Pakistan vs Ireland Preview

This is what happened on 17-03-2007 in Jamaica.


To avoid any such incident we need to learn from Sri Lankan game today, in which, so far Irish have really troubled Lankans.


Watch out for Irish pace traps

Pakistani team should really really watch out for Irish pace, they bowl very slow and very straight, that's almost the bottom line. The key, in my view, is to forget about hitting sixes and slogs, play orthodox cricket and aim for most of your runs behind the wicket into the gaps.

The whole Sri-Lankan innings produced 1 Six and about 6 dissmissals trying to hit a SIX. Jayawaredene only adaopted to the Irish tricky pace and managed to do well before falling to a sixer attempt.

They loop the ball and they ball it real slow. Don't get early into your shots, or you will put it high up in the air and don't play cross for avoiding LBW. Waiting for the ball and behind the wicket shots are the best option, inside out scoops over mid off can also be fruitful.

Another way to approach Irish pace is to hold back your shots, play as much on the back foot as possible don't commit to front foot and force shots as they did in 2007, committing early into the shots, failing to wait for ball, reaching out to it and in doing that playing away from the body and while doing that edging simple catches to O,Brien.



Specifically while playing Irish bowlers, look out for ...

McCallan:
I rate him as the most dangerous of the lot. Loops the ball a lot, doesn't spin much, very hard to hit for sixes, try to use the slow pace of ball to place into gaps for fours, slogs have a high risk of being caught, watch out for caught-n-bowled dismissals if you try too much for his pace. He bowls wicket to wicket so unless you are confident about sweep shots as much as Younis Khan avoid sweeping for the risk of LBW or popping ball in air.

Learn how Jayawardene tried slogging in early period of his innings (and repeated full force pulls landed inside the boundary because of slowness of pace) before understanding the slow Irish pace and opting for cheeky cuts and angles behind point and square for fours.

Both LPC Silva and Jaysuriya fell to McCallan, although Silva's dismissal ball was a bit faster but the problem still was pace and consistent attempts of hitting a six.

West, O'Brien:
Doesn't spin, doesn't vary too much pace, balls around 60-70 MPH, tries occassional quicker delivery can be considered easiest of the Irish bowling lot.

Cusack & Jhonston:
Fastest of the lot, but still medium pace, opening pair of bowlers. Bowls around 70-75 MPH. Cusack took out Mubarak and Jayawardene when he took ball from very very slow bowlers and batsmen failed to adjust to change in pace.

When Pakistani team bowls there isn't much to learn from previous experience as most of the bowlers except Gul are different this time and Gul himself was quite inexperienced in 2007. From Sri Lankan game observation, Irish had real difficult time picking Mendis and Murali, so Ajmal's dosras and Afridi's dippers would be vital when spinners come along. For the pace attack if Amir can bowl inswingers to left handers he has a chance of getting LBW decisions or clean bowled wickets and on the other hand Razzaq, because of his medium pace and swing experience, should aim to swing away and get wickets caught behind with keeper or slips.

Gul will be the key again, Irish really struggled against Malinga's pace and yorkers, whereas they were happier with Kulasekara's pace and line, as compared. Gul's piercing yorkers can definitely take a few wickets same as Malinga's did. In case early seemers and spinners face problems it might be important to Gul bring before Over No. 12.

Portfield & O'Brein:
Very strong outside off, tend to hit the ball on the rise. O'Brien has the tendency to get on one knee and play drives over cover and around mid-off. For Irish openers try Razzaq with the ball that moves away from left handers and place one slip and one fine gully. Portfield, with an off-side packed field, has the tendency to walk across and slog over leg side so either bring in long leg and push out mid wicket or ball real tight on off stump.

Rest of Irish batting looked very shaky and confused playing with no footwork, effort or power. With the Pakistani pace attack Irish batting shouldn't be a concern, however, considering Pakistani batting Irish bowling can be considered very dangerous unless they adapt to it early on and avoid slogging.

Lets see how it goes.