Official Thread: Englands Tour Of Pakistan 2005 Options

[Akhtar]

Englands tour of Pakistan is all ready to kick off! The ECB named the squads earlier today.

England Test squad: Michael Vaughan (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Stephen Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Geraint Jones, Simon Jones, Alex Loudon, Kevin Pietersen, Matthew Prior, Andrew Strauss, Chris Tremlett, Marcus Trescothick, Shaun Udal.

England one-day squad: Michael Vaughan, James Anderson, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Stephen Harmison, Geraint Jones, Simon Jones, Kevin Pietersen, Matthew Prior, Liam Plunkett, Vikram Solanki, Andrew Strauss, Chris Tremlett, Marcus Trescothick.

[tahir77]

nice thread akhter bhai

[Akhtar]

1st Test kicks off tomorrow morning at 0430GMT

[princeali]

Let's hope this series gives us exciting cricket from both the teams

Pakistan's opening pair is still a worry though, there's no solid combination yet, but this series could change that if everything goes well.

[Akhtar]

Pakistan crumbling

[Anil4]

Why has Afridi been left out of the team?

Anil

[Akhtar]

Poor decision to leave out Afridi. My team would have been;

Afridi, Butt, MYK, Inzy, Mohammed Yousuf, Hasan Raza, Akmal, Sami, Naved, Akhtar, Kaneria.

[princeali]

Afridi could have also added to the bowling department with his useful leg spin.

Hope Inzi and the tailenders can bat it out a bit more and post a larger total.

[tracknest]

Afridi could have also added to the bowling department with his useful leg spin.

Hope Inzi and the tailenders can bat it out a bit more and post a larger total.

I agree with this, Afridi is a surprise package, he can score a quick 50 coming at number 7 and that can be a difference between scoring 275 and 375.

Pakistan can bounce back if they can take their catches. I am also surprised why a make shift opener like Shoaib Malik has to open a batsman and where is Youhana.

Foe England, Trestcotik, Flintoff and Pieterson are the key players. Shoaib Akhtar should fire and stamp his presence in the test series. Kaneria will be my bowler, I will be surprsied if he is not the most effective amonst Pak bowlers.

[Akhtar]

Youhana is playing. However as you may or may not be aware, after his recent conversion to Islam, he has changed his name to Mohammed Yousuf.

[unni]

Would someone who's been watching the match on TV please clarify what this is all about (from Crickinfo match bulletin):

"Bell pulled himself together, and such was his concentration that he faced a delivery from the world's fastest bowler without the aid of the sightscreen. After some frantic waving from the England dressing room Bell had it sorted....."

[Akhtar]

Oh yeah. Akhtar was bowling around the wicket to Trescothick, so the sightscreen was adjusted. But Tres took a single and the support staff had forgotten to adjust the sightscreen. Mind you, Shoaib looked a class apart from all the other bowlers today.

[princeali]

Oh yeah. Akhtar was bowling around the wicket to Trescothick, so the sightscreen was adjusted. But Tres took a single and the support staff had forgotten to adjust the sightscreen. Mind you, Shoaib looked a class apart from all the other bowlers today.

Yeah I saw this as well, and Shoaib was unlucky not to take a single wicket. I don't know but Shabbir to me was not the same, maybe its because he's just returning to international cricket after getting help on his bowling action. He did take a wicket and wasn't too expensive either but I guess he's still a bit rusty. Last year in top form against India, he was awesome. Sami is inconsistent these days, he bowls a few good deliveries but then the others are there to be hit. He needs to start taking more wickets at that level, he has great potential.

Its an uphill battle for Pakistan from here on, England are looking to score a big total with Flintoff and Petie still to come, then again one good spell from Shoaib or anyone could peg things back a little.

[Akhtar]

Shabbir's action really looks dodgy to me. Sami needs to sort himself out ! I got all hyper when he got Strauss out, only to see him serve up buffet balls to Bell.

[princeali]

Shabbir's action really looks dodgy to me. Sami needs to sort himself out ! I got all hyper when he got Strauss out, only to see him serve up buffet balls to Bell.

Did Pakistan do their homework ?.....Bell is a slow starter, a few good pitched balls right up there could have had him in some trouble. Do you agree with Inzi's field placements ?.