Pak v SL: 2nd Test match

[Mike Small]

You hit the nail on the head here Milo - some time this is precisely why it can be a shade difficult to play against Pakistan, because as their oppostiion you never know what to expect. The Aussies always speak of them as "too hot too cold" team - - they can look like champions one day and complete losers on another day. Yet for this very reason, i.e. inconsistency Pakistan is the last side I would ever expect to be world beaters, they always remain dangerough though.

[Rachael]

There's one factor in Pakistan's favour that's not been there before: Bob Woolmer. It might take a while.. but I don't see him as one to tolerate the "blow hot, blow cold" players who may or may not turn up on any given day. Strikes me that he has no time whatsoever for prima donnas and the work-shy and that he's far, far more likely to try and develop the solid and dependable lesser lights.

If Woolmer can just stay in post long enough (never easy given the politics of cricket in Pakistan) then I'm quite sure the dependability and application will start to emerge... but what strikes me as less clear is which of the top players are prepared to knuckle down with him and put in the work to be part of that future.

Wil all the star names make the transition? Will the team be capable of the same highs once Woolmer's sorted out the problem of the random lows? How long (2 years? 5 years? longer?) will that transition take? THey strike me as big questions to which I don't think even he has the answer.

[Mike Small]

It's a good point you make about Woolmer not being that sort of person who'll tolerate iffy players, one looks at the architects of Pakistan's wins under Woolmer and names like Shoaib Malik and Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan spring up. Now those are your copy book hard working "team" players I'm told by some fans here (and perhaps more here will verify). And they might as well have a point - look at Shoaib Akhtar , he's kept his feet reasonably down on earth since Woolmer's arrived. So there has been a change already, a small improvement as a matter of fact. But as for any major impact to occurr it will take time, but I'm not too sure still, the big question here is (as you too point out) if Woolmer can actually survive for 2 years let alone 4 or 5. Pakistani athourities have been consistent in just one thing in the past - that unfortunately being chopping and changing. Plus the way cricket is run there is something Woolmer will have to aclamitise too - every thing is politcial - he's dealth with SA so perhaps he has some experience of those sorts of dirty things but all in all it paints a pitcure of doubts in my mind, glazed by expectations. I always feel you have to feel for their fans - some of them I've met here are so passionate, and at time you have to feel they deserve better.

[Shaka]

Originally Posted by Mike Small

It's a good point you make about Woolmer not being that sort of person who'll tolerate iffy players, one looks at the architects of Pakistan's wins under Woolmer and names like Shoaib Malik and Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan spring up. Now those are your copy book hard working "team" players I'm told by some fans here (and perhaps more here will verify). And they might as well have a point - look at Shoaib Akhtar , he's kept his feet reasonably down on earth since Woolmer's arrived.

Absolutely right. While Woolmer definitely wants Shoaib in his team, it will be on his terms only. Bob was quite positive about going into this match without Shoaib or Sami and his optimism turned out to be well placed so far. Whether Rana goes on to become a regular in the test side is up for debate, but he's performed consistenty enough in the ODI's. And any side would like a player like Malik...able to defend stoically and can hit hard explosively enough to smash 82 off 41 balls against South Africa. Not to mention he's a useful offspinner. Major cricket nations don't need to depend on star players like the Zimbabwes...if players won't follow the plan there's always others who will and for any major side the team always comes first.

[Maranello]

Reasonable start by Inzamam and Youhana to day three. I was particularly looking forward to seeing how these two play the new ball since they are both unwilling to bat higher than no 4 in the batting order in any form of the game. Both looked reasonably ok, though Vaas did get appreciable movement and a few did go agonisingly close to the bats.

Not sure about Youhana's attitude, he has come in a very positive frame of mind, which is all well and good.. but his first shot, on the very first ball of the day, was an aggressive waft at something way outside off...that it edged down to third man for a bounday is irrelevant - the knives would have been out for Yoyo had he got out and triggered a mini-collapse. There was no need to rush, since Pakistan should bat all day today if they can...bat once, and bat big should be the ideal outcome, though by no means the likeliest.

However, he has found his feet since then and Inzamam has been his ususal unruffled self.

[Maranello]

Just as an aside, I have been very impressed with Inzamam's running, he has been playing like a man possessed. My impression from all his press conferences and interviews etc is that this is a man who {a} is passionate about Pakistan cricket, and sets very high standards for himself and his team, and {b} he takes criticism personally, and either goes on the defensive, or just sulks, and then lets his bat do the talking next time he is in the middle.

He has just completed his 20th Test century. Yesterday he passed 7,000 runs in Test cricket at an avg. of ~ 50, the second Pakistani in history to get 7,000 runs after the great Javed Miandad, so me thinks time to salute an illustrious career - he has been our best batsmen over the past 15 years (followed by the likes of Saeed Anwar, Aamir Sohail, Salim Malik and of course Youhana). His 329 against the Kiwis when our backs were to the wall a couple of years ago was a gem to watch, as are all good Inzi innings - he is just so calm, collected and sensible, and sees the ball so early, making everything look so easy.

Even though the stats suggest otherwise, I would not go as far as saying he is the second best batsmen in our history - he is prob. number 4 in the all-time list, as Hanif Muhammad and Zaheer Abbas rank higher than Inzi for me.

[Shaka]

Pakistan finished on 478, a healthy lead of 270. Should get a good idea of the ability of the Pakistan seamers today as the pitch has played very flat during for the SL bowlers. I would like to see a similar approach to the 1st innings where the Pakistan bowlers maintained a very tight leash on the batsmen...but conditions today might make that more difficult I suspect.

[Maranello]

The first over by Naved wasn't that hot...too many short and wide deliveries

But early days yet..

[Shaka]

The first 6 overs went for 54 runs. Welcome to test cricket Rana and Afridi Not impressive stuff at all, but at least razzaq was able to come on and show these guys how to bowl a more restrictive line and length. The fact that Danis Kaneria is on after 7 overs doesn't say much for the way Pakistan have bowled with the new ball.

[Maranello]

Razzaq bowled well, Kaneria had some good deliveries...less said about Naved & Afridi, the better... All in all, these 4 guys are going to struggle to take the 9 remaining wickets of their own accord any time soon... the only way out might be if Kaneria sticks to the right line and utilises whatever the conditions may offer him...

Care to make another "5 wickets for Kaneria" prediction?