Pakistan Cricket news/views

[aussie]

Originally Posted by Craig

I have loads of Dutch, Swedish, German, Danish, and Norwegian people speak better English.

Haa...another clown has joined the circus.

[Sanz]

Originally Posted by aussie

Haa...another clown has joined the circus.

Not Really. He has a very valid point here. Deliberately writing 'where' instead of 'were', 'has' instead of 'as' is very annoying.

[Sanz]

Originally Posted by aussie

But i must say the writer takes a VERY generous view in the last two paragraph's - in suggesting that they where many Akram's, Bari, Waqar, Inzi's etc that where not found.

But rather the talent PAK found in the 80s & 90s was basically luck.

I think it is silly to make that kind of statement. Most of their batsmen look crap when you watch them bat, it is fairly obvious that they lack some very basic skills and yet Pakistan team is always a threat, can never be counted out, why ??

I have long maintained that Pakistan has the biggest talent pool of cricketers (or for that matter biggest talent pool in any field that interests them for example Hockey, Cricket, Music etc.). Their passion is unmatched, I have never seen a country more obsessed with fast bowling or winning . And this is not based on hearsay but personal experience gained from playing against them in USA for no. of years in different cities. Every local Pakistani team that I have played against has had the look and feel of Pakistani National Team, very talented, fast bowlers, aggressive and attacking batsmen, very competitive, always a threat, can't speak English but have the local accent better than the locals themselves.

You are completely wrong on this.

[aussie]

Originally Posted by Sanz

I think it is silly to make that kind of statement. Most of their batsmen look crap when you watch them bat, it is fairly obvious that they lack some very basic skills and yet Pakistan team is always a threat, can never be counted out, why ??

I have long maintained that Pakistan has the biggest talent pool of cricketers (or for that matter biggest talent pool in any field that interests them for example Hockey, Cricket, Music etc.). Their passion is unmatched, I have never seen a country more obsessed with fast bowling or winning . And this is not based on hearsay but personal experience gained from playing against them in USA for no. of years in different cities. Every local Pakistani team that I have played against has had the look and feel of Pakistani National Team, very talented, fast bowlers, aggressive and attacking batsmen, very competitive, always a threat, can't speak English but have the local accent better than the locals themselves.

You are completely wrong on this.

Well in this part of ENG where i live, is pretty much Asian territory. So i have agree about the passion aspect 100%, but not the most talented part. West Indians live up here & i'd say the same thing about them. Obviously the current black Englishman like myself, generally doesn't play too keen attention to cricket as was the case in the 80s & 90s & are more about football & basketball, due to decline of the WI as a force.

I have seen Imran Khan say in interviews that he stopped playing domestic cricket in the 80s because of the lack of competitiveness, and he found the likes of Akram, Waqar, Inzi etc. Expecting that to keep happening isn't wise. PAK need a national academy or something, now that people wont be touring their in a LONG TIME, i think ICC should make an effort to help build on.

[Sanz]

Originally Posted by aussie

Well in this part of ENG where i live, is pretty much Asian territory. So i have agree about the passion aspect 100%, but not the most talented part. West Indians live up here & i'd say the same thing about them.

Talent without Passion is nothing and will fade away soon. There is a reason Pakistani players come up with Reverse Swing, Doosra, Teesra, Jalebi etc.

[Xuhaib]

Originally Posted by aussie

Well in this part of ENG where i live, is pretty much Asian territory. So i have agree about the passion aspect 100%, but not the most talented part. West Indians live up here & i'd say the same thing about them. Obviously the current black Englishman like myself, generally doesn't play too keen attention to cricket as was the case in the 80s & 90s & are more about football & basketball, due to decline of the WI as a force.

I have seen Imran Khan say in interviews that he stopped playing domestic cricket in the 80s because of the lack of competitiveness, and he found the likes of Akram, Waqar, Inzi etc. Expecting that to keep happening isn't wise. PAK need a national academy or something, now that people wont be touring their in a LONG TIME, i think ICC should make an effort to help build on.

Cricket is quite organized in Pakistan. National & regional academies have been there for more then 15 years. Most of the current national team have come through these reigonal and national cricket academies. The main issue is nepotism at this level many a times these academies will only promote a cricketer for national camps or trials if he has a strong backing or has paid a huge donation for his selection. Very rarely a player is selected only on merit.

Fairy tale Akram-Waqar stories one tend to here are not totally 100% true these players are existing in the system but due to lack of influential support they are unable to break through all it needs is one influential guy to take a liking to them and these guys get promoted out of the blue. Miandad did it for Wasim and Waim did the same with Aamir.

[Beleg]

Originally Posted by Xuhaib

.....nepotism, nepotism, nepotism, nepotism........

children, repeat after me.......

[Craig]

Anyway it is great that an arrangement has been made and that Pakistan will play Tests in England. So does this mean a) the PCB will have a say over pitch conditions, to a certain extent (I'm sure the head groundsman at either Test venue will tell the PCB what is and what isn't possible pitch wise); and b) English umpires will be allowed to umpire at home since it isn't a 'home' Test and England are not playing?

[Fusion]

Originally Posted by Craig

Anyway it is great that an arrangement has been made and that Pakistan will play Tests in England. So does this mean a) the PCB will have a say over pitch conditions, to a certain extent (I'm sure the head groundsman at either Test venue will tell the PCB what is and what isn't possible pitch wise); and b) English umpires will be allowed to umpire at home since it isn't a 'home' Test and England are not playing?

Both great questions. Especially interested in the answer to "a".

[Sanz]

Originally Posted by Xuhaib

Fairy tale Akram-Waqar stories one tend to here are not totally 100% true these players are existing in the system but due to lack of influential support they are unable to break through all it needs is one influential guy to take a liking to them and these guys get promoted out of the blue. Miandad did it for Wasim and Waim did the same with Aamir.

Isn't that the point though ? Of all the Test playing nations Pakistan has arguably the worst domestic structure and even that is marred by nepotism.

[Xuhaib]

Originally Posted by Sanz

Isn't that the point though ? Of all the Test playing nations Pakistan has arguably the worst domestic structure and even that is marred by nepotism.

That impression has been creatd by that moron known by the name "Imran Khan" yeah its not as properly managed as Sheffield Shield or County cricket but its probably not far behind then some of the other countries.

[pasag]

Originally Posted by Craig

Anyway it is great that an arrangement has been made and that Pakistan will play Tests in England. So does this mean a) the PCB will have a say over pitch conditions, to a certain extent (I'm sure the head groundsman at either Test venue will tell the PCB what is and what isn't possible pitch wise); and b) English umpires will be allowed to umpire at home since it isn't a 'home' Test and England are not playing?

Can't see a) happening though it would be a good idea because as it stands Aus will have advantage with experience on the conditions having only played there less than a year before. Obviously English upmires would be allowed.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by pasag

Can't see a) happening though it would be a good idea because as it stands Aus will have advantage with experience on the conditions having only played there less than a year before. Obviously English upmires would be allowed.

Well a lot of members of Pakistan's Test team that have a lot of experience in English conditions from playing a lot of County cricket (Younis Khan has played for Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, so he has experience at Headingly and Trent Bridge). I'm throwing in guys who played in their last Test series against Sri Lanka, the aforementioned Khan, Umar Gul (can't believe he is just 25 ), Danish Kaneria, Shoaib Malik have all played CC. Guys like Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt, and the late bloomer Misbah-ul-Haq haven't played CC. Yasir Arafat who has three Tests to his name, he has also played for Sussex as well. Heck even Shahid Afridi (shouldn't be near the Test team IMO), Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif have all played CC (in the case of the first two, a lot). And I'm not forgetting ex-ICL players like Mohammad Yousef who has played CC for Lancashire (I'm not sure if Naved-ul-Hasan is back or not). Guess what I'm trying to say is that if the PCB didn't have a say, then there are plenty of Pakistani players who have experience in English conditions, so I think they will be fine.

But in saying that, I agree, I think the PCB should have a say since it is their "home" Test series, but I don't think you can turn Headingly (where they should play at least one Test, they would be bonkers if they didn't) into a sub continent type wicket for example. The same applies to any of the Test grounds. Maybe you can, but I have no idea as I'm not a groundsman.

[Xuhaib]

Originally Posted by Craig

Well a lot of members of Pakistan's Test team that have a lot of experience in English conditions from playing a lot of County cricket (Younis Khan has played for Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, so he has experience at Headingly and Trent Bridge). I'm throwing in guys who played in their last Test series against Sri Lanka, the aforementioned Khan, Umar Gul (can't believe he is just 25 ), Danish Kaneria, Shoaib Malik have all played CC. Guys like Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt, and the late bloomer Misbah-ul-Haq haven't played CC. Yasir Arafat who has three Tests to his name, he has also played for Sussex as well. Heck even Shahid Afridi (shouldn't be near the Test team IMO), Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif have all played CC (in the case of the first two, a lot). And I'm not forgetting ex-ICL players like Mohammad Yousef who has played CC for Lancashire (I'm not sure if Naved-ul-Hasan is back or not). Guess what I'm trying to say is that if the PCB didn't have a say, then there are plenty of Pakistani players who have experience in English conditions, so I think they will be fine.

But in saying that, I agree, I think the PCB should have a say since it is their "home" Test series, but I don't think you can turn Headingly (where they should play at least one Test, they would be bonkers if they didn't) into a sub continent type wicket for example. The same applies to any of the Test grounds. Maybe you can, but I have no idea as I'm not a groundsman.

too add to all this county exp Pakistan will be coming on the back of 4 test matches it plays with England earlier in the summer.

[Xuhaib]

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