Mohammad Yousuf to retire...

[zman]

Originally Posted by al Furqaan
if younish khan also retires...i can't help but think that Pakistan will be a team barely above BD in the world game.

we should organize a Test series with them after the NZ tour. their bowling attack will be a good test for our batsmen.

Fully agree with Al on the above...We may not have gotten a win out of this series, what we did get is a lot of visible progress especially in the batting dept. Now we know for sure gone are the days when opposition would score 550+ and we'd get skittled out twice for 150 and 180 (as pointed out by ATMR elsewhere). In the following phase we consistently performed well in one of two innings--be it 1st or 2nd.

I think now we're transitioning onto a new phase--2 yrs down the road it'll be easier to look back and confirm--where we consistently perform very well in one innings and reasonably/somewhat well in the other...I think what that'll do is help us find a solid identity as a team--that of a Rapidly Improving Home Team (regardless of our overseas performances).

Here's what I expect of our team in the near future--next couple years we'll see a lot more drawn tests at home. In two test match series' the final score lines will start looking like 1-0 as opposed to 2-0. In the ensuing years we'll start drawing both matches and we'll get adept at securing 0-0 score lines. Meantime I'll be waiting for a surprise win against any one of WI/Pak/NZ/Eng with higher odds of success against a team in that particular order.

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by zman
Fully agree with Al on the above...We may not have gotten a win out of this series, what we did get is a lot of visible progress especially in the batting dept. Now we know for sure gone are the days when opposition would score 550+ and we'd get skittled out twice for 150 and 180 (as pointed out by ATMR elsewhere). In the following phase we consistently performed well in one of two innings--be it 1st or 2nd.

I think now we're transitioning onto a new phase--2 yrs down the road it'll be easier to look back and confirm--where we consistently perform very well in one innings and reasonably/somewhat well in the other...I think what that'll do is help us find a solid identity as a team--that of a Rapidly Improving Home Team (regardless of our overseas performances).

Here's what I expect of our team in the near future--next couple years we'll see a lot more drawn tests at home. In two test match series' the final score lines will start looking like 1-0 as opposed to 2-0. In the ensuing years we'll start drawing both matches and we'll get adept at securing 0-0 score lines. Meantime I'll be waiting for a surprise win against any one of WI/Pak/NZ/Eng with higher odds of success against a team in that particular order.

i like the way you think.

but i'll say this much: after following BD cricket for over 7 years now...i have come to the realization that it will take more than 2-3 years for parity to be achieved. it may very well be possible to have the incremental improvements you've highlighted in 2 year installments. and i hope that will happen. but we need more solidity. Jamie Siddons, whatever his flaws and faults may be, is the BEST coach we've ever had. hopefully he can stick around for another 5-6 years. his methodology and batting knowledge is paying off. every one of our batsmen has credited him for their big strides.

but we really need a pacer coach. perhaps look into sarfraz nawaz or waqar younis. or alan donald if he doesn't take the Indian job. i mean who was ramanyake?

we don't have India's batting lineup, where we can put up 600 and then rely on mediocre bowlers + the very solid Zaheer Khan to deliver 20 wickets due to pressure of scoring runs.

but yes, the days of losing by an innings and 200 runs are gone for good. in fact, we probably won't lose by innings except every 10th match (every 4th away match or so). hopefully we can draw a few tests in the next few years...but as draws are rare these days, i'll settle for hard-fought losses.

the future is certainly bright.