England mind-games ahead of Pak Series

[Farhad]

So what would it be this time round? Their administration invariably kicks up fuss and also drums up some other issue whenever it is time to play Pak. From umpiring, to venues to calling for Wasim to be banned from the Series as he had been alleged to have been involved in fixing (by ECB Chairman McLaurin)- some of the ways ECB has sought to undermine Pakistan and unsettle us trying to prevent us from grouping properly before a Series in Pak.

Now Wasim had bowled like a man possessed and a true champion on the WI tour but came in for a lot of attention and in-house scrutiny too after ECB's attack on him in '01. That left its mark as he was inexplicably and decisively dropped in a couple of Tests and was ineffective in the only one he played in that English win in Pakistan.

But, hopefully now, our management is far more potent and resilient to thwart any such nefarious tactics from ECB.

[Officer Barbrady]

Wasim played the first two tests in that England series. Frankly, I think the WI success was the last hurrah for Wasim the test bowler and his performance against England didn't have a lot to do with the allegations.

He was no longer able to keep up the pressure once the ball got a little older and unless he got some real swing he didn't cause too many problems generally. Between the 1999 and 03 world cup he just had two or three outstanding performances in test matches when the conditions suited him in the WI and once in SL. I'd say loss of some pace was a factor. He continued to be sucessful in one-days right to the end though.

In that England series in particular he was also troubled (like everyone else) by some really dead tracks used by Pakistan.

[Farhad]

Marooned

That England Series of '01 came very soon after the WI one where Wasim had bowled tremendously. But obviously there was so much pressure from various quarters on Wasim from within Pak too (rightly or wrongly), he was unable to bowl anything like he had a few weeks or so ago. It could not have been more than three months if that. The sustained campaign by ECB had reaped rewards.

McLaurin was proven a hypocrite when during that tour, allegations about Stewart fixing matches came from India as a notorious match-fixer named him along with naming Warne and Waugh. The ECB Chairman then started to staunchly defend his own accused player.

[badxhah]

U need to have a mind to play mind games..

mind u must have to play games -YODA

[Officer Barbrady]

Farhad, we saw every now and again how well Wasim coped with pressure. We saw him destroy NZ when he was removed from captaincy way back in 93 at a time when he was probably under the most pressure ever and then again during all those match-fixing allegations. I just don't think pressure was the main issue.

The WI series was 5/6 months before the England one and I agree it wasn't a long time. But even in the WI it was that one test match where he was getting help from the pitch and was very successful. His other two tests were quite ordinary and I would say in the England series again it was mainly that he couldn't get any assistence from the wicket.

He just wasn't as good a test bowler towards the end as he was earlier on.

[Farhad]

Much hampered by diabetes too as it progressively weakened him as a bowler.

[Officer Barbrady]

Yes that too probably...on the topic though they could make an issue out of Shabbir's action. However if they do fairly well in the Ashes they should have enough confidence in their ability..

[MIG]

Originally Posted by Farhad Much hampered by diabetes too as it progressively weakened him as a bowler.

Very Yoda like sentence

[Daoud]

Trying to be funny MIG is
Who knows, now that they've dropped Key there could be a maximum weight or that Thorpe will be gone, a maximum age (both to get rid of Inzi)

[Hash]

I doubt Shabbir will go through this series without being reported. He will have needed to sort out his action by then. Though I believe Umar Gul is better and would play him ahead of Shabbir when both are fit.