Australia v Pakistan, 3rd Test, Bellerive, January 14-18

Spoke to lardy this evening and he said it's been a pretty hot summer in Hobart (yeah, yeah, I know he lives up north but he has spies). Likely to be a road.

Happy for BD to contradict this post.

Well, that'll make the Auscritics happy. They maintain we can't produce anything other than roads on most grounds.

skully wrote:

And what's the word on the Bellerive deck this season? As lively as the last couple of seasons? BD?

Since the MCG sharked our curator, the Bellerive pitch has, unfortunately, started to show some of its road qualities again. There's still a bit there for the quicks that are prepared to dig it in but the medium pacers will struggle.

skully wrote:Spoke to lardy this evening and he said it's been a pretty hot summer in Hobart (yeah, yeah, I know he lives up north but he has spies). Likely to be a road.

Happy for BD to contradict this post.

It has been pretty warm so far. 38c on new years eve. Long range forcast for next week is fine weather in the low to mid 20's.

in otherwords win the toss Bat.

Welcome back CT.

thank you zat,

Reports today suggest Ollie will retain his place in the side.
Can't the selectors grow a set and fug him off back to the Wozzies until he finds his form again.

skully wrote:Any word on Aamer's injury? Groin strains are barsteward's for fast bowlers.

And what's the word on the Bellerive deck this season? As lively as the last couple of seasons? BD?

the Sydney defeat was so disappointing that i had almost forgotten about Aamer....

Umar Akmal may miss the game


Umar Akmal faces fitness problems Updated at: 1237 PST, Sunday, January 10, 2010 HOBART: Young Pakistani middle order promising batsman Umar Akmal has come to fitness problems due to muscle pull amid practice session here in Hobart on Sunday evening, Geo news reported.

He was a due inclusion in third cricket Test match against Australia to be played here from 14 January due to his constant performance in all forms of cricket.

It may be mentioned during his short Test cricket career, the stylish and brave Umar has struck 1 brilliant century and 4 half centuries, averaging in 60s.

What a nightmare tour for Pakistan. First test- Kaneria out injured. Second test- Aamer out injured and that horrible defeat, and now Umar in doubt. Geez....

With Hilditch saying that this isn't a make or break test for North (and he has Nielsen's full support) you'd have to think there is something of a boy's club going on. Some seem to become persona non grata quite quickly whereas others can fail with impunity.

And Hilditch makes the point that everything is geared around the Ashes. In this light it's hard to see why North is somewhat of a protected species.

Kamran Akmal to vote on whether he should be dropped From: AAP January 11, 2010 10:31AM

BESIEGED Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal will cast one of the four votes to decide if he plays in the third Test against Australia in Hobart.
Kamran, the team's popular and influential vice-captain, was expected to be axed for Thursday's Bellerive Oval clash after dropping four catches and bungling a run out in his side's devastating loss in the second Test in Sydney.

His fate appeared sealed when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unilaterally sent replacement Sarfraz Ahmad to Hobart, insisting he will play.

But Kamran, who has the support of skipper Mohammad Yousuf, says he is ready to make amends in Hobart.

Kamran, Yousuf, manager Abdul Raqeeb and coach Intikhab Alam form the touring selection committee and they will decide the team, not the PCB, setting up a flashpoint amid the strife following the Sydney loss over the keeper's inclusion.




Raqeeb said today he and the trio named above would decide the team after training on Wednesday.

"It is the right thing to do," Raqeeb said.

"The selection committee is the manager, coach, the captain, the vice-captain."

Asked about the situation of Kamran voting on his own selection, Raqeeb said: "Well, the thing is, we will have to take a decision that is the right one."

Intikhab said Sarfraz would play instead of Kamran but Raqeeb declined to indicate his voting intention.

Kamran says he has Intikhab's support as well as team management, coaches and his teammates.

There is some tension in the touring party toward the PCB after the request to send former captain Younus Khan was ignored and suggestions players are not happy about about the prospect of Kamran's sacking.

In Pakistan, there are calls for the sacking of just about everyone involved in the country's cricket - players, coaches, managers and the PCB after the humiliation of Sydney which has attracted the attention of the nation's parliament as well as its avid cricket fans.

Characterisations out of Pakistan of the Sydney loss have included it being described as the death of cricket there, grief, mourning and humiliation.

There are three changes to the Pakistan team that played in Sydney that are more certain than Kamran's replacement.

No.3 batsman Faisal Iqbal and middle-order man Misbah ul-Haq are tipped to make way for former captain Shoaib Malik and Khurrum Manzoor while teenage paceman Mohammad Aamer returns at the forecast expense of Mohammad Sami.

Sounds like the Pakistanis are taking organisation lessons from the BCCoarIab

Shambles. Kamran should have been axed 2 years ago. I'm surprised it's becoming such a hard decision.

there is no way that K Akmul will be in a condition to play...he has the keepers equivalent of the yips that golfers get standing over a 3 foot putt...that is snatching at the ball as opposed to letting the ball come into the gloves

The strange thing with Kamran is that at the start of his career he was an excellent keeper. He went downhill from about 2006 onwards.

in one of the local rags here he said that after the Sydney debacle he hid in his room for days and just watch replays of his errors..bizarre way to restore confidence...

also same paper said his poor form may have been because he was up late babysitting his child!!!

Sarfraz Ahmed's FC so far - 47 matches (no Tests) for 2435 runs at 44.27 (2 tons, HS 117) - 158 c 17 st. ODI record - 8 matches for 26 runs at 13.

Kamran Akmal's overall FC record - 146 matches (48 Tests) for 6495 runs at 32.31 (33.55 in Tests) with 12 tons, 491 c 44 st.

Seems Sarfraz is perhaps a little handier with the bat.

Rikki-time, Dell?

phurt...why would dello rikki this when there is a perfectly good oz domestic cricket thread that shd have rikki status...mind you there is no domestic cricket on at the moment

horace wrote:phurt...why would dello rikki this when there is a perfectly good oz domestic cricket thread that shd have rikki status...mind you there is no domestic cricket on at the moment

Good time to Rikki it then

Asked and answered, your worship.

Red wrote:With Hilditch saying that this isn't a make or break test for North (and he has Nielsen's full support) you'd have to think there is something of a boy's club going on. Some seem to become persona non grata quite quickly whereas others can fail with impunity.

And Hilditch makes the point that everything is geared around the Ashes. In this light it's hard to see why North is somewhat of a protected species.

Hilditch really is a clueless qunt, maybe when the new koala fails in a Ashes test he will finally get the long overdue arse from the team

They might be thinking about Callum Ferguson for the Ashes. He has been impressive in ODIs & would have been in strong contention for a test spot this summer if he hadn't been injured.