Zero preparation for South Africa

[Junaids]

Now do you see why Pakistan needed to arrive weeks ago?

I have said consistently that Pakistan should have gone to South Africa at the end of December, and played at least 3 Four Day matches at altitude before the First Test.

It is impossible to adapt to the extra bounce and swing when they were wasting their time firstly in India, and then playing the President's Cup Final.

In addition, the middle-order of blockers isn't really suited to playing in South Africa. Consider that Pakistan's most successful batsman in history in South Africa was Azhar Mahmood, because when the ball went soft at 20 overs he could pull, hook and cut.

I don't like Umar Akmal, but he should have been the number 6 batsman, and to be honest Azhar Mahmood or Abdul Razzaq could have batted at number 7 and bowled no worse than Rahat for 15 overs per day.

What was the strategy?

 

[CalculatedRisk]

It would not have mattered. We could not play swing on flat decks in the subcontinent

 

[MR__KHAN__JI]

The only coach captain combo that prepped us for bouncy pitches was Bob and Inzi.

 

[speed]

The only coach captain combo that prepped us for bouncy pitches was Bob and Inzi.

Imran in 92? Not sure if we had a coach back than.

 

[MR__KHAN__JI]

Imran in 92? Not sure if we had a coach back than.

I was talking about recent history...


but did everything right..

 

[Vlad]

What is the point of having preparation when all of your batting line-up is technically flawed ?

I said it before , and i'll say it again , you only have to teach your u19s , how to play a facking inswinger to survive any extraordinary movement!!
The coaches here are stealing a living so does the whole cricket team!!

 

[cricguru]

Back to school, Pakistan went to South Africa Tour un prepared

Rameez Raja mentioned during the match that Imran Khan used to practice Pakistani team with wet tennis ball so batsmen get used to of bounce and swing.

With 49 all out, even a child can say that Pakistan went un prepared for South Africa series.


If India can make Dharamsala Stadium and Sri Lanka can make Pallekele stadium for fast and bouncy pitches with weather , and conditions suiting to fast and swing bowling then why cannot Pakistan follow same and should build stadium near Burband Murree, so our domestic players and national XI get used to of bouncy and fast conditions like UK, SA, or Australia. There used to be project way back in 1998 under Nawaz government, however after Musharaf coup, plan has been demised.

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Or for time being can use Muzafarabad Cricket Stadium

 

[lilFlip]

Out of all SC teams only Indians (00's era not current lot) can play well in SA. Tests we won in SA were thanks to bowlers

Our recent greats and have been useless against SA/Aus

But I don't think PCB/BCCI or even BCB's priority is to make good teams. They are focused on making big money smh... [WHATEVER HAPPENED TO NATIONAL PRIDE ]

 

[Bullet Drive]

Out of all SC teams only Indians (00's era not current lot) can play well in SA. Tests we won in SA were thanks to bowlers

Our recent greats and have been useless against SA/Aus

But I don't think PCB/BCCI or even BCB's priority is to make good teams. They are focused on making bif money smh... [WHATEVER HAPPENED TO NATIONAL PRIDE ]

Its t20 cricket. T20 brings in money and that's all our board cares about.

 

[mosh101]

All the team selection issues that surfaced prior to the tour and beginning to show in our performances.

 

[blackanhyellow]

All the team selection issues that surfaced prior to the tour and beginning to show in our performances.

Nah, this same team would have no problem posting 250+ in UAE. Its just they dont seem to have the technique to adjust quickly to foreign conditions. I reckon if they got a few more practice games, and the pitches were actually pacey not like the flat one they got in their sole practice match, they would have been alot better prepared.

 

[Looney]

Why do they all run their mouth , stating the obvious , after something like this happened ?

 

[shokz1408]

Why do they all run their mouth , stating the obvious , after something like this happened ?

Because you can back up your opinions with some cold hard evidence.

 

[cricguru]

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[asif9138]

after india series we forget about this series! we did not prepare at all!

 

[Jo_Don]

Back to school, Pakistan went to South Africa Tour un prepared

after india series we forget about this series! we did not prepare at all!

There shouldn't have been an India series in the first place, at least not at that time. The timing was completely inadequate.

 

[ddss]

The 6 month gap hurt the batsmen more than not playin practice matches imo.

 

[shokz1408]

The 6 month gap hurt the batsmen more than not playin practice matches imo.

So what your essentially saying is, had pakistan filled that gap with some cricket they would have performed better, then if they had gone to south africa earlier to play some more practice matches. I disagree.

 

[manwidoutsoul]

our batting is not good enough either we play one practice or two or even three. We can see in india that our batsmen cant handle the swing of buvi kumar.
Pakistan should send our player in sa aus eng to play first class cricket to understand how to play seam and swing bowling otherwise there is no chance to improve our batting skills.
In uae where we whitewash england is bcoz our bowlers defend little totals bcoz our batsmen didnt play spin properly and getting out against swan and panesar.
And england won the series not bcoz because of the practice they won bcoz india dnt have quality spinners and their batsman could not handle well panesar and swan just like our batsmen in uae but we have good spinners also so we can fight and won the matches against england.

 

[IndianWillow]

Practice matches do matter but I think there is much more than that. There is a general decline in batting skills the world over, for facing genuine pace bowling. A few practice matches can't fix insufficient skills in the core batting department.

Sub-100 totals are happening as if it were as easy as hatching a chicken. Except South Africa, I think every other team is struggling to handle good pace bowling. Even England, which is the second best team right now, is suspect against both pace and spin. No team is comfortable playing away, these days.

 

[Savak]

So what your essentially saying is, had pakistan filled that gap with some cricket they would have performed better, then if they had gone to south africa earlier to play some more practice matches. I disagree.

What rubbish, of course coming earlier, playing 2-3 practice games, practicing hard in the nets to acclimatize would have made a big difference. You have to allow yourself the best possible chances of proper preparation.

 

[Savak]

So who will take responsibility for this debacle?

 

[MenInG]

Well at the moment, we are more concerned about whether PSL will have foreign players or not - so not the PCB.

 

[asifp]

our batsman need to play county cricket. Get used to swinging conditions. I am sure there are many counties that would be interested in an Azhar Ali or Asad Shafiq

 

[Chokli]

6 years later, think tank still doesn't learn and then they carry out in depth investigations as to why the team sucks