Oh New Zealand, what did you do? I mean, yes the series is levelled and we can't wait for a good contest, but that was still sad to watch.
Has anyone realized that two out of the three bowlers who got a five wicket haul in these recent tests were from the winning side? Won't it be great if Sulieman Benn made it three out of three?
P.S: I am slightly upset that Aamer wasn't the one with the five. Hmph! Oh well, at least it wasn't Umar Gul!
17 comments:
I agree to every single word*. The Kiwis put their supporters through hell sometimes, during the short time I've been following them now they've made me age by about five years. That's the stuff ancient Greek tragedies are made of. Epic. Go Black Caps!
OK. I don't have much hope for the third test. A batting surface with no batters. Whoohoo. Let's sacrifice enormous pies at the altar of Ross Taylor.
* "(...)Won't it be great if Sulieman Benn made it three out of three?(...)"
You sure were going to write Nathan Hauritz, no?
Welcome Wes :). I swear, it's so hard to dislike them. But sometimes they really test you!
"A batting surface with no batters"-that goes for both Pakistan and the Kiwis! So there may be hope yet.
No, I meant Benn :P.
Btw, how did you come across cricket? Being German and all! Very interesting.
Hi Purna... I think despite the flaws Pakistan have the momentum on their side (as much as I hate this bloody word), and their batting is a tiny wee better I guess, seeing that NZ are equipped with a single batsman :( And Dan of course, who will probably contribute around 30.
But didn't they want to make major changes to their top order, there were rumours about exchanging up to 6 people (!!), I'd be thankful for anything.
Ha. For two years or so I had successfully circumvented any attempts by my Aussie mate to make me understand cricket and get me interested in it. He tried to explain me several times how it works, but to no avail. I imagined it as totally crazy... knowing only "normal" team sports like footy, basketball, etc. When he said that traditional matches last five days I couldn't help but rofl myself to death. Those crazy Englanders!
Then this year's Ashes started and he said hey I'm watching, wanna tune in. Okay, let's give it a go. Live footage might help understanding what's going on. It was the first Oz innings of the first test, with outstanding partnerships of Punter/Katich, Clarke/North and so on. Which means they were scoring about 7 million runs in singles. Which means my eyes were crumbling inside my head.
But... by the end of the day I was still watching. Needed to know if they'd catch up on the English score and how it would go on thereafter. After the next day I was glued to the screen, and another day later Australia mercifully declared at 674 ("we scored over 600 in Cardiff") and finally started to bowl, and by the end of the test I was a mad and furious cricket fan, convinced that England deserve death and only death (England 9 down > Monty batting like the batting god + kindergarten with the physio + problems with "spilled drinks on gloves" > delay > draw > Wes raging mindlessly for a whole week). So. That's the story.
Btw. we do play cricket in Germany, there are quite some clubs, but they mainly consist of guys of Pakistani origin. But it seems we are strong enough to beat Belgium and France on a regular basis. I guess we can only play the short formats, as the guys have to work and stuff. Some pics of our Twenty20 side on a tournament in Holland
Napier is going to be a batting tussle but it might help spinners to post some authority which Pakistan have two. But again desciplend bowling will be rewarded.
Batting of both teams is same if Malik and Pakistani Opners continue playing like this otherwise if any of them chipped in Pakistan might have some advantage.
@Aamer I think he has the potential and he will start getting fiver for but right now its too early as he is just a kid in Testing test world and also he has been used to get couple of quick early wickets from the day he started in every format.
@Wes, wow man that is a great story, so we have another good cricket fan. Germans are great sportsmen so I think the will come up in Cricket specially in T20 in a decade or so, any hope?
Hi Swing, to be honest with you there is no chance imho :( Unfortunately Germany has never been a British colony or otherwise related to the Silly Island, and that's exactly the problem... it is hardly possible to introduce cricket into a country nowadays, as the sport is too unique, too complex... the cricket cult is based on its long history. A sport that got rather successfully introduced was American Football for instance... another "normal" team sport with limited playing time. This is the format that works over here. There is this ICC Europe development program but I think it is mainly focused on indoors cricket, which we are quite good at, at European level, as it is rather easy to implement at schools etc. But actual cricket will probably always remain the passion of subcontinental immigrants and English expats :( I am proud though that among our Paksie boys, if I may call them so, there are obviously a couple of good spinners hehe. This sort of rules pretty much.
And we shall not whine in general, because soon we will all meet in SA for a fiery footy tournament! Even NZ is in... all my favourite cricketting nations made it, plus Germany. Yeah :) This is where we can meet... pitifully only every four years but that's better than nothing hehe.
Where are you from, Swing? And Purna, does Canada have a footy team? Why didn't you qualify? *ducks and covers*
Wes, that IS quite a story! Although you would have loved it more had you watched the Aus vs Saffa games :). Or the 438 game. Heard of that?
I think we have a footy team. I am not that interested in Canadian sports! They are crap at everythine else other than Hockey anyway! The Toronto Raptors (our basketball team) is such an embarrassment!
Reverse, is there anyway to protect Aamer from being overused so they don't cut short his career?!
Hockey = ice hockey? The Maple Leaves are dreaded wherever they pop up haha. (So I seem to remember)
"Aamer... cut... short... his hair?!"
Nooooooooooooooooooooooo o.O
I have asked a wise man about 438 and he gave me a good article and I fell over backward and crashed on the floor and passed out and re-awoke about 2 hours later and was still gasping for air. What a goddarned match. I wish I had seen it. Need to find the highlights. What a massacre for the bowlers. I am tensing up only imagining it.
Dunno if I would have hated the Saffas for that. Maybe yes, maybe no... it is too sensational. You can't hate Sachin or little Aamer either. But it would sure have been a swearfest of the finest sort. *sighs sadly*
@Wes, I am from Pakistan and Pakistani cricket fan in specific ,a cricket fan in general and a trying to be blogger at Reverse Swing. Real name is Mudaasar Ijaz, BTW. It seems where ever Pakistanis and Indians go they find a way to play cricket some how, I heard some good clubs in USA with thick subcontinental communities.
@Purna, Yes right it looks like they are over using him, but it might not be that bad as
1 - He is young and energetic.
2 - He is mostly doing a long spell with new ball and as he is not taking much wickets with old ball the trick he yet have to learn so his total over tally is not exaggerated.
We need to find another fourth reliable seamer with current three to divide load. His greatest test will be up coming three tests in Australia but I am more looking forward to Asif as our match winner performer.
Wes, I have two extra dvd's of the whole match including highlights from the series and interviews. I bought 4 by mistake from ebay! Do you want one?
Muda (can I call you that?), Pakistan is never short of seamers. But finding a reliable one has been difficult since the Wasim-Waqar era eh?
Swing, thanks for hinting me at your blog. Aamer is 17, the world is his oyster... give him a couple of years of international cricket. If he doesn't get troubled by any major injuries he should turn out sensational.
Purna that's hilarious, there is a DVD about it? Haha thanks for the offer, can I get back to your offer in about half a year (for various reasons)
Tonight! Let's hope the Kiwis will finish this quickly, these overseas tests are turning me into a walking dead :/ Not sure if Watling alone can pull the chestnuts out of the fire, but it's better than nothing.
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"... all I am saying is
give Tim a chance..."
-repeat-
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Ok that was completely unrelated. But I still proclaim it.
@Wes, sorry mate this ain't gona end quickly as u might like and this might probably be a draw or a boring draw as pitch history is.
And Watling has a good chance to impress on a batting surface other wise life is difficult against Aamer and Asif.
Hey Tim? Tim (Apple's) MacIntosh ?
Oh and you are welcome to my blog, pardon me as I am sometime lame over there ;)
Oops. McIntosh has a first name. That was somehow not obvious to me. The song is about Tim Southee :D
Yes looks like a long match but I am confident that one of the teams will collapse B)
Guptill! He needs to score runs or I will lose my faith in him.
Swing, something is coming to my mind, do you have any insight into the conflict between Gul and Aamer, they say they had an argument on the field and both of them got fined for it(?), do you know any details, what was it about? It is sad now that Younis is gone there is still no unity in the team...
Timmy's in for Grant Elliot o.O
He strikes! Bloody hell! Go Timmy show them!!!
*shuts up already*
@Wes, well I am not sure if there was any fight between them as a)News doesn't come from a reliable source first up b)I don't believe in media much specially third class media who sell hot cakes c)They were not looking like in trouble. d)Team management has denied it usually they don't as in the case of Shoaib Akhtar couple of time.
So there are many if and oos about it. And also juniors usually doesn't involve in such things as they are more worried about their career. Star players may get distracted sometime.
Yeah I was wondering the same, M.A. is actually not in the position to start a fight... although the source says, both of them got fined to put the flames out early... anyway, looks like another good test :D
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