Bowlers meeting expectations of nation: Misbah

Saturday, 15 November 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, credited his side’s bowlers following their 248-run victory against New Zealand in the first Test in Abu Dhabi. The victory was Pakistan’s third successive one in the UAE and came soon after they had thumped Australia 2-0. The most experienced bowler in Pakistan’s line-up was Mohammad Hafeez, and the most experienced specialist bowler was Rahat Ali, who was playing his ninth Test. Misbah said it was commendable that a largely inexperienced attack had thrived on surfaces where more experienced bowlers had struggled.

“The kind of conditions we are getting, the world-class bowlers are struggling but these youngsters are living up to the expectations of the team, me and the whole nation,” Misbah said. “They are getting 20 wickets every match. So that’s a really big achievement for them. “You can’t say these are spinning tracks and that’s why we are getting wickets. The fast bowlers are really chipping in and they are doing a wonderful job. These are the same pitches where the top-class bowlers are struggling.” Misbah praised left-arm fast bowler Rahat Ali, who finished with a six-wicket haul in the game. Rahat’s 4 for 22 in the first innings was vital to keeping New Zealand to 262 and came after he had taken only four wickets in the series against Australia. The win made Misbah Pakistan’s most successful Test captain and he said he was honoured to be in the company of legendary cricketers like Imran Khan and Javed Miandad. “It sounds great, because you could say the names - Imran Khan, Javed Miandad those are the greats of Pakistan. But if I am at the top, it’s something I could not really think of,” Misbah said. “It’s great to know that. I am happy about that.” Despite the huge margin of victory, Misbah refused to call it an easy win and said he was mostly happy because the team had not squandered momentum from the 2-0 series win against Australia. “I think overall nothing is easy but it looked easy at the end. But you could say the team really played well, every individual held on to his responsibility and we stuck to our basics. We performed really well, like we performed against Australia, so we just kept that momentum and those performances intact. That was the key for us - that at the end, it looked easy. But nothing is easy in life and especially in cricket.”

Pakistan to appeal for Amir but not for Butt, Asif

Reuters: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will seek relaxation for fast bowler Mohammad Amir under the revised anti-corruption code of the International Cricket Council (ICC) but has ruled out appealing for Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif. PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said the board wile file an appeal with the ICC within a week for the 22-year-old Amir. “Our legal department is preparing the documents to file in Amir’s case but at present we have no plans to do the same for Salman Butt or Asif,” Khan told reporters in Lahore on Thursday. Former captain Butt, Asif and Amir were all banned for spot-fixing during the Pakistan team’s tour of England in 2010. The spot-fixing took place during the fourth test at Lord’s. The trio, who also served jail sentences in the United Kingdom, have been given minimum five year bans by the anti-corruption tribunal of the ICC but while the ban for Butt and Amir ends in August, the former also has been given a two-year suspended sentence. “Amir’s case is different from those of Butt and Asif. These two have still not really accepted their guilt. We want them to do more first to convince us they are repentant,” Khan said. “First they convince us they want to reform themselves and then we will decide when to approach the ICC.” He said Amir had co-operated with the PCB and ICC in reforming himself. Khan, however, ruled out an immediate return for Amir to competitive cricket. “It is a process under the new anti-corruption code and it will take time. Only the ACSU can give relaxation to a banned player,” he said. Under the revised code, a banned player can apply to ICC’s ACSU to allow him to resume playing domestic cricket before the end of his ban. Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria is also serving a life ban for spot-fixing since 2012.