Pakistan tour of Oz, Dec 8-Jan 26

[rich1uk]

as a neutral *cough cough* i am looking forward to this series

we saw how australia struggled against SA and that was even with SA losing steyn and having to play almost all of the first test with just three bowlers

australia made changes and won the dead rubber but still are very reliant on warner and smith

[Dr Cricket]

Hopefully pakistan do well since it might be one sided if they don't bat well.
not sure 250-300 will be enough like the coach is suggesting.
500 is really a must in Australia.
could be a very long tour for Pakistan even against an average aussie team.

[alfie]

Australia seem intent on permanently ending Cummins' career. If he's going to play in Test matches then he needs to have a full season of Shield cricket as a minimum to get his body ready for it.

It would be nice to see Cummins get through one Shield Match without breaking down , let alone a season...

Completely agree he should be brought along carefully - else he may end up like Tait : t20 only. He may anyway ; but with careful management a Test career might yet be possible. No need to rush him into the team at the first opportunity.

[alfie]

Pakistan spoiled an excellent recent record with a poor NZ tour. Will be interesting to see if they can bounce back in Australia.

I think they have the bowlers to cause Australia some problems ; and there are a number of very able batsmen provided they handle the local conditions - which to be honest have been fairly bland lately in any case. (Though the Pink Ball Test now is an added complication)

We've seen Pakistan teams underperform here in the past : this outfit seems more resilient under Misbah .

it certainly has the potential to be a very good series.

[Dr Cricket]

Pakistan bowling quite overrated.
They are quite poor bowlers.
It is saying something that apart from amir and possibly yasir but would choose the Indian spinners any day.
That the likes of shami, bk, yadav etc are better bowlers.
Pakistan seamer are quite slow, inaccurate and hardly threaten batsman.
Not sure I be scared of sohail Khan, Rahat Ali, imran Khan.
Amir can't do everything and wahab only really got pace and Pakistan haven't really got the stock bowlers to make use of him.

Batting is Pakistani like, not the strongest suit for Pakistan.
Think it is quite telling that quite a few Pakistani fans don't like the pace bowlers and think India got better seam bowlers.

[Dr Cricket]

Fantasy league for this is up now.

[Dr Cricket]

talking about players behaviour, yasir and wahab had a fight in practice.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v ... 72498.html

looks like pakistan are being pakistan again.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Aus are said to be unchanged. Mis and Yas back for Pakistan.

[backfootpunch]

To have any chance pakistan are going to have to catch the chances there seamers create

Especially Amir who has bowled well since returning but half the chances he creates are shelled

[rich1uk]

first day/night test at this ground, not sure how many sheffield shield games, if any, have been played on it

interested to see how the bit of extra pace and bounce brisbane has compared to adelaide will translate over the course of a day/night game

[Arthur Crabtree]

Cricinfo says Australia haven't lost at the Gabba for 27 Tests, since WI beat them in 88.

It'd be interesting to know if that's the longest home unbeaten run at a ground. That is, the most invulnerable fortress.

Pakistan haven't won a Test in Australia this century (to be fair, they haven't always been trying) and have lost the last nine.

[bigfluffylemon]

first day/night test at this ground, not sure how many sheffield shield games, if any, have been played on it

interested to see how the bit of extra pace and bounce brisbane has compared to adelaide will translate over the course of a day/night game

There have been two Shield games at Brisbane this season, one D/N.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/m ... 36373.html

Looks like some generous declarations there. Both teams did exactly what Australia got annoyed at Faf for doing, and declared sooner than expected to force their opponents to bat under lights. Interestingly, while the reports suggest that batting under lights was not easy, neither declaration really came off.

[bigfluffylemon]

Australia win the toss, and no surprises, elect to bat. They're unchanged from Adelaide.

[Arthur Crabtree]

For Pakistan:
1 Sami Aslam, 2 Azhar Ali, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Rahat Ali

[rich1uk]

going to be a weird fantasy league for this series as the same 4 players are in just about every team