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Even the best fall down sometimes. But only the best get right back up. — Adam Breneman
S afRICa need To STay gRounded deSpITe IMpReSSIve SHowIng agaInST pakISTan
Tuesday, 19 November, 2013
Better technique can change pakistan’s fortunes in Sa, says aamir Sohail
KARAChi: Sohail said on Monday that only better equipped technique can change Pakistan team's fortunes on their short trip to South Africa starting on Wednesday. "Dav Whatmore may be preparing good strategy. But he (Whatmore) failed to improve Pakistan team's batting technically," he told APP in an interview. "We are facing the same problem for the past many months but chief coach failed to overcome this chronic batting problem of Pakistan team," he said. "You cannot change team's fortunes by wishful thinking. But coach needed to work on batsmen technical flaws," he said. He said he was surprised to see Muhammad Hafeez failing to coup Dale Steyn's bowling since the past one year and repeatedly making the same mistakes. "Its really surprising that Whatmore failed to improve Pakistan's batting problem technically,' he stressed. He recalled that he was facing some batting problems during the event in Sharjah and he worked with Indian batsman Mohinder Amaranth which improved and changed my batting form. "I spent a batting session with Mohinder and few advises on my technique revived my game," member of 1992 World Cup winning team, revealed. He said many greats around the world went through the same dilemma. But proper technical advise put them back on track. Aamir Sohail said all Pakistan batsmen like Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal are weak in technique which is causing problems for them and Pakistan team. "I personally feel that Whatmore failed to work on Pakistan team's batting problem," the former Test left handed opener, said. "I don't see any change of fortunes of Pakistan team during their matches against Protease in their backyard," he commented. He was of the view these batting problems will haunting Pakistan during the two T2o Internationals and 3-match One-day series in South Africa. "With such a batting problems within in the team, Pakistan needed more prayers from their supporters and well-wishers," he remarked. He said Dav Whatmore failed to provide really information to the batsmen about flaws in their batting. Aamir Sohail said Australia opener David Boon also faced the technical problems. But their chief coach John Buchnan He said without making complete overhauling in Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hierarchy, national cricket cannot be put back on track. STaFF rEPOrT
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OUTH Africa’s tour of the UAe began with a massive shock to the whole cricketing world as Pakistan beat the world No 1 side by seven wickets in the first Test at Abu Dhabi. A revival of Pakistan as a cricketing powerhouse was mooted by many former cricketers from the country. Graeme Smith’s men soon woke up to hammer Pakistan in the second Test at Dubai and square the two-match series 1-1. Still Pakistan did not lose the series and there was much to be positive about. Then began the One-Day International (ODI) series and Pakistan looked all set for a routine victory in the first match at Sharjah. But South Africa snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, or better, Pakistan snatched a loss from the jaws of victory. They bounced back
with an impressive win in the second ODI. But South Africa won the remaining three ODIs convincingly and won the five-match series 4-1. The two-match Twenty20 series was also won by South Africa by a 2-0 margin. South Africa showed their dominance over Pakistan in the end. This prompted T20 captain Faf du Plessis to claim that South Africa can finally do away with a tag that has haunted them in international cricket for over 20 years. "I like that it's finally not on us any more," said du Plessis. But he was also quick to continue saying, "I am pretty sure that when a tournament comes we will be getting all of that again." The word ‘chokers’ is not something that South Africans will like a lot. In fact, in cricketing terms that is the word they must hate the most, especially the players. For long, South Africa have been plagued by this term. Apart from winning the 1998 ICC Knockout Trophy, the Proteas have
never won any major international limited-overs tournament. Leaving that victory aside, they have never won a single knockout match in any of the ICC tournaments they have participated in. They have found new ways to lose matches from winning positions on numerous occasions. every now and then they produce performances that allow people to think that they have shed that tag. But all these come in either bilateral series or non-ICC tournaments. Once the global events begin, they choke in the big matches. Obviously the media and opposition players don’t let them forget these things. There is no doubt that South Africa are the best side in Test cricket. They have away series in england and Australia the last two times they visited those countries each. They drew two Test series in India as well. They have even pulled off wins in matches where they were second best for most parts.
ZaIdI SIgnS Two-yeaR SuSSex deaL KARACHI STaFF rEPOrT
Ashar Zaidi, the Karachi-born allrounder, has signed a twoyear contract with Sussex. Zaidi appeared in two Championship matches for the county last season, having played in the Lancashire League since leaving Pakistan. He has a British passport and will provide Sussex with a spin option next season, after the release of Monty Panesar. Zaidi wrote to several counties asking for a trial, having impressed during three seasons with Accrington. He scored an unbeaten 192 and took six wickets after being invited to play for the Sussex 2nd XI and then added 62 runs in two innings to go with six wickets during Division One games against Yorkshire and Durham. "It is an honour to sign for Sussex and this is a really big achievement for me, especially after a few years' break from the pro game," Zaidi said. "I'm really grateful for the chance that they have given me. "I'll be aiming to justify that chance over the next couple of seasons. I'm hoping for enough opportunities to perform, and to open my chances for the future." The 32-year-old made his debut for Islamabad in 1999, playing regularly in Pakistan's domestic competitions until 2009, during which time he was also picked for Pakistan A. He has 11 first-class hundreds and a batting average of 38.26 and his left-arm spin will come in useful at Sussex, where Will Beer, the 25-year-old legspinner, was left as the senior slow bowler after Panesar's departure. Zaidi has also recently turned out for Gazi Tank in the Dhaka Premier Division. Sussex's captain, ed Joyce, said: "Ash fitted into the squad really well and impressed everyone with his canny left-arm spin and attractive strokeplay. He will hopefully
But somehow when it comes for them to assert their dominance in ODIs or T20Is, the aggression goes missing. Beating Pakistan from losing positions should not bring that much joy, especially to South Africa. Pakistan have spiralled down in the international pecking order in the last few years. Pakistan themselves have given new meaning to the word ‘chokers’ in recent times. South Africa do have a much better team on paper and them beating Pakistan should not be seen as something monumental. The 2014 World T20 is coming shortly and South Africa’s character will be tested again. There is no doubt that they are a supremely talented bunch of players, but they need to find a way to shed that infamous tag. The 2015 ICC World Cup is also not very far away and du Plessis’s claims of them not being chokers anymore will only be seen in these two ICC tournaments. Till then they need to stay grounded.
ipl council mulls reduction in evening matches MUMBAI aGEnCiES
fulfil the spin role for us in four-day cricket while possibly also allowing us to play an extra seamer when the conditions suit. "He is also a very capable one-day cricketer as seen by his recent performances in the Dhaka Premier League and we're hopeful he can play a big role for us in both the shorter formats."
The first meeting of the revamped IPL governing council, headed by former India under-19 captain,Ranjib Biswal, took stock of the controversy-marred last edition and kicked off preparations for the franchises' workshop to be held in Singapore on November 28-29. The governing council, which met at the BCCI headquarters on Sunday evening, discussed last year's accounts and TV ratings and compared it with that of preceding years. The documents will be presented to the eight team owners during the franchises workshop, an annual feature in the build-up of the event since 2009. Meanwhile, the topic of whether to replace Pune Warriors in the forthcoming edition of IPL didn't come up for discussion since the matter was sealed during the BCCI working committee meeting on October 26. "The working committee had decided to go ahead with eight teams in the IPL, so that was not discussed at all," Biswal told eSPNcricinfo. The BCCI on October 26 had terminated Pune Warriors' franchise agreement for non-payment of bank guarantee. Though the termination is likely to reduce BCCI's revenue to some extent, BCCI would be satisfied with a smaller event.