Mohammad Aamer has played so far only 4 test matches, he showed promise on his debut taking six wickets since then in three matches he has only taken four wickets. His opening spell is always very aggressive and he does provide Pakistan with the first break through but he has failed to make any mark with the old ball, Pakistan hasn’t felt this short coming because of Asif’s presence in the team but sooner or later this question about Aamer’s wicket taking ability with the older ball will be raised.
With the Old ball Aamer’s lack of movement has made his line predictable, he will have to learn to bring the ball back into the right handers only then he can create doubts in the mind of the batsmen and can be projected to become a great bowler like Akram, at Dunedin Aamer did bowl a testing spell to Elliott from round the wicket and he moved the ball both ways but he hasn’t been able to do it consistently.
For Aamer to be more successful in subcontinent and be more effective with the old ball he will have to learn to reverse the ball he is lucky that two of the best proponents of reverse swing are his team mates.
Aamer is only 17 he has a lot of time to learn and grow as a player but to remain in the team when you have strong contendors on the bench he will have to learn fast. With the passage of time he will learn how to set up a batsman and the use of different angles to up set the batsman but with a little help and a lot of hard work he can definitely learn to move the ball both ways that is the only hurdle in his way from becoming a great bowler like Akram.
It’s too early to press the panic button but If Aamer had supported a bit more to Asif in the Dunedin test the Kiwis could have never managed to win the match, their tail wagged for too long, i’t's not that he bowled badly but he didn’t bowled too many wicket taking deliveries.
So far in Wellington Aamer has been mostly ineffective his economy rate is good but he has been able to take only 1 wicket so far in the match, if Pakistan has to win the match at Wellington Aamer’s performance in the first session tommorrow will be crucial.
It has happened many times in the past that young players get carried away with their early success and get too self contended with their performance and stop thinking about ways to improve their game and the moment their learning prcocess stops their skill level also becomes stagnant.
Aamer can’t learn to swing like Asif over night but he can for sure concentrate a bit more on his wicket taking ability.
Akram recently got appointed with Kokata Knight riders, I think he is going to be an advisor/bowling coach. But he worked with their national bowlers long time back. I don’t think he is working with them anymore.
that might be coz Indian bowlers doesn’t have the talent needed or they didn’t discovered the right bowlers. But there are several reports in media around the clock.
It doesn’t look like Indian bowlers are getting trained by Akram, because their performance is more of an insult to Akram.
He will remain where the money is, if PCB wants him or Waqar they will have to pay top dollars, if people like Saleem Altaf and Wasim Bari can make a lot of money from PCB why can’t we pay to Wasim and Waqar.
well what about Wasim Akram giving him some useful tips instead of hosting lame dance shows for Indian TV and why not if he can train a badges of bowlers in India. He is the best possible person who could tell him what to do exactly and where and when. Of course he is young and new so don’t rush at him but International cricket is cruel it will not give much time, so it is better sooner then later.
Ah Younis – Younis – Younis well I am out of this debate, I am sick of it.
Ahbd
I know about that fishing accident but if you want to go by news then if he can play tennis then he can also play cricket. Everybody knows it is another episode of temper tantrum of Younis Khan and it is not over yet.
Wasim,
There you have it – Younus has a small injury. This just proves me right, people jump to conclusions without thinking.
Wasim,
I have seen a statement from Ijaz Butt.
AHBD
How did PCB mistreated Younis, they never wanted him to resign he did it on his own.
Whatever happened between him and the players is history, it shouldn’t have happened it was wrong but it is also a fact that it was hard for Younis to be a captain or to remain in the side with the form he was in and now if he has to make a comeback he has to work on his form, he can’t just get paid sitting at home.
I never saw any statement from PCB where he was given an indefinite period of time off. It just doesn’t make any sense.
Stani
Very true and as long as Asif is around Pakistan will not feel that short coming but you must have noticed that when Aamer was bowling along with Razzaq and Rana he looked like a class apart but Asif’s presence has over shadowed him.
As I said it will take him time to learn reverse swing but managing the seam movement is within his skill level right now all he has to do is to pay more attention to it and not to get carried away with bounce and pace they help but not always.
Wasim,
Firstly I am not defending Younus. All I am saying is that he is on an authorised break as he spoke to Ijaz Butt who said he can take as much time as he wants – that’s why they always say they would like him to return for the Australian series. If the PCB doesn’t like it, then they should remind him of his contract terms. At the end of the day, the PCB knows that they have mistreated Younus and have realised how much they need him in tests especially and that is why they are being gentle with him.
Secondly, with regards to Aamer, Stani has pretty much summed up what I am trying to say quite well. Also, at a young age you are more energetic and enthusiastic and you never get this from players at an older age.
I do feel that the old ball game is more of a older man’s game if you know what I mean Wasim. That’s when guile and skill is required more. Aamer is still young and this will hopefully come as he works on his variations. His main weapon is his bounce along with his pace which is obviously more likely to be produced with a newer ball.
Hopefully our greats can help him work on slower balls, swinging it both ways, reverse swing etc.
As regards Aamer, how was I wrong and harsh on him, the moment he came bowling from round the wicket and started pitching the ball up he took a wicket, in fact both of his wickets came in the same fashion, if he had bowled shortish he would have again gone wicketless.
AHBD
Have you ever seen any other example like this, by taking time off doesn’t mean that he was supposed to sit home he was to take time off from foreign tours and was going to focus on his personal form thats what he said in his interview I am surprised why you are even defending this, I also don’t think that PCB ever gave him an indifinite holiday no employer does that, he has to play domestic cricket or announce his retirement.
Firstly, yes the PCB is trying to contact Younus but it is entirely up to him when he returns – he made a decision to return for the match you stated but then obviously changed his mind. Obviously he won’t get picked if he doesn’t play but that is Younus’ decision and not the PCB’s or mine and yours.
Secondly about Aamer – that’s exactly the point I was making. It takes time to understand these things – these are his first test matches outside the subcontinent and you were being too harsh on a 17 year old in only his second test match outside the subcontinent. I could give you a list of experienced players who have struggled – e.g. Hoggard who was very experienced and naturally bowls a fuller length – he could smashed.
Another thing you have to understand about Aamer is that you have to have variety – you cannot have three fast bowlers whose natural length is to pitch the ball up every time. Aamer has a natural back of a length and this aggression is what sets him apart. He can of course pitch the ball up but sometimes a different approach is required – when Gul and Asif got smashed in the morning, Aamer helped gain control.
Ahbd
This is what I was talking about.
Aamer coming round the wicket
35.1
Mohammad Aamer to Fulton, no run, angling in towards middle and off, short of a good length, pushed away towards mid-off
35.2
Mohammad Aamer to Fulton, OUT, edged and gone! Landed on a good length outside off, he couldn’t resist, tried to drive one on the up when the length wasn’t quite right, got a thin edge straight to Kamran
PG Fulton c †Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Aamer 13 (55b 1×4 0×6) SR: 23.63
60.1
Mohammad Aamer to Taylor, no run, full outside off, holds its line, leaves it alone to the keeper
60.2
Mohammad Aamer to Taylor, OUT, edged and gone! Couldn’t resist going for the drive to one that was pitched on a length outside off, got a thick edge and Misbah clasped it comfortably at first slip
On both occasions he invited the batsman to drive.
Yesterday he was bowling short of length
Mohammad Aamer to Guptill, no run, nipping back in, short of a good length outside off, comes back in and strikes him high on the pads, appeal for lbw but this would certainly have gone over
2.2
Mohammad Aamer to Guptill, 1 run, back of a length on the off, dropped it just behind point and stole a quick single
2.3
Mohammad Aamer to Flynn, no run, lands on a good length on middle, rocks forward and works it wide of midwicket
2.4
Mohammad Aamer to Flynn, 1 run, they’re pinching the singles well, gets forward and knocks that shortish ball wide of extra cover for a single
2.5
Mohammad Aamer to Guptill, no run, back of a length on the off, taps it to point from the crease
2.6
Mohammad Aamer to Guptill, no run, short of a good length outside off at 143 kmph, left alone to the keeper
Ahbd
It was in the newspapers the other day PCB is trying to contact Younis and his cell phone is off, he told them that he will play in this round of QEA trophy and that was until when his break was authorised but he is still doing fishing according to reports and is not interested in playing domestic cricket.
Now how he is going to improve his form if he is not going to play domestic cricket, there is no way he is going to make a come back with the form he was in, he doesn’t deserve it.
As I understand the situation, Younus is on an authorised break from cricket having spoken to Ijaz Butt. It is currently entirely up to Younus as and when he returns.
Younis Khan has again gone AWOL (absent without leave). His cell phone is off and he again skipped the current round of QEA trophy.
Sometimes I wonder how can an employee turn his cell phone off and not respond to the phone calls by his employer. Has he forgotten that he is still getting paid by PCB and is under contract, so if the selectors say that he has to go play domestic cricket this is what he has to do, but he has gone into hiding like an angry wife whois mad at her husband.
PCB should issue him a show cause notice and should make sure that he plays the next match from HBL or else his contract should be terminated. Enough of his nakhray baazi.
Pakistan again dropped two easy catches yesterday who knows how much these dropped chances are going to cost us. Umar Gul was very upset it completely disrupted his rythym after the dropped catch.
Kineria looks quite fit but he didn’t bowled a single wrong one I don’t think he will take many wickets by just bowling legbreaks.
Ahbd
I am not being too harsh on him, I have said it’s too early to press the panic button and I have also mentioned that he can’t learn to reverse swing over night.
What I have observed is that he is not pitching the ball up and in an attempt to ball too fast he is not managing the seam position properly. He could have been more successful if he had managed the seam position properly and had pitched it up a bit more enticing the batsman to drive.
A lot of times young bowlers get carried away when they make the batsman hop in the crease because of their pace and bounce they like to push the batsman on the back foot but in New Zealand if you pitch the ball up and manage the seam position properly and make the batsman play you can be more successful.
In India and Pakistan the bounce is usually low and the pitches do not offer any movement off the turf so it is better to bowl short of length deliveries and push the batsman on back foot as anything up pitched will get punished but that is not the case in New Zealand.
Asif and Umar Gul have been more successful because they are mostly making the batsman to play and they are managing the seam position properly, both of them are using different angles to attack the batsman.
Aamer looked very dangerous in the last match when he came onto bowl from round the wicket that was his best spell so far that I have seen but for some odd reason he didn’t came to bowl from round the wicket in this match so far.
But anyways my point was that even though he is bowling very fast and it will take him time to learn how to reverse swing but he can still be more effective with the old ball if learns to use different angles and manages the seam position properly.
I think you’re being too harsh here. As a fast bowler myself, I know and I’m sure you’re also aware reverse swing is not easy. I would simply put it down to his lack of experience. He will develop reverse swing with more experience. The same can be said on his ability to swing the ball both ways – it takes practice and experience.
One thing he could perhaps work on when trying to reverse swing or even when there is little swing is to perhaps change his angles slightly at the crease (wide of crease and close to the wicket).