As the crow Flies

#17 Posted by JarrarJaffari on March 19, 2003 5:29:16 pm

#16.
I am doing my best but you know its a lot of work, as u know in this day and age I have to keep my job too. World cup keeps me very busy, so much busy that I have not gone to a single AVS game since feb.

It does not look like PCB is on the right route. In my opinion there are two types of decisions that affect games of cricket:

Off field Decisions:

Such decisions include team selection, coach appointment and team selection and strategic planning for the game. It baffles me that you fire coach, captain and selection committee, but the man who put all of these people in job is still the head of the PCB. Leadership, vision and commitment to victory trickles down to the team members starting from the top. It is a common knowledge in NFL that bad owners cant make their team a winning team, that is the issue with Bengals. We are having the same problem. Now PCb appointed Rashid Latif the captain, and the guy retired few days ago and visibly lacks a passion to play the game. Moreover team selection in all the games was less than perfect, as Mofeez mentioned in one of his articles that we have been selecting Afridi for the games he should have been benched and he did not play against ``minnows`` to better our NRR.

For example dutch bowling is a bowling you cant hit if your are genuine text-book sort of a batter. I saw Tendulkar getting frustrtaed against them ok tell me how would you hit a ball travelling at 70 mph is on the right line and length. If you are a regular batsman, like Tendulkar or Saeed Anwar you dont, you will place it. But at that time you need an insane batsman like Afridi to just go there are cut-lose.
On Field Decisions.

In today`s cricket it is required that acpatin be kool and stratigic in his approach. Waqar`s bowling changes and field placing did raise some
eye-brows. That again can be tied up with the off-field decision of picking a capatin who clearly lacks the ability to use the stuff between his shoulders.

I disagree with those who think that Pak cricket is headed towards a disaster rather I think they are in a disatser.

Jarrar

#16 Posted by Ahmadzai on March 19, 2003 12:54:13 pm

Jarrar:

You wrote: ``About Pak team`s world cup performance a lot has been written and I also collecting data for one of next articles about this.``

If you could do an analysis of what the others are writing for both short-term and long-term range, we will appreciate.

About cricketing prospects of Kenya, I can give you some information since I, along with my wife and two kids, would travel to Kenya and Tanzania next summer. We had cancelled our trip last fall due to bomb explosion there. Specifically, I would be interested in observing what the urban and rural kids are playing.

A similar trip to Jamaica in mid-80s had indicated that cricket will give way to soccer there by mid-90s, some thing that really came out.

#15 Posted by shah. on March 17, 2003 11:34:26 am

The most awesome performance of this world cup has been the courage displayed by Andy Flower and Henry Olonga. It would behove the cricketing community to play an honour/benefit match for these two, with perhaps Flower and Olonga as the captains of opposing sides. I doubt ICC would allow such a gesture.

#14 Posted by Ajeet on March 16, 2003 8:41:33 pm

Did anybody read about the general incharge of PCB warning the players to resign volantarily or they would be fired.

He should take that advice himself.

#13 Posted by JarrarJaffari on March 16, 2003 5:57:23 pm

Ahmedzai,

Yes I went bit too far in praising Kenyans but hey a non-test-playing nation making that deep into the world cup doesn`t that require over praising, I think it does and so I did. I can guarantee you one thing Kenya wont be what miserable Bengali Tigers are. There level of cricket has always been good. But there cricket is miserably short of funds and needs people to talk about them.

About Pak team`s world cup performance a lot has been written and I also collecting data for one of next articles about this.

I dont have much knowledge about the Pak first class set-up and I am in process of information gathering to pen down some thing. What I am getting is amazing and surprizing that who even we have survived so far.

That ice-hockey example of yours was really good. I follow Colorado`s high school football and the amount of prepration they go through must be more than what Paksitani team goes through.

My lowest point of being a Paksitani supporter was when Waqar and Ganguly went for the toss and on winning toss Roben Jeckman (I think it was Robin) asked Waqar about the team and he could not name the two changes ``he`` made in the team and insisted that every one will know once they put it on TV. I mean that was just pathetic and I wished I was sleeping instaed of seeing my Indian friends making fun of me for being a supporter of so under prepared team.

Jarrar

#12 Posted by Ahmadzai on March 16, 2003 1:09:46 pm

Jarrar:

While I look up to you for finding time and boldly answering Ahmad Madni (who Mr. Galt I doubt is a Pakistani at all), I would question you on over-praising Kenyans. Surely, we do not need any more Bangla Desh`s examples in test areana.

Secondly, one would have hoped that Pakistan would do an analysis of their weaknesses and plug the lacunas, but my feeling is that they will board the plane to show remarkable performances on slow and easy pitches of Sharjah and every thing would be forgotten.

Thirdly, the problem of our domestic cricket would never be solved. There is no competition to prepare our players for playing under pressure. In order to make my point clearer, I would recall a practice session of Ice hockey team playing floor hockey at my college in NYC. As I was taking the things very lightly, a player from the other side elbowed me straight on my nose. I had a bleeding nose. The coach yelled from outside - `` Ah-Mad-Zoo, draw claws or you will get your face ugly``. I mean even during the practice session of a 3rd Division Ice Hockey team practicing floor (street) hockey during summers, the heat was on. Just imagine what would the level of preparation be at their national team levels. we need competitiveness that can only come from putting our domestic sports in order.

#11 Posted by JarrarJaffari on March 15, 2003 9:09:51 pm

Hi fellas,
If there are any points for spirited and moral victory than Kenya got at least 9 out of 10. What a fight back. There was a time when Asif Karim`s figures were 3 overs 3 maidens no run for 3 wickets. It was an amazing sight to see them giving bang for the buck.

There was no way they could have won the game, but what modern sport psychologists say that these days 80% of the game is mental and Kenyans did show their strength in that.

Kenya might give a good fight to India, but in my opinion it does not matter they are the winner in my books. Kenyan team some how reminds me of an-other african team in the 1990 world cup of soccer (sorry folks living in US I cant call it football!!) that was Camron having the soccer legend Roger Mella. They won the hearts of the whole world despite England`s victory in quarter finals (not to mention very very bad and biased officiating!) against them.

Aussies does not seem to play their best cricket at the moment, if the history of the world cup mean anything odds are Aussies might fall down to Sri-Lankans. I`m not in that club who believes that history repeats itself but I do think that it is possible that like in 1992`s world cup the team who won all of her games (NZ black caps!) Aussies might lose to a below average performing team, now the Lankans and then in 1992 it was none other than the world champions lead by great Khan.

Collins Obuyo was impressive again.

Jarrar

#10 Posted by JarrarJaffari on March 15, 2003 9:09:51 pm

Folks,
In one of my earlier article I criticised PCB`s decision to promise 5m Rs per player should they bring back the world cup.

To day BCCI also announced the same thing:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/cwc2003/hi/newsid_2850000/newsid_2850900/2850943.stm

This whole thing is sensless and against all the sports theories of motivations that exists in the world. It is thought to be the right and just thing to have the motivation grow from within and not from out side the collectivte will or ego of the team. This decision is a bad one and is laying the founadtions for the budding indian players to start playing for the money and not honor, pride and self esteem.
I`m not against showering such riches on the players but I am against makeing it an objective, and that is what this is going to do. I am surprized why BCCI had to do that, team is playing like a team that they have never did.

It is beyond my immagination how would an extra 5m Rupees motivate Sachin more than what he is doing? Or does he need this to be motivated ?

Moreover lets just imagine that India loses in final to Aussies or Lankans then why should they not be hailed, they played extreemly well in almost 80% of their games and if they just play one bad game so that would mean they dont deserve this respect and money?

Jagmohan Dalmiya has turned cricket into a GROCERY STORE and such an act of his is not going to do any good to the world cricket or to the Indian Cricket.

Just some free flowing thoughts.

Jarrar

#9 Posted by Pankaj on March 15, 2003 6:12:52 pm

Kenyans have indeed shown guts and spirit in this WC. I agree with the author that it smacks of arrogance on the part of these so-called experts who think Kenya reached semis because of a faulty system. They defeated Sri lanka and Zimbabwe fair and square and today they put up a gutsy show against Aussies. Their bowlers have stuck to a decent line and length and some of their players like Tikolo and Shah ahve batted fairly well.

#8 Posted by JarrarJaffari on March 15, 2003 1:30:09 pm

In respons eto #7 by Ahmedmadni,

{Thanks JJ , hope you will write more about our national sports. Again thanks for good article on cricket , enjoyed expect what that american stuff did not follow. Keep up writing on cricket.
}

Thanx for encouragment, I write what I think is right and just to write if I think an example of one of the american sport is the way to go then it will be there. Too bad that you did not like it, as I love american sports and have understood their organization in detail so it is natural I will quote examples from them. I sure will try to keep it interseting.

Now to the rest of your comments. My dear call it my ignorance but most of the stuff you just honored us with is not even relevant, Pakistan should play chess for-whatever-reasons you gave is ok, who said Pakistan should not ?

You wrote that:
{
Hockey is not good game , not even much played ,its not fun watching hockey. The game does not have good appeal for Awam.
}
It is because Hockey (I mean field hockey) has gradually lost its charm because of poor management, lack of sponsorship, lack of planning, an aparent refusal to change with the world and lust of money that attracted people to cricket. Almost 20 some years ago it was a popular sport in Pakistan along with cricket. I was captain of my school`s cricket team and use to also represent my school`s hockey team at the right-out position, its not to brag about me rather it is to tell that hockey was a popular sport.

And people loved it just ask some old timer about the magical dribbling of Shenaz Sheikh and those imazing goals scored by Hassan Sardar in Asian game`s final against India. The roar of the crowd when Hassan Sardar use to take ball from own 25 line and score a goal by dodging whole Indian team was in no way less than that when Imran Khan would be throwing unplayable spells. I l oved field hockey, and have found refuge into Ice Hockey now (go Avs ....).

The demise of Pakistan hockey basically is due to the mistakes we are again doing in Cricket. That is no planning, no attempt to coach childern at the early age, no attempt is being made to adopt technology to assist our players (in one of my future articles I am writting about this in detail!!). PCB is flowing with the flow, get foreign coaches because every one does that rubbish our boys can`t even communicate with these coaches. we need to concentrate on school and college cricket and coach players at that level.

Sorry man I opted not to touch the political issues you touched as I think its not the appropriate forum for that, but if you think it is then please continue.

JJ

#7 Posted by Ras on March 15, 2003 11:39:23 am

The crow could actually still turn out to be a swan!

Ras

#6 Posted by ahmedmadani on March 15, 2003 11:39:23 am

Mr. J,Jaffari thanks for your letter. I donot agree wih you. I do not have evidence but pakistan should avoid jews as it is ungrateful and damaging palestianian clause.

I do not know any thing about hockey and squash. I know pakistan team was god in hockey at time many times olympic gold medals. Hockey is not good game , not even much played ,its not fun watching hockey. The game does not have good appeal for Awam. Also nobody plays much hockey. Its dieing game. Squash is more individual game and does not create passion.
Now recently I am for chess game. India is doing ok in that game so we should look at that game as hindu mentality and pakistan mentality is same. So we may be genetically proned for it. Granting our ancestors same but differed violently and tried to kill each other and snatch money,land and women now is time to make love, brotherhood friendship. We need to work on line, my son sent love letter to saudi girl in usa and she replied with snap. She is good girl. Well little diversion. It does not require money just mental power and stratgy of war. We have many retired army people and they can add some thing to game. Best even woman poor or any body can play game.
I think we need to think chess as its intelluctually good.
now joke: Its Fauji special: I do not claim Fatherhood , my boss is manager. is father.

When we had civilised rule of Rule of british( before generals began to become king of paki Jungle), army had many caste and religion people.
Once big british officer went in deserted barracks and came out running and be came unconcious.
One Hindu soldier went to see what it is be came out and unconcious. Then Punjabi brown Brit Jat went in same.
Now big problem.
Finally after big discuss the HQ decided its not easy task.
They decided to send Pathan and sirdarji together.
They went in came out in minutes. They said Pathan and Sardarji were playing chess.
good luck. Thanks JJ , hope you will write more about our national sports. Again thanks for good article on cricket , enjoyed expect what that american stuff did not follow. Keep up writing on cricket.

#5 Posted by temporal on March 15, 2003 11:39:22 am

#3 by JohnGalt;

``Does Mr. Ahmed Madani represent the thinking of an average Pakistani?``

No

...there is no one here that represents the views of an `average` anybody (pakistani, indian, bangladeshi, sri lanka --take your pick)...all views expressed here are by `special` and priviledged folks...far far from the `average` crowd...

rgds,

t

#4 Posted by JarrarJaffari on March 15, 2003 7:31:14 am

My dear ahmedmadani,

I am not trained in politics, hence cant make any comment on thorny political issues that you raised, but I do hope someone will address these issues to your staisfaction.

All I can answer is your attempt to color Pak failure as a juda-hinduan world wide conspiracy. The little that I know and gathered from my watching of Pakistani cricket in this WC is that they were repeatdly outplayed, out foxed and shown no guts whatsoever. Lack any planning and lack of ability to perform under pressure (all of these I attribute to pathetic first-class structure and no vision in the leadership of PCB!).

You might be right in establishing zionist link to our failure in WC, but I dont find any such link and seriously think our team was not good enough to be in SS.

Please do shed some light on demise of Pakistani hockey and squash and please enlight us about any Zionistic or Hindu link over there too.

I dont even care what is the religion of Pybus, I simply think he is a bad coach and was totally useless practice. Half of the team can`t communicate with the coach, what do you gain by that ? So I would held PCB`s top brass responsible for such ahorrible decision and not Richard Pybus.

Thanx,
JJ

#3 Posted by JohnGalt on March 15, 2003 7:30:52 am

A question to Pakistani Chowkis

Does Mr. Ahmed Madani represent the thinking of an average Pakistani? (I hope not !)