Spirit moves mountains

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The present England side led by Andrew Strauss demonstrated once more the virtues of commitment and determination. For the third time in eight Tests they managed to save the game with the skin of their teeth.

England don’t have too many flamboyant characters at the moment who could take the fight to the opponents but they are certainly blessed with iron-willed individuals whose never-say-die approach is truly inspirational.

When you have the likes of Paul Collingwood in your ranks you can be rest assured that the team would not go down without fighting. Not surprisingly Collingwood has been instrumental in saving all the three Tests that have gone to the wire. His level of concentration and the ability to withstand the pressures have served the England cause immensely in the recent times.

Cricket is obviously a team game and Collingwood alone cannot be expected to the job. The credit must also be given to their captain Strauss for having kept his boys motivated all along. It’s a tougher job to give your best when the chips are down and strong leadership skills are needed to get the best out of the teammates.

Strauss, as I have emphasized on many questions, is the man for the job. He has been chiefly responsibly for turning it around for England despite not being in possession of a world-beating unit. He has provided a classic example of doing his best with the available resources.

England can now look forward to the fourth and final Test with high hopes of pocketing the series. They have retained the one-nil lead meaning they can’t lose the series even if South Africa bounce back to end the series on a winning note.
Graham Onions has been England’s batting hero in two of the last three Tests.

Although fast bowling is his forte and he comes in to bat at number eleven he has shown the reslience that would make even the seasoned batsmen proud.
Mind you it’s not easy negotiating the deliveries when surrounded by so many fieldsmen and the bowlers going for the kill. It tests the technique of the greatest of batsmen when they are pushed into that situation.

Number 10 and 11, James Anderson and Monty Panesar, had saved a Test match against Australia in Cardiff last summer. The great escape had lifted the morale of the home team and they went on to regain the Ashes.

Onions has now done it two times. Like the first Test of the ongoing series he had the responsibility of seeing off the last six deliveries of the match. On both occasions he came up trumps.

South Africa were earlier frustrated by the pair of Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood who batted for well over four hours on the fifth and final day. Their 112-run partnership lasted no less than 57 overs and as Graeme Smith found out once more it was broken just too late to force the issue.

England, having won the second Test handsomely sandwiched between the two hard-fought draws, can now look forward to a rare series win abroad.

readmore »»

Pakistan unable to make most of Ponting’s suicide

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Ricky Ponting must be wondering what else he had to do to lose a Test match against the present Pakistan line-up devoid of mental toughness of international standard. The Australians were much below par in the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground that they managed to win by 36 runs against the heaviest of odds.

Only Ponting would be able to throw light on it why did he choose to bat first on the greenest pitch of the SCG in many years with the overcast conditions making batting the toughest of propositions on the opening day.

The kind of fast bowling attack the Australians possessed they would not have taken long to dispose of the tourists on the first day. They would have brutally exposed Pakistan’s weaknesses in the batting department.

There was not a single logical reason that would have prompted any captain winning the toss to bat first in the prevailing circumstances. As I said it’s only Ponting who would have known it. May be it was a team decision and the team management who desired putting their own boys instead of the opponents to test.

It was being believed that Ponting has stopped inserting the opposition after one of his such moves had backfired a few years ago. Well can we expect him to give playing hook shot after getting caught in the deep in the first innings of the Sydney Test. Certainly not. Therefore I don’t find any justification in not having put Pakistan into bat.

As it turned out the Australians were routed on the first day and as the weather improved on the following day Pakistan managed to post a much higher total than they would have been able to do a day earlier.

For all practical purposes the Australians had forfeited their first innings. Then they dropped catches to let Pakistan secure a lead that was into mammoth proportions. Or were they experimenting on winning a Test match after having conceded a first innings lead in the excess of 200.

The kind of batting form Ponting and his deputy Michael Clarke have been in during the summer there were remote possibilities of the hosts responding with a gigantic total as they used to do until a few years ago.

Not surprisingly Pakistan’s bowling had lost the bite when the Australians started their second innings with 206 runs in arrears. The solid opening stand between Shane Watson and Philip Hughes had laid the foundation for a big total but the failure of Ponting and Clarke undid their good work.

It’s not often that the Australians lose the plot so easily but they succumbed against the run of play to put themselves in a disastrous situation that was only retrieved by Michael Hussey who somehow found the desired support from tail-ender Peter Siddle.

Pakistan were always expected to struggle while chasing any target over 150 and there was not much element of surprise when they collpased on the fourth afternoon to surrender the series before the third and final Test.

readmore »»

Naeem-ul-Haq urges ICC to invest more for grassroots development

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

While appreciating the efforts of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in globalization of the sport, Naeem-ul-Haq, a former cricketer from Pakistan having relocated in the United States of America (USA), firmly believes that better results could be accomplished if more funds were allocated to the grassroots development.

“The ICC would be better off investing in the infrastructure development in countries where cricket remained a minority sport. I believe that in order to fast track their efforts they should enhance their grants to the member countries,” Naeem, one of the coaches of the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA), observed in an interview during his recent visit to Pakistan.

“I must say the ICC has been doing a fabulous job by funding the national cricket bodies of their member countries but I have a feeling that the results would start coming faster if they could directly take care of the various coaching programmes aimed at engaging the youngsters in particular,” he opined.

“The countries like USA, Canada, UAE and Hong Kong certainly need more funds to carry out their development programme. Since it’s not easy to get sponsors attracted to cricket in these countries, the ICC is expected to be more generous in extending financial support to them,” Naeem, who is the coach of the South East of the USACA covering the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, reckoned.

“I think cricket can flourish in these countries in particular if more work was done in promote the game at schools, colleges and universities. Cricket has a potential and a lot of hard work is needed besides deep pockets,” he added.

Naeem himself is one of those individuals having made standout contribution in the promotion of the sport in USA. Having started his career in his hometown Karachi, he played first-class cricket for his employers Pakistan Customs before who having relocated on the outskirts of Miami in Florida.

Naeem has been working hard for the promotion of the game from the moment he reached there. His passion for cricket kept growing and he undertook courses to become a qualified coach.

He, alongwith Raza Jaffri, has been instrumental in setting up the Florida Cricket Academy in Fort Lauderdale. They are being provided the technical and advisory support by the famed Karachi-based Customs Cricket Academy, founded by Jalaluddin, the first bowler to have recorded a hat-trick in One-day Internationals, who has also distinguished himself with his coaching skills on modern lines.

Naeem has also been actively involved with the Michigan Cricket Association (MCA), having worked closely with its President, Shahid Ahmed, who has also moved there from Karachi.


Both these gentlemen have been chief responsible for the success of the Diversity Cup that they have been able to hold successfully in Michigan for the past few years. It has become an annual event in which teams from different communities take part every summer. They have already finalized their plans to hold this year’s Diversity Cup in early July.

readmore »»

Hail the Warrior

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Australian cricket captains have been known for their aggression and passion for victories whenever they have had the arsenal to topple their opponents. They have lost quite a few of their legends in the recent past but Ricky Ponting has continued to lead the side with enormous confidence and self belief.

Ponting, with his positive instincts, has thoroughly deserved the records coming his way. With the massive victory Pakistan at the MCG on December 30, he now holds the records for the most wins by any Test player and the most victories for any Test captain, It was his 93rd win as a player and 42nd as captain.

Didn’t it look a stunning move when he declared Australia’s first innings so early on the second afternoon in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan at the gigantic Melbourne Cricket Ground! With Michael Clarke going strong and the likes of Marcus North and Brad Haddin sitting in the hut he chose to close the innings at 454 for five, cosuming only 38 of the minimum of 90 overs of the day.

The cricket fans in Pakistan viewed it as a crazy decision. But little did they know that Ponting had actually assessed the conditions perfectly and he was not going to take chances. With the intent on winning the game rather than establishing total supremacy he must have desired providing more opportunity to his bowlers.

As it turned out, the early declaration took one result out of the equation. There was no way the match could have ended in a draw. Either the hosts were going to win it or if the Pakistanis played better than anticipated the match could have been in their bag.

So it wasn’t crazy stuff but a calculated risk to some extent. Ponting must have been aware of the limitations or the lack of depth in Pakistan’s batting. Yet he allowed his bowlers more time to do the job with peace of mind rather than pushing hard for it.

Ponting described the 170-run victory as one of the team's best in a long while and praised his young attack for as good a bowling effort as the side had displayed in the last two years.

"The bowling through the game has been as good as it's been in our team for the last couple of years. The way we bowled in the first innings in particular was just outstanding. The way we used the new ball and we were able to maintain our discipline and execute our skills over such a long period of time at the start of their first batting innings was a real factor in the game,” the triumphant skipper remarked at the end of the match.

"It's been a great game for us. It's one of our best Test wins in quite a while, starting right from the start of the game from the Katich and Watson partnership which really set the platform and set the foundation for a very good Test match for us," Ponting observed.

readmore »»

Feroz Shah Kotla blown out of proportions

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

India are at the receiving end once more. After being robbed of a possible victory in the fifth and final One-day International against Sri Lanka at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground in New Delhi on December 27, now efforts are being made to deny the historic venue the opportunity of hosting matches in the World Cup 2011.

The Indian cricketers did their job by winning the ODI series 3-1. They were on course of making it 4-1 when their opponents, not surprisingly, prevailed upon the match officials to call off the game in the 24th over.
Now the ball is in the court of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) who now have to deal with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the issue of the Kotla pitch.

The BCCI, in the past, had been soft on such matters and the Indian cricketers were being taken for a ride. While all the sub-continental teams had suffered due to the dual standards carried out by the ICC match referees it were the Indians in particular penalized for offences that were ignored in the case of other countries.

Interestingly both the contestants of the game in question at the Feroz Shah Kotla were Asians. Sri Lanka’s reluctance to continue playing the game allowed the ICC match referee, Alan Hurst, to exercise his powers and he acted within his rights.

Hurst, in his statement, said the decision to abandon the match had been taken in consultation with both captains and the on-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Shavir Tarapore, after they had given it enough time to see if the pitch would settle down.

"It was clear that the pitch had extremely variable bounce and was too dangerous for further play. I'd like to commend the on-field umpires and captains for continuing as long as they did in the hope that the pitch may settle down. Unfortunately, this did not happen,” the former Australian fast bowler said.

“Before abandoning the match, consideration was given to shifting the match to a secondary pitch. However, it was deemed impractical as the secondary pitch was not adequately prepared,” Hurst added.

Meanwhile Chetan Chauhan, a foromer Indian opening batsman and Vice President, Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA), did not mince words in stating that Sri Lanka "chickened out" out of the final ODI against India after finding themselves in trouble at 83 for 5 in the 24th over.

Chauhan, who was known for his solid batting, also questioned the officials' decision to call off the game and said the pitch was neither unplayable or dangerous.

"We offered another wicket and said 'give us one hour and you would have it ready'. But Hurst decided to call it off. The match should have continued because some 45,000 people were in the ground and another 2-3 crore were glued to the television. An honest effort should have been made to save the match," he contended.

He claimed while the match at the Feroz Shah Kotla was held up, with the officials pondering whether it would be wise to carry on, the ICC match referee told him that the visitors were reluctant to carry on.

"The match referee told me unofficially that one side did not want to carry on and he could not force them It could not be India since MS Dhoni was willing to continue. Sri Lanka were at 83 for 5 and that's why they backed out... it was the Sri Lankans who chickened out,” Chauhan felt.

readmore »»

Test cricket becomes poor with Bond’s exit

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The New Zealand cricket fans in particular could not have asked for a more terrible news on the eve of Christmas than the retirement of the mercurial fast bowler Shane Bond who will not be seen in action in Test matches any more.

It’s a sad news for every follower of the game all over the world. It used to be such a fascinating sight watching him test the greatest of batsmen in the business. He was a complete package and undoubtedly the best fast bowler produced by New Zealand since the great Richard Hadlee.

The 34-year-old Bond has announced his retirement from Test cricket due to a recurring battle with injury. He, however, has vowed to continue playing for his country in One-day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals.

I am not sure how many more limited overs would he be able to play for New Zealand but it was the Test arena in which his absence was felt. Test cricket needed characters like him to keep it going.

New Zealand could find a replacement for him as far as the limited overs games are concerned but they might have to wait for many years to have a champion fast bowler like Bond in their Test line-up.

He had only recently revived his Test career and made a telling impact right away in Dunedin. New Zealand could not defeat Pakistan in either of the last two Tests in which he didn’t play. No wonder they would have lost the first Test as well if Bond was not there.

It was a pity that he had to withdraw from the squad after a superlative performance in the Dunedin Test in which was rightfully adjudged Man of the Match. He was not in a position to participate in the last two Tests after tearing an abdominal muscle.

Rather predictably the loss of Bond hurt the Black Caps immensely and they had to settle with a drawn series in the end.

The latest injury turned out to be far more serious than was being anticipated and it eventually cost Bond his Test career that had remained plagued with various disorders in the past when he faced problems in back, feet and soft tissues.

"The hardest thing is that I've always considered myself a Test bowler - and it was such a great feeling to be back in the team last month and playing Test match cricket with the Black Caps,” he observed.

"I've worked really hard to get back to Test match fitness - it's what I've been working towards for the past two years - and I feel I gave as much as I could. But looking back, so many of my injuries have come during Test cricket. Unfortunately my body just won't let me continue to play at that level, given the workload and demands of Test cricket,” Bond admitted.

"I don't want to end on an injury and I am absolutely committed to playing for the Blackcaps. This way I hope I've got a better chance of continuing to play. I hope I'll be able to continue to contribute to the team and to New Zealand cricket fans for a while yet. It's been a tough call, because Test cricket remains the ultimate form of the game - but I'm comfortable I've made the right choice,” he reckoned.

readmore »»

Jahangir Moghul bats for Ahmed Mustafa’s CCC

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Jahangir Moghul, Vice President, Cricket Coaching Centre (CCC), while congratulating Ahmed Mustafa on winning the ICC medal, has urged the concerned authorities to extend greater support to the institution having pioneered the concept in the country.

“Ahmed Mustafa certainly deserved the recognition from the supreme body of the game. He has served the cause of cricket immensely over the years and it’s very much in the fitness of things that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has awarded a medal to him,” Jahangir Moghul, a noted social figure and philanthropist, remarked.

“Having watched him closely giving his best to the game of cricket the ICC medal should go a long way in further energizing Ahmed Mustafa who has literally devoted his life for cricket that’s dearest to his heart,” he added.

“Now the governing bodies of the sport like the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) should lend proactive support to the CCC in the larger interest of the game,” Jahangir Moghul, Convenor Sports, Karachi Gymkhana, suggested.

“All credit to Ahmed Mustafa, a former opening batsman, for having established and ran the CCC on self help basis for well over two decades now. He has done a great service to the game. Now it’s the responsibility of the PCB as well as the KCCA to complement his efforts for the further promotion of cricket,” he reckoned.

“What Ahmed Mustafa has done for the promotion of cricket will find a mention whenever history of the game is written. Let all the stakeholders support him overwhelmingly for the sake of the future of our young cricketers,” Jahangir Moghul proposed.

One inclines to agree with Jahangir Moghul because Ahmed Mustafa’s CCC can be of immense help in carrying out training and coaching programmes at the academies having been commissioned by the PCB.

It would be in the PCB’s own interest to extend fullest support to the CCC because their working relationship could be mutually beneficial. And most importantly it would be helpful in accomplishing the cherished goal of promoting the game at the grassroots level.

It may be recalled that General Tauqir Zia was the first head of the PCB to have recognized the services rendered by Ahmed Mustafa and it was during his tenure that the CCC was finally allowed to use the practice facilities in the outer area of the National Stadium, Karachi.

The then PCB Chairman’s decision of having accorded great respect to Ahmed Mustafa’s efforts was hailed by the cricket circles. Gen Tauqir Zia remained appreciative of the project and the CCC had got into life with its shifting of base to the NSK in May 2003.

Things went from bad to worse when Gen Tauqir Zia was succeeded by Shaheryar Khan. The days of Dr Nasim Ashraf didn’t bring any joys for the CCC either. There has not much support in the days of Ijaz Butt yet.

When the PCB has been generous in having invested so much of its resources in forming and running academies of their own it’s indeed surprising why they haven’t taken on board the hard working individuals and institutions having rendered great service to the game to fuel their passion.

readmore »»

Enigmatic Sami raring to have a go

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Mohammad Sami is all set to resume his international career. The 28-year-old fast bowler has celebrated his surprise recall to national duty by bowling Karachi Blues to a spectacular 141-run victory over the fancied Habib Bank Limited (HBL) in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy at the National Stadium, Karachi.

He could not have come up with better performance on the eve of boarding an aircraft for a long journey to Australia. It was his devastating spell on the third day that sealed the fate of the final of the premier national competition.

Sami has shown of late that he can handle the pressure well enough that indeed augurs well for his future. With Pakistan due to play so many games in the coming year he will have an ample opportunity to improve upon his ordinary record in Test cricket.

More importantly from his point of way, since Pakistan would be engaged in a lot of matches in England next summer, playing against Australia before taking on the hosts, he could be an asset for the side.

If his latest form has to serve as any indication he can be one of the stars of the Pakistan team in the near future should he not break down or succumb to the pressures of international cricket.

It was being estimated that he operated at well over 90 miles an hour in the recently concluded Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. He is a fierce competitor and he doesn’t believe in half measures even while playing club cricket.

He has been a genuinely quick bowler all along his career but in the past he was guilty of faltering in line and length once too often. His captains were not all that tactically sound either to have utilized his enormous talent.

Sami would have been a different bowler had he a skipper in the field like Imran Khan and Javed Miandad who knew the art of getting the best out of the youngsters. He could have been much more effective at the international level with proper guidance.

Lately Sami has also impressed the critics with his captaincy skills and his ability to lead by example has gladdened many hearts. Will that be able to translate into success in Test matches and One-day Internationals remains to be seen.

Right now the leadership of the team is in the hands of Mohammad Yousuf, who doesn’t look like all that proactive or inspirational in the field but reportedly Sami has been added to Pakistan's 16-man Test squad against Australia upon his request in particular.

If that indeed is the case then Sami could expect better handling from the captain this time round. It’s very important for the bowler to know that he enjoys the total support of his skipper.

Sami has got a new lease of life to an international career. He must grab the opportunity with both hands. By the look of things he is in the form of his lifetime at the moment. Better handling from Yousuf can provide Pakistan another potential match-winner.

readmore »»