Pakistan vs South Africa:Test 1: Day 2 from Centurion.

[PlanetPakistan]

With the 2nd new ball only 3 overs old i expect SA to use it well and get PAK out for around 300. The day 2 wicket is normally good for batting so i reckon SA will d end up with a score of around 190/4.

From the PAK point of view here are the plans

Batting plans
PLAN A: Inzi and Akmal to see of the new ball and play percentage cricket from there onwards.

PLAN B: If one of them gets out early then the other person should try to nurture the tail and play positive cricket and after the 8th wicket falls go on an all out attack.

PLAN C: If both Inzi and AKmal fall then the remaining players should be willing to take some blows and add 30-40 runs.

Bowling plans.

Open the bowling with Nazir and Asif. Attack Smith with inswingers while AB Develliars has a slightly lousy technique and Asif should be able to take care of him. Amla has been in great form either and should find it hard against Asif.
Attack Gibbs with Kaneria and make him play through the on side...the slider which Danish has recently developed can be quite effective against Gibbs.

 

[Genghis]

Amla has been in great form

Misprint there....

Anyways the key today will be Inzy and Asif for me. These two hold the key between a good days cricket and a great days cricket.

 

[kablooee87]

I would open bowling with Rana rather than Nazir.

 

[PlanetPakistan]

Misprint there....

Anyways the key today will be Inzy and Asif for me. These two hold the key between a good days cricket and a great days cricket.

oh i meant hasn't*

 

[PlanetPakistan]

I would open bowling with Rana rather than Nazir.

Fair idea...considering that Smith has a huge weakness agianst the in swinging ball and Rana is known to bowl some lovely inswingers to the lefties

 

[OZGOD]

Do you think Pak will try and bat through to the end of the day and then declare to have a bowl early tomorrow morning?

 

[PlanetPakistan]

Do you think Pak will try and bat through to the end of the day and then declare to have a bowl early tomorrow morning?

ummm...i will be happy we last the 1st session.

 

[Genghis]

Do you think Pak will try and bat through to the end of the day and then declare to have a bowl early tomorrow morning?

Bat the day ... jeez I guess we can only dream!!!

 

[Easa]

I hope we can get to 350, for that Inzi has to bat through, though.

 

[kablooee87]

The goal should be to bat until at least lunch. That would mean around 80-100 runs and a score of 320-340.

 

[Genghis]

We can't afford to expose our tail to the new ball and hence these two need to stay in for a while. If they do, a score in the range of 400 is not completley out of the equation.

 

[arsal_pakfan]

300 runs for Pakistan will be the key....they need to get minimum 300 to put up a fight ...though it wont be a safe score at all but something for the bowlers to fight for...& for sure Pak will need to put up a similar or even better show in the 2nd innings!

 

[PlanetPakistan]

Pitch might get quicker on day 2 and 3 so do you guys feel that it will an advantage or a disadvantage to the Pakistanis?

 

[arsal_pakfan]

I think Inzi winning the Toss & then batting first could be the defining moment of the series....just loved the positiveness the pakistani management showed by batting first on this wicket !...they gave a strong message that they r not worried abt the greenness of the pitch or the South African pace attack!

 

[Genghis]

Pitch might get quicker on day 2 and 3 so do you guys feel that it will an advantage or a disadvantage to the Pakistanis?

I think it is a good sign that we will have played out a day and a bit by the time the Saffies come out to bat. So far the pitch has been a bit slow and some of the short balls from Pollock and Co. seemed to be sitting up nicely for Pakistani batsmen to hit. If it does get quicker it can only help us more, especially with the fast bowlers we have at our disposal.

Kaneria will also like the bounce on this pitch and if he bowls smartly he could pick up some 1st inning wickets as well.

 

[iZeeshan]

So, how much longer?

 

[Genghis]

So, how much longer?

Just over an hour now before start of play.

 

[MIG]

We must cross 400 or we will be always fighting for survival in this mathc.

Upto Inzi and Akmal to see us to 350 in the first session and for the rest to take us upto 400+ - it has to be a team effort !

 

[shan]

400 is minimum here.

 

[arsal_pakfan]

400 will be really difficult...i m expecting 300 from Pakistan...dont forget the other team is also here to play & will come hard at us in the start!...if Inzi & Akmal see of the first half an hour to 40 mins then i think we will be pretty safe in the first innings!

 

[MIG]

Akmal has opened for us before, so the new ball shouldnt be that much of a shock to the system. Inzi should also be able to hold his own - I am expecting us to get to 350 without further loss (optimistic)!

 

[arsal_pakfan]

i want to see how Asif & Nazir bowl on this wicket....i m keeping my expectations low for Rana coz of his poor showings in Test cricket thus far!

their speeds will be a worry for Pakistan as all of them bowl at the similar & manageable speeds of 130-134 mph....Umer Gul would have added a bit of variety coz he surely generates more pace than the other three

 

[Muyazzim Khan]

i want to see how Asif & Nazir bowl on this wicket....i m keeping my expectations low for Rana coz of his poor showings in Test cricket thus far!

their speeds will be a worry for Pakistan as all of them bowl at the similar & manageable speeds of 130-134 mph....Umer Gul would have added a bit of variety coz he surely generates more pace than the other three

Rana will and can bowl late 130s to 140 but like you looking at the warm up game he is likely to be belted around. Its Asif and Nazir who need to be in form and our pathetic fielders need to take the cathes that come along. I don't expect anything from Rana and especially Cellulite legs Kaneria.

 

[Muyazzim Khan]

We must cross 400 or we will be always fighting for survival in this mathc.

Upto Inzi and Akmal to see us to 350 in the first session and for the rest to take us upto 400+ - it has to be a team effort !

I admire your optimism but Akmal looked all at sea against the new ball and especially Ntini. If Akmal last 3 overs this morining it will be an achievement. After that anything could be possible.

 

[MIG]

I admire your optimism but Akmal looked all at sea against the new ball and especially Ntini. If Akmal last 3 overs this morining it will be an achievement. After that anything could be possible.

Umeed par duniya Qayam Hai ( We live on hope !)

 

[OZGOD]

Has it started yet?

 

[iZeeshan]

I belive it has.

 

[Rob H]

) ) ) ) just posted an England score update on wrong thread

 

[iZeeshan]

Great shot by Inzi for 4.

Why is the crowd so dead!?

 

[Invictus]

okay I am confused thanks Rob.

 

[iZeeshan]

Inzi looking good and baffled at same time.
Where is everybody!!!

 

[shan]

this is disgusting Fox sports is showing Eng vs Aus odi instead of test match I hope australia finish quickly

 

[the_game]

What the hell is up with pull shots? Control your freakin' selves and stop pulling short balls! Inzi out caught at square leg.

 

[iZeeshan]

Inzi gone! Another gone to the hook! Didn't expect this from Inzi at alll!

 

[tahaqureshi]

Inzi gone for 42! Pak 256/6!

Tsk tsk..we might be out for under 300 unless Akmal saves the day!

 

[shan]

inzy gone 256/6

 

[iZeeshan]

this is disgusting Fox sports is showing Eng vs Aus odi instead of test match I hope australia finish quickly

MSN me at zeeshan1anwar@hotmail.com

 

[shan]

MSN me at zeeshan1anwar@hotmail.com

why?

 

[CrickFan]

Match going according to SA script - The last realistic hope for Pakistan is back in the hut

 

[shan]

another pull another out.

 

[Raz]

Commentary is really annoying.

 

[CrickFan]

87.4 Ntini to Inzamam-ul-Haq, OUT, Got im! And well well well..... guess what another dismissal due to a pull shot. Banged in short, and Inzamam goes for a pull, and sends it straight down the waiting palms at deep square leg. Hee didn't have to move an inch, the cherry just came hurtling straight to him.

 

[CrickFan]

Kaptaan Inzy leading from the front -

 

[12thMan]

one commentator just said Women's World Cup is in Pakistan next year. I think they don't even allow male spectators when Pakistan women play so why hold the WC

 

[Raz]

Smashed through the covers for 4. Rana dishing it out to Nel

267-6

 

[the_game]

Rana with a sexy shot. I hope Rana scores some runs here and justifies his "allrounder" tag.

 

[Raz]

Almost a run out, come on yaaro lets get to 300 at least

 

[shan]

why is akmal takin singles?

 

[hasbeen]

one commentator just said Women's World Cup is in Pakistan next year. I think they don't even allow male spectators when Pakistan women play so why hold the WC

they do have a point. i as a muslim agree that men shouldn't be allowed to watch muslim women play but i agree they shouldn't hold the world cup in pakistan as a result.

 

[iZeeshan]

Akmal killing us here.

Great shot by Rana though.

 

[Raz]

Rana with a sexy shot. I hope Rana scores some runs here and justifies his "allrounder" tag.

Well he has two first class centuries I think, certainly is no mug.

And a beautiful cover drive for 4. Go Rana go!!

 

[12thMan]

Rana on knee posing for camera after another 4

 

[the_game]

Rana with another boundary. Good stuff. 272-6.

 

[the_game]

Well he has two first class centuries I think, certainly is no mug.

And a beautiful cover drive for 4. Go Rana go!!

And he is defending well today too. Go Rana!

 

[iZeeshan]

Naved on fire. He's really done something to his batting.

 

[shan]

why inzy had to play stupid? now we can't even get to 300.

 

[CrickFan]

300 is looking like a pipe dream at the moment - Pakistani batsmen shot themselves in the foot ..Interesting comments from cricinfo : Pakistan had a great opportunity to wrest the initiative on the opening day after a sturdy 133-run partnership between Younis Khan and Yasir Hameed but in a typical fashion, threw away the advantage with some rash suicidal pull shots.

 

[sehban]

i m still pretty happy with pak position right now...the pitch is still actimng pretty uneven & i dont expect to get better ...so i believe pak is till in a better position than sa ...somehow pak has to get 320

 

[iZeeshan]

Absolutely no crowd. Very dissappointing.

 

[12thMan]

we have the Bollywood Kaneria still to come. funny pics of Nazir with white goop on face and Kaneria with his collar up

 

[shan]

300 is looking like a pipe dream at the moment - Pakistani batsmen shot themselves in the foot ..Interesting comments from cricinfo : Pakistan had a great opportunity to wrest the initiative on the opening day after a sturdy 133-run partnership between Younis Khan and Yasir Hameed but in a typical fashion, threw away the advantage with some rash suicidal pull shots.

it's not like we are 100 runs away from 300. 400 is pipe dream

 

[KB]

Inzi should bat at 4 in the abscence of Yosuf. The problem with batting at 5 is, that if the top order batsmen do well, you have to come out against the second new ball and if they do poorly, you have to bat under pressure.

 

[the_game]

The pitch looking like it has demons in it. I so wish we had Akhtar and Gul in the team for this pitch.

 

[shan]

pathetic akmal take another single on first ball

 

[ahsan17]

Whats with the pull shot syndrome? They're certainly pulling too much. On these kinds of wickets, where there is more bounce than in Pakistan, that's asking for trouble. Hopefully they fix this problem next time they bat.

 

[Karma]

MSN me at zeeshan1anwar@hotmail.com

hey lala .........this is me

 

[iZeeshan]

Asif will have somefun here. And Smith will be the entertainer.

 

[iZeeshan]

hey lala .........this is me

Oh ok. But I still dont get the lala thing.

 

[the_game]

Unbelievable. Another pull shot. Another dismissal. Akmal gone.

 

[shan]

akmal gone

 

[iZeeshan]

This is amazing

Another to the pull. Its a joke now.

 

[shan]

this is amazing last 5 out to pull shot.

 

[KaSaNoVa_G]

We need to atleast get the 300 ... 267/7 dont look good at all now !!

 

[ahsan17]

lol.

 

[TurkishCricketFan]

Unbelievable. Another pull shot. Another dismissal. Akmal gone.

stubborn

 

[shan]

what u expect from others when brainless captain himself got out to pull.

 

[darkmoon459]

Pakistani are now can be called the "unhappy Hookers"

 

[iZeeshan]

Time fr a Kaneria Kameo!

 

[kablooee87]

Did I hear "****" from the commentator?

 

[ahsan17]

Did I hear "****" from the commentator?

I certainly did!