Pakistan's best strategy is to grind Australia down

[Wasim_Waqar]

Bat time, accumulate and make them bowl to us so we can score.

Bowl fast with the new ball, take wickets, and keep a lid on the scoring once the ball gets older. Australian batsmen are mostly impetuous and some are grossly inexperienced.

Providing we play like we did in England, they will feel the pump.

Don't let history fool you. Pakistan are more than capable of pushing anyone in any conditions. In NZ, we had no practice. Technically, this should be seen as the third test of five, and we should be looking to put the foot on their throat in every game. Whether we can sustain it is another matter. The raw materials are there.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Shafiq and Sarfraz are liabilities.

Amir is overrated.

Basically Yasir and Misbah have to get 80% of the wickets and 60% of the runs.

We have been exposed over the last 3 Tests.

Past our best.

 

[Junaids]

Bat time, accumulate and make them bowl to us so we can score.

Bowl fast with the new ball, take wickets, and keep a lid on the scoring once the ball gets older. Australian batsmen are mostly impetuous and some are grossly inexperienced.

Providing we play like we did in England, they will feel the pump.

Don't let history fool you. Pakistan are more than capable of pushing anyone in any conditions. In NZ, we had no practice. Technically, this should be seen as the third test of five, and we should be looking to put the foot on their throat in every game. Whether we can sustain it is another matter. The raw materials are there.

I don't think that that is very good advice for either the Pink Ball Test - where you need to declare when the floodlights come on - or the two Red Ball Tests, in which you need to score at a decent pace between overs 20 and 80 while the ball is dead because Starc and Hazlewood will end the innings with the second new ball.

 

[Mamoon]

Nothing is going to happen, we will get massacred.

 

[Syed1]

Shafiq and Sarfraz are liabilities.

Amir is overrated.

Basically Yasir and Misbah have to get 80% of the wickets and 60% of the runs.

We have been exposed over the last 3 Tests.

Past our best.

That is the truth.

Sami and Azhar up top are only good for blocking, blocking, blocking ask them to even score at a feeble run rate of 3 rpo and they will falter.

My only hopes rest with Babar, Misbah, Yasir and to a lesser extent Amir. The rest are just there to drop catches and make up the numbers.

 

[Junaids]

Expanding on my earlier points.....

The Kookaburra ball is soft and doesn't move from overs 20 to 80.

Pakistan need to tick over at 2 runs per over until the 20th over - reaching 40-1 - and then score at 4 runs per over for the next 60 overs, hopefully leaving them 280-4 at 80 overs.

The second new ball will knock them over. So scoring between overs 20-80 is crucial.

 

[Pete Rose]

Broadly agree.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Expanding on my earlier points.....

The Kookaburra ball is soft and doesn't move from overs 20 to 80.

Pakistan need to tick over at 2 runs per over until the 20th over - reaching 40-1 - and then score at 4 runs per over for the next 60 overs, hopefully leaving them 280-4 at 80 overs.

The second new ball will knock them over. So scoring between overs 20-80 is crucial.

I think we might reach 300 once.

Batting is declining. Bad timing for us.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

They tried the grinding strategy in NZ but did it work? NO!

They can not just occupy the crease for the whole day and return at stumps on 180-3 in 90 overs.

Our batsmen played exceptionally poor in NZ where the strategy was to grind in and play big but they weren't able to do anything and failed misreably.

They need to revisit their game plans and look to counter the pace of Starc and the guile of Hazelwood if they are going to succeed or compete in this Australian tour.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Need to select Hafeez ASAP. Even if he clicks in one of his roles, it will make a big impact.

 

[PakLFC]

Our strategy will be basic survival when it comes to batting instead of scoring runs. That has always been the case whenever we visit these shores. Aussie's will score plenty against our attack although we will have some good sessions. After losing to RSA the Aussies will be determined for a series win.

 

[Abdullah]

I agree. Which is why I mean should start. He needs to be our workhorse keeping a lid on it.
Only thing is grounds are huge in aus and u can get run ragged if u fall behind.
To win everything needs to fire. Batting (all or them) and all the bowlers.

 

[Mamoon]

I agree. Which is why I mean should start. He needs to be our workhorse keeping a lid on it.
Only thing is grounds are huge in aus and u can get run ragged if u fall behind.
To win everything needs to fire. Batting (all or them) and all the bowlers.

I mean will play in the first Test. he did well in the last game.

 

[Suleiman]

This block and giggle strategy won't work every time, just because it worked vs England. Aussie attack is more penetrative. Hazlewood is like de Grandhomme x 10 a type of bowler our batsmen especially struggle with.

I'm not a fan of Sarfraz but I think if first test goes poorly we should definitely try to think outside the box in the 2nd test roping in Sharjeel and/or promoting Sarfraz up the order and making Rizwan keep.

 

[Abdullah]

I mean will play in the first Test. he did well in the last game.

I think he will go well. Sohail doesn't have the legs and rahat will get spanked all over

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Not like they have a choice lol. Team of plodders barring two.

 

[Wasim_Waqar]

Pakistan are capable of bossing attacks if they are willing to take the initiative. However, they're not confident of doing it over a long period of time.

Play to our strengths. Tease the Aussies.

When bowling, keep a steady line and length and bowl the bouncer with intention and a short leg.

The way people are talking, it seems it is pointless even touring!

 

[Aman]

Great strategy, score at under 3 an over and grind the Aussie bowlers while their batsmen score at 4+ an over and put Pakistan under the pump...

What's going to happen if you lose the toss? Are you going to raise the white flag and call it a day?

This is a horrible strategy and will only result in Pakistan getting slaughtered, they need to find a medium in between no intent and full on attack.

 

[moghul]

Bat time, accumulate and make them bowl to us so we can score.

Bowl fast with the new ball, take wickets, and keep a lid on the scoring once the ball gets older.

That's easy , problem solved, lets celebrate .

 

[troodon]

Can't grind if you don't have any teeth.

The 2 biggest molars in Pak's jaw Yasir/Misbah need to be at their best.

 

[Wasim_Waqar]

Bat time, accumulate and make them bowl to us so we can score.

Bowl fast with the new ball, take wickets, and keep a lid on the scoring once the ball gets older.

That's easy , problem solved, lets celebrate .

That should be the plan. Play the patience game and put the pressure on them. Stand toe to toe.

 

[Wasim_Waqar]

I don't think that that is very good advice for either the Pink Ball Test - where you need to declare when the floodlights come on - or the two Red Ball Tests, in which you need to score at a decent pace between overs 20 and 80 while the ball is dead because Starc and Hazlewood will end the innings with the second new ball.

Pakistan cannot score at four an over. It won't happen. We have to adapt but play to our own strengths. A bit of old test cricket if you like. Bar SA and England (2010/11), nobody in recent years has been patient in Aus.

 

[Snatch]

Don't let history fool you. Pakistan are more than capable of pushing anyone in any conditions. .

I really think you're fooling yourself if you can honestly look at the personnel of the Pakistan squad & really think they can push any team anywhere.

I'd put any money you like that if they were playing SA in SA with this squad of players, they would get destroyed and humiliated even more so than New Zealand. Weather permitting it would be 3-0 every time...with time to spare.

I think that one really good series in England (and they did only draw to be fair, which NZ also did in 2015 in England), when I felt England played particularly poorly by their own standards (if I'm really honest), has led Pakistan fans into this false sense of security that this squad of players are better than they really are.

Clearly the bookmakers were smart enough to realise this and had New Zealand starting as strong favourites before that Test series, even though NZ have been very poor at Test cricket in the last 12 months.


To say they can push any team anywhere, is just flat out wrong unless you're meaning if the other teams play spectacularly poorly by their own standards.

 

[Pete Rose]

I really think you're fooling yourself if you can honestly look at the personnel of the Pakistan squad & really think they can push any team anywhere.

I'd put any money you like that if they were playing SA in SA with this squad of players, they would get destroyed and humiliated even more so than New Zealand. Weather permitting it would be 3-0 every time...with time to spare.

I think that one really good series in England (and they did only draw to be fair, which NZ also did in 2015 in England), when I felt England played particularly poorly by their own standards (if I'm really honest), has led Pakistan fans into this false sense of security that this squad of players are better than they really are.

Clearly the bookmakers were smart enough to realise this and had New Zealand starting as strong favourites before that Test series, even though NZ have been very poor at Test cricket in the last 12 months.


To say they can push any team anywhere, is just flat out wrong unless you're meaning if the other teams play spectacularly poorly by their own standards.

Sure, this sounds in no way as unhinged as what it's criticizing

 

[Junaids]

Pakistan cannot score at four an over. It won't happen. We have to adapt but play to our own strengths. A bit of old test cricket if you like. Bar SA and England (2010/11), nobody in recent years has been patient in Aus.

It's really easy to score 4 an over in Australian red ball Tests if you still have your top order intact after the Kookaburra goes soft and loses its seam prominence at 20 overs.

I would expect Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Misbah, Shafiq and Sarfraz to do it easily.

 

[Snatch]

Sure, this sounds in no way as unhinged as what it's criticizing

I'd be open to any argument to the contrary on any individual point made.

 

[MMHS]

It's really easy to score 4 an over in Australian red ball Tests if you still have your top order intact after the Kookaburra goes soft and loses its seam prominence at 20 overs.

I would expect Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Misbah, Shafiq and Sarfraz to do it easily.

Not sure, if it's easy or not - BUT that's the only way to be in the game in AUS. PAK will do great to reach 55/1 at lunch - but, then if it's not 170/3 at Tea, Aussies will make it 203/5 with old ball, then 256 all-out with 2nd ball on a perfect batting strip.

Playing safety first game doesn't work in AUS. Even, in the Series AUS beat WI 5-1, only Test win was possible for a 169 by Fredricks & 149 by Lloyd - both crashed in around 200 minutes against Lillee, Thompson, Gilmore & Walker.

 

[Wasim_Waqar]

It's been a while since I've seen an Australian test due to my schedule (I'm sure I read you're a psychiatrist. I am one too!).

There are usually a lot of twos and threes on offer square of the wicket simply due to the size of the grounds. The length we decide to play at is key. I don't want to see us wafting at good length deliveries outside off where we become impatient. Let them bowl to our strong areas.

 

[Pete Rose]

Sure, this sounds in no way as unhinged as what it's criticizing

Sure. Comparing a two test series performance against England by a team used to playing those conditions with a team that played its first four test outside Asia after five years and that too carrying two guys over 40 and a bowling attack where only one bowler was close to a 100 test wickets.
Second would the Friedman level shallow observation that England played poor cricket hence were troubled by Pakistan - that's pretty much how it goes when one team wins and the other loses.
As for the entire post itself it seems to be responding to the imaginary idea that Pakistan can beat anyone anywhere rather the more benign observation that Pakistan are capable of pushing any team anywhere.
So yes, it all sounds like an unhinged rant.
My observation remains firmly that Pakistan is capable of challenging Australia this summer.

 

[New Yorker]

Need to select Hafeez ASAP. Even if he clicks in one of his roles, it will make a big impact.

Same could be said for Abdur Razzaq, but what are the chances he's still got it? Hafeez has been dismal with the bat in domestics and his bowling post correction is an unknown quantity. If Ajmal can't make it work with a modified action, why would we expect Hafeez to? Plus he's an awful fielder. Inducting one new proper and in form pace bowler or one new proper and in form batsman is a much better bet. Chances are Hafeez will simply be a double disappointment.

 

[Pete Rose]

I'd be open to any argument to the contrary on any individual point made.

Sure. Comparing a two test series performance against England by a team used to playing those conditions with a team that played its first four test outside Asia after five years and that too carrying two guys over 40 and a bowling attack where only one bowler was close to a 100 test wickets.
Second would the Friedman level shallow observation that England played poor cricket hence were troubled by Pakistan - that's pretty much how it goes when one team wins and the other loses.
As for the entire post itself it seems to be responding to the imaginary idea that Pakistan can beat anyone anywhere rather the more benign observation that Pakistan are capable of pushing any team anywhere.
So yes, it all sounds like an unhinged rant.
My observation remains firmly that Pakistan is capable of challenging Australia this summer.