Managers upset at spinners' ineffectiveness

Faisalabad, Dec 1: The Pakistan team management were left scratching their heads after the decision to play three spinners also failed to make things work for them.

The Pakistan team was criticized for not going into the Lahore Test with full force. Pakistan played two spinners and two spin-allrounders in Shahid Afridi and Qaisar Abbas in a high scoring draw.

But the worst possible thing that could happen to the Pakistan team is that it has run out of options for the third Test which starts in Karachi from Dec 7.

"Frankly speaking we have no idea what type of surface should be prepared for the third Test. Not only that, we don't know which players we should put in because all have been average," a team official said on the condition of anonymity.

"At this time when the final test is just round the corner, we can't have a hard and bouncy pitch at Karachi because that would be more favourable to the tourists than to us.

"All the concerned with the team are bewildered because we understand that it will be a shame if we can't win a home series against a team which is currently low ranked and is not as formidable as ours."

According to the rating released on Friday, Pakistan are third with 1061 points while England are fifth with 1048 points. Australia lead the ratings with 1168 points and followed up by South Africa with 1138 points.

Pakistan's hopes to devastate England on a spinning track backfired though Muttiah Muralitharan captured 28 wickets in the last series played here 10 months ago.

While the groundsmen will have to hope for a miracle which could save their jobs, the cricket administrators had started pointing fingers at some of the leading cricketers, including former captain Wasim Akram.

The unanimous view of the cricket administrators, including those who would certainly be unaware when Pakistan got the Test status, that some of the frontline players were spent forces.

"If we have to play to draw a Test or lose it, why play these super stars. Why not project and give experience to the youngsters who will serve the country in years to come," another PCB official, requesting not to be named, said.

Ramiz Raja, former Pakistan captain and one of the five members on the advisory panel, said the problem the home team has faced in this series is that they have not got the wickets to their likings.

"The wicket is turning but very slowly. The ball is not bouncing which could rattle the batsmen and encourage the spinners," he remarked.

Pakistan coach Javed Miandad put his weight behind the team and said there was no need to press the panic button. "It is not the first time that two Tests of a three-match series have ended in draws. All the four Tests against India 11 years ago failed to produce results.

"The problem is that the wicket is ditching everyone. The surface was as alien to England as it was to us at Lahore and now in Faisalabad. Besides, we should also admit that we have not played cricket to the best of our abilities and England have fared well on this tour and played out of their skins.

"By condemning Pakistan's performance, you are belittling England's efforts," Miandad said.

Whatever justifications and explanations Ramiz and Javed may give, the fact is that the Pakistan team has lost all its options in this series.