Kamran's blog last 3 blogs?

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Could you please post them here, thanks

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January 20, 2007

Posted by Kamran Abbasi at 12:16 PM in South Africa

The best hundred Inzy never got




Inzamam needs a century against South Africa to complete a full set...and only just missed out at Port Elizabeth © AFP
This morning Inzamam-ul Haq needed a century to make sure he had scored one against every Test nation. More importantly, he required a substantial innings to lift his team into a commanding position. The record may have slipped away from him today but this was the best hundred Inzy never got.

From the moment he began to the moment Mohammad Asif played a bizarre defensive stroke to end Pakistan's innings, Inzy was in total control. That mastery did not only apply to his strokeplay but it also applied to the way he protected Asif from the strike. If Pakistan win this Test, this innings will be remembered as one of Inzamam's greatest.

One of the joys of watching cricket is a final stand from a major batsman as the tail wags around him. It is great entertainment for the team's supporters and neutrals, not so much fun for the bowling side of course.

Another joy of watching cricket is a contest on a pitch with pace and bounce. The groundsman here has produced a fabulous wicket, shame that his colleagues around the world have forgotten how to produce them. Thanks to that failure, most modern batsmen aren't as comfortable on such surfaces as they should be. Inzamam, at least, has a long enough memory to remember the pleasure of such a surface. And today he passed on that pleasure to millions of spectators around the world.

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January 15, 2007

Kaneria: an enigma to all

Posted by Kamran Abbasi at 6 days, 18 hours ago in Spinners




Danish Kaneria's failure to make things happen in helpful conditions will be a great worry to the selectors © AFP
Danish Kaneria's introduction to international cricket was accompanied by great optimism. Here was a young man whose bowling was mature beyond the age of his wrist. He spun the ball sharply, he could get it to drift in, he rarely bowled bad balls, and he had enough energy to keep going on and on and on. With Shane Warne's retirement, Kaneria has announced his desire to succeed him as the world's premier leg spinner. But Kaneria's career has been a triumph of ambition over achievement. The occasions have been few when Kaneria has threatened to run through a top order and he has achieved it on even fewer.

His first innings performance on a helpful wicket hinted that he might be a genuine threat if Pakistan could muster a sufficient lead. Well, Pakistan's lead might not have been great but it was possibly sufficient. Kaneria might not have had much back up but he had Mohammad Asif. That Kaneria failed to take a single wicket in these circumstances is bewildering, an enigma. Pakistan might still not have won but Kaneria, you imagined, might make it one hell of a task. He didn't. His failure in helpful conditions leaves Pakistan's selectors with a hellish dilemma: Pakistan need Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul back but can they be risked? All this might spell good news for Mohammad Sami?

Whatever happens with the pace attack it will be a surprise if Kaneria is not twirling away at the other end. But leg spinners are meant to be match winners not stock bowlers--and Kaneria has some matches to win. He might work on his flipper too. Without that he can forget following in Warne's footsteps.

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January 15, 2007

Posted by Kamran Abbasi at 9:56 PM in South Africa

Gibbs is part of wider problem




No winners here © Getty Images
International cricket is not for those of a weak constitution, nor should it be a forum for racism. Herschelle Gibbs may have uttered his words for "ears only" but such an excuse is not acceptable in a public arena. Chris Broad's decision to ban Gibbs is correct, whether or not the ban is sufficient is another matter. South Africa, too, can have no complaints, particularly since Graeme Smith managed to have Shoaib Akhtar banned for swearing during his team's last tour of Pakistan.

The fans who abused Paul Harris and struck Makhaya Ntini are a disgrace to Pakistani supporters everywhere. This sorry incident has no winners.

But it does expose a deeper problem with South African cricket. Smith's team fully deserved their victory, Pakistan were outplayed, but the manner of the victory left something to be desired. The snarling--and persistent--abuse that South Africa's players hurled at Pakistan's players went some way beyond sledging. It is amazing that the umpires tolerated it.

The behaviour of South Africa's players created a vile atmosphere in this first Test match, and whether or not it was for ears or eyes only it was evident for the world to see. These antics do not excuse the behaviour of Pakistan's fans but it surely contributed to their agitation.

All credit to Cricket South Africa for further investigating Herschelle Gibbs but what they really should be doing is considering the public conduct of their team. It is conduct that does little for the image of the Rainbow Nation.

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Thanks a ton Usman!