Waqar Inspires His Team For The Final

Headingley - the bowler's paradise. The conditions were overcast. The wicket had moisture in it and grass on it. All the parameters were perfectly aligned for a good bowling performance. The performance that was witnessed was fantastic. It was the second best ever in one-day cricket. Just when people start thinking that Waqar is old and has lost a lot of his pace, he comes up with a performance that shuts his critics up for a couple of months. I think they will shut up for a lot more time than that after today's match. One of the best fast bowlers in the world ever was on song today and the opposition had no chance.

Wicki won the toss and put England in. The wicket at Headingley typically helps the bowlers but especially when the ground is moist and it is overcast. It was all setup for a good bowling performance. Waqar's first delivery was a loosener at about 78 odd miles an hour. It was well up to the batsman but it moved away in the air and came back a little bit when it pitched. Trescothick left a big gap between bat and pad as he lazily played at it and bang. The wickets were disturbed and the Pakistanis leapt around for joy. Stewart came in at number 3 and Waqar's first over was pretty torrid as he beat Stewart outside off and kept it up to let it swing and seam. Waqar's ball was darting about and Fazl-e-Akbar who had come in place of the injured Shoaib Malik also started well. Malik has fractured his collarbone and has left for Pakistan to start his healing. He was involved in that collision with Afridi a couple of games ago. Knight, fighting for a place in the test side started cautiously. England seemed to settle in after the first dismissal. Stewart drove Waqar well through the covers a couple of times for a total of 7 runs in the 3rd over. Knight opened his arms with a straight pull of Akbar for another boundary. Waqar was giving a 100% in the field. One particular shot off Akbar was going to the mid off boundary and the batsmen did not bother to run at first. When they saw Waqar gallop after it they ran but Waqar slid at the boundary to save the 4 and got it in before the 3rd run. An inspiration for the team indeed. After 6 overs, England were 23/1.

Knight got a ripsnorter from Waqar in the 7th, which seamed off just short of a good length and took the shoulder of the bat to lob to Afridi at gully. Batting was not going to be easy with Waqar getting this much movement and bounce off the wicket. Vaughan came in and was greeted with lovely leg cutters by the Pakistani captain. Vaughan gave a dolly catch to Youhana at cover off Waqar but the fielder put it down. It was the simplest of catches and the commentators mentioned that no international cricketer should drop those. I agree. Vaughan did not last too long as Waqar took him out in the next over with a leg cutter, which went to third slip. Younis caught it easily and flipped it over his head. England were 30/3 in the 11th and Waqar was on fire. Shah came in and played the first one across the line. The ball hit him on the knee roll right infront of middle stump. Waqar and his boys screamed for an LBW but umpire Kitchener said not out. It was absolutely plumb. It looked out when you first saw and it looked out every angle you saw it from later in replays. Waqar bowled a wide ball to add insult to injury. He then hit Shah just on the off stump but before the appeal went up, the umpire called a No ball. Shah lasted only a couple of more overs and Waqar had Shah edge one to first slip. Rashid dived at it but realized that he could not get to it and took his hand away. Inzi never lost concentration and caught it easily as it came straight into his tummy. Poor Coolingwood walked into this pressure cooker situation and Stewart immediately walked to him and said something to lighten the mood. Waqar was into his 8th over now and risked bowling out too early. He removed Collingwood first ball as he nibbled at one outside off stump and the edge just carried to Younis Khan at third slip. Younis took a very sharp and low catch. The Pakistanis were catching everything. Hollioake came in and started playing his shots. He began with a lovely ondrive for 3 runs off Waqar. He then put away a half volley to mid off for a boundary. After 16 overs, England were 51/5. Stewart played a bad shot at this stage. He tried to flick one on his legs but the ball had swung back and took the leading edge. It flew high in the air to mid off, where Razzaq took an easy catch. Cork was welcomed with 5 slips. He got two superb outcutters which missed his bat and the off stump by inches. On the 3rd ball of the 19th over Cork chipped one over mid on and Saqlain ran after it. He slid to field very well and get his throw in early so that the batsmen could not get a third run. This was rewarded by an edge to the keeper by Cork. It was a great delivery. It was pitched up and going towards middle when it suddenly changed course to move away. Cork nicked it and Rashid took a regulation catch. Waqar ran towards point as the Pakistanis caught up and swarmed him. England were 58/7 in the 19th over and Waqar had taken 7 wickets. At the end of his spell, Waqar's analysis were 10-0-36-7. The second best figures ever in a one dayer and he is the only man to get a 6-for 4 times.

Ben Hollioake was unfazed with whatever was going on at the other end. He hit a glorious straight drive for 4 off Akbar's last over. However, Ben got a left off when the next ball was edged between 2nd and 3rd slip. Azhar at second slip should have gone for it but no one went for it. Akbar's unlucky spell came to an end with a big off drive from Hollioake for 4. It was in the air but the mid off was much squarer than it normally is. I thought for Ben the mid off should have been straight because he was playing the ball uppishly on the off side. Razzaq started his spell and off his second ball had Gough caught at slip but alas it was a no ball. Another let off and it seemed that England's fortunes were changing. Waqar went off the field at this stage to get some treatment. Azhar was brought in from the other end and got hammered in his first over by Holliaoke. He drove in the air again from the vacant straight mid off area for 4. Followed it up with another drive in the air through cover which Imran Nazir flew at but missed. The third boundary was the best of the lot and screamed through extra cover all along the ground. Inzi had taken over the captaincy as Waqar was away. He panicked immediately and took Azhar off and brought Saqlain in on a seaming wicket. Although Saqlain did bowl steadily, the two batsmen got their eye in and settled down. Hollioake played one exquisite on drive through mid wicket for 4 as England reached 93/7 off 25 overs. Gough was caught by Azhar off Saqlain at first slip in the next over but the third umpire was called. The decision was not out, as the ball seemed to have touched the ground although Azhar's fingers were underneath the ball. Hollioake drove at will and brought England to within one run of their century with a great extra cover drive off Razzak. Pakistan had lost their edge when Wicki went off the field because Inzi panicked to bring the spinner on. The seam bowlers were getting a lot of help and persisting with Azhar would have been the right decision. Gough and Hollioake played well and kept going. Gough was particularly harsh on Saqlain as he swept him for a boundary in the 30th over. Hollioake reached his 50 in the 31st over and it was a good fifty which brought England's total some respectability. Razzaq served up a big half volley to Gough which he crushed over cover for 4 in the 33rd over and England were 118/7. This was a very good recovery from 58/7. At this stage, Afridi was brought on and he broke the partnership like he normally does. It was a flipper to Holliaoke which he played around and got bowled through the gate. The face saving partnership had ended and England were 125/8. Caddick and Gough stuck around for quite a bit and kept the score board ticking. Gough started to chance his arm a little bit more. However, Azhar was brought back and got Caddick off a ball that seamed and bounced. It took Caddick's edge and went to the right of the keeper. Rashid took a great catch diving to his right. Gough decided to go for some quick runs and swept Afridi over mid wicket for 6. The innings ended with a silly run out and England helped Pakistan as they would never finished their overs in the time allotted. England were bowled out in the 46th over and they had reached 156. It seemed like a good total on this seaming wicket but it had become better to bat on towards the end of England's innings.

Pakistan welcomed back Saeed to his game after a few absences. One hopes that Saeed's daughter is doing better and is healthy. It was good to see Saeed and Afridi together again. Saeed started off playing his shots. He tried an off drive off the first ball which ended up at mid on for two runs off the bat and one for the no ball. He then on drove Gough perfectly for another 3 runs and the first over had yielded 6 runs. Pakistan were away. Afridi played cautiously and defended. He took a long time to get off the mark. Saeed greeted Caddick with a great on drive for another boundary through mid wicket for 4. Saeed was consciously going across his stumps to play the balls on the leg because of the 7-2 field. After a square cut off Gough in the 5th over, Saeed had moved Pakistan along to 18 without loss. Gough got Pakistan's first wicket in the 7th over as Afridi edged to the keeper with Pakistan's score at 21. This was Gough's 146th wicket in one dayers and he became the leading wicket taker for England. Razzaq was sent in at number 3. Saeed smashed Caddick over cover for another boundary in the 8th over as the wicket seemed to have lost a lot of its demons. Either that or Pakistan were handling the England attack very easily. Saeed proved that with a lovely flick from his off stump which screamed to square leg for another boundary. Gough responded with a ball on his good length which took a faint edge to the keeper. Pakistan were 34/2 in the 9th over. Youhana walked in after the fall of Saeed's wicket. Caddick was taken off after his uninspired first spell and Mullaly was brought on. The match had reached an interesting phase.

Once Youhana and Razzaq were in they started to get their singles on both sides of the wicket. Gough was taken off and Caddick came back for a second spell but he bowled a little too short. Mullaly was steady but no major problems for the batsmen in that spell. Both batsmen accumulated runs steadily. After 15 overs, Pakistan were 44/2. By the 20th over, the score was 52/2 and the going was very slow as the batsmen saved wickets and got themselves in. Cork was brought in at the 23rd over mark. He started poorly again. A flick down to fine leg off a no ball ended up going over the boundary. Cork gave 9 runs off the over and the scoreboard started ticking over quickly. In the next over, Mullaly pitched one up to Razzaq who launched it over mid on for a big 6. Pakistan got to their 80 odd mark at about 3.25 an over. The pressure was off and the game pretty much over as Gough was brought back for a second spell. Razzaq had by this time decided that it was time to have a go. A lovely square cut off Gough was the best of the lot. He went after anything that was up there outside off stump. Hollioake's slower one was spotted and lifted over cover one bounce over the fence as an enthusiastic fan crashed into a railing setup for the extension of the ground which is underway. He lifted Gough over cover to bring up his fifty and it was a very well played knock. He was very careful initially when he needed to be but then later on he just opened up and blazed away at the English bowlers. Gough finished his overs and Collingwood took over. Razzaq lifted a ball just a little bit short over midwicket, again one bounce over the ropes. The very next ball he danced down the pitch and smacked the ball over cover for another boundary. Pakistan had reached 124/2 in the 32nd over and the game had suddenly become a laugher. Caddick was brought back for another spell and Cork took over from Collingwood. Cork got Youhana immediately as he fished at another one outside off to get a faint edge and Stewart took him nonchalantly. Inzi apparently was not available to bat, as he was at the doctor's to get this thumb checked out. He had hurt it fielding at slip when he tried to stop a ball that did not carry. Younis Khan came in to join Razzaq and things cooled down a little bit, as the two became careful again. The two concentrated on getting ones and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking. Razzaq played especially well at this stage spotting the changes in pace and giving himself room to place the ball past the point region for runs. He looked much more mature than his 21 years of age and it was great to watch. He did chance his arm a bit at times but kept his eye on every ball that he played. Pakistan were 141/3 after 37 overs and the fire crackers had started to go off in the crowd.

Pakistan and India do get a lot of schtick for crowd trouble etc. but on this tour England have been just as bad if not worse. In Pakistan people can seldom come onto the field as there are big steel fences 20 odd yards away from the boundary. In England people pretty much sit on the fence and so storm on whenever they want to. It was terrible. They need to pay more attention to this and just by saying that the people coming onto the field are Pakistani supporters just shows their bias and prejudice. These are British citizens that are coming onto the field and thus the British security should handle them. Razzaq tried one heave too many and nicked one to Stewart off Cork. He contributed 75 great runs for Pakistan and received a big hand from the crowd. Azhar tried a suicidal second run off the first ball and made it by a whisker as the third umpire was called in. Azhar joked around with the English players as they waited for the decision. A welcome sight as Bob Willis put it correctly. Pakistan needed 6 runs to win and Azhar lifted Cork over midwicket for four runs. The crowd rushed in thinking that the game was over. People rushed on as the players scampered out of the ground. People fell and were run over. It was complete mayhem. The security people were running around trying to get people off and in the chaos one of the security personnel was trampled. He was still down as the crowd dispersed. If someone mentioned crowd trouble in Pakistan or India again, I am going to smack them and talk about this series. The man was carried off on a stretcher and Stewart went out to ask about his well being. That is all well and good but they've got to make sure that this does not happen. No one's life is more important that another's but just imagine what would have happened if that injury occurred to one of the players. This is criminal and as Bob Willis mentioned what Australia has done for such situations is the way to go. Ban coming onto the pitch and make a law to consider this trespassing and thus punishable by law. Gower explained that it is a 10,000 dollar fine in Australia as well as having your name put on the scoreboard and they put you in a cell overnight. The game was ended right there and then as England conceded the game to end the misery to the English team, authorities and citizens. In a very subdued presentation ceremony, Waqar got the man of the match but the talk was about security of the players and how sad the end was.

Well does anyone want to explain why one of the best fast bowlers to ever play the game lost 2 years of his cricketing life till he made his comeback in Sharjah last year. This has been a fantastic comeback onto the international scene by my favorite right arm fast bowler. He has taken to captaincy as fish to water. Pakistan cricket will be well served if Waqar captains this team till he retires. I think they should start grooming Razzaq as the next captain because he has got a cool head on his shoulder and is a very savvy cricketer. People have said that he can not speak the English language very well but since when did speaking English become a requirement for captaining Pakistan. He can do his interviews in Urdu with an interpreter. Waqar's performance with the ball was fantastic and it was obvious that his captaincy is also very good. As soon as he left the field to get his back worked on after his spell, Pakistan were in a disarray on the field under Inzi as England built up that partnership which brought them back into the game. I hope Wasim comes back soon because his inclusion into the side will make this a very balanced team. Waqar had mentioned earlier that Pakistan needs to beat Australia at least once before the final. They will get their chance in the day night game on the 19th.