Another wow from Rao

[fineleg]

Another wow from Rao Osman Samiuddin January 20, 2009 Rao Iftikhar Anjum picked up his second four-wicket haul in consecutive matches and a second successive career-best performance in Karachi © Getty Images Is it sacrilegious to suggest that what Pakistan needs more of is the likes of Rao Iftikhar Anjum and less of the flash that we've become accustomed to? Rao is as far removed from the bling of Pakistan's pace lineage as is possible. He threatens neither toes nor heads. He isn't a film star-in-waiting and neither is he likely to be seen flirting with one, and nobody turns their heads when he walks by. Autograph hunters don't stalk him. Scandal and glamour dodge him as smoothly as a bureaucrat does forthright questions. With the ball in hand, few would call him a genius. But how soothing has his presence been over the last two years when Pakistan's fast bowling line has been as stable as a house of cards during an earthquake? Sure, he has often been taken for runs and sometimes lacked variety, but like a factory-worker, he has turned up everyday, uninjured, or banned, or in the midst of a bust-up. He punched in his card, did what he was meant to do to the best of his ability, and let others deal with headlines, cameras and tape recorders. He doesn't complain whether he opens the bowling or when he comes in, as seems his very nature, first change. There is no teapot stance if he is taken off after a short spell, and no hangdog expression when bowling a long spell. The latter, once reckoned Pakistan's trainer David Dwyer, is something he is built for, as one of the fittest men in the team. In another life, said Dwyer, he may have made a handy 800m runner. Rao's methods are no state secrets. He bowls at a healthy, consistent pace, with McGrathesque ambitions of hitting the top of the off stump. Away swing is his default, but there is a cheeky nip-backer, and when he is really feeling it, a handy slower ball as well. At its best, it is done repetitively. If it didn't sound like a little dig, the temptation would be to say he was a plain bowler. And it would say nothing of the essential stability of the package. Today, he found himself in his natural habitat. This was the first time Pakistan had played a four-man specialist pace attack since an ODI against Zimbabwe back in 1993 in Rawalpindi. Rao, obviously, was the least heralded. Bigger men first up hadn't been bad but had allowed misfortune to turn to carelessness. Sri Lanka had sped away and someone had to do the dirty work and try and haul them back. But as he does not favour one-man shows, it was Umar Gul who struck two key blows and bowled the tighter spell. But would he have done so had Rao not done what he has so often - offered unquestioning support? Mahela Jayawardene was undone by the Rao stock ball: outside off, on a length, shyly curving away. To a man amid such a hellish run (four ducks and a single in his last six ODIs), it was, suitably, a ball from hell. And just when Sri Lanka were trying to pick themselves up again, around Kumar Sangakkara, back came Rao. Two wickets in an over, including Sangakkara's with a clever bouncer, throttled what hope was left in the innings. A second four-wicket haul in consecutive matches and a second successive career-best performance was Rao's reward: 51 unnoticed wickets now in 28 matches stretching back to the 2007 World Cup represents, in Pakistan's darkest period, a rare, unblinking sliver of light. In this world of the bat, Salman Butt was always going to pick up the Man of the Match award for his century. In any case, had it gone to a bowler, they probably would have jumped for Gul. It was left to the man who knows the full value of Rao, Shoaib Malik, to capture precisely what he brings. "If you look at his performances, the way sometimes our senior bowlers have been unfit, and he has come in and performed and then when they are back sometimes he has had to sit out. But I really appreciate how he has never complained or shown any attitude. He has always come back with the same effort and fight," said Malik. Malik has been able to call on him more than any other through this period, which perhaps explains the surprisingly articulate nature of his answer. People call Rao 'The Rawalpindi Mail' with a snigger, in snide reference to the faster Rawalpindi Express. At least, Rao can respond, he is always on time and gets there in the end. Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of Cricinfo

[Holysmoke]

Phack that. I thought it was Venugopal. Who cares about these monkeys.

[punjabi_khota]

28 matches since 2007 world cup. Probably 15 of them against minnows ?

[kablooee87]

28 matches since 2007 world cup. Probably 15 of them against minnows ?

I count 25 matches since the World Cup with 46 wickets. 7 against minnows. Still 34 wickets in 18 matches isn't too bad. I think the point OS is trying to make is valid. He's not flashy, and he certainly nothing to get worked up about. But while everyone else has been doing one thing or another he's been holding the fort decently (along with Gul, but you'd expect that from him).

[fineleg]

I count 25 matches since the World Cup with 46 wickets. 7 against minnows. Still 34 wickets in 18 matches isn't too bad. I think the point OS is trying to make is valid. He's not flashy, and he certainly nothing to get worked up about. But while everyone else has been doing one thing or another he's been holding the fort decently (along with Gul, but you'd expect that from him).

Yes, Umar Gul is certainly the best pak have now, and Rao does his job within his limitations. Sohail Tanvir - unpredictable. Real good on some days, wayward on others. Shoaib Actor and Mohd. Asif - well...no need to say.

[EnterTheVoid]

let the baby have his bottle they won 1 odi, thats all! geez

[Pak_Forever]

Not into injuries, not a flashy guy, not a speedster, but does his job very well. Keep up the good work Rao. Pakistan has always been well known for speedsters, but good to see a change of medium-pacer making an impact. And sree_india, we have comfortably won almost everything what we have played in the recent past. Certainly more than just 1 ODI.

[EnterTheVoid]

Not into injuries, not a flashy guy, not a speedster, but does his job very well. Keep up the good work Rao. Pakistan has always been well known for speedsters, but good to see a change of medium-pacer making an impact. And sree_india, we have comfortably won almost everything what we have played in the recent past. Certainly more than just 1 ODI.

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::haha::haha::haha::haha::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::haha::haha::haha::haha::haha: Surely, you can't mean that

[ludhianvi]

From what I've seen of Rao Saab, his line is very good and he is a good bowler for ODIs. He had a couple of good matches against India as well. With an economy of under 5 (4.90) in today's ODI scheme of things, not a bad bowler at all.

[Pak_Forever]

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::haha::haha::haha::haha::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::haha::haha::haha::haha::haha: Surely, you can't mean that

Kitply cup makes you this much joyous? Certainly it was against two minnows, but we did well without much practice. :--D

[EnterTheVoid]

^^ Well, the kitply cup and the Asia up were two "humpty - dumpty' tournaments played by india so that the PCB could shut up about India not supporting Pakistan; of course the PCB are always happy to use the ICL card when the indians help them (Champions Trophy -> I cant believe India copped flak from Pak over the postponed CT when we helped them so much; as far as I remember the winging continued when Aus toured India for the BG trophy) and when india don't help them (postponed tour) But it's all right. Win these meaningless tournaments and lose the WC -> That should keep both of us happy

[Macj]

Kitply cup makes you this much joyous? Certainly it was against two minnows' date=' but we did well without much practice. :--D[/quote'] You practiced about 20 odd times against the likes of your brothers Bungles and the Bobwes.

[EnterTheVoid]

^^^^ Owned!!!!!!!! poor guy is getting OWNED on these threads