Monday, October 29, 2007

Shoaib makes a fun comeback

Ok, last few posts on this blog before we move permanently to the new site. Things are looking quite good for Pakistan and they might win the ODI series against South Africa, which they haven't done in ages...or according to my brother, never.

Pakistan are currently at 88/2, after restricting SA to 233/9. Shoaib Akhtar was included in the squad, ahead of Mohammad Asif (who's still clutching his elbow) and Umar Gul (unfair I think, Gul is brilliant, though I guess Shoiab Akhtar may be better, since he's genuinely fast). I swear, Shoiab would rock so much if he behaved...no drugs, no attacking people, no sneaking out. Piaget (a psychologist) would say that Shoiab is still stuck in his egocentric phase...can you tell I'm writing my psyc exam tomorrow?

Now Pakistan are 121/2. Shows how long I'm taking to update here. We lost our openers Imran Nazir (who is better than Yasir Hameed I guess, at least he scores before he goes out) and Kamran Akmal (who still sucks so bad as a wicketkeeper) went on a slogging spree and Imo made 17 and Kamran 24 before going out. Since then, Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan have been out there, taking quick singles and whacking the ball when they can. Well done to them both for playing smartly and hopefully they'll take us to the end.

Now let's talk about some players of note. Shoaib Akhtar obviously, who managed 4 for 43. He bowled brilliantly at the death and took the wickets of Smith, Kallis, Boucher and Morkel. Kallis made 86, which I blame on Kamran, because he dropped a sitter earlier on in the day. We really need a new wicketkeeper! It's kinda become a thing of shame really, to be caught behind by Akmal, who may be the worst wicketkeeper in the world from the big teams.

Geoff Lawson talks about the games, captain Shoaib Malik and his Urdu, an excerpt below:

How is Shoaib Malik coming along as captain?

We have a very good understanding and we get on very well. We sit down and discuss whatever, how practice is going, certain players, who's in the team etc. We're very good that way. The fact that he is a young captain helps both of us. He hasn't got entrenched ideas. He listens, takes things on board. He likes to do things a certain way. But he's only going to get better. He has done two Tests and a few ODIs but he is going to get better.

He is even better with the players. From what I can understand, how he interacts with the players is a bit different to how it used to be traditionally in Pakistan and that is a good thing. It's more towards - for want of a better word - an Australian type of system. Everyone in the Australian cricket team is basically equal: yes there are senior players but a player making his debut can have whatever conversation he can have with the captain any time. That is what we have to get to.

In this group we have at the moment, we're getting the hang of that. If you exchange ideas you become better cricketers and that is the bottom line. That is why we want more communication within the team and whatever squad we pick.

Has communication with the players been an issue at all?

My Urdu is coming along - they love it when I use Urdu. But no, there is very little problem. I just have to speak slowly because Australians speak quickly anyway. Just a couple of times if there has been a problem with some of the guys whose English isn't quite that good, the other guys will make sure they know. So that's almost been no problem at all. As long as I speak slowly and pronounce my words clearly which you should any time, there is no problem.

Cute. Geoff, while you're there, please teach the team some English, except without the Australian accent. Also, Lawson is looking forward to the India tour, insisting that the Twenty20 defeat has just whetted Pakistan's zest to beat the crap out of India. Metaphorically of course. He also says that while Pakistan are getting fitter, they still have a long way to go before reaching their fitness peak.

"They are really a group of good people besides being good cricketers. They want to do well and work hard,"

"But physically they are still nine to 12 months away from being as fit as they should be. They are that far away from being where they should be as professional cricketers.

"The players have responded well to hard training but what is frustrating for me most is we do some things really well and than we fall back. But I knew it would take time and I am reasonably happy with the progress."

Finally, before going back to the game. Abdur Razzaq has come out of retirement and insists that he has a lot of cricket left in him and will play for the ICL (where he signed on after not being considered for the Twenty20 World Cup). He has not ruled out playing for Pakistan however and says he'll discuss things with the PCB in case they need him like they needed MoYo.

And back to MoYo and YoKha...yeah, that doesn't sound too good, lol. They are now at 138/2, with Younis Khan having made his 28th ODI fifty. Unfortantely, Mohammad is taking things easy and has scored just 40 runs from 70 balls. Oh well, better to preserve the wickets of course, and save them for the last 5-10 overs. Pakistan need 90 runs from 21 overs. Things are looking good and I'm out here to study.

Cheers all, go Pakistan!

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