Woolmer backing Akmal

[Awesome Anjum]

Woolmer backing Akmal
By Charles Randall
(Filed: 14/08/2006)

Bob Woolmer hopes he has solved a problem that his England opposite number would recognise all too well - an unreliable wicketkeeper without enough runs to justify his place.
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Woolmer, Pakistan's coach, ensured Kamran Akmal used Saturday's rain-hit, one-day match with the touring West Indies A at Shenley Park to work on his glove work.

While Fletcher has taken action by drafting in Chris Read to replace Geraint Jones, the decline of Akmal has been startling after his batting destruction of England during the winter - from shelling straightforward catches to kitten-like vulnerability at the crease.

A second chance for practice was ended yesterday when rain washed out a second match against the West Indians at the Hertfordshire ground, but his place was guaranteed by Woolmer for the final Test at the Oval, starting on Thursday.

Woolmer said: "Kamran is the best wicketkeeper-batsman we've got by a mile. He's had an unfortunate tour, but there were signs in England's second innings at Headingley that he's really coming back into his own.

"He was getting a bit tense his feet stopped moving - everything stopped moving. He was worried about his keeping - for example with the ball swinging after it pitched - but he's got over that now.

"It's just a question of relaxing. A couple of local wicketkeepers have spoken to him about keeping in English conditions." [Why not ask Latif at Lashings?]

Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar sent down only 11 overs at Shenley Park, and Woolmer hinted that a recall to Pakistan's team at the Oval would be unlikely after his six-month absence through injury.

The West Indies selectors have picked two players from the A tour for a tri-nations tournament in Singapore and Malaysia next month - the most successful batsman Runako Morton and allrounder Dwayne Smith.

Morton, who hooked Shoaib for six at Shenley, has been given the chance to establish a senior career after some disciplinary clashes over absenteeism with the West Indies board.

Tony Howard, the tour manager, said Morton, from the island of Nevis, had now become a "model player".

[infamous9383]

we have no other keeper thats ready and Akmal is going through a bad patch. HE'll come out of it.

[Slugger]

akmal will triumph wait and see

[Hash]

Not even an issue for me.

Kamran is one of the best keepers in the world and close to being the best keeper batsman in the world. One poor series does not change anything.

[James]

I agree. As long as his bad patch doesn't go beyond this tour then nothing has changed.

[Slugger]

whippy you're average is 0.01 away from being 12

[ammarz]

best we have had in a long time. just had a bad series with some costly drops. hope the worst is behind

[Slugger]

but he didn't have a very convincing series in sri lanka either

[offcutter]

Originally Posted by Whippy squash I agree. As long as his bad patch doesn't go beyond this tour then nothing has changed.

Hey man, we ahve the same birthday except i'm one year older than you

[James]

Originally Posted by offcutter Hey man, we ahve the same birthday except i'm one year older than you

why is everyone looking at my profile all of a sudden

[Hash]

How is your part time college course going whippy?

[Has]

He is the best wicket keeper batsman we have and a very good one at that, he is having a bad tour but as long as it doesn’t last long then there is nothing major to discuss.

[jusarrived]

Originally Posted by Hash Not even an issue for me. Kamran is one of the best keepers in the world and close to being the best keeper batsman in the world. One poor series does not change anything.

you say the same thing abut every pak player.


btw srry to say your 4-0 prediction has gone wrong,it will be 3-0

[Hash]

Originally Posted by jusarrived you say the same thing abut every pak player. btw srry to say your 4-0 prediction has gone wrong,it will be 3-0

Like who?

Oh and where did I say 4-0?

And I don't particularly need an INDIAN (Indian ) to be talking about series in England! We all know how much success you have had there

[garbage_can2003]

I hope his form has already hit rock bottom and we get a quick bounce.

[Schiller]

People need to lay off of Kamran, smacks of stupidity

[waqar_ahmad]

Originally Posted by jusarrived you say the same thing abut every pak player. btw srry to say your 4-0 prediction has gone wrong,it will be 3-0

an indian talking abt an away series. now thata funny.this is the same team that u couldnt beat at home when they were at half strength.

[ex-opener]

Originally Posted by Whippy squash why is everyone looking at my profile all of a sudden

possibly they have nothing better to do so they are impressed with your posts on PP so they want to look at your profile

[Abdul Qadir 236]

Hold on a moment.
Is Bob actually backing a good young player who is going through a bad patch instead of chopping and changing him?

[deviously~fading~away]

Originally Posted by Abdul Qadir 236 Hold on a moment. Is Bob actually backing a good young player who is going through a bad patch instead of chopping and changing him?

Its probably b/c he doesnt think much of the other wk's in Pakistan or else Akmal would have been on his plane back before the 2nd test begun!