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*Official* Pakistan v South Africa in UAE

smash84

The Tiger King
I think you are forgetting that England toured in Jan/Feb when the conditions are completely different. My guess, fast bowlers will have nothing.
You're forgetting Daemon has been to Dubai (and quite enjoyed it before he started feeling bad about it :p). And weather conditions in late October and Jan are not that different. It gets a little cooler in January for sure but the temperature gradient is nowhere near as steep as in other cricket playing countries
 

Cabinet96

Global Moderator
Anderson and Broad did pretty well in the UAE as well iirc, so it's not like you're ****ed if you don't have a quality spinner.

Hope they don't go the old way and prepare the roads that earned them a draw against SA the last time round though.
As AN said, that was in Jan/Feb, so it's slightly different, but I do agree. SA's seamers will still probably be the main threat. From what I've seen of the wickets they're real new ball pitches though, bit of seam early on, but they do very little with an older ball. Don't remember Anderson getting much seam, so I reckon Phillander and Morkel will probably be more of a threat than Steyn as they're more seam bowlers.

Pakistan will do well to prepare wickets that do very little for the seamers though, as I'm really unconvinced by Robbie P. He's OK playing a holding role in South Africa, helped by the fact he can bat, but I don't know if he really puts enough revs on the ball to cause problems. Plus the quicker spinners have always done well in the UAE and Robbie bowls quite a lot slower than say a Panesar or a Rehman. I wouldn't be surprised if Duminey causes more problems tbh.

South Africa have got a really strong lower order these days though. Such a throwback to just three years ago where their 7-9 was Boucher, Steyn and Harris.
 

Maximas

Cricketer Of The Year
Just thinking, SA have kinda sucked on turning pitches recently, think of the loss to SL at Durban, or the game Pak threw away last year at Newlands, unless they improve I honestly don't see how they are gonna do too well, that depends a lot on Pakistan though, as they are playing **** right now
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Having ABdV in South Africa's lineup really allows for team balance doesn't it. The top 6 pick themselves, the 3 quicks do too, the main spinner is likely to be Robin Peterson so the final spot can go to a young batsman like Elgar, a batting all rounder (for these conditions) like Duminy or they could back the top 6 to make enough runs and bring in a second spinner in Tahir. If he were to get injured the team would look so much more vulnerable.
 

Quaggas

State Captain
Just thinking, SA have kinda sucked on turning pitches recently, think of the loss to SL at Durban, or the game Pak threw away last year at Newlands, unless they improve I honestly don't see how they are gonna do too well, that depends a lot on Pakistan though, as they are playing **** right now
Kingsmead a turning pitch?
 

Paul S

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Having ABdV in South Africa's lineup really allows for team balance doesn't it. The top 6 pick themselves, the 3 quicks do too, the main spinner is likely to be Robin Peterson so the final spot can go to a young batsman like Elgar, a batting all rounder (for these conditions) like Duminy or they could back the top 6 to make enough runs and bring in a second spinner in Tahir. If he were to get injured the team would look so much more vulnerable.
They already have a settled top 7 with Duminy's return. Elgar might not get a chance.

Smith
Petersen
Amla
Kallis
ABD
Duminy
de Plesis
Peterson
Philander
Steyn
Morkel
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
They already have a settled top 7 with Duminy's return. Elgar might not get a chance.

Smith
Petersen
Amla
Kallis
ABD
Duminy
de Plesis
Peterson
Philander
Steyn
Morkel
Faf and Duminy switched around and that will be team. Duminy is a good option for 7 in the likely conditions they will face but I wouldn't say he is a settled part of the squad in other conditions.
 

Cabinet96

Global Moderator
Call it what you want, but South Africa have lost their last three tests there with opposition spinners doing most of the damage.
 

Flametree

International 12th Man
Pakistan batting line-up is in serious need of an overhaul. No-one apart from Younis and Misbah are in form / good enough (take your pick). If they're being undone by Chatara, Vitori and Panyangara on pretty reasonable wickets, what chance have they against Steyn, Morkel and Philander?

Are they playing any cricket between now and the first test?
 

Paul S

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Faf and Duminy switched around and that will be team. Duminy is a good option for 7 in the likely conditions they will face but I wouldn't say he is a settled part of the squad in other conditions.
Yeah, Duminy hasn't been able to establish his place in the Test team. He was back in form before the injury though. Scored a 100 in NZ and a very important 60 in the Lord's Test.
 

Daemon

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Hope that Elgar 268 on the road against Aus A hasn't influenced the selectors too much, just doesn't seem ready for Test cricket atm.
 

smash84

The Tiger King
Pakistan batting line-up is in serious need of an overhaul. No-one apart from Younis and Misbah are in form / good enough (take your pick). If they're being undone by Chatara, Vitori and Panyangara on pretty reasonable wickets, what chance have they against Steyn, Morkel and Philander?

Are they playing any cricket between now and the first test?
Bingo
 

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