Shoaib targets Aussie trio

[Trescothin]

Natwest bring me to mind Brett Lee!!.I don't think even Harmison can ever bowl that poorly!

 

[Eclipse]

Natwest bring me to mind Brett Lee!!.I don't think even Harmison can ever bowl that poorly!

Yeah but that was his first game back from a major operation.

He only really bowled at about 135kph in that series and his direction was way off.

 

[marc71178]

Yeah but that was his first game back from a major operation.

He only really bowled at about 135kph in that series and his direction was way off.

Injuries can not be used as an excuse - that's the rule of this forum apparently...

 

[Gotchya]

Eh? The fact that Ricky Ponting averages 73 against Pakistan with three BIG hundreds against them (two of them with Shoiab in the team along with an average of 82 with Shoiab in the team) hardly suggests that Shoaib has been able to get Ponting out consistently at all, let alone dominate him.

And in the matches they've come up against each other in one-dayers, Ponting has averaged 47.53 with one hundred and 6 50's in 18 matches.

So please, do you want to tell us just HOW it can be said that Shoaib has laughed the loudest against Ricky Ponting?

Disregarding the stats, I've only seen two occasions where that can be said; the Test match in Columbo and the one-dayer in Brisbane in the off-season series. Those two times, he made Ponting look like an amateur. But in Ponting's 197 in Perth, 141 in Columbo and most occasions in between, he's made Akhtar look like a club bowler.

I did not look up stats which is why I may have sounded absurd. But my point is that Shoaib Akhtar has looked menacing, threatening, and the most probable to take wickets, even get Ponting out. And I am not clutching at bare minimum when I say that.
Reducing good aggressive batting sides to rubble is not a mean feat, and to say that he does not do it regularly enough is unfair in my opinion.

He has been thrashed about yes, but that is a package of the type of bowling I am talking about. It has gone wrong for Shoaib, because Ponting showed the axe to him, but I dont remember the 'in between' part you are talking about. I am wrong in saying that Shoaib has dominated Ponting, but the contrary is no more true. Two against two is fair and square I presume. Ponting has looked 'most' in control against Akhtar, then again it has been Akhtar that undid him a good times as well.

PS. a great build up to the 11th March I must say.....I hope it's not anti-climax

 

[Ringua]

Ponting has said that he has plan for every Pakistani bowler and batsmen !! I think Australia are going to blast off Pak in the first match, especially after Anwar is going to miss the match after getting injured at the hands of none other than Akhter in the nets!!

I agree with what Akhter had to say, sounds to me more like "mental disintegration", whether he succeed in it or not is another thing. Its better to say that one is going to target one's oponents then to say that one expect their asses to get kicked off in the match ( which is almost certain in Pakistan's case)

 

[Top_Cat]

Gotchya: Just to support your argument a little, I'm pretty sure that the reason Ricky Ponting does so well against Pakistan and Shoaib is only because he rates him highly as a bowler and opponent. The truth be known, I'm sure he loves playing against him. Shoaib is probably one of the few bowlers who really challenges Ricky on a playing and competitive level.

And I'm sure Shoaib loves bowling to Ricky for the same reason in that he's one of the few players who is willing to hook Shoaib at 150km/h+. I think Shoaib liked Mike Slater for the same reason; that he took him on. That was one of the highlights of that summer when they played against each other here in that Slater looked like he was having fun against Shoaib and vice versa.

It's characters like those (Shoaib, Slater) who are really missing from the game when they don't play and it sure gives another dimension to the the interest in a contest when guys like that play against each other.

 

[warrioryohannan]

Anwar is going to miss the match after getting injured at the hands of none other than Akhter in the nets!!

Well Shoaib is said to be a good friend of England's heart throb "Harmison" and most probably this thing is something Akhter picked up from Harmison (who is famous for striking telling blows at nets only )

Would be fully if Akhter can do a Harmison for Pakistan in the match against Australia after the tall claims, imagine Akhter bowling 11 wides in a single match

 

[Trescothin]

Well the thing about Pakistan is that they don't just depend on Achter, they have other great bowlers in Waqar,Saqlain and Akram.Akram in particular would be the man to watch out for in the Cup, someone with 490 wickets in the game and who would certainly like to end his career on a high note.I think Actar will do well against Australia but Akram would be the one who would shine in that match, Gilchrist would probably fall early to Akram and Actar won't even be able to bowl to Gilchrist.
Pakistani Batmen would however screw up things and as such Pakistan will lose the match!

 

[Willow Whacker]

Yep you might be right - trouble is Akram & Younis are nearly 100 years old and have done nothing in recent matches to indicate they will be a force. A tough WC campaign needs fit, fast & committed players and the Paki pair are notorious for turning it up in the clutch when the pressure is on. And we all know that Shoaib is a Show Pony who'll go off for a break at the first sign of Hayden & Gilchrist whacking him to all points.

As for the Aussies I worry too about Warne Gillespir & McGrath - if even one of them ar unfit the game is up 'cos we have the lousiest 2nd stringers (minus Watson as well).

WW


:P :P :P

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I'm pretty sure that Waqar and Wasim are more than a score short of 100.......

 

[yohanna]

Yep you might be right - trouble is Akram & Younis are nearly 100 years old and have done nothing in recent matches to indicate they will be a force.

Agreed to a certain extend on Waqar, but to write off Akram is just plain silly! If you compare the recent (last ten onedayers) played by Akram and McGrath, you would hardly find a difference~oops! Also it was Akram who destroyed Australia in the 3 match indoor series in Australia!

Pakistan will lose to Australia because of their lowsy batsmen, 9 out of 10 times the cause of their defeat is their unrealiable batting!

 

[warrioryohannan]

Well as far as fittnes is concerned, Australia is in a bit of trouble.Glen,Ponting,Warne and Bevan are still not 100 percent fit. Also Austrlia have been playing non stop cricket since long and i won't be surprised if a couple of their super stars go down to injury during the WC!!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Australia had a few months off last year so they haven't been playing non-stop cricket. Engand however have.