Stani Army

Talk amongst fans may have been regarding the ‘SOS’ sent to Younis Khan but fans tend to forget very easily. Younis has not been in the best of batting form but the manner in which some are going about recalling him, you’d think he was the answer to our problems. That answer, in my opinion, is Shahid Afridi. Younis’ addition to the line up would be right, not because of what he has done but what his replacements haven’t, but Afridi would be the man to make that difference. In the first innings, Australia just strolled along as our bowlers struggled for that elusive break through. That was a situation made for Afridi and his attacking brand of spin.

Shahid Afridi, time to pull out the Test whites

Just imagine that was Afridi bowling to Watson when he was on 99 in the second innings? Now that would have been entertainment and I’m sure Watson would have been heading for the dressing room having left a brown trail behind him. The good thing is that Afridi is close by, currently in Australia playing for the South Australia Redbacks in a twenty20 competition in which he won the man of the match award just yesterday with bowling figures of 4 for 19.

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Something is going on with Pakistan’s catching. Having dropped seven in one Test against New Zealand, here against the Australians, they’ve started where they left off. The first dropped catch, which flew to Umar Akmal, was travelling at pace but should have been grasped at this level. The second, a superb, mesmerizing doosra from Saeed Ajmal to Shane Watson was even easier, dropped by Misbah at slip after taking a touch off the keeper’s gloves.

Catching's not easy when you can't see properly

It is a serious issue and Pakistan are beginning to pay the price for not taking these chances. Though they do have their new fielding and bowling coach Waqar Younis with them, it may have been better to have asked an optician to have accompanied the team to Australia. I think an eyesight test now has to be a must for each player, seriously.

You have to feel for the bowlers. Not only do dropped catches give the batsmen extra chances but they demoralise the bowlers and put the rest of the field under pressure. What a start to 17 year old Aamer’s first Test in Australia it would have been had Akmal held onto that catch? The last team in the world you should be giving opportunities to are the Australians. Katich was on 8* when he was drooped, Watson on 43*, they went on to make 98 and 93 respectively. It would not be too early to suggest that those two drops look to already have cost Pakistan the Test with Australia now in such a commanding position.

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Asked to suggest an extra fast bowler to accompany the squad for the Test series against Australia, Mohammad Sami would not have been the first name I would have thought of. Though a perennial underachiever, Sami has many of the attributes to be successful at what he does. With a decent build, raw pace, repeatable, uncomplicated action, and fire in the belly, he really should have had more Test wickets to his name.

Last chance for a talent unfulfilled

So why Sami and not anyone from our contracted players? We have Rana Naved, though not an out and out pace bowler, he has many strings to his bow. Rana is quite expensive though and this is probably the reason why he has never been favoured in Tests. Then there’s Sohail Tanvir and Yasir Arafat, both of whom can bat a bit and would have added strength to an already fragile batting line up.

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There seems to be more to the appointment by the PCB of Waqar Younis as bowling and fielding coach for the Australian series. It seems that plans are afoot to ease current coach Intikhab Alam out and appoint Waqar as full-time general coach. Reports are already circulating that Waqar’s contract is worth more than current coach Intkihab’s. This would seem a bit strange for someone who will just be assisting with the bowling and fielding for a single series. Have the PCB already give him a full contract with a view to making an announcement later on about him taking over?

Waqar Younis, may soon have more to juggle

Added to this is the fact that Pakistan already have a bowling coach in Aaqib Javed, current assistant to Intikhab. There’s been no mention thus far of Aaqib taking a break for the Australian series so what is it that he will be doing if Waqar is going to be bowling coach?

Stani Army were not the biggest supporters of Intikhab’s appointment as it seemed very much an old-school, backward step after the good work done by the late Bob Woolmer and former

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When Danish Kaneria was chosen as our sole spinner ahead of Saeed Ajmal for the 2nd Test against New Zealand, I must admit I had my doubts. The reasons were that Ajmal’s recent form was excellent and Kaneria hadn’t been very exciting in the past. But, that was the old Kaneria as I was about to find out. As the ball ran to the boundary in the 2nd Test, I saw a slim chap racing after it and could not believe what I was hearing when the commentator referred to him as Danish Kaneria.

He ain't heavy...Kaneria is lifted by a team mate as Imran Farhat appreciates his new figure

Having picked up three wickets in each innings of the 2nd Test, Kaneria ripped out the heart of the New Zealand middle order with four wickets in the on-going 3rd Test, after the fast bowlers were finding it difficult to break through the New Zealand line up. The benefits of a fitter Kaneria are clear to see

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