Pakistan vs West Indies: First Test begins tomorrow

Osman Samiuddin in his analysis and preview doesn't see anything exceptionally untoward about the pitch.

Much will depend on the pitch and though to the untrained eye it doesn't differ from the one that provided the January run-glut when India visited, both captains suggested spin might feature as the match progresses. Lara said, "There's something in it for both pace and spin. Kaneria, Omari Banks and Dave Mohammed might play a role as the pitch deteriorates."

I just hope Pakistan plays 4 specialist bowlers. There is no need for Razzak, Hafeez and Malik to play. Razzak should play, since he's a pacer and on slow pitches, he can be harder to score off, but Hafeez and Malik bring the same thing to the table. I have been arguing this point for the past few series. I hope the Pakistani team selection smartens up and chooses 4 specialist bowlers. Padding (no pun intended) up our batting order isn't going to do much good, unless we're aiming for a draw. Our middle order is capable enough to post big totals and we need to start relying on them to deliver.

For the past few test series we have been pumping in too many all-rounders in the test arena. A test match is the purest form of them game and needs specialist. Though all-rounders is our strength, i don't consider any of them 'test match winners'. ODI's, maybe. Malik, Razzak et all cannot score a solid hundred, nor will they get a 5 wicket haul. Nazir, Gul and Kaneria will play no matter what. I sincerely hope we give a test cap to Niazi or Rehman. I think Niazi should play. His left arm pace can provide variety. He seems like he could possibly be a match winner. He has a number of 5 wicket hauls under his belt. Kaneria can provide the bulk of the spin. Playing 4 pacemen (including Razzak) and a spinner is our best chance of trying to bowl the West Indies out.

West Indies warm-up game ends up in a pointless draw

Here is scorecard from the game. Nothing much came out of this game. The game should not have been just 2 days. The first test starts on Saturday and I am sure the Windies would have been hoping for some more match practice. England plays 3 warm-up games before the start of the Ashes. One can clearly see how much importance teams other than India, Australia and England give to their test match itenerary.

Quite sad, because I enjoy test matches a lot. So the only real positives from this game are Dwayne Bravo and Salman's Butt's century. The Windies have had a bit more match practice, I feel. They played all those qualifying games before the actual Champions Trophy started. Plus they made the final....

Now what? Shoaib allegedly smacks Woolmer on the bus...and some chick at an Indian nightclub

More gossip ...

An NDTV exclusive suggests that there could be more to Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar's ban than just his dope test. A retired Indian Army officer attached to the Pakistani team during the Champions Trophy has told NDTV that Shoaib Akhtar had slapped coach Bob Woolmer on the team bus and also misbehaved with Indian coach Greg Chapell's wife. Hours after the incident, the Pakistan team announced that Shoaib and Mohamad Asif were being sent back home after a failed dope test. Speculation is now doing the rounds that there could be more than the doping scandal that led to Shoaib's infamous exit from the Pakistan cricket team.

'Shoaib slapped Woolmer'
Colonel Anil Kaul, who was with the Pakistani team, has said it could very well have been Shoaib's off-field antics in Jaipur that led to his exit. "These boys were listening to Hindi songs when Bob Woolmer removed the iPod and put on an English song. Shoaib got up and again changed the music, put on a Hindi song. "Woolmer kept quiet and then started making fun of the song. This was too much for Shoaib. He suddenly got up and gave Woolmer a tight slap. Everyone was stunned and quickly intervened," said Kaul.

Another brawl
That wasn't all and that same night after the team dinner, Shoaib got into a brawl at a disco after forcibly trying to dance with a girl. "The chief liaison officer went and got them out of the hotel where they were trapped. But then Shoaib went to the floor where the Indian team was staying and started banging on the doors. He accidentally banged on the door of Indian coach Greg Chappell and his wife came out, dressed in her nightclothes. "Shoaib made some comments about her. The next morning, I was having breakfast with the Pakistani team manager when Woolmer stormed in. He said even Chappell has complained about Shoaib and strict action must be taken," Kaul further said.

Shoaib is vehemently denying the accusations. From Cricinfo...

"This is a rubbish and baseless story, I can never think of misbehaving with my elders and this is an attempt to gain cheap publicity," he said.

and again....

Why would I slap anyone? I have never argued with the coach and neither do I have any thing with Woolmer on which I would argue. There was probably an argument, a difference of opinions but never anything as serious as raising my hand on someone. There is nothing to this, these are all concocted stories. I have a very good relationship with Bob."

He is concentrating his efforts more on the Nandrolone doping case. I have attached the NDTV story here. I don't have any thoughts about this. I think Shoaib has enough on his table already. Though most of these dressing rumors hold some truth to them. Shoaib slapping Woolmer certainly doesn't seem too far fetched. Bob is denying this version as well.

From Cricinfo...

"The story just isn't true. I don't have an iPod and anyway it was a cellphone with music on it. I didn't have any way of changing the song. We joked about the music but at no stage did Shoaib slap me. We were just having a laugh. He was sent back because of the doping issue and nothing else."

and from the NDTV 'exclusive'...

(Woolmer) did accept that there were disciplinary issues with Akhtar. "The issue is being blown out of proportion and Shoaib and I remain friends," said Woolmer.

I'm not really into cricket gossip anyway as its always rumors. There will always be fights and tiffs. These people are human anyway...Lets just move on...