The final test for India before the acid test with Australia is heading for a draw. Pakistan with three bowlers fared much better than our four. Debutant Yasir Arafat showed more promise than the lanky Ishant Sharma. Arafat is at this moment doing a repeat with the bat. If Kaneria was bad where does one put the bowling performance of Bhajji and Kumble? That Kumble had to resort to sleding to get rid of Mohammed Yousuf said it all. Kumble has hit a century with the ball with only the wicket of Yasir Hameed to show for his efforts. Pakistan's opening woes parallel that of our own and Hameed showed that he like Dick has learnt nothing from his past mistakes.
Good batsmen learn from their mistakes and develop. Some develop into great batsmen over time. Dravid was not the Wall when he first came into the side together with Gangools. Batters like Gangools make up for their weaknesses through sheer grit and perseverance. Dick and Hameed need to look at these giants if they are to succeed.
Back to our bowling - Bhajji was pitiable. His sad face and frustration (pity the chaps who get to hear from the field microphones) made it even more painful for me watch his dismemberment at the hands of Younis, Misbah, Akmal and now Arafat. I had enough. We have also set a world record for extras (perhaps) and the pitch is not entirely to blame for the misdirected bowling or the high number of byes. It lacked both line and length. It was both spinless and spineless. It lacked imagination as well as any purpose.
How on earth are we going to bowl out the Aussies twice if we can't bowl out Pakistan once?
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1 comment:
Dont have any such hopes, mate! Evene if we manage to draw all the games, we should be over the moon!
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