jeetu
PPCL Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2010
- Runs
- 9,885
- Post of the Week
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Fielding keeps letting Pakistan down in Brisbane Test
FAST-bowling great Wasim Akram once quipped Pakistan’s poor fielding cost him 700 wickets — and he may have only been half-joking.
It may be one of grade cricket’s most mundane sayings, but the adage “catches win matches” is yet to strike a chord in Pakistan.
You must be near perfect to beat Australia at the Gabba, a venue the home side has not lost at since 1988, and Pakistan has been far from that in the field.
Dropping Australian skipper Steve Smith on 53 cost them 77 runs and Pakistan was lucky he didn’t inflict more damage after Mohammad Amir grassed a sitter early on Friday, ironically on the same patch of grass where his knee buckled on Thursday.
A nervous Nic Maddinson was dropped at short leg on nought and Pakistan was fortunate he added just one run before departing.
Former Australian international Steve Rixon, now Pakistan’s fielding coach, would have been twitching in the grandstands.
Fielding has never been a strong suit of subcontinental teams, but Pakistan’s recent run of dropped catches has cost them dearly.
Amir has counted at least 13 missed opportunities since he returned to the game from a five-year ban for spot fixing earlier this year.
Many of those came during Pakistan’s recent series loss in New Zealand.
“At schoolboy level, we just don’t put enough emphasis on it,” ex-Pakistan quick Waqar Younis told 4BC.
“Young players think about batting and bowling."
“But in this modern day cricket with bouncy wickets, if you’re not a good fielding team and taking slips catches, you’re going to suffer.”
You simply cannot compete with Australia at the Gabba without taking every opportunity that comes your way.
No-one would understand that better than Yasir Shah, the crafty Pakistani leg-spinner who bowled his heart out for the paltry figures of 2-129.
Shah was a workhorse for Pakistan.
Shah, the second fastest bowler in history to claim 100 Test wickets, bowled an incredible 43.1 overs, including a staggering 23 consecutive early on day one when Pakistan’s seamers should have been swinging the pink ball.
Amir dropped Smith off Shah’s bowling before he had a sharp chance from Maddinson go down.
For the most part he bowled to a field that no attacking spinner would enjoy bowling to.
If Yasir was not such a feisty character his spirit may have been broken just hours into this series which may only get tougher as it goes on.
Pakistan had Australia somewhat on the ropes at 9-380 before tailenders Nathan Lyon and Jackson Bird put on 49 for the final wicket.
They are the type of partnerships you cannot concede against Australia and Pakistan will be kicking themselves for their lapses in the field.
FAST-bowling great Wasim Akram once quipped Pakistan’s poor fielding cost him 700 wickets — and he may have only been half-joking.
It may be one of grade cricket’s most mundane sayings, but the adage “catches win matches” is yet to strike a chord in Pakistan.
You must be near perfect to beat Australia at the Gabba, a venue the home side has not lost at since 1988, and Pakistan has been far from that in the field.
Dropping Australian skipper Steve Smith on 53 cost them 77 runs and Pakistan was lucky he didn’t inflict more damage after Mohammad Amir grassed a sitter early on Friday, ironically on the same patch of grass where his knee buckled on Thursday.
A nervous Nic Maddinson was dropped at short leg on nought and Pakistan was fortunate he added just one run before departing.
Former Australian international Steve Rixon, now Pakistan’s fielding coach, would have been twitching in the grandstands.
Fielding has never been a strong suit of subcontinental teams, but Pakistan’s recent run of dropped catches has cost them dearly.
Amir has counted at least 13 missed opportunities since he returned to the game from a five-year ban for spot fixing earlier this year.
Many of those came during Pakistan’s recent series loss in New Zealand.
“At schoolboy level, we just don’t put enough emphasis on it,” ex-Pakistan quick Waqar Younis told 4BC.
“Young players think about batting and bowling."
“But in this modern day cricket with bouncy wickets, if you’re not a good fielding team and taking slips catches, you’re going to suffer.”
You simply cannot compete with Australia at the Gabba without taking every opportunity that comes your way.
No-one would understand that better than Yasir Shah, the crafty Pakistani leg-spinner who bowled his heart out for the paltry figures of 2-129.
Shah was a workhorse for Pakistan.
Shah, the second fastest bowler in history to claim 100 Test wickets, bowled an incredible 43.1 overs, including a staggering 23 consecutive early on day one when Pakistan’s seamers should have been swinging the pink ball.
Amir dropped Smith off Shah’s bowling before he had a sharp chance from Maddinson go down.
For the most part he bowled to a field that no attacking spinner would enjoy bowling to.
If Yasir was not such a feisty character his spirit may have been broken just hours into this series which may only get tougher as it goes on.
Pakistan had Australia somewhat on the ropes at 9-380 before tailenders Nathan Lyon and Jackson Bird put on 49 for the final wicket.
They are the type of partnerships you cannot concede against Australia and Pakistan will be kicking themselves for their lapses in the field.
