A prescription to get even with the Aussies (19 October 1998)
"Who says it is not possible to produce a result without a grassy wicket." If I am not mistaken this is the statement issued by the newly appointed Pakistani coach Javed Miandad just a couple of days before the commencement of Pindi Test
19-Oct-1998
19 October 1998
A prescription to get even with the Aussies
By Yasser Rahim
"Who says it is not possible to produce a result without a grassy
wicket." If I am not mistaken this is the statement issued by the
newly appointed Pakistani coach Javed Miandad just a couple of days
before the commencement of Pindi Test. He didn't deem it necessary to
state that in whose favour the result he expected to be, but now, we
have a very good idea of what he meant.
Pakistan have been handed one of their biggest defeats on home soil
by Australia on the much relished "slow turner" by their coach. The
more one thinks, the more obvious becomes the stupidity of the
decision to prepare such kind of a wicket and pack the team with
spinners.
Every serious cricket follower in the country is aware of the fast
bowling talent in the country. Shoaib Akhtar has been rated as the
"fastest" in the world by the South Africans. We all saw how lethal
he could be even with the old ball during the Durban test in South
Africa earlier this year.
Mohammad Zahid is another lightning quick bowler and immensely
talented. He took 11 wickets on debut against New Zealand on this
very Pindi ground. I've even heard people argue over the fact that
whether he or Shoiab Akhtar is the fastest in the world.
Mohammad Akram is another very highly rated quicky by the critics.
Michael Holding saw something of his own past in this young fast
bowler.
The all time great Waqar Younis says that he has overcome his elbow
injury and he is ready to play.
Other quickies like Aaqib Javed, Fazl-e-Akbar, Shahid Nazir, Abdul
Razzaq and Kabir Khan are waiting for their chance to prove
themselves.
I doubt if anyone, that is anyone disagrees with the fact that now
Pakistan have by far the best pace attack in the history of the game.
I believe that our pace battery is probably better than the one the
great West Indies sides of the 70's and 80's had. I mean Wasim,
Waqar, Shoaib and Zahid playing together to me seems an awesome sight
and they can be a nightmare to any team playing.
This combination looks by no mean second to Marshal, Holding, Roberts
and Garner. And yet, here we are, preparing "slow turners" and having
to attack with bowlers like Mohammad Hussain and Aamir Sohail.
Test cricket, to me, is all about attacking the opposition with your
strength. The great West Indian side of the 70's and 80's were true
world beaters.
Why? because they always attacked their opposition with their strong
point.
Four quick bowlers. No matter what the pitches were like, Marshal,
Holding, Garner and Roberts were a terrifying combination. The West
Indian rarely test a series in 70's and 80's.
No doubt Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq are a wonderful spinning
duo but even they need the wickets to have some pace and bounce,
otherwise, well we have already seen what can happen to them. I
remember Mushie bowling the South Africans out in the Durban earlier
this year, which is supposed to be the quickest track in South
Africa. So I believe that firstly this attitude of preparing slow
wickets (like the one in Pindi) should be aborted, secondly we should
attack with fast bowling rather than the spinners because that is our
strength. As for the spinners, Mushtaq Ahmed is a world class leg
spinner but Saqlain Mushtaq has a lot to prove in test cricket. As
for Mohammad Hussain it is better left unsaid, for in the presence of
the Aamir Sohail the decision to play him is quite an enigma.
"The better team should win" is what I believe about test matches and
that's exactly what happened at Pindi. The Aussies put up a far more
professional performance and deserved to win.
But now I would appeal to the team management to forget about what
happened at Pindi and be positive, arrange to prepare greentops at
Peshawar and Karachi and let's expose the Aussies to the real samba
beat. If Glenn McGrath can do it Wasim, Zahid, Shoaib and Waqar can
do it better speaking of the Aussie side, although they are a very
professional outfit with series of victories over about all test
playing nations, I believe they are "not as good as they think."
In the bowling department they have one truly world class fast bowler
in Glenn McGrath but the others are mediocre, who can look very
ordinary if played with a lot of common sense and positive approach.
As for their batting, it depends a lot on the Waugh brothers. Steve
is a really good player, but Mark, though a good player of spin, I
feel is a bit suspect against genuine pace. So let's test them out
how good they really are! Do they really deserve to be called the
unofficial world champs of test cricket? Here follows a brief
discussion of the Aussie side one by one.
MARK TAYLOR: A great captain, but an average batsman. Specially
vulnerable outside his off stump.
MICHAEL SLATER: An aggressive opener, bound to offer a chance or two
early on.
JUSTIN LANGER: A gutsy player, especially good against pace.
MARK WAUGH: Great player of spin, but a bit shaky against the
quickies. Akram, Zahid and Shoaib are bound to be a nightmare for
him.
STEVE WAUGH: The real dangerman. Probably the best test batsman in
the world. We need to get him out as early as possible, possibly
through short pitch stuff.
RICKY PONTING: A great talent. Wonderful hooker and puller.
DARREN LEHMANN: A very good player especially against spin.
IAN HEALY: An all time great. Very reliable with the bat too.
COLLIN MILLER: An average off break bowler nothing alarming about
him.
STUART McGILL: A leggie talented but not experienced. Doesn't bowl a
wrong'un and is bound to offer a loose one every now and then.
GLENN McGRATH: A true world class performer. We should really be
looking to play him out to reduce his effectiveness.
DAMIEN FLEMING: Just an above average seamer. Shouldn't be a problem
if played with common sense.
MIKE KASPROWICZ: I've seen him struggle for wickets even on the
bouncy tracks in Australia. Not a big threat.
GAVIN ROBERTSON: A specialist off break bowler. Haven't seen him
bowl.
CONCLUSION: Losing the first test of a three test series is
admittedly a huge psychological blow, but we have got the capability
to bounce back even I'm confident that we can win the series by
1-Believing in ourselves, 2-Preparing the right tracks, 3-Choosing
the right side.
In the end I would like to confess to the national side that they are
the most talented side in the world. All they need to do is to
establish a very professional approach and they will be on top of the
world Inshallah.
Source :: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)