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BEYOND THE BOUNDARY: Would Pakistan be able to pass real test?
By Muhammad Ali
When Pakistan take on Australia in the first Test of their two-match home series at Lords on Tuesday (today), skipper Shahid Afridi and his charges will be facing a daunting test of skills against Ricky Pontings men. Though Pakistan comprehensively defeated world champions Australia in two back-to-back Twenty20 internationals last week but Tests are a different ball game. And Pakistans record in the longer version is not that sparkling for the last many years. This series also provides an opportunity to Pakistan to erase the bitter memories of their last Australian tour where they lost all Tests. The disastrous tour Down Under led to punishments and penalties on senior players.
Before Pakistan left for a long three-month hectic tour of England, the critics had written Afridi and his men off against their contestants Australia and hosts England. But Pakistan started their tour in a dazzling fashion by outplaying Australia by 11 runs in the first contest and 23 runs in the second. With these victories, unpredictable Pakistan, who were beaten by Australia in the World Twenty20 semifinals in the Caribbean this year, ended their 12-match losing stretch against Australia across all formats. It was a compelling performance from a confident team led by a spirited leader. Pakistan were simply outstanding in their performance.
The victories, to a large extent, also lifted a sense of gloom surrounding Pakistan cricket in the last 10 months or so. The ignominious period had been marred by a series of poor performances on the field coupled with nasty off-field controversies that is far from an ideal backdrop for any side confronting the worlds best team. Pakistans bowling in the T20s looked adequate but they were lacking in the batting department. The absence of experienced Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf will definitely be felt in the Test series. Experience in Test cricket and English conditions are essential requirements for tackling one of the strongest teams in the world.
No doubt Pakistan are good in the shorter version but five-day Tests are a different level of the game. True, Australia are not as formidable today compared to a few years back and the Twenty20 loss shows Australia in a different light. Smarting from a 3-2 defeat in the ODIs against England last month, they are clearly finding it hard to put their act together. But they would still be coming hard at Pakistan as they possess the skill and mental discipline to crush any opponents any day. Based on Pakistans aggressive performance in the T20s has given a ray hope to their countrymen that they might prove a hard nut to crack against Australia who are equally keen to shut down a new-look Pakistan.
Australias stretch of 12 Test victories against Pakistan goes all the way back to Brisbane in November 1999. Its a joint record winning run for any nation over any other nation, equalling the 12-game streak Sri Lanka currently hold over Bangladesh, and victory at Lords will give Australia the outright all-time high. Not since November 1995 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) have Pakistan beaten Australia in a Test, and although Afridi might provide them with a spark, the Australians remain strong favourites.
A bowling attack featuring Umar Gul and teenage left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer, and set to be bolstered by leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and paceman Mohammad Asif, will pose problems for Australia. However, the key factor in determining the outcome of the series is whether Pakistans batsmen can score enough runs. If they can, they could yet triumph in a series being played in England after international cricket in Pakistan was suspended following last years armed attack on Sri Lankas team bus in Lahore. Pakistans batting is thin with Umar Akmal the only man in the top six who averages over 40, but their strong attack might thrive in the English conditions. Leg-spinning all-rounder Afridi, who hasnt played Test cricket since 2006 in order to concentrate on one-day formats, became captain despite being penalised himself for biting the ball in Australia. In a side without Yousuf and Younus, Afridi is the undisputed leader of a young group. He claims to have restored the unity of the team but one knows that if Afridi fails on the field, so might his comrades.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
By Muhammad Ali
When Pakistan take on Australia in the first Test of their two-match home series at Lords on Tuesday (today), skipper Shahid Afridi and his charges will be facing a daunting test of skills against Ricky Pontings men. Though Pakistan comprehensively defeated world champions Australia in two back-to-back Twenty20 internationals last week but Tests are a different ball game. And Pakistans record in the longer version is not that sparkling for the last many years. This series also provides an opportunity to Pakistan to erase the bitter memories of their last Australian tour where they lost all Tests. The disastrous tour Down Under led to punishments and penalties on senior players.
Before Pakistan left for a long three-month hectic tour of England, the critics had written Afridi and his men off against their contestants Australia and hosts England. But Pakistan started their tour in a dazzling fashion by outplaying Australia by 11 runs in the first contest and 23 runs in the second. With these victories, unpredictable Pakistan, who were beaten by Australia in the World Twenty20 semifinals in the Caribbean this year, ended their 12-match losing stretch against Australia across all formats. It was a compelling performance from a confident team led by a spirited leader. Pakistan were simply outstanding in their performance.
The victories, to a large extent, also lifted a sense of gloom surrounding Pakistan cricket in the last 10 months or so. The ignominious period had been marred by a series of poor performances on the field coupled with nasty off-field controversies that is far from an ideal backdrop for any side confronting the worlds best team. Pakistans bowling in the T20s looked adequate but they were lacking in the batting department. The absence of experienced Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf will definitely be felt in the Test series. Experience in Test cricket and English conditions are essential requirements for tackling one of the strongest teams in the world.
No doubt Pakistan are good in the shorter version but five-day Tests are a different level of the game. True, Australia are not as formidable today compared to a few years back and the Twenty20 loss shows Australia in a different light. Smarting from a 3-2 defeat in the ODIs against England last month, they are clearly finding it hard to put their act together. But they would still be coming hard at Pakistan as they possess the skill and mental discipline to crush any opponents any day. Based on Pakistans aggressive performance in the T20s has given a ray hope to their countrymen that they might prove a hard nut to crack against Australia who are equally keen to shut down a new-look Pakistan.
Australias stretch of 12 Test victories against Pakistan goes all the way back to Brisbane in November 1999. Its a joint record winning run for any nation over any other nation, equalling the 12-game streak Sri Lanka currently hold over Bangladesh, and victory at Lords will give Australia the outright all-time high. Not since November 1995 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) have Pakistan beaten Australia in a Test, and although Afridi might provide them with a spark, the Australians remain strong favourites.
A bowling attack featuring Umar Gul and teenage left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer, and set to be bolstered by leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and paceman Mohammad Asif, will pose problems for Australia. However, the key factor in determining the outcome of the series is whether Pakistans batsmen can score enough runs. If they can, they could yet triumph in a series being played in England after international cricket in Pakistan was suspended following last years armed attack on Sri Lankas team bus in Lahore. Pakistans batting is thin with Umar Akmal the only man in the top six who averages over 40, but their strong attack might thrive in the English conditions. Leg-spinning all-rounder Afridi, who hasnt played Test cricket since 2006 in order to concentrate on one-day formats, became captain despite being penalised himself for biting the ball in Australia. In a side without Yousuf and Younus, Afridi is the undisputed leader of a young group. He claims to have restored the unity of the team but one knows that if Afridi fails on the field, so might his comrades.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
some one has to beat the Aussies 
