The most pathetic collapse I've seen since I started following the game

[Mr. Wicket]

... and given that I followed India through pretty much most of their 90s chokes and failures and have seen plenty of English cockups against Australia, that's saying something. But I'm hard pressed to find a more gutless, thoughtless and generally pathetic display of batting than what I witnessed yesterday. Yes, the Galle test was hysterical and one of the most entertaining things the sadist in me has ever seen. But it just showed how downright pathetic this Pakistan team is, and how they're only given some respect in the game because of an insignificant lottery format that allows inconsistency and mediocrity to thrive (and of course, various fans and some brain-dead folk will put those elements on a pedestal as qualities to celebrate and admire). Let's look at just who went through Pakistan. Nuwan Kulasekara, 7 tests and an average of 60 with the ball. Thilan Thushara, 5 tests and an average of 38. Angelo Mathews, a bits and pieces all rounder making his test debut with a f/c bowling average of 35. Ajantha Mendis, the only bowler here with some significant test success behind him - and still only 7 games (inclusive of this one against Pakistan) and Rangana Herath, another generally mediocre SLA with 15 test caps in a 10 year career and an average hovering in the mid 30s. Mendis aside, this was a generally mediocre attack. Thushara and Kulasekara are decent at best medium pacers with none of the pace of Fernando or Malinga or the guile of Vaas; Mathews is a bits and pieces trundler who's a much better batsman. Herath is a steady-at-best bowler, never the sort to run through a side as his past performances will tell you. This was barely even a 2nd XI bowling selection for Lanka, bar Mendis. Vaas was rested, Murali was unfit, Malinga and Fernando had fitness issues from what I understand - and yet, with 90-something runs to get Pakistan failed miserably. And that too against the lesser bowlers in the side; the game was already long-gone by the time Mendis took the ball on the fourth morning. It just shows what miserable lows this bunch of overhyped clowns have sunk to. Regardless of what some will say on the basis of a lottery tournament where far better teams can be easily eliminated on the basis of 20 bad overs somewhere, this shows Pakistan in their truest colours. They can't even put up a solid fight and show some respectability against a bunch of second-rate trundlers like Herath and Thushara. The Pak scorecards in the game also highlight something I've said for a long time. Yousuf, Younis and Misbah are the only batsmen of any repute left in Pakistan. Butt is brainless, immature and massively overhyped by fans long-since afflicted by tunnel vision and green glasses. Malik is an average batsman who can hide his clear flaws in a format like ODIs or the circus where bowlers don't have the freedom or time to work on his technical issues and probe him outside off stump. Two batsmen in the entire XI - in two innings - produced anything of substance here. One is 35, the other turns 35 in a month or two. The youngsters were flat footed and slow of thought, and proof that Pakistan has very little in their ranks when it comes to future batsmen. And again, this was against a barely 2nd XI attack (aside from one bowler) on a pitch with no demons in it whatsoever. Truly, truly pathetic. This lot should stick to playing things like T20, games of lesser skill for fans with lower IQs or attention spans. Once Yousuf and Misbah go, Pakistan will be about as competitive a test team as Ireland. I'm sure Muralitharan is licking his lips right now. And if for any reason I'm in Australia for the Pak/Aus series in December, I'll make sure I only buy tickets to the first two or three days - don't think there's any chance of these jokers putting up enough of a fight to make any sort of match in the series.

[graphic23]

Wow. That is an awesome write-up. Fits Pakistan's performance quite well too. I am particularly admiring the statements about their openers. I think Younis will also perform during the series along with Misbah and Yousuf, but that still doesn't change the scenario you mentioned.

[Mr. Wicket]

Yes, Younis is a quality player and will probably come good this series. But he's a lone diamond in a pile of crap only studded with two other old guys on their way out soon. Once Yousuf and Misbah are gone, just watch the free-fall. I expect even Bangladesh will beat this lot then. And expect Pakistan to start preparing even more pathetic draw-friendly pitches like their monstrosity at Karachi (1409 runs for 13 wickets across the two first innings) recently, rubbish to ensure that as they can't win, they can at least try to draw. Docile wickets where the ball will soften rapidly, will turn slowly and will do absolutely nothing off the pitch for the seamers will still let these pathetic batsmen get a few undeserved runs.

[Laaloo]

Salil, did you watch YK's batting? I watched his both innings and to be honest he was struggling a lot against the likes of tushara of all bowlers. He was constantly beaten by the ball and he got a few lives too. I dont see much hope for him in this series to be honest. He was constantly made to look like a jackass by thushara and co.

[Guest Hiten.]

I think we are reading too much into Pakistani team's performance. To begin with Pakistan is not the same old test team who would give you run for your money. Today they are happy bunch if they get to play test cricket in first place and when they do they are more than happy to play for a draw. I agree this collapse was not something that was triggered by SL's bowling rather it was Pakistan's batting which inflicted such a result. Salman Butt was never a good player, be it any format. He was successful in piling runs against India in the LOI and that's about it (I am not degrading his performances vs India but his incompetency of scoring runs shows against the other teams). He is hopeless on seaming wicket and lacks patience. Aamer really impressed me and I felt bad for the kid as their batsmen could not capitalize on the collapse that he triggered in SL's 2nd innings. Only Ajmal complimented Aamer in the bowling department. Umer Gul who has been touted as best bowler for limited over fixtures is absolutely sh*t with the red ball and was struggling to bowl his great art of reverse swing. He had his own problems of overstepping.

[DomainK]

Yousuf, Younis and Misbah are the only batsmen of any repute left in Pakistan.

Completely agree with that. The rest of the batsmen are no good for test cricket. Kamran looks good from time to time but then there is some demon that posses him and makes him look stupid. And then he makes up for whatever runs he scores by dropping catches behind the wicket. I still can not understand how Malik became and stayed captain for so long when he can not play well enough for a permanent place in the side. He is average at best. This team indeed shows how depleted Pakistan's talent pool is. Kamran Akmal drops catches almost every match and still they could never find a keeper to replace him. They could not find a decent pair of openers after Saeed-Sohail. After Inzamam's retirement, this Pakistani team has been going down with amazing consistency(in fact the process started when Inzamam was in charge). Every time I think they can't do any worse than this, they manage to find a new low.

[Mr. Wicket]

I think we are reading too much into Pakistani team's performance. To begin with Pakistan is not the same old test team who would give you run for your money. Today they are happy bunch if they get to play test cricket in first place and when they do they are more than happy to play for a draw. I agree this collapse was not something that was triggered by SL's bowling rather it was Pakistan's batting which inflicted such a result. Salman Butt was never a good player' date=' be it any format. He was successful in piling runs against India in the LOI and that's about it (I am not degrading his performances vs India but his incompetency of scoring runs shows against the other teams). He is hopeless on seaming wicket and lacks patience. [/quote'] How are we reading too much into Pakistan's performance? Check this out for starters: in the last 5 years they've played 36 tests, of which 10 games were won and 14 were lost. For the first few years in that period, they had some solid and respectable batsman. Asim Kamal was an underrated fighter with a good technique and temperament, but no confidence from the selectors and little respect from his teammates. Inzamam was a very, very good batsman and outstanding when at his best, and those two provided added stability and experience in the middle order. Since Kamal went and Inzamam declined and went to retirement, they've sunk significantly. In the last 3 years, they've had 18 games - 3 wins (one against South Africa that was very impressive, two against a West Indies team rocked by contract issues, politics and injuries) and 8 losses. Out of those losses, check out some of these. Thrashed by an innings and 120 at Old Trafford, bowled out for 119 in the first dig and 222 in the second, exposed ruthlessly by Harmison and softened up for Panesar to finish. Here's an even clearer example: http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/225257.html First innings, the two usual names - Yousuf and Younis - stand up and score big hundreds. 538 on the board. Second innings, both those two fail, and the house of cards and hot air comes crashing down. Or what about their losses to South Africa soon after with Steyn blowing them away at home and away, and even lesser bowlers such as Jacques Kallis (6/78 in the Cape Town test in 07) cashing in and running them over? Simply put - these guys are imposters trying to be a test team. There's no technique anywhere, very little in terms of guts, hunger and fight and it's now come to a point where even lesser bowlers like Rangana Herath and Jacques Kallis can steamroll their batsmen.

[suraj]

How are we reading too much into Pakistan's performance? Check this out for starters: in the last 5 years they've played 36 tests, of which 10 games were won and 14 were lost. For the first few years in that period, they had some solid and respectable batsman. Asim Kamal was an underrated fighter with a good technique and temperament, but no confidence from the selectors and little respect from his teammates. Inzamam was a very, very good batsman and outstanding when at his best, and those two provided added stability and experience in the middle order. Since Kamal went and Inzamam declined and went to retirement, they've sunk significantly. In the last 3 years, they've had 18 games - 3 wins (one against South Africa that was very impressive, two against a West Indies team rocked by contract issues, politics and injuries) and 8 losses. Out of those losses, check out some of these. Thrashed by an innings and 120 at Old Trafford, bowled out for 119 in the first dig and 222 in the second, exposed ruthlessly by Harmison and softened up for Panesar to finish. Here's an even clearer example: http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/225257.html First innings, the two usual names - Yousuf and Younis - stand up and score big hundreds. 538 on the board. Second innings, both those two fail, and the house of cards and hot air comes crashing down. Or what about their losses to South Africa soon after with Steyn blowing them away at home and away, and even lesser bowlers such as Jacques Kallis (6/78 in the Cape Town test in 07) cashing in and running them over? Simply put - these guys are imposters trying to be a test team. There's no technique anywhere, very little in terms of guts, hunger and fight and it's now come to a point where even lesser bowlers like Rangana Herath and Jacques Kallis can steamroll their batsmen.

Great analysis:two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up:

[Mr. Wicket]

Salil' date=' did you watch YK's batting? I watched his both innings and to be honest he was struggling a lot against the likes of tushara of all bowlers. He was constantly beaten by the ball and he got a few lives too. I dont see much hope for him in this series to be honest. He was constantly made to look like a jackass by thushara and co.[/quote'] Younis is one guy I do have quite a bit of regard for... a decent guy (unlike Yousuf who is absolute scum and a mercenary), and a batsman who is willing to fight it out at the crease, look awkward for a length of time and regularly get beaten/bogged down for a bit - but will still put a price on his wicket and make you really earn it. That is why I'll still back him to score some runs this series - he's got a decent technique, but will still fight for his wicket and his runs, which many of his teammates are incapable of.

[THX_1138]

I would rate Pakistan's collapse against South Africa at Karachi at the hands of Pollock back in the 90s as a more shameless display. Though keep in mind India's collapse at Barbados (i believe or maybe elsewhere in the indies) where we set 120 for victory and feel short by 19. it was kuruvilla's debut series.

[Mr. Wicket]

I would rate Pakistan's collapse against South Africa at Karachi at the hands of Pollock back in the 90s as a more shameless display. Though keep in mind India's collapse at Barbados (i believe or maybe elsewhere in the indies) where we set 120 for victory and feel short by 19. it was kuruvilla's debut series.

That was at Faisalabad, not Karachi. But it was a far superior attack - with Pollock, Donald and a young Klusener in the lineup. India's collapse came against a superior attack as well; one including Bishop and Ambrose (who took 7 of the 10 wickets in that 81 all out at Bridgetown). At least there's a little less shame when you're bundled out by a couple of quality bowlers. When a bunch of guys who can't get into their first XI normally and all average well over 30 with the ball bundle you out... then it's an even more embarrassing scenario altogether.

[Don Sharma]

The WI vs Zim match in Port of Spain 1999/00 stands out for me. Chasing 99 the Zims bundled out for a meagre 60 odd runs. Agreed, WI had Amby and Walsh but Zim weren't any bad either - Flower bros, Neil Johnson, Goodwin, A Campbell and Streak are pretty good batsmen. What more, the Zims managed just a single four in all of their second innings.

[King]

That was a shocker of a collapse but Galle has a reputation for not being a good ground for chasing. Pakistan pretty much won all the sessions but for the last one. Sri Lanka's batting was a shocker and they barely got through. Pakistan's batting has always been dodgy and that's not news. Pakistan's bowling was pretty timid in the last half a decade or so but with a few good bowlers they can be a potent test match team but they have to find some decent openers that can at least put 40 runs on board once every two hits if not consistently. The middle order although can't be termed great aren't too bad. Their new comers look clueless with the bat but they have produced few good bowlers in the last few years. BTW Kamran Akmal is a shocker and is not consistent with the bat either. They should replace Akmal with a decent keeper that can catch a few balls behind stumps.

[rainy day]

That's a bit harsh i think, being a Pakistani it hurts me the most the way we lost but if someone has seen the match and takes an objective veiwpoint it wasn't that pathetic of a collapse because the pitch had certainly some demons in it, the way Thushra was moving the bowl in both directions and making the bastmen play every team would have had a hard time. Even players like Sangakara/Jaya found it extremely hard to on this pitch. The first 30 overs with a new ball were the hard part and scoring after that became much easier unfortunately Pakistan lost too many wickets during that period and did not have a strong tail like Sri Lanka. That said i do agree some players like Butt, Malik do not deserve a place in the side and are just living on past efforts. I am surprised the OP mentioned Asim kamal, i rate him very highly as a test player as well unfortunately the joke that is PCB is run by incompetent corrupt scums and he is being wasted when he should be a regular member of the team.

[Mr. Wicket]

The pitch had demons? Did you notice them the previous session when Pakistan strolled to 71/2? No, it wasn't easy to score runs on - batsmen had to work for them, but this is a quality that it has had since day 1. Galle is always like this. The bounce was consistent with what it was on the opening day, maybe a touch lower, the turn was even. This was a comfortable fifth day pitch. This wasn't a wicket where the ball was moving awkwardly or inconsistently, and you did not have the up-and-down bounce and cracks of a fifth day pitch you often see in the subcontinent. And why are you surprised that my earlier post mentioned Asim Kamal? The man was a very very fine player. I have a lot of respect for him, a quiet intelligent batsman who was always willing to put in the hard work for his runs. Unfortunately he lacked the flash and sizzle of idiots like Taufeeq and Yasir the Fisherman Hameed and never got the chances they did. Do you remember him being the lone fighter at Rawalpindi in 2004 against India and hammering a half century with an injured arm on painkillers - and yet only 2-3 men from his team bothering to come on the balcony and applaud his 50? That for me sums up the shameful approach of some of the senior men - players and selectors - in Pakistani cricket. Inconsistency and mediocrity are elevated on a pedestal, guys like Afridi and Malik are given umpteen chances and even leadership, and a genuine workhorse like Asim Kamal gets nothing. Downright pathetic.

[rainy day]

I was surprised because i thought no one outside Pakistan ( and even most people in Pakistan ) did not take much notice of him because of as you put it "less flashy" play. Not just against India he also batted played a fighting knock in Australia.He averages about 38.00 in 12 Test matches and still can't make the squad while people like Faisal Iqbal who averages 26.50 in 23 matches has become a regular member of the squad ( just because he's nephew of PCB's director Javed Miandad ). This sums up the bureaucratic set up that is the PCB, we used to have batsmen that had good techniques and work ethics but in the last decade or so the way PCB has fu**** up Pakistan's pitches has resulted in this heap of batsmen who can only score on tracks that it would be shameful to even call them flat.

[DomainK]

That's a bit harsh i think' date=' being a Pakistani it hurts me the most the way we lost but if someone has seen the match and takes an objective veiwpoint it wasn't that pathetic of a collapse because the pitch had certainly some demons in it, the way Thushra was moving the bowl in both directions and making the bastmen play every team would have had a hard time. Even players like Sangakara/Jaya found it extremely hard to on this pitch. The first 30 overs with a new ball were the hard part and scoring after that became much easier unfortunately Pakistan lost too many wickets during that period and did not have a strong tail like Sri Lanka. That said i do agree some players like Butt, Malik do not deserve a place in the side and are just living on past efforts. I am surprised the OP mentioned Asim kamal, i rate him very highly as a test player as well unfortunately the joke that is PCB is run by incompetent corrupt scums and he is being wasted when he should be a regular member of the team.[/quote'] You lost 4 wickets to a spinner. That was not exactly a spinner's heaven. Thushara's spell was good, but such spells come in test matches. You see them off without losing too many. And you lost two wickets to him. What happened to the other eight?

[Mamu]

Yes, Younis is a quality player and will probably come good this series. But he's a lone diamond in a pile of crap only studded with two other old guys on their way out soon. Once Yousuf and Misbah are gone, just watch the free-fall. I expect even Bangladesh will beat this lot then. And expect Pakistan to start preparing even more pathetic draw-friendly pitches like their monstrosity at Karachi (1409 runs for 13 wickets across the two first innings) recently, rubbish to ensure that as they can't win, they can at least try to draw. Docile wickets where the ball will soften rapidly, will turn slowly and will do absolutely nothing off the pitch for the seamers will still let these pathetic batsmen get a few undeserved runs.

Hold your thoughts. There will be no Paki preparing pitches for atleast the next 5 years. That part will be done by English and Arabs and NZers and everybody else ! This brings a very interesting question -- can the Pakis influence the pitch preparation for their "Home - Away" series ? I am sure the Arabs in the UAE will do what they want but will the English and NZers budge?

[DomainK]

Hold your thoughts. There will be no Paki preparing pitches for atleast the next 5 years. That part will be done by English and Arabs and NZers and everybody else ! This brings a very interesting question -- can the Pakis influence the pitch preparation for their "Home - Away" series ? I am sure the Arabs in the UAE will do what they want but will the English and NZers budge?

I think since the matches will be "hosted" bu Pakistan, pitch preparation will be upto PCB. They can not entirely change the pitches, but they will tray to make them as dead as possible. I don't know however to what extent they can influence those curators. Officially curators are not supposed to work under pressure. Even though PCB will pay them, I am not sure how much they will be able to pressurize them.

[rainy day]

^^ Some times a bowler bowls very well from one side but wickets fall to the somewhat easier bowler on the other end. Butt threw his wicket away against herath because Thushara was too hot to handle. Other two wickets were tail enders. The only wicket herath really took was M.Yousf who has a huge weakness against left arm off spinners. I am not saying they should have crumbled, but negotiating Thushara in those conditions would have been a task that these batsmen are not equipped to deal with.