There was no shortage of good batting in Lahore, but because the result become a negligible factor by the third day some found it harder then others to enjoy the rich vein of entertainment on offer. Given this test is still alive, and the pitch here looking marginally more conducive then the disgrace at Lahore, it was much easier to enjoy the run fest today.
The pitch here too is flat, but it has seemed to allow a level of contest between bat and ball, which came as a refreshing change to everyone. With Pakistan having won the toss and batting I was of course hoping for us to get as many runs today for the loss of as few wickets as possible, but it was still nice to see a young Indian left-armer, in R P Singh, bowling in his first test, initially with some nerves and then settling in nicely and swinging the ball both ways, then Zaheer Khan, later on, getting a bit of reverse.
Batsmen kept dominating for the better part, but until the late surge from Afridi, at least they were kept honest, at least there was a degree of normality. At least they had to think before taking a mad slog across the pitch of the ball, at least the ball did something for a while, even if it did so only from one end, the Golf Course End, where for some reason, bowlers found a bit more carry and pace then they did at Pavilion End. At least, it was better then Lahore.
Post lunch, when Yousuf and Younis started getting along their strokes, more disdain started setting in their stroke play as they accumulated more and more runs, but there was always, one felt, something around the corner. One or two really close leg before appeals later on in the day, all added to a feeling that a fundamental contest of the game, that between bat and ball, being partly restored. After five monotonous days in Lahore, Faislabad finally looked like a heated, passionate India Pakistan contest.
In fact, the score line could have been different, much less emphatically in favor of Pakistan, had India taken all their chances. Salman Butt should have been caught of the first ball of the 2nd over of the day, Younis Khan should have been run out on 11, and Yousuf too would have been caught of Zaheer in his early 50s if Dravid hadn't placed him self at short cover instead of 2nd slip. But all this is nothing to take anything away from Pakistan. Once again, our batting collectively rose to the occasion.
I can't quite recall another time when so many of our batsman where all in such imperious form all the same time, of course it helps that they have run in a succession of feather beds, but not everyone could have been expected to find form at the same time. But miraculously, it has happened. This is the fourth test in a row now, starting from the Faislabad test here against England, that Pakistan has made full use of very good batting pitch on the first occasion they made use of it. This alone is in indication that Pakistan is a changed side now.
The fact that India had selected 5 specialist bowlers, and dropped Ganguly in the process, that Pakistan had dropped two specialist bowlers in a brought in a rookie quick and another half decent all-rounder in his place, prompted to many, with justification, to suggest that home side's mindset was insecure and defensive as apposed to the positive, daring approach adopted by India. That Pakistan has responded to these accusations by scoring 379 runs in just 90 overs for the loss of 4 wickets, might or might not convince the cynics, but one thing remains certain in my view: After Lahore, it's pitch and the blame game that followed it, and the empty stands there that reflected the manner in which everyone had felt betrayed by the benign surface, Faisalabad has lived to its promise.
Zainub Razvi is an 18-year-old student and avid cricket fan from Karachi, Pakistan. She maintains her regular blog here. first published:January 21, 2006, 20:33 ISTlast updated:January 21, 2006, 20:33 IST
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];_taboola.push({mode: 'thumbnails-mid-article',container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',target_type: 'mix'});
let eventFire = false;
window.addEventListener('scroll', () => {
if (window.taboolaInt && !eventFire) {
setTimeout(() => {
ga('send', 'event', 'Mid Article Thumbnails', 'PV');
ga('set', 'dimension22', "Taboola Yes");
}, 4000);
eventFire = true;
}
});
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];_taboola.push({mode: 'thumbnails-a', container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails', placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' });Latest News
The Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, has a very homely feeling to it, like many other small grounds in the world, when it fills up to capacity, like it probably did today, the atmosphere that is generated makes viewing that much more of a pleasurable experience.
There was no shortage of good batting in Lahore, but because the result become a negligible factor by the third day some found it harder then others to enjoy the rich vein of entertainment on offer. Given this test is still alive, and the pitch here looking marginally more conducive then the disgrace at Lahore, it was much easier to enjoy the run fest today.
The pitch here too is flat, but it has seemed to allow a level of contest between bat and ball, which came as a refreshing change to everyone. With Pakistan having won the toss and batting I was of course hoping for us to get as many runs today for the loss of as few wickets as possible, but it was still nice to see a young Indian left-armer, in R P Singh, bowling in his first test, initially with some nerves and then settling in nicely and swinging the ball both ways, then Zaheer Khan, later on, getting a bit of reverse.
Batsmen kept dominating for the better part, but until the late surge from Afridi, at least they were kept honest, at least there was a degree of normality. At least they had to think before taking a mad slog across the pitch of the ball, at least the ball did something for a while, even if it did so only from one end, the Golf Course End, where for some reason, bowlers found a bit more carry and pace then they did at Pavilion End. At least, it was better then Lahore.
Post lunch, when Yousuf and Younis started getting along their strokes, more disdain started setting in their stroke play as they accumulated more and more runs, but there was always, one felt, something around the corner. One or two really close leg before appeals later on in the day, all added to a feeling that a fundamental contest of the game, that between bat and ball, being partly restored. After five monotonous days in Lahore, Faislabad finally looked like a heated, passionate India Pakistan contest.
In fact, the score line could have been different, much less emphatically in favor of Pakistan, had India taken all their chances. Salman Butt should have been caught of the first ball of the 2nd over of the day, Younis Khan should have been run out on 11, and Yousuf too would have been caught of Zaheer in his early 50s if Dravid hadn't placed him self at short cover instead of 2nd slip. But all this is nothing to take anything away from Pakistan. Once again, our batting collectively rose to the occasion.
I can't quite recall another time when so many of our batsman where all in such imperious form all the same time, of course it helps that they have run in a succession of feather beds, but not everyone could have been expected to find form at the same time. But miraculously, it has happened. This is the fourth test in a row now, starting from the Faislabad test here against England, that Pakistan has made full use of very good batting pitch on the first occasion they made use of it. This alone is in indication that Pakistan is a changed side now.
The fact that India had selected 5 specialist bowlers, and dropped Ganguly in the process, that Pakistan had dropped two specialist bowlers in a brought in a rookie quick and another half decent all-rounder in his place, prompted to many, with justification, to suggest that home side's mindset was insecure and defensive as apposed to the positive, daring approach adopted by India. That Pakistan has responded to these accusations by scoring 379 runs in just 90 overs for the loss of 4 wickets, might or might not convince the cynics, but one thing remains certain in my view: After Lahore, it's pitch and the blame game that followed it, and the empty stands there that reflected the manner in which everyone had felt betrayed by the benign surface, Faisalabad has lived to its promise.
Zainub Razvi is an 18-year-old student and avid cricket fan from Karachi, Pakistan. She maintains her regular blog here.
Comments
0 comment