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S SPoRTS Tuesday, 26 February, 2013
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FTER suffering a 30 series whitewash by the Proteas, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Huq lamented the lack of test cricket played by his team and their inexperience in adapting to different conditions. “Not playing as much test cricket as other countries is a concern for us, and whoever does the scheduling should consider this,” Misbah said in Centurion on Sunday, after the third and final test ended with two days to spare. “We are only playing four or five tests a year. That’s a big worry for developing good test players and for making sure we have enough players for Pakistan. “We also need different pitches to play on. When we go to Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and England, it is an area of concern.” It is easy to sympathise with Misbah: he spoke of the same issues after each of the team’s three losses, and he does have a point. Pakistan play their domestic cricket at home, but for security reasons, cannot host international matches and are forced to play in Abu Dhabi and Dubai instead. It is a logistical nightmare for them, plus they are burdened with the extra costs. While the pitches may be similar to those in Pakistan, they are not exactly the same, and they do not enjoy the benefits of having home supporters and the usual familiarities which other teams take for granted. “We have to really consider that we need to get good sporting pitches for fast bowlers,” said Misbah. “That will help us with technique and to adjust to the conditions here.”
The ICC has worked closely with the PCB on this matter, including by reviewing the proposed constitutional provisions in respect of the appointment of the President. – ICC spokesman
misbah blames whitewash on inexperience Misbah repeatedly blamed his team’s inability to adapt to the pace and bounce of South African wickets. Bowling coach Mohammad Akram went as far as to say one of the reasons the team suffered so many injuries on this tour was because of the different texture and softness of the ground conditions. Facing the new ball was not easy for either of the teams and South Africa’s
It is a different story when you play in a different format MISbaH-ul-Huq PAKISTANI CAPTAIN captain Graeme Smith alluded to this fact in his post-match press conference. However, in South Africa’s case, the middle and lower order always chipped in when the need arose. AB de Villiers, South Africa’s only century-maker in the series, scored two 100s while Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan both scored 111 in the Cape Town test.
It should be noted, though, that South Africa had bowled themselves into positions where they were not always required to produce centuries. Over the three tests, they declared in one innings, chased a mediocre target for victory in another, and in the case of the last test, did not have to bat a second time. “The major difference between the two sides is the conditions,” Misbah said. “When the No 1 team is playing in their own conditions, everything is going their way. “They can exploit their conditions because they know how to bat and bowl here. Conditions really affected the results. They beat us in all departments.” Misbah said there were a few positives which came out of the series, but he was still disappointed Pakistan had not capitalised on the rare occasion they had the upper hand. “The way Asad Shafiq played is one of the positives – there were centuries by him and Younis Khan. Rahat Ali took six wickets here, in only his second test, and Saeed Ajmal took 10 in Cape Town,” he said. “We performed in patches, but we needed to put together performances as a team. “In the second test match, we were in a good position but the batting collapse is our major issue and we have to just sort it out.” Misbah hoped the team would have more success in the forthcoming Twenty20 and one-day international series. “It is a different story when you play in a different format,” Misbah said. “It will be really good to have new players come in. They come in with fresh minds and that will really help the team.”
Smith salutes best S Africa team he has played in
CAPE TOWN aGENCIEs
Graeme Smith has been representing South Africa since 2002 and the test captain believes the current crop of players are the finest of his generation. Smith’s side have a commanding lead at the top of the world rankings after completing a 3-0 test whitewash of Pakistan on Sunday. “This is the best team I have played in as a South African cricketer, we have all our bases covered,” the skipper told reporters. “Part of that is the maturity and professionalism with which they approach every match and the pride they put into their performances.” South Africa have won in England, Australia and New Zealand in recent times and beaten Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand but Smith’s hunger has not yet been
satisfied. “There is still more I want to achieve with this side,” said the opening batsman who averages 48.62 in 110 test appearances. “We want to create a team that plays the game hard but in the right spirit. “What has been most pleasing about this summer is how clinical we have been, we have never let our intensity drop. That is how we set out to play our cricket.” Of the regular test line-up, only Jacques Kallis (37), Smith (32) and Alviro Petersen (32) are in their 30s. Coach Gary Kirsten has urged allrounder Kallis to give up the shorter formats of the game in order to prolong his test career and that looks likely to happen. The strength of the first-class domestic competition has helped fuel success for the test side. When injuries have robbed South Africa of Kallis, Morne Morke, JP Duminy and Vernon Philander, their replacements have excelled. The latest is Kyle Abbott who returned match figures of nine for 68 on his debut in the victory by an innings and 18 runs over Pakistan in the third test. “I think the domestic circuit at the moment is the strongest it has been,” said the 25-year-old paceman. “It is credit to the South African system. “The high performance centre is fantastic and the South African A side has been running really well for the last two or three years. By the time guys reach test level they are ready.” The next challenge for the test team is a two-match series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in November. “Preparation for Abu Dhabi will be key,” Smith said. “You cannot keep guys at the top of their game for eight months when they are not playing test cricket so it will be about how we approach the build-up to the series.”
100 days to go AJMAL DESPERATE TO WIN CHAMPIONS TROPHY FOR PAKISTAN LAHORE staff REpoRt
Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal wants his team to end its run of semi-final heartbreaks at ICC events and capture the ICC Champions Trophy in June. Pakistan has lost the semi-final in each of the last four global events it has played in – in the ICC World Twenty20 in 2010 and 2012, the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2009. In the history of the ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan has reached the semi-finals in 2000 (in Kenya, where it lost to New Zealand), 2004 (in England, where it lost to West Indies) and 2009 (in South Africa, where it lost to New Zealand). Saeed, who is the number-one ranked ODI bowler in the world, wants to improve on that record and make a final of an ICC event for the first time in four years. “Last time we lost the semi-final in South Africa against New Zealand at Centurion. The last four ICC events we have got through to the semi-final. This time with the ICC Champions Trophy coming, we want to win it. That is what we are dreaming,” said Saeed. “ICC global events are very important for us. If we win the ICC Champions Trophy we will be very happy as it is the last one,” he added. Saeed and his Pakistan side will get an excellent opportunity to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 when they face South Africa in a five-match series from 10 March. While Pakistan will be aiming to avenge its clean sweep
THIS TIME WE WANT TO WIN IT. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DREAMING, SAYS THE NO.1 RANKED SPINNER loss in the recent Test series, it will also be eyeing upward movement on the Reliance ICC ODI Championship table. Pakistan is currently sitting in sixth position but can move to fourth if it wins the series 4-1 or better. South Africa leads Pakistan 38-18 on a head-to-head, while, in 21 ODIs played in South Africa to date, Pakistan has won only six, with South Africa victorious on 14 occasions and one encounter ending in a no-result. One of the most heartbreaking moments for Saeed was when Pakistan lost a dramatic semi-final to Australia at St Lucia in the ICC World Twenty20 2010 – a moment he believes was a defining point in his career. “In the ICC World Twenty20 2010, we lost and I bowled the last over to Mike Hussey, who hit 18 runs. That was very hard for me. After we lost the game, I went home and my father told me that I performed very well, don’t worry about that and perform. After that I bowled well, I performed well, and I am now ranked number one,
so I appreciated the advice from my father,” recalled Saeed. Pakistan will be hoping to repeat its success of 2009, when it last played an ICC event on English soil, where Saeed inspired his team to victory over Sri Lanka to win the ICC World Twenty20 2009. “It was my first time playing Twenty20 cricket. “I didn’t know that the batsman played very hard in Twenty20. It was very memorable when we won the tournament in 2009 and that was very exciting for me and the team,” he said. Ajmal, whose side faces India, South Africa and West Indies in the group stages of the ICC Champions Trophy 2013, which will be played in Birmingham, Cardiff and London from 6-23 June, is particularly looking forward to playing South Africa in his side’s Group B. When asked about his favourite venue in the UK, Saeed said: “My best venue in the UK is The Oval cricket ground. The ball bounces and turns – I like to play at The Oval.” Saeed revealed that it was Pakistan’s victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1992 in Australia and New Zealand that inspired him to take up the game.