Bat and ball / Paul Moon / 28 June 2010 /

Paul Moon tells us about the best of Pakistani cricket and the worst of Pakistani cricket as Shahid Afridi's troops prepare to take on Australia in a Test series on British shores.

I have always regarded Pakistani cricket as a contradiction in terms. They produce a conveyor belt of great players yet display a reckless disregard to the game they serve. It is hard to remember a period of calm within their cricketing history and without an instantly obvious explanation, their rancour and propensity for infighting appears almost genetic.

They are currently preparing for the forthcoming tour to England where they play a 'home' series against Australia because of the ongoing concerns about the security of teams touring Pakistan. And true to form, they are currently embroiled in arguments about discipline, fines, bans, appeals and team selection. All this while the team's performances are still under investigation by the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit after they had lost every international fixture in all three formats of the game on the recent tour to Australia.

The PCB inquiry that followed concentrated on the attitudes and behaviour of Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf (now retired from the international arena) who were individually blamed for those poor results. Though former captain Younus (32) won his appeal against an indefinite ban from international cricket, he has been ostracised. Clearly this judgement was not based on his ability to handle the seam-friendly conditions of England but rather for the sake of unity. On reflection it is probably the right decision...

It is apparent that the PCB are trying to toughen up against those who provoke tension and antagonise and this gets a nod of approval from this columnist. Faisal Iqbal (nephew of Javed Miandad) was dropped for this reason.

However, it remains hard to decipher on what criteria the selectors pick any team and confusion reigns. One thing is certain: to experiment in English conditions and against the Australians (who have won a staggering 12 Tests on the trot against them) is a huge mistake! The selected players uncapped at Test level - Tanveer Ahmed, Umar Amin, Azhar Ali, Wahab Riaz and Zulqarnain Haider - face the toughest of baptisms!

Even if you set aside doping allegations, discipline problems and recurrent injuries, the omission of Shoaib Akhtar from the 50-over and Test squad is understandable. And this despite the fact that he's a bowler who could make the most of seaming English conditions. He is a shadow of the bowler he once was and it is a crying shame that in 13 years he has only played in 46 Test matches. If only his attitude mirrored his talent....

On this current tour the inexperience of the squad will be found wanting. There will be immense pressure on all-rounders Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi as the batting line up looks wafer thin. The selection of Yasir Hameed looks desperate and gives weight to criticism. If you subtract the runs he scored against Bangladesh in 2003, his average of 27.56 in 20 matches does not enthuse. One also doubts he has the technique for English conditions.

It is times like this when the team needs the wicket-keeper and captain to gel things together and Pakistan have neither! One area where Pakistan has always struggled historically is behind the stumps and they continue to do so with current glovesman Kamran Akmal.

Some are unsure of his integrity, others think he is better suited to the two limited-overs formats while a number think he is just a poor keeper who rather than improving has actually regressed. One doubts he would get into a county side in that position and it is hard to imagine there is not a better wicket keeper in Pakistan. The Lords Test will further expose him, especially as the ball tails away after passing the batsman and this will be a massive negative against the Australians. Even in the longest format extras cost you, not to mention the fact that dropping the likes of Ricky Ponting early on in the innings normally comes back to bite you somewhere.

The captaincy is yet another area of concern. Shahid Afridi is a talent but also a clown! His disciplinary record is what the Aussies would call "pretty ordinary" and it stretches credulity to believe he will compete with Ricky Ponting on pure captaincy levels. He has been chosen to lead the side because he is the only option. His huge popularity back home gives the selectors some much-needed respite and false credence but his chances of recording a first Pakistani victory over Australia since 1996 are remote to say the least.

Australia are [2.0] to beat England in the 4th ODI on Wednesday.

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