Pakistan's slow-starters need to wake up (22 May 1999)

22 May 1999

Pakistan's slow-starters need to wake up

The Dawn

London, May 21: Pakistan have a huge opportunity on Sunday to take themselves halfway towards the World Cup semi-finals - not just the Super Six. The incentive for victory over Australia at Headingley could not be greater following a dramatic seventh day at Cricket World Cup 99. All Wasim Akram has to do in the next couple of days is make sure certain slow-starting members of his team wake up!

If two points are gained against Australia they will almost certainly be carried forward into the Super Six stage, because I can't see the Aussies slipping up when they play the West Indies and Bangladesh.

But while Pakistan were earning victory against Scotland to maintain their 100 per cent record, the New Zealanders were injecting extra interest into Group B by their comprehensive five-wicket triumph against the Australians in Cardiff.

Now, if Pakistan can beat both Australia and New Zealand, they would guarantee taking a maximum four points with them into the Super Six. Barring a complete collapse in the three second stage matches, a semi-final place would then be easily attainable.

New Zealand, in fact, may turn out to be Pakistan's closest challengers for group supremacy because they have greater strength in depth than Australia, who rely too much on the bowling of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne for inspiration in the field.

The Aussies, however, will come out fighting against Pakistan because their pride was wounded badly by losing out to their unfancied near neighbours.

Pakistan's bowling, however, is capable of ripping through the Australian top order. Only the Waugh twins have any Test match pedigree - Adam Gilchrist, Darren Lehmann, Ricky Ponting and Michael Bevan have all struggled to establish themselves in the five-day game - and one of the early lessons of this World Cup is that the conditions demand good technique from the specialist batsmen.

The white ball is moving around sometimes alarmingly - both off the seam and in the air. A thin lacquer, which is applied to the balls to keep them white, means more swing than usual - even when there is little humidity or cloud cover. The huge number of wides being delivered in this tournament is due to the excessive movement of the ball as much as ultra-strict interpretation by the umpires.

Geoff Allott, the New Zealand left-arm paceman, troubled the Australians and finished with four wickets. But Allott is certainly no Wasim Akram, while the Kiwis definitely do not have anyone with the explosive ability of Shoaib Akhtar.

The minnows have acquitted themselves well so far in this World Cup (witness Zimbabwe's win over India), which in itself is welcome evidence of an increase in standards in the developing countries.

But the gulf in class when Shoaib and Wasim were blowing away the top half of the Scotland batting order was almost embarrassing.

Wasim could perhaps have given Waqar Younis a run-out, and rested Shoaib - especially as the younger fast bowler seemed to be troubled against the West Indies at Bristol by a sore knee which drove him off the field at the end of his sixth over. But the rest of his first-choice attack enjoyed another valuable chance to acclimatise to the conditions before the sterner battles ahead.

Abdur Razzaq, in particular, has impressed me hugely with his ability to swing the ball both ways. He is very useful indeed against left-handers - and Australia have three in their top six in Gilchrist, Lehmann and Bevan.

Saqlain Mushtaq has yet to catch fire, and Imran Khan believes that Azhar Mahmood will prove to be an accomplished performer in English conditions by the end of this tournament.

Pakistan's main worry at present is the instability of the top order. But I feel the problem is simply a lack of concentration.

Wasim was annoyed both at the indiscipline of his early-order batsmen and at some shoddy fielding. He was right to speak of his dissatisfaction at the general performance against Scotland, despite the efforts of Yousuf Youhana and Moin Khan following a decline to 92-5.

Playing Australia will certainly sharpen the mind, and Saeed Anwar especially is due a big score. Inzamam-ul-Haq needs the Aussie challenge to kick start him into life, and Shahid Afridi knows he may only have one more chance as an opener before some serious rethinking is done about the batting order.

Salim Malik did not take his opportunity against the Scots, in the place left vacant by Ijaz Ahmed's toe injury, so I would expect Youhana to be given more responsibility a little higher up the batting order at some stage.

Azhar Mahmood could perhaps be tried as Saeed's opening partner, while Razzaq might be too high at number three given his relative lack of experience. Pakistan's batting worries, though, would be eased at a stroke if Saeed and Inzamam start performing.

Source :: The Dawn (www.dawn.com)