The fact that I feel Shoaib is extremely overrated is no secret. Today once again, he failed to impress. On the same wicket on which Flintoff, Harmisson and Hoaggard had done a super job. My co-blogger Zainub with whom I had a debate about the utitliy of Shoaib a short while back seems to admit that Pak's bowling performance today was pretty pedestrian.
Of course, Shoaib still has a chance to come back with a bang tomorrow and I would love to see it - after all, a contest is what we all want ain't it ? But why do I get the feeling it is not going to happen ??
Not fair to single out Shoaib for today's performance of course - Sami, too didn't do much (I thought he had turned a leaf in India) and why the hell is Shabbir in the team ? Yeah he got the wicket of Collingwood but seems pretty innocuous (of course when your top two are so innocuous is there any point in blaming the third seamer for that ?)
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5 comments:
Hi G,
Thanks for considering my view good enough to have linked them on your blog - I see that is a compliment! :D
I initially posted a comment in reply to your comment on Sundries, but thought it was more apt that we should resume the Shoaib discussion here, where it all started! :) In Shoaib's defence, he bowled better then any of the other seamers, and looked more likely to get a wicket then any other bowler most of the times, even Kaneria at times.
Shabbir's in the team because Inzi's a fan of him. I'm losing it with Sami alright and I think today was as bad as he's ever bowled in test cricket. 22 tests is a long time for one to prove their ability, others should get a chance now. He bowled with heart in India, but the subsequent injuries have messed him up again.
I would have gone in with Rana, Shoaib, Kaneria and Afridi as an attack. No point in playing 3 seamers on this pitch unless they're all as good or skillful as Hoggard, Harmsion and Flintoff. Sami and Shabbir both rely far too much on conducive bowling conditions for them to have affect. This wasn't their kind of pitch.
I thought the reason Pakistan played three seamers was in case of Shoaib (Akhtar) 'doing a Melbourne'.
zainub,
u r welcome .. i will always link to anyone's views that i think merit linking to
well i take ur point that shoaib bowled better than the others but that is no praise really. for a country's #1 fast bowler, that effort was pretty ordinary
shabbir did well today and so did shoaib - slightly - altho 2 of his wickets were tail-enders. now that u have restricted england to something manageable we can have a contest hopefully. i back kaneria to come good in the second inns
and we were talking about the way journalism works (here: http://gamesupreme.blogspot.com/2005/11/shoaib-fails-to-impress-again.html )
title not at all reflecting the reality...(or you did'nt expect anything from other bowlers, eh?)
sorry for posting the wrong URL
correct URL:
http://gamesupreme.blogspot.com/2005/11/another-twist.html
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