4th March 2013

Geoff Boycott last played a first class match at 45 years of age

Stop complaining about Misbah's age

Gooch played at 41 for England
Imran Khan played at 39
The oldest player to play for Pakistan was 47 at last appearance

Mark Ramprakash retired from first class recently just shy of his 43th birthday

Sanath played his last game at 41 for Sri Lanka.

Brad Hogg played for Australia at 41 in World T20

Shane Warne has been playing in the BBL at 43

The difference in age between Misbah and Afridi/Razzaq/Ajmal/Younis is very small. Unlike Misbah, the rest have unreliable ages. The ones who come from an academic background like Misbah usually have accurate ones.

Misbah is turning 39 soon, but he is a batsman and not a wicket keeper or fast bowler, making age less of an issue. Get over it. If he does play the 2015 World Cup, he will only be 40 in February/March 2015. I wouldn't put it past him.

https://www.facebook.com/king.MUH/posts/508814969164207

Mohsin Khan for full time Coach Author: Maaz; Views: 653; Date: 28-01-2012, 07:48;

The scale of the SERIES win is astounding and will take time to actually sink in. England came into this series having been undefeated in 9 test series in a row, winning 8 of them. They also came into the series with 6 test series wins in a row against teams like Australia, India and Sri Lanka and convincing margins in those series as well. A drawn series at 1-1 or even 0-0 was considered as a highly creditable result and a cause for jubilation from the perspective of the Pakistanis who were in a process of regaining their pride as a test unit.

But instead Team Misbah’s dependable warriors have sealed the series, gained sky rocketing acceptance from all corners and raised serious doubts over England’s number 1 test ranking after pulling off a remarkable win having lost the first innings by 70 runs and losing 4 wickets including their big fishes before having even reached parity with England. Pakistan kept fighting, inserting pressure and the English batsmen crumbled to a double figure score embarrassment.

Geoff Boycott even said yesterday that he was so confident that England would seal the win that he would be willing to put his house on it, but yet it was Pakistan which rose to the occasion and produced something out of the ordinary as Misbah ul Haq’s side won their 4^th successive test series and 4^th successive test match for the first time since 2003 although that came against weaker opposition, making the current success a remarkable storyline.

The spinners claimed 19 of the 20 wickets as Rehman claimed 8; Ajmal claimed 7 and Hafeez also chipping in with 4. Ajmal became the quickest spinner to 100 test wickets as well as the quickest Pakistani to the feat after getting the wicket of Prior caught at cover. Ajmal has got 10 of his 17 wickets in this series through an LBW and has been reaping the rewards of bowling wicket to wicket lines, attacking the stumps and benefiting from the DRS system. It was only a year ago when Ajmal was considered a mediocre and inconsistent test bowler, but he has come on considerably since the Caribbean tour with a dream run to establish his credentials as a feared, threatening, reliable, skilful and to a certain degree unmanageable world beater. Not to forget, the able support Rehman is providing with his nagging control, endless perseverance and subtle varieties as the workhorse of the attack bagged his 2^nd  test match MOM award under Misbah’s leadership.

Mohsin Hassan Khan has clearly been a motivational force as what was supposedly meant to be the job of a stock gap coach, who has injected self belief, mental toughness and a never say die attitude in his players ala Australia and would be a highly suitable candidate for the full time position. His passion, seriousness about the sport and genuine enthusiasm can be seen from his expressions. Mohsin also speaks impressively with the press and is a coach who really knows how to inspire his team even in less favourable situations when his side had to scrap by the skin of their teeth to get home where they have come back from behind in pleasantly surprising fashion. Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and the low scoring LOI encounters against an improving Bangladesh are ideal illustrations.

I wouldn’t write off Pakistan completing the whitewash in Dubai when the 3^rd test commences on Friday as England search for a consolation win, but for now the series honours are decided and it will be Pakistan’s intellectual statesmen, Mr Consistent, the unstoppable stopper who will be lifting the Bank Alfalah Trophy in the early days of February regardless of the outcome, but knowing the nature of Misbah and Mohsin they will not put their foot off the pedal lightly even with the series sealed in historical style today as England made a meal of chasing 145 against the economical well complemented Pakistani spinners who ran through them in no time.

Ajmal too strong for England in Dubai Author: Maaz; Views: 650; Date: 22-01-2012, 06:23;

England were woefully out of sorts in the 1^st test at Dubai as Misbah ul Haq’s men outplayed the world number 1 ranked test side to win by 10 wickets inside 3 days and take an influential 1-0 lead in the series. Now, 2 dead draws will be more than enough to give Misbah ul Haq’s side the series honours which will be nothing short of a monumental achievement in Pakistan’s test history and also represent a phenomenal run of rich test form under Misbah’s captaincy which includes beating the very best in the business who went into this series full of energy and optimism for beating Pakistan and even walking over them.

Pakistan was expected to compete, but the manner and margin of victory was astounding and least expected. This is the first time since 2003 that Pakistan have won 3 consecutive tests in a row when they whitewashed Bangladesh in their tour of Pakistan in 2003, the series famously known for the match winning knock played by the Sultan of Multan to save the hosts from utter embarrassment. Pakistan has won the most test matches since January 2011 and has been the best test side in the world since then.

Test Win Number 7 for Misbah ul Haq. What stands out is the margin of all the wins under his captaincy:

- 10 wicket win inside 3 days against New Zealand

- 196 run win against the West Indies

- 7 wicket win against Zimbabwe

- 9 wicket win against Sri Lanka

- An innings win against Bangladesh

- 7 wicket win against Bangladesh

- 10 wicket win inside 3 days against England

Only 6 out of 29 Pakistan captains have led Pakistan to more test wins, although all of them had lost significantly more:

- 8 Mushtaq Mohammad

- 10 Waqar Younis

- 11 Inzamam

- 12 Wasim Akram

- 14 Javed Miandad

- 14 Imran Khan

Misbah has the highest W/L ratio by a Pakistan test captain of all time

Misbah ul Haq: Won 7 Drawn 5 Lost 1 (7.0)

Rashid Latif: Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 1 (4.0)

Zaheer Abbas: Won 3 Drawn 10 Lost 1 (3.0)

Captaincy Record across All Formats: Played 32 Won 25 Drawn 5 Lost 2 (W/L ratio of 12.5)

Described by cricket journalist Rob Steen as one of the 5 men of the year in 2011 and for his exact quote have a read below: "Kudos for the current Pakistani resurgence, though, goes primarily to Misbah, whose calm leadership and even calmer batting have lent stability to the most storm-tossed vessel on the high seas. The contrast to his disgraced predecessor could hardly have been starker. Among the new, true allrounders - i.e. those picked across all three formats - none averaged more than his 57.20. The first 40-year-old national skipper since Imran Khan? Don't put it past him." - Rob Steen Cricinfo Mid December 2011

Saeed Ajmal was the chief destroyer of the English batting in this match, but do you know how Ajmal managed to get into the team in the first place? Misbah ul Haq recommended and pushed for his inclusion to the board and eventually when Misbah captained for a one off in 2008 he got his chance, since then the off spinner has not looked back and dominated There is a direct link between educated cricketers becoming outstanding captains:

Mike Brearley (who was purely in the team for his captaincy as he averaged in the low 20s)

Imran Khan

Nasser Hussain

Michael Atherton

Kumar Sangakkara

Rahul Dravid

Sourav Ganguly

Andrew Strauss

Similarly, Pakistan’s current captain has a master’s degree. You doubt an MBA at your own peril. 

Quotes

This was the examination of Pakistan's progress that was anxiously awaited, a bout with the world's No.1 Test team, a tussle that might expose the illusion of Pakistan's cricketing resurrection. Instead, Misbah-ul-Haq's team moved their supporters a few steps closer to heavenly rapture. - Kamran Abbasi

Team Misbah's stylish victory has restated that precious ability of sport to cleanse sins and lift hearts. For its manner and its poignancy, Pakistan's ten-wicket triumph will rank among the greatest in its gripping cricket history. - Kamran Abbasi

Botham: How many of the Akmals have played international cricket then?
Ramiz: 3 of them and all can keep
Botham: Well, I know 1 of them can
keep, actually 2 of them, but not sure about the other one
Ramiz: (laughs) I won't ask you to name him

"From two innings it is clear Ian Bell couldn’t pick Saeed Ajmal. He has more chance of picking his nose than Ajmal’s doosra." - Geoff Boycott

"Pakistan confirmed to me this week that they are by far the best team in the Sub Continent at the minute.... By a country mile.." - Michael Vaughan

Impressive Misbah

The 4 Keys to Success Author: Maaz; Views: 2983; Date: 10-01-2012, 06:30;

You look at capped and  experienced members to stand up in important series such as this one. Younis Khan was recently ranked in the top 5 on the ICC rankings for test batsmen and averaged above 80 in the 2011 test calendar year with a century, double century and 4 half centuries. A lot will be expected from him and he’ll be the key wicket England will be looking for. He’s enjoying his duties and role in the current team. Younis is hungrier and fitter than ever.


There is a high chance of him going on to be MOTS should the hosts have a successful series. His work ethic, sportsmanship sprit, fighting spirit, quick learning credentials and sharp mind are the stand out attributes of the accomplished middle order batsmen. The forward prod against spinners is dead batted like a genius where even the good length deliveries are quickly dealt with right down to the ground with soft hands with an air of conviction, the adjusted higher bat lift where he looks to get off side of the ball and work back in the V or respectfully greet should it not quite be there and sweep to irritate the length of the bowler. Against pacers, it’s the textbook cover drive which stands out, the run down to third man, the neat flick off the pads when placing the ball fine and the death touch utilising the pace, angle and vacancy or the controlled edge steered away past gully where he watches it onto the blade carefully, dabs it late and doesn’t chase after the line to pick up a boundary from a defensive stroke.

Not to forget the full blooded cut and pull which he nails getting into position quickly for slamming hard and neat workings into the leg side to keep ticking over and accumulating. The forward push against the quicker men is kept/seen out tightly where he lines up the delivery and covers the movement, sign of a good player. It’s not just where his batting will have a crucial part to play, but with his advice and suggestions in the field, his top notch catching where the former Pakistan captain is a handful. Younis will be influential.

Misbah ul Haq has the 2nd highest average by a captain after Sir Don with a remarkable batting average of 75 after 12 tests with the skipper’s arm band. Misbah has scored 10 50s (3 being unbeaten) and 1 unbeaten century in 17 innings as captain (excluding single figure not out scores). He leads from the front, relishes responsibilities and the burden of captaincy doesn’t affect his performance. The added responsibility is an area where he thrives. Also, a fine fielder who claimed 30 international catches in 2011. The world underestimated him when he was appointed captain in October 2010 and now it’s safe to say that the appointment was a master stroke.The captain is a resistant player of spin and medium pacers, who can defend stoutly, apply himself at the wicket, handle proceedings with purpose and measure, summarise situations efficiently, price tag his wicket as the toffee apple who the opposition will savour more than the rest, improvise innovatively, nudge away and get stuck under the opposition’s noses and act as the ‘glue’ to the innings. Spirited resilience, stamina and cunningness are some of the many characteristics he possesses. The trade mark stroke is the push into the on side through mid wicket and mid on when a pacer strays in line and as for the spinners it has be the one knee special slog sweep and paddle sweeps. Every now and again Misbah is willing to bring his one day game into it by backing away, exposing his stumps, reverse sweeping, chancing his arms. In short, amazingly consistent, yet unpredictable in his approach as he has a range of gears, but the resoluteness is what is required more often than not where the skipper can be repetitively rock solid with those forward pushes, keen prods, watchful traps, backfoot taps and harmless leaves. 

Undoubtedly, the best find for the hosts in tests over the last few years is someone who will absorb the pressure, grind in for the long vigil and stabilise the innings and ensure his resilience, resistance and endurance is evident to one and all. Azhar Ali is a classical and technically efficient old school stylist who will demonstrate spirit, guts, determination in abundance.

If you value mental toughness, discipline, gutsiness, steadiness and an unflappable temperament you will enjoy watching his approach. I expect Geoff Boycott to sing his praises and really rate him in a high regard during his radio stints with TMS.

It’s his style of operation, trust yourself, vow not to make the slightest mistakes and risky freely look to overcome passages and graft away unfazed with a tidy defence along with controlled shot selection being the forte. If you don’t get him early, you have your work cut out as he will not get frustrated by being bogged down and eventually will gradually squeeze the oxygen out the bowling attack by wearing out the attack, building lengthy partnerships and closing an end down shut up stop.

England will inevitably have some flat days in the field, should Azhar get going as he has come on in leaps and bounds make no mistake about that. Azhar greets the ball on merit, switches off well in between balls, goes through the repetitive processes, maintains strict discipline and is happy to play the unexcitable 2nd fiddle roles. The cat and mouse battle between him and Swann should be interesting as he will not get sucked in and will inevitably firmly stand by his concentration and patience even if this means blocking out the maidens, picking the different trajectories and waiting until the rank bad ball arrives.

In the bowling department it can be none other than that mysterious, wizardry and unorthodox finger spinner. It’s as self explanatory as it gets. His ‘doosra’ or the other one can be unpickable, a variation disguised, controlled and executed expertly which turns, dips, cuts, jumps and bounces on the batsmen. Ajmal can also bowl the one skidding and shooting through out of the hand and a top spinner with revs, bite and bounce which he utilises a lot, especially when bowling from around the wicket to a typical right hander.

Like any offie, the off break is the bread and butter delivery turning back into the right hander and going away from the left hander. Ajmal has top control over his off break which enables him to set up batsmen and insert pressure. He can also change his arm action and point of release either darting them in, slanting them in or holding them back.

Ajmal also varies his grip and seam position to get a little extra on the ball and change his pace. It’s difficult to sweep and use your feet against him. Just occasionally he drops short and gets impatient, but by and large England would need to have done their home work to combat the threat of Ajmal and his magical kink. There is every chance he will be the series leading wicket taker. England will have his match winning spell at the Oval at the back of their minds where he bowled unchanged and tore the England batting apart with the disgraced Mohammad Amir and exploited their vulnerabilities against spin by gating the batsmen between bad and pad as if they were puzzled.