"Pakistan haven't done anything special - they have done the basics" : Ian Botham

[Theo_14]

SIR IAN BOTHAM: "There is no way England should perform like that at home, there is no excuse. Pakistan haven't done anything special - they have done the basics, bowled line and length, put a price on their wickets and caught better than England. It was wimpish to watch from England - it was like schoolboys, there was no fight."


http://www.skysports.com/cricket/ne...l-all-you-need-to-know-from-day-four-at-lords

 

[Markhor]

Nah I watched that bit - he meant Pakistan stuck to basics and fundamental cricket and weren't looking to do anything fancy.

Botham is a bitter man no doubt but you have to watch in context.

He called England wimpish and schoolboys getting rolled over in that same segment

 

[AFM]

You have to look at the context. His main point was that England couldn't even do that.

 

[blackanhyellow]

You took his words out of context.

He was just saying Pakistan got the basics right adapted to the conditions, bowled fuller and batted decent, they didnt do magic out there.

So England should have been able to do better than this.

 

[UN talkz]

Sir Ian Botham

"There is no way England should play like that at home. It is not good enough. It was wimpish to watch to be honest. Like schoolboys getting rolled over."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/...first-test-day-four-lords-live-score-updates/

 

[Rana]

He is right. The thing is this is all pakistan need to do, stick to basics. That's what teams like South Africa or Australia did in the past when beating big teams away from home. Nothing special, just do what is necessary

 

[MenInG]

Botham very angry!

 

[The_Odd_One]

He's right. Pakistan just did the basics right. That's why there was no standout performer. Everyone chipped in with useful contributions.

 

[New Yorker]

He's right. Pakistan just did the basics right. That's why there was no standout performer. Everyone chipped in with useful contributions.

Right, no standout performer except for MoM Abbas who took the merely ordinary amount of 8 wickets in the match at the commonplace average of @6, the best nothing special haul ever at Lord's by a Pakistani pacer.

 

[Sidilicious]

Isn't thats what test cricket is all about. You do not need to be some super talented guy. Do the basics right, have the right mentality and have just about enough skill, and you will more often than not. You do not need to be a Starc or an ABD to be a great. Kohli and Abbas IMHO are two examples what a great head and a doing the basics right can work.

Having said, given that so many teams do not get it right, tells you how difficult it is do the basics right.