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Sri Lanka vs Pakistan | Colombo (SSC)| 06/29/12 | 2nd Test | Day 1

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Square Drive

Square Drive

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So just under 3 hours left before this match starts. This pitch is a batting paradise, so win toss and bat first.

The weather has been warm and humid. There was a brief shower yesterday, and scattered thunderstorms are forecast on all five days of the Test.

Should be a good game, hope we make a strong comeback. There were reports that Umar Gul is a doubt, but I think he should make it.

My XI:

Afaq
Azhar (pretty much opens every time)
Hafeez (VC)
Younis
Misbah (C)
Asad
Adnan (WK)
Ajmal
Gul
Rehman
Junaid

Your thoughts for this test? Discuss.
 
I think they'll go with the same lineup that has had success in previous series, and the only change from the last test match apart from Misbah taking Ayub's spot might be junaid's spot. He looked pretty mediocre in the first match, he needs to use the new ball to full effect. Sami and Cheema are not world beater second options though anyway, so won't make a huge difference.

Big toss to win, we need to bat first on this track (although if Misbah sees green and bowls I'll trust him on that, however unlikely that is). Hope the showers stay away so we have a chance to win.
 
Expect a dead pitch now that lanka has won the first test. I hope I am wrong though
 
Bowling or batting pitch Pakistan will only score 200 so it is better to be a bowling pitch
 
Some good news, Simon Taufel is one of the umpires.

Some bad news, Ian Gould is still there.
 
Srilanka's bowling sucks, it took them 100+ overs to get Pakistan out in fourth inning
 
It was umpiring that won them the match not their performance, both Sanga and Dilshan were out
 
Even though I'm not going to be watching, I just thought to update you guys as to what will inevitably happen in the first over - Kulusekra to Hafeez, Hafeez wafts and is clean bowled/edged and out.
 
Kulasekra is not a Test standard bowler, India has clobbered him. pakistan need to do the same.
 
Usman said:
Even though I'm not going to be watching, I just thought to update you guys as to what will inevitably happen in the first over - Kulusekra to Hafeez wafts and is clean bowled/edged and out.
Click to expand...

Hafeez will score a hundred here.
 
Usman said:
Even though I'm not going to be watching, I just thought to update you guys as to what will inevitably happen in the first over - Kulusekra to Hafeez, Hafeez wafts and is clean bowled/edged and out.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your optimism. That's just what we need...
 
50 for no loss and good umpiring and we will do good, the umpiring was terrible last time
 
saeed-sohail said:
Be positive usman.
Click to expand...

I have tried to be up until now, even defending Hafeez. But it hit home that he has lost all sense of how to bat. He was almost out on the two previous deliveries to the one on which he was dismissed in the last match. It was like on ball 3, Hearath put Hafeez and Pakistan out of their misery.
 
I think i'll go back to sleep was hoping we would bowl first not worth giving up sleep to watch pakistan bat.
 
Lachrymose said:
Thanks for your optimism. That's just what we need...
Click to expand...

If Hafeez proves me wrong, I will cheer for him. In fact I pray he proves me wrong. But as I just said, there comes a point when a player is so badly out of form that being positive is hard.
 
Usman said:
If Hafeez proves me wrong, I will cheer for him. In fact I pray he proves me wrong. But as I just said, there comes a point when a player is so badly out of form that being positive is hard.
Click to expand...
Let's see, hope he can stay much longer at the crease today!
 
Last 10 days there were a few brief spells of passing showers and no thunder at all. There will be uninterrupted cricket for sure

Cricinfo
 
Personally I would have liked to see Pakistan having another pair opening ........... Maybe :azhar and some other youngster.
 
Why couldn't there be a better timing for this match for us New Yorkers/East Coast residents? :(
 
saeed-sohail said:
Hafeez will score a hundred here.
Click to expand...
Like your optimism, but no don't think Hafeez will score a hundred. Too poor batting form. As I think Saj said on another thread, hafeez when he came back on a comeback seemed a significantly improved player. Those technique flaws didn't seem so apparent.

Losing form however, they've crept back in. Needs to regain some form and iron out those technical issues again. It's certainly doable though. If Hafeez doesn't score big this series deserves to be out the team. Times running out. And if hafeez's batting is in such bad batting form might be worth just concentrating on limited overs, at least for now. Taufeeq too perhaps, he's been poor with the bat even longer than Hafeez, but it's more the fact he has scored tons in difficult south african conditions that affords him a bit more time than hafeez.
 
For SA tour Pakistan need new and better opener........to be against Steyn , Morkel , parnel and Philander.
 
Quite pleased Sri Lankans won the toss and chose to bowl. Probably means Jayawardene doesn't think the pitch is flat. Which means should be able to get a result. No real point in going for a draw at this stage, need a win.
 
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