ODI:::Performer as a WHOLE PLAYER:::Pollock vs Akram

[Richard]

Pakistan has always been a woefull fielding unit but its back cordon was pretty good during W's time.Moin and Rashid were both very able in Rashid's case superb, Inzi and Azhar Mahmood shelled very few at 1st & 2nd slip

That's true, but Wasim's incredible economy-rate might well have been even better had he benefited from SAfrican-standard outfielding. Imagine him with Jonty Rhodes (who stopped singles on reputation alone) at point, and the odd other fielder of the standard of Herschelle Gibbs around, and the "general" standard featuring the likes of Gary Kirsten and Daryll Cullinan rather than Ijaz Ahmed and Saeed Anwar.

I doubt Wasim's Test figures were damaged much by Pakistani-calibre fielding because as you point-out, by-and-large the cordon was sound and that's the main thing that counts in Tests. But in ODIs the quality of outfielder is a huge thing.

 

[Faisal1985]

That's true, but Wasim's incredible economy-rate might well have been even better had he benefited from SAfrican-standard outfielding. Imagine him with Jonty Rhodes (who stopped singles on reputation alone) at point, and the odd other fielder of the standard of Herschelle Gibbs around, and the "general" standard featuring the likes of Gary Kirsten and Daryll Cullinan rather than Ijaz Ahmed and Saeed Anwar.

I doubt Wasim's Test figures were damaged much by Pakistani-calibre fielding because as you point-out, by-and-large the cordon was sound and that's the main thing that counts in Tests. But in ODIs the quality of outfielder is a huge thing.

Would have also increased the amount of wickets he has in ODIs.

 

[Richard]

Given that a good economy-rate and having wickets to your name routinely go hand-in-hand (in ODIs, that is), yes.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

I don't disagree but cricket is full of such varients.

One might argue that the slower creases in Pakistan aid bowlers in ODIs because the batsman is forced to generate the power. How many times on the quicker pitches do we see edges and mis hits fly to the boundary. Especially in ODIs.

Just musing to myself really

 

[Richard]

What you say is of course true, but in my experience calibre of fielding is one of the biggest forces (of those outside the bowler's control) which impact upon the bowler's figures. Bigger than the speed of the deck. And of course, slow and quick decks both have their advantages and disadvantages, which the best bowlers can exploit by adapting their gameplans.