Young, inexperienced and ready for Pakistan

Sohail Khan, the right-arm Karachi-based fast bowler, has shot to fame in his debut first-class season by grabbing 65 wickets in his first nine matches. The haul includes 16 for 189, a Pakistani record previously held by Fazal Mahmood. Aged 23, Sohail's journey to first-class stardom has seen plenty of travel, hard work, pebble-throwing and prayers, as he reveals to Cricinfo

Since it is your debut season, not many people know much about you. What was your early cricketing life like and how did you end up in Karachi?
I am from up north. I was born in Malakand agency (in NWFP) and, like a majority of other youngsters, played tennis-ball cricket from an early age. I was told that I bowled at a lively pace, something I realised quite soon myself. We lived in the mountain regions and, as kids, we threw a lot of stones around. Tedious as it sounds, it helped build muscle-strength in my shoulders, which was increased by the amount of swimming I did in the innumerable streams and rivers. Perhaps realising the potential I had, together with my height and build, a relative of mine advised me to go to Karachi to play professional cricket. And such has been the bond between myself and Karachi, together with the success I have had, that ever since I set foot here four years ago, I have not gone back even once.

So how did the transition from tennis-ball cricket and pebble-throwing to professional cricket take place?
When I arrived in Karachi, I did not know many people. So I started playing cricket here and there. Nothing professional. Then, Sikander Bakht held a speed hunt talent contest which I entered, and attained top position. At 85 mph, I also came in third fastest in Pakistan. It was after that recognition that I started playing for Millat Club in Malir (Karachi) and followed that up with a place in the Sind Police team. A few months after that, Dr Shah (a renowned individual in the cricket fraternity in Karachi) spotted me and insisted I play for his club (A.O. Club). During a successful stint with him, I was spotted by Rashid Latif who then offered me a place at his academy. That I could not refuse since Rashid bhai has groomed so many individuals - including Younis Khan and Danish Kaneria - at his academy. While a member of his academy, I also played for Deewan group and finally, I got spotted by the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) who offered me a place on their team last year. I got 21 wickets in a handful of matches and, following its promotion to first-class cricket, here I am.

What sort of coaching have you been able to receive?
When I started at Rashid bhai's academy, he confined me to nets for a year! I thought I would never see an actual match situation because it was nets day in and day out. I would bowl all day, work on my fitness and remain in the nets and do nothing else. It seemed endless. However, it all paid off when, playing for the first time under Rashid, I bowled three overs, got three wickets and even hit one batsmen who was taken to hospital. I have also sought help and guidance from [former first-class cricketer] Mohinder Kumar who has also helped Kaneria and Mohammad Sami. I would spend four to five hours a day with Kumar and he's the one who helped me develop my outswing because previously, I would bowl fast and swing the ball in only. He guided me on the wrist position on how to obtain movement away which has helped me considerably. The 65 wickets has a lot to do with the month I spent with Kumar.

Our fast bowlers are prone to injuries at a relatively early age. Any that you have been affected by?
Yes, in fact, I missed an entire season due to a groin injury about two years ago. I was actually called up to a Pakistan camp following my performance at the speed contests and club cricket I had been playing and it was in the middle of the camp that I felt the niggle. I decided, with the help of Dr Shah, that it was best to take a break and get it sorted otherwise it could have severe repercussions in the future. Therefore, I had to abandon my stay at the camp and return to the training ground. However, that time off gave me ample opportunity to work on my body and fitness and I came back eager and stronger, both physically and mentally.

You are currently involved in a grueling domestic season, your first, as well as playing club cricket. What sort of training routine do you follow to keep your body in shape?
Training hard is essential for any cricketer and since I'm a fast bowler, I tend to work harder on my shoulders. I have this tractor wheel that I tie with a rope and run the diameter of this ground [Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, home to A.O.Club] pulling it with my shoulders. There is also sprinting and gym sessions involved and together with a good, balanced diet I also find time for plenty of rest.

Not everyone enters first-class cricket and breaks a national record from the depths of obscurity. How has the season worked out for you?
Well, I'd like to sum it up in three words; training, desire and prayers. As mentioned before, there is, and was, a lot of training and hard work involved. In order to achieve something, I knew I had to put in a lot of effort and I did. Because I had the desire to succeed and I knew, and was told, that I had the potential to make it. I am also a devout Muslim and I back up my willingness with prayers. By the grace of God, I have managed to break the great Fazal Mahmood's record.

Do you think you are ready for international cricket or would you like to spend some more time playing domestic?
I am at my peak. I'm fit physically and mentally and everyone I speak to tells me I'm quite capable of handling international pressure. I have not had any communication with the national selectors but I know there is a series against Zimbabwe coming up and I would love to represent Pakistan. I know I am young and inexperienced, but playing with experienced cricketers, coaches and being among people who know much about cricket, I can only improve. Given the chance, I will surely replicate my domestic performance on the international arena.

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published on Cricinfo 19th Dec 2007

Pakistan hunt for future Wasims and Waqars

Imagine this: Pakistan take the field at the World Cup 2011 and the opening bowlers are not from Rawalpindi and Karachi but two lanky rookies from the snow-ridden valley of Chitral and the flats of Bannu: the same pair who shone in the previous year's junior World Cup and have progressed steadily through various age-groups.

It may seem a far-fetched prospect presently - Chitral and Bannu being represented as much as a seamless transition through different age levels - but it may well become a credible vision soon. Or so a new talent hunt scheme launched earlier this year hopes.

Mobilink Hunt for Heroes, a joint effort between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Mobilink, Pakistan's premier mobile-network provider, was launched after the debacle at the 2007 World Cup. The embarrassing exit not only left the country weeping for a second successive World Cup, but also forced the entire cricket fraternity wondering into introspection: where was Pakistan cricket going wrong?

At grassroots level, it was discovered. And so amid the broad belief that there lies hidden treasure in the most obscure corners of the country, this massive program was unveiled. Covering 52 districts throughout the country and all four provinces, the hunt reached out not only to residents of urban centres such as Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi, but also to locations off the beaten track, such as Hub, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Nawabshah and Chitral.

The plan was not to spot talent ready to be drafted into the first-class system and, after a couple of seasons, in to the national side. No, for that would, in effect, not be different from other talent hunt schemes in the past. This joint venture aimed solely at 13-16 year-olds who believed they had what it takes to play for Pakistan.

Continue reading this article on Cricinfo

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published on Cricinfo 18th Dec 2007

Of paths just opened

Before the imposition of emergency, it seemed the growing media enterprise had no holds barred. But these restrictions cannot last too long. They will have to go and let the media take its own course, writes Faras GhaniIt is hardly news that Pakistan’s media industry is rapidly expanding and is in a powerful state (rather, was until the curbs, impositions and blackouts, of which it has been a victim lately). But ever since the government decided to dish out licenses to individuals and private companies to bid for a representation on the broadcasting horizon of Pakistan, there had been a rush to make one’s presence felt.

Thus news, entertainment, music, sports, children, shopping, religion and even culture arrived on our television screens, often in a boisterous manner.

No doubt, it had been a long road: from the time of nine o’clock PTV Khabarnama to news around the clock, from watching cartoons at quarter-past seven in the morning to an unstoppable, often addictive, dosage of an entire variety of animated characters at our service 24/7, from the cherished and eagerly awaited night when our national television station would bless our curved screens with an English movie, albeit from the Mughal days, to Pay-per-View and movies-on-demand, and from Radio Pakistan and the crackling ‘AM’ stations that our grandparents tuned into and over to the various request shows inundating our frequency-world today.

And notwithstanding the emergency, we can safely say that a revolutionary variety in media, especially television has come a long way in the last decade.

However, quantity does not necessarily signify quality. Similarly, with the sheer speed that these private channels grabbed a spot on our screens and in our minds, it gave the audience, the people who decide what should be on the screens and airwaves, not much time to reserve judgment.

There had been a far few rotten apples along the way as well. These victims of our sincerest of abominations are the ones who have inflicted our wrath upon themselves on the basis of a purely unprofessional presentation and sheer lack of standards.

Working in the media industry comes with added perks. The apparent ‘charm’ for the masses serve as rocking reasons enough, but at the same time, it requires toil that is not easy to handle, and with the kind of work that was being churned out, it is no surpeise that experts were not very impressed by the results, be it visuals on televions, or audio on radios, or even what we would come across on billboards, magazines and websites.

Asma Fazil, a student counselor for a media training institute, reckons that there was only one way our media industry was going, and that was up (obviously, this was before the curbs of TV channels). She, however, fully agrees that no media can survice without proper training and facilities and that should be made top priority.

“Although the media and multimedia industry is an expanding field in any country, and one where charm perhaps outshines the rest of the incentives, it is not for everyone. Take designing and advertising for example. You need people with artistic minds, people who are looking to contribute to a field with lots of creativity involved and who can sketch or draw, and people who have attention to detail and not someone who wants a quick result.

“However, even with all the creativity and sketching qualities they bring, we still need to train them. We still need to craft their minds in such a way that they pick up on the concepts, oozing out of them in their everyday task.

“And it is not only the concepts we need to straighten up. While the minds are young, we also need to ensure there is proper awareness. We need to ensure we bring in new ideas instead of copying other people’s work.”

A major point raised in the recent past is the downhill progression of our locally-produced dramas. There was a point in time when our own dramas made headlines with copies of those old-time classics still sitting on a lot of shelves even today. Even the younger generation recalls the story, the twists, the plot and the characters. Where has the trend disappeared now, they ask. Why have we suddenly gone from utilising our brains, our creativity and our ideas to copying what our neighbours are doing and that too of inferior quality.

“Even when these channels were on air, we were not moving ahead with time. We lack the technology, the hardware and and the commitment to match our neighbours. There are plenty of institutions who will train on how to improve the quality of photo, colours, and even the looks of the models, but we are not availing these opportunities.

“Foreign industries are using animations as well as various software in their films. Pakistan, on the other hand, is lacking all that,” she adds.

This is where the need of a proper training and guidance procedure lies. Media houses, private production companies and television channels emphasise the need for properly trained individuals in the industry. Obviously those with the ‘concepts and awareness’ drilled in can mix the creative juices within and come up with appealing presentations, for example, an animated commander on own screens or even the billboards that line our roads, and the websites that Pakistani youngsters have produced.

Nadym Khan, a private producer, is all for the injection of young, talented and trained blood into the industry. “It’s a fast growing field. You come up with something and your message will be delivered throughout the world in no time.

“When it comes to students, it is precisely for this reason that it becomes essential to give them ample work experience as well as on-hand training while they are studying. Theory will only get you to a certain level, but practicing what is learnt in classrooms will ensure the refined material. ‘Student’ who comes out after graduating has the confidence to tackle real world problems as well.

“It takes a lot of hard work. Media is no easy job. It comes with long, often stressful, hours and not a huge pay to start off with, but as long as one’s concepts are clear, there should not be a problem.”

All said and done, why was there a sudden surge in media-related jobs (until recently) and, as a result, an aspiration towards working in the field? One major reason, as mentioned before, is the charm of working in the so-called glamour world, be it television, radio or even a magazine. It forms an influencing factor among peers and a source of respect. But according to a few, it also gave them something different to choose from as not everyone in the world wants to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer.

However, experts are quick to warn newcomers against expecting reaping benefits from day one.

“It is a gradual process, and progression takes time. It should be given the time it deserves,” says Asma. “Speaking about our dramas again, we tend to shoot them and edit them in haste. Eagerness to put them in front of the audience often makes the editors and producers miss out on important tasks that could have improved the final quality of the product and maybe attracted the viewer for longer than it has.”

While advising a hearty dosage of patience and conscientiousness, Nadym reminds students that the world of media does not necessarily stop at a television channel or a radio station.

“There are a number of decent magazines that are being edited and produced locally. With students and professionals picking up new ideas courtesy the internet and exposure to the international world of media, we have seen great improvement in our print media as well. Magazines about twenty years ago tend to stick to the same design and format for eons. In recent years, electronic and print media switched to vibrant colours and new designs, and it is really refreshing to see all the emerging change,” Nadym said.

Speaking on the same topic, Asma pointed out that in the world of multimedia designing, there exist three fields: architecture, character animation, and product modeling. This meant that television, radio and magazines were not the only horizons creativity-aspiring individuals can venture towards. There is a lot of interior design, fashion designing and even engineering aspect of it to cater a lot of students.

However, for all that, there has to be formal training, commitment and a desire to succeed even with all the problems facing the world of media in Pakistan. Experts believe that the tools and hardware required for a delivery is a notable presentation that exists. But above all that we need to use the mind in a required manner.

Media boom all over the world can thank technology for its existence. Having tasted this boom, and hoping for more, it becomes all the more important for media institutes to work on the techie factor, if they want their students to assimilate easily in the work environment. As for the improvement in equipment and formats and an improved cash-flow and advent of technology, it is a task that the individual and the community has to undertake as a whole.

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published in Sci-Tech World (DAWN newspaper) 17th Nov 2007

Fletcher, film stars, fast bowlers

A change of direction
He was on the winning end of an epic Ashes series. He was on the receiving end of an Ashes whitewash. He coached England during a dismal World Cup and hung up his boots straight after. He then delivered stinging criticism of the nation's cricket's heroes in his book. Now, fascinated by the prospect of a sudden change in direction, Duncan Fletcher has decided to try his luck at rugby union.

"The big thing in rugby is changing direction," Fletcher told the Independent. If you can change direction, you've got a one-metre advantage over the opposition, and by the time they've woken up, you've stolen that metre. I find that fascinating." Wonder if there's any such thing as PUI (Playing Under the Influence) in rugby.

Hiding for justice
Imran Khan's change of direction, however, has brought him more trouble in the recent past than good fortune. In the latest instance, the former allrounder, and leader of the Tehreek-e-Insaaf party (Justice Movement), had to go into hiding after authorities surrounded his house wanting to arrest him following the imposition of a state of emergency in Pakistan. A jump over his house wall was what it took Imran to edge past his waiting captors, after which he has been moving around the city of Lahore, voicing his call: "Our aim is to continue the struggle and mobilise the youth of the country from underground."

The hardest hit
The imposition of the emergency was probably the worst thing to happen, in terms of the India-Pakistan series. For a brief period private television channels faced a blackout, resulting in angry cricket fans. It was the cricket betting market in Pakistan, however, that faced the brunt. A series that would otherwise have witnessed a heavy movement of cash, received only lukewarm response thanks to the fallen stock market, the prevailing uncertainty, communication problems, and the channel-blackout which meant that some matches were not available to viewers.

Makhaya strikes back
Makhaya Ntini has retained his position as the most popular South African sporting personality among junior fans even after a rare disappointing Test series, against Pakistan. The 2007 BMI Junior Sporttrack Survey - an annual poll of sports spectators in the 13-18 age group - had the fast-bowler warding off stiff competition from football players Benni McCarthy and Benedict Vilakazi to come out on top. Ntini has also been the most popular sports star on the BMI Adult Survey for the last two years.

Catching the eye
Irfan Pathan's impressive return to international cricket has been heavily praised in cricketing circles. The praise, however, stretches far beyond those circles - as was borne out when a former Miss India and Bollywood star, Sayali Bhagat, who once proposed to Rahul Dravid on TV, confessed her fondness for the Indian allrounder.

Pathan, it seems, is not the only one catching the eye. Sania Mirza, Asia's most popular tennis star, was present at the second ODI between India and Pakistan, apparently being charmed by... Shoaib Akhtar. "I like watching Shoaib Akhtar," Mirza said. "He is fast and aggressive and these are key qualities in a sportsman."

Shunned
Shahrukh Khan may just have been India's lucky charm at the final of the ICC World Twenty20, but his presence was deemed unnecessary and a recipe for crowd trouble by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) for the third ODI at Kanpur. The UPCA apparently advised the BCCI not to invite the Bollywood superstar to the ground, since it was going to be hard enough to control the crowd, what with the presence of government ministers and the like. Oh well, Chak de India anyway.

And before that happened...
At Chandigarh, after the second game, a few members of the Indian team went to the cinema to watch Om Shanti Om starring, ironically, the same Shahrukh as above. Ones paying homage to the great actor included MS Dhoni, and Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly with their families.

Yuvraj Singh, meanwhile, drove around the city in his sports car attracting fans, while Shoaib surprisingly turned up at a much quieter venue: an orphanage in Chandigarh where he played cricket with the children.

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published on Cricinfo 12th Nov 2007

Down to the wire

Pakistan and India have a habit of scripting thrilling encounters. Cricinfo looks at ten of the most exhilarating duels between these two teams, games that will be remembered not only for the close finishes, but also the excitement and entertainment that accompanied all through


1st match, Four-nation Cup 1985, Sharjah
India 125 beat Pakistan 87 by 38 runs
A formidable Indian batting line-up was left in tatters by the pace and swing of Imran Khan. He dismissed Ravi Shastri leg-before off the first ball of the match, and had three of his victims caught behind, proof enough of his unplayable bowling. A target of 126 was always within Pakistan's reach, even though they lost their first wicket at 13. However, a double collapse saw them go from 35 for 1 to 41 for 5 and then from 85 for 6 to 87 all out. Kapil Dev, after scoring a dogged 30, proved Pakistan's nemesis with the ball, and captured 3 for 17. Sunil Gavaskar chipped in with four catches, three of them breathtaking.

Final, Australasia Cup 1986, Sharjah
Pakistan 248 for 9 beat India 245 for 7 by 1 wicket
Perhaps the greatest of all ODIs between the two countries, if only because it is the one that first comes to the mind of fans of either country. It will forever be remembered for the last ball of the match, with everything that preceded it - Kris Srikkanth's aggression, Gavaskar's 92, late wickets by Wasim Akram and Imran to restrict India, and even an unbeaten century by Javed Miandad - all swept aside. Chetan Sharma did manage three wickets in the match, but his last delivery, off which Pakistan needed four to win the tournament, was pulled mightily over midwicket and over the boundary by Miandad to spark wild celebrations after an unlikely last-wicket victory.

2nd ODI, Pakistan in India 1987, Kolkata
Pakistan 241 for 8 beat India 238 for 6 by 2 wickets
A Srikkanth century inspired the home side to a respectable score, and after Pakistan collapsed to 174 for 6 after a 106-run opening partnership, they needed to score at almost 10 runs an over. Saleem Malik, batting at No.7, tore through the Indian bowling, sharing a 50-run partnership with Akram in which the bowler scored only 3. Smashing 11 fours and a six, including five fours in an over off Kapil, Malik's 36-ball 72 carried Pakistan home with only three balls left.

Quarter-final, World Cup 1996, Bangalore
India 287 for 8 beat Pakistan 248 for 9 by 39 runs
A charged-up encounter with a World Cup semi-final spot for the taking received a jolt when Akram, Pakistan's captain, pulled out minutes before the toss. With Ajay Jadeja smashing a 25-ball 45 - Waqar Younis was hammered for 40 off his last two overs - and Navjot Sidhu lumbering his way to 93, the balance had shifted in the favour of the Indians even before the reply began. Although Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail flayed the Indian attack to start off, Sohail's loss of temper and temperament as he tried to assert his authority over Venkatesh Prasad, combined with the batsmen's lack of application saw them succumb to pressure. Anil Kumble and Prasad grabbed three each as Pakistan perished, failing to put together reasonable partnerships.

Sahara Cup 1996, Toronto
Pakistan 266 for 8 beat India 264 for 6 by 2 wickets
Pakistan's decision to field first, based on their strong bowling line-up, backfired as Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Azharuddin added 161 for the third wicket. Akram and Waqar went wicketless, while Jadeja once again smashed a few towards the end. Although Anwar scored a 78-ball 80, wickets tumbled regularly, and at 221 for 8, India looked all set to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Malik (70 not out) and Saqlain Mushtaq (11 not out), however, added 44, and Pakistan scrambled home on the penultimate ball of the match, from Sunil Joshi, which Malik, playing with a twisted ankle, cut past point.

Sahara Cup 1997, Toronto
India 182 for 6 beat Pakistan 148 by 34 runs
A disastrous start to the innings saw India slump to 23 for 3 in seaming conditions against a less than threatening Pakistan attack. A brief recovery by Azharuddin and Co. made for a somewhat respectable 182. It should have been a comfortable target for Pakistan's strong batting line-up, and at 103 for 3 seemed just that. That was when Sourav Ganguly's medium pace was brought on. Utilising the conditions, and Pakistan's frailty against the moving ball, Ganguly snapped up five wickets - all caught - as the last seven wickets went down for the addition of only 43 runs.

India's tour of Pakistan, 1997, Karachi
India 266 for 6 beat Pakistan 265 for 4 by 4 wickets
Karachi lived up to its billing as a batsman's paradise and attacking seventies by Shahid Afridi and Inzamam-ul-Haq enabled Pakistan to post a competitive score (though the innings was cut short due to crowd trouble). India looked set for an easy victory until panic struck, resulting in the loss of four wickets for only 26 runs, two of them run-outs. Saba Karim and Robin Singh consolidated, and when Saqlain, economical till then, went for 33 in three overs, a win seemed in sight. As the ball was changed yet again in the final over, Saqlain was hit for a six by Rajesh Chauhan and India sealed victory.

3rd Final, Independence Cup 1998, Dhaka
India 316 for 7 beat Pakistan 314 for 5 by 3 wickets
Saeed Anwar and Ijaz Ahmed scored blistering centuries and Saqlain grabbed three wickets but India still managed to lift the Independence Cup courtesy a Ganguly century and supporting knocks from Sachin Tendulkar and Robin Singh. It wasn't easy, though. India, at one stage 250 for 2, slumped to 281 for 5 at the hands of Saqlain. A further two quick wickets followed, and in the end it was left to Hrishikesh Kanitkar to strike a boundary in fading light off the penultimate ball of the match to seal the win.

1st ODI, India's tour of Pakistan, 2004, Karachi
India 349 for 7 beat Pakistan 344 for 8 by 5 runs
A strong batting display, especially by India's top order, built a mammoth 349 - the first 200 of which came in only 25 overs. However, a brave fightback by Pakistan, after losing their openers cheaply, took the game right down to the wire. Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam and Younis Khan all played their part, but Inzamam's dismissal left Pakistan requiring 72 off eight overs. The lower order failed at the last hurdle to keep up with the required rate, and Moin Khan was unable to "do a Miandad" off the last delivery.

4th ODI, Pakistan's tour of India, 2005, Ahmedabad
Pakistan 319 for 7 beat India 315 for 6 by 3 wickets
Another strong batting display from India on the back of a Tendulkar 123 and a late cameo from Yuvraj Singh led them to a 300-plus score, as Pakistan bowlers toiled in batting-friendly conditions. A blistering opening partnership between Salman Butt and Shahid Afridi laid the foundations of a strong reply, but with wickets falling regularly, India were still in with a good chance. Inzamam, however, provided a calm figure in the middle as others perished around him. With three needed off the last over, he blocked the first five deliveries before slashing the last one for a four to round off a remarkable chase.

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published on Cricinfo 4th Nov 2007

'We worked really hard' - Smith

South Africa's first Test win in the subcontinent against major opposition for over seven years (not counting a series win over Bangladesh) was a small matter of a job done extremely well.

Their preparations for the series were hardly ideal. Andrew Hall quit international cricket, Jacques Kallis resigned from the vice-captaincy and Mark Boucher was fined for his thoughts on the development. Missing the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20, a tournament many considered theirs for the taking and which they hosted, made South Africa equal, if not second-best for the Test in Karachi.

Further, they had all of five days in Pakistan to prepare for the Test, their pace attack threatened not only by the searing Karachi temperatures but also by a pitch tailor-made for spin. They lost Morne Morkel through injury and opted to rest the veteran Shaun Pollock. Not many would have bet on the visitors delivering as thorough a performance as witnessed, regrettably, by very few spectators.

No wonder then Graeme Smith, South Africa's captain, was so pleased with the win. "Most of us are very emotional in the dressing room as we have only a handful of wins in the subcontinent. To come here and win the first Test after only a few days in Pakistan and to have played better cricket in these conditions is very, very special for all of us."

A fully deserved win it was too for the tourists, who played much better cricket. "I think we played cricket with our brains and on the back of some great fitness levels and solid technique.

"We worked really hard throughout this Test match in order to get this victory. I've had some really good Test wins and some really good one-day wins in my career but this is certainly right up there."

Jacques Kallis, declared the Man of the Match for scores of 155 and an unbeaten 100, took the game away from Pakistan on the first day. Geoff Lawson, Pakistan's coach, called him the "difference between the two teams" and though Kallis played two contrasting innings, both hurt Pakistan equally hard. Not content with the damage he caused with the bat, Kallis took a stunning catch in the slips and chipped in with the ball.

Abdur Rehman, the debutant, outshone and outclassed Danish Kaneria, his senior partner, so it was that South Africa's lone spinner, Paul Harris caused Pakistan batsmen the most problems on a pitch prepared to "the home side's strength". It was Paul Harris' first time in the subcontinent and he took seven wickets.

It wasn't just their spinners. Umar Gul and Mohammad Asif managed only three wickets in the match - Asif surprisingly did not feature at all on day four - while the South African fast-bowlers, bar Makhaya Ntini, bowled with pace and aggression and obtained bounce, or lack of, at times, on a pitch that crumbled from day one and grabbed 13. Dale Steyn's pace stood out on the final day, picking up his third five-wicket haul, his second in the subcontinent.

"When you initially look at the wicket I don't think you can sum up how many wickets would you take," Steyn said. "Our whole game plan was to work around Harris. Eventually one or two balls stayed very low and things went our way and my way and we ended up with a win."

To round things off, as ever, the South Africans were sharper in the field. Kallis was dropped twice before reaching his hundred in the first innings while Hashim Amla added 69 after being dropped by Misbah-ul-Haq. Both batsmen paid Pakistan back, with interest, as Kallis took a blinder in the slips while Amla yanked out a stunner just before it hit the ground and took another good one on the final day.

Only a change in conditions await the South Africans as they head to Lahore for the second Test. With reports of overcast conditions up north, it will further please the visiting team and their fast bowlers. Pakistan meanwhile will scratch their heads for a suitable combination.

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published on Cricinfo 5th Oct 2007

Magic ball and curse of the Twenty20s

Magic ball
Abdur Rehman may have bowled many good deliveries in his career but probably none better than the one with which he dismissed AB de Villiers. Rehman came round the wicket and looped one that landed outside the leg stump. As de Villiers leant forward, hoping to play against the spin, the ball turned sharply and evaded his turning bat to peg back off stump. Unaware of what had happened, de Villiers lunged back towards the crease. As Rehman celebrated wildly, the dismissal brought to mind how Herschelle Gibbs was outdone by Shane Warne in the 1999 World Cup semi-final.

Curse of the Twenty20s
As Mohammad Hafeez strode out to open the innings, a mammoth target of 424 welcomed him on the new scoreboard. The words patience and concentration would have been drilled into him in the dressing room. But as Dale Steyn fired in a wide delivery in the second over, Hafeez played a loose shot - something between a drive and a cut - and only managed to drag it back on to his stumps. Hafeez may still be in Twenty20 mode, as a lot of Pakistan batsmen are, but it was still an awful dab of the bat and completed a disappointing match for the allrounder.

Seize of the day
Salman Butt, the other opener, had a point to prove in the match after failures in the recent past. He stuck around for 14 deliveries and was unlucky to be dismissed when an inside edge off his pad made its way to short leg. Hashim Amla, out of nowhere, yanked out his right hand and just about managed to slide his fingers under the ball before it touched the grass. The decision was referred to the third umpire and was upheld.

A change of gears and hands
With Paul Harris spinning the ball and troubling the batsmen, Graeme Smith decided to bring himself into the attack to add pressure. He bowled a good first over as Younis Khan only managed a flick to fine leg. In Smith's next, however, Younis targeted the third-man boundary. Down on one knee, Younis reverse-swept two consecutive over-pitched deliveries for fours and forced a change in the field. As Smith held back the line of the next delivery, Younis charged down for a mighty six over midwicket. Smith was not seen at the bowling crease again.

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published on Cricinfo 4th Oct 2007

Significant stumpings and a six

Change of action
The third day Karachi pitch was hardly favourable for fluent batting, but Andre Nel's change of actions in the fourth over would have made things a tad more difficult for the batsmen. He strode in with a normal delivery but then followed one up forming a semi-circle in the air from halfway through his run-up to the wicket. Ending up as a mix between Wasim Akram and Curtly Ambrose, Nel was cut away past point for four. He then tried a Waqar Younis; shielding the ball from the batsmen's searching eyes as he leapt into his bowling stride with both hands together.

Significant six
Shoaib Malik was embedded in a spirited rearguard, inching his side towards the follow-on target. He brought his fifty up with a checked straight drive, celebrated it by driving the following ball through extra cover and in the next Paul Harris over, he jigged down the pitch to swat him for a huge straight six. The ball went missing temporarily but a nice way, nonetheless, to bring up your 1000th Test run, in your first Test as captain.

Pierce this, Salman
With a four-man pace attack, South Africa started the innings with a half-umbrella field - a tactic often seen on bouncy pitches across the world. However, as Kallis strode in to bowl the 76th over of the innings, with the ball scuffed up by a dry outfield and a dusty pitch, Salman Butt was honoured with an 8-1 offside field; a slip, a fly slip, backward point, two short covers, short extra-cover, a normal cover and a mid-off. Spare some pity for the lone mid-on in the heat as Kallis duly responded with a wide outside off stump.

Stumped
Mark Boucher doesn't often get a chance to stump a batsman. Before this innings, he had only 16 from 102 Tests. But today he pulled off two in an innings: Malik and Umar Gul st Boucher b Harris. Stumping 17 brought him level with Ian Healy's record for most dismissals and the next took him past it.

Is that you Gordon?
Danish Kaneria is apparently working hard on his batting and to prove it he even managed his first first-class fifty this season, 65 for Essex in the County Championship. Many in Pakistan might not have seen that innings, so Kaneria decided to show everyone just what he was capable of in a little cameo at the end of Pakistan's innings. First he stepped back and with a Caribbean flourish, flayed Andre Nel past point. But his best came soon after, when a short ball from Dale Steyn was pulled, while swivelling round and pivoting on one foot. Somewhere, Gordon Greenidge would've nodded his approval.

© Faras Ghani and Osman Samiuddin 2007
Published on Cricinfo 3rd Oct 2007

'If you play enough, there will be records to break'

Mark Boucher missed a chance to equal Ian Healy's world record of most Test dismissals as he let an Abdur Rehman edge fly past him in the second over of the morning. However, as the day progressed, and as Shoaib Malik carried Pakistan towards temporary safety, a Paul Harris turner evaded a slash of Malik's bat and provided Boucher with another opportunity. This time, he took it with both hands.

Six overs later, as the Pakistan dressing room celebrated passing the follow-on mark, Umar Gul danced down the pitch and heaved mightily towards the leg. Missing the ball - although Boucher later claimed the batsman had edged it - Gul was stranded in the middle as Boucher removed the bails while removing Healy's name from the record list; Boucher now had 396 dismissals in 103 Tests, only 18 of those stumped.

Playing down the significance of his achievement, Boucher said: "I have played a lot of Tests in my career so it [the record] was coming in a way. I've never been a person for stats, but if you play enough matches there will be plenty of records to break."

Clearly satisfied with his performance, Boucher was all praise for the person whose record he had broken.

"It is a great feeling for me especially to be breaking someone like Healy's record. I used to watch him on TV as a kid and I'm a little sad in a way to be going past Healy," he said.

Gerald Majola, the chief executive of Cricket South Africa, congratulated Boucher on breaking the record and said there was no doubt his final tally would be difficult to overtake. "Mark has been a stalwart of the Proteas team for over a decade now, and his world record is a worthy reward for his outstanding achievements as both a wicketkeeper and lower order batsman."

Boucher will have a chance to add to his tally as South Africa will hope to add quick runs in the morning and declare some time in the second session. With the ball turning sharply, and Pakistan batsmen willing to chase wide deliveries, he may even become the first wicketkeeper to break the 400-barrier.


© Faras Ghani 2007
Published on Cricinfo 3rd Oct 2007

Kaneria's 200 and Pakistan's Twenty20 hangover

Good morning, Pakistan
Jacques Kallis played with intent yesterday, scoring his 25th Test century, and taking the game away from the home side. Although he slowed down after reaching his hundred, he started in fifth gear this morning. In one over early on, Mohammad Asif was first guided down past point for a four, then driven, straight-backed to extra cover for another, and finally flicked to square leg for the third boundary of the over. The tone was already set.

Unlucky mate
Kamran Akmal has dropped too many catches recently, especially off Danish Kaneria. He gave Kallis a life yesterday on 36, but when the spinner came round the wicket today, Kallis having added 119, a faint edge was gratefully accepted. Someone quipped, 'caught Akmal' is the unluckiest dismissal in cricket today. The joy was obvious on Kaneria's face; the relief, on Akmal's.

Another catch, more joy
Having dismissed Kallis, Kaneria persisted in exploiting the rough outside the right-hander's leg-stump. However, as he pitched one on the middle to the left-handed Ashwell Prince, it was the lack of spin, and bounce, that resulted in a return catch, held with both hands and a beaming smile. The reason? It was wicket number 200, duly celebrated with fist-pumping and a turf kiss.

Catch of the day
Kallis might have thought his work was done when he was placed at first slip, perhaps aware of Mohammad Hafeez's frailties outside off. Paul Harris was getting sharp turn and bounce and Hafeez, bogged down by an immaculate line and some sharp fielding, tried guiding one such ball past slip. Out shot a diving right hand, however, and duly followed a walk to the pavilion, Kallis taking a startling catch inches off the ground. He went on to take a wicket as well; not bad for a 31-year old not deemed right for his country's Twenty20 squad.

The way the pitch crumbles
Hashim Amla made it clear on the first day that this was a crumbling pitch and will only deteriorate more as time goes on. Younis Khan knows exactly what he means after he was dismissed by Andre Nel. Pitched at a three-quarter length, the ball should have easily gone over the stumps. Instead, it crashed into the lower half of the middle stump, Younis almost doubled over. With one Paul Harris ball crashing into Mark Boucher's mouth, it isn't going to get any easier.

Are we in South Africa still?
Akmal and Hafeez were blazing away as Pakistan reached 52 for no loss after 10. It was, by far, their best start at the ICC World Twenty20 ... except of course, this wasn't Twenty20. With Akmal racing to 42 off 34 balls, it was easy to forget this was a Test match. When Misbah-ul-Haq later chased and edged a ball so wide, he did forget. Of course, paddling it over fine leg was an option, but clearly no one heard Shoaib Malik's reminder that this was a Test match not a Twenty20.

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published on Cricinfo 2nd Oct 2007