jeetu
PPCL Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2010
- Runs
- 9,885
- Post of the Week
- 4
Boxing Day Test cricket: Confident Pakistan ready to end Steve Smith's rich form
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket...d-steve-smiths-rich-form-20161223-gth23q.html
Led by a second-innings century from Asad Shafiq, the tourists almost pulled off one of cricket's greatest heists in chasing 490 to win before losing by 39 runs. They appeared more at ease on the bouncy Gabba wicket as the contest unfolded, and are confident they will handle the drop-in MCG wicket set to offer reverse swing and spin. The deck was still covered with grass on Friday but that's likely to change with Melbourne bracing for a heatwave.
Opening batsman Sami Aslam, who had modest returns of 22 and 15 in Brisbane, said his side was ready to better handle Australia's attack led by the always-threatening Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who adopted an aggressive, short-pitched attack in Brisbane.
"Due to the last innings there is a lot of confidence in the team that we can really perform well in these conditions and all players adapt to the conditions, so we are very much confident going into the Melbourne Test," he said.
Aslam, 21, said he could sense Australia had panicked in the field on that final day in Brisbane as the tourists closed in on what would have been a record-breaking win.
"They [Australia] were really confident that they would [win] easily. Everything panicked when we [got] so close to that. That was 490, that was a very big total," he said.
The tourists will also have the confidence from knowing they were, albeit briefly, ranked the No.1 Test nation this year.
In a bid to adjust to the extra bounce and pace they do not encounter in Asian conditions, the tourists are lugging around two slabs of granite to use in the practice nets. Balls are then aimed at the slab, with batsmen better able to practice their back-foot strokes and attacking cross-bat shots.
"Some players do practice on the slab, in Pakistan as well. I don't practise on the slab. It's up to the players. Slab is important for the bouncy deliveries – so many players have it in their mind the slab will help on the bouncy pitches," Aslam said.
The robust left-hander from Lahore, a former under-19 Pakistan captain, has yet to notch a ton in 10 Tests, having twice fallen in the 90s. He is under growing pressure to reach three figures.
"I have many hundreds in first-class cricket and international under-19 cricket as well. I don't think there is a problem ... when I get into the 90s. One or two times I was unlucky and one or two times I played a bad shot. I am really confident I score big next time," he said.
What coach Mickey Arthur and captain Misbah-ul-Haq must find if they are to knot the series is a way of at least curbing Smith, enjoying a superb run of batting form but surprisingly overlooked for the International Cricket Council's Test XI of the year. Smith, the No.1-ranked Test batsman, was made 12th man, as the voting period closed before the Australia-South Africa Test series.
Smith's scored 130 in Brisbane, along with a maiden Test century from Victorian Peter Handscomb, bankrolled Australia's imposing first innings of 429.
"Steve Smith has a very good record. We don't have any [focus] on one player only, we plan to get out whole team. But, yes, two or three players are very good and we have a plan to get him early because he is in very good form," Aslam said.
What that plan is was not revealed but with two centuries and two half-centuries in his past five international innings, the tourists know they will need to probe deeply if they are to find a blemish in Smith's home-spun technique.
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket...d-steve-smiths-rich-form-20161223-gth23q.html
Led by a second-innings century from Asad Shafiq, the tourists almost pulled off one of cricket's greatest heists in chasing 490 to win before losing by 39 runs. They appeared more at ease on the bouncy Gabba wicket as the contest unfolded, and are confident they will handle the drop-in MCG wicket set to offer reverse swing and spin. The deck was still covered with grass on Friday but that's likely to change with Melbourne bracing for a heatwave.
Opening batsman Sami Aslam, who had modest returns of 22 and 15 in Brisbane, said his side was ready to better handle Australia's attack led by the always-threatening Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who adopted an aggressive, short-pitched attack in Brisbane.
"Due to the last innings there is a lot of confidence in the team that we can really perform well in these conditions and all players adapt to the conditions, so we are very much confident going into the Melbourne Test," he said.
Aslam, 21, said he could sense Australia had panicked in the field on that final day in Brisbane as the tourists closed in on what would have been a record-breaking win.
"They [Australia] were really confident that they would [win] easily. Everything panicked when we [got] so close to that. That was 490, that was a very big total," he said.
The tourists will also have the confidence from knowing they were, albeit briefly, ranked the No.1 Test nation this year.
In a bid to adjust to the extra bounce and pace they do not encounter in Asian conditions, the tourists are lugging around two slabs of granite to use in the practice nets. Balls are then aimed at the slab, with batsmen better able to practice their back-foot strokes and attacking cross-bat shots.
"Some players do practice on the slab, in Pakistan as well. I don't practise on the slab. It's up to the players. Slab is important for the bouncy deliveries – so many players have it in their mind the slab will help on the bouncy pitches," Aslam said.
The robust left-hander from Lahore, a former under-19 Pakistan captain, has yet to notch a ton in 10 Tests, having twice fallen in the 90s. He is under growing pressure to reach three figures.
"I have many hundreds in first-class cricket and international under-19 cricket as well. I don't think there is a problem ... when I get into the 90s. One or two times I was unlucky and one or two times I played a bad shot. I am really confident I score big next time," he said.
What coach Mickey Arthur and captain Misbah-ul-Haq must find if they are to knot the series is a way of at least curbing Smith, enjoying a superb run of batting form but surprisingly overlooked for the International Cricket Council's Test XI of the year. Smith, the No.1-ranked Test batsman, was made 12th man, as the voting period closed before the Australia-South Africa Test series.
Smith's scored 130 in Brisbane, along with a maiden Test century from Victorian Peter Handscomb, bankrolled Australia's imposing first innings of 429.
"Steve Smith has a very good record. We don't have any [focus] on one player only, we plan to get out whole team. But, yes, two or three players are very good and we have a plan to get him early because he is in very good form," Aslam said.
What that plan is was not revealed but with two centuries and two half-centuries in his past five international innings, the tourists know they will need to probe deeply if they are to find a blemish in Smith's home-spun technique.
