happens. I'll still go by gut feeling and stick with Sami though.

Haven't decided yet between Asim and Hasan. Probably will do on the eve of the test match.

[Rachael]

Zainub - what's the news on Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed and Taufeeq Umar? Surely at least ONE of them ought to be in contention....

[Zainub]

See this Rachael. Not very encouraging, although the season is still underway (although to disapoint you again only one match, being the final is left which is scheduled for 27th of November).

Name/Team Matches Innings Not Outs Runs High Score Average 100s 50s Catches

Yasir Hameed
(Psr)4 7 0 264 174 37.71 1 0 4

Imran Farhat (LhrShal)2 4 0 189 107 47.25 1 1 1

Imran Nazir
(Skt)5 9 125 297* 31.50 0 2 6

Mohammad Hafeez (Fsd)3 6 0 151 48 25.16 0 0 1

Taufeeq Umar
(LhrRavi) 2 3 0 31 24 10.33 0 0 1

[Vrock]

I would have Mushi for Afridi as I don't think Kaneria will get more than 2 wickets in either innings, lets hope for England that he does not prove me wrong. They need a spinner who will take wickets as this seems to be a part of the games of the two teams where Pakistan are stronger, sacrificing a batter would not be an issue as Hasan Raza would be unlikely to get into double figures in either innings.

[sanizam]

I'll go for Asim Kamal cuz he is very good bat and dont forget there is no Younis Khan