First appeared on Bored Cricket Crazy Indians
Showing posts with label Mohammad Yousuf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mohammad Yousuf. Show all posts
November 09, 2010
August 20, 2010
Welcome back MoYo.
I like it when players come out of retirement. MoYo was sulking when he went away. Back at the Oval, he looked one with the universe of cricket again. This was his scene, he was the man, amongst his pre-pubescent teammates.
It’s when you reacquaint yourself with the minor quirks of a player that you realize how much you like the guy’s cricket – his nod to the non-striker, in a weird way, reminded me of Sachin’s nod to himself. Those crazy, black holes for eyes, where many a bowler's been lost.
His beard made me curious as always, and I realized it’s not as long as I make it in the toons – bit it’s still a caricature of a beard. But that’s MoYo, he’s been something a cartoon.
But can this cartoon play. From the defence, to the nod to the bowler, the few steps down, after one of those defensive blocks, and his movement across the crease. His communication with Azhar Ali, looked like he was shepherding a favourite nephew.
And then that cover drive, isn’t that why we want to watch MoYo? But the shot of the day, and you’d be lucky if you saw it, was MoYo waiting, waiting, waiting…playing the quick late, like he was a slow train coming, angled bat, fine, well past second slip, to third man for four. It had to be third man, for that’s where MoYo loves it.
If MoYo wasn’t so eccentric, we’d talk about his cricket more.
On Bored: Loads more on MoYo
It’s when you reacquaint yourself with the minor quirks of a player that you realize how much you like the guy’s cricket – his nod to the non-striker, in a weird way, reminded me of Sachin’s nod to himself. Those crazy, black holes for eyes, where many a bowler's been lost.
His beard made me curious as always, and I realized it’s not as long as I make it in the toons – bit it’s still a caricature of a beard. But that’s MoYo, he’s been something a cartoon.
But can this cartoon play. From the defence, to the nod to the bowler, the few steps down, after one of those defensive blocks, and his movement across the crease. His communication with Azhar Ali, looked like he was shepherding a favourite nephew.
And then that cover drive, isn’t that why we want to watch MoYo? But the shot of the day, and you’d be lucky if you saw it, was MoYo waiting, waiting, waiting…playing the quick late, like he was a slow train coming, angled bat, fine, well past second slip, to third man for four. It had to be third man, for that’s where MoYo loves it.
If MoYo wasn’t so eccentric, we’d talk about his cricket more.
On Bored: Loads more on MoYo
March 28, 2010
MoYo - wake me up before you go go!
Players like MoYo never retire. They are banned, ostracized. Often ignored, not picked from the team hotel for the game, but in spite of that, their thick skin endures them to life’s ruthless ways. When life settles, it unsettles them.
A captaincy can provoke such unsettlement in the extreme. Poor MoYo, he was all shook up by the captaincy. As I have said before, it is not easy captaining from third man, especially if you know you’re a third rate captain.
Also, as I have said before, he, like his co-conspirators, those spineless seniors, who collectively spat at the No. 3 position…but if it’s been said before, then why say it again?
Sunday afternoon, siesta time, to hell with MoYo. Let’s sleep on it. MoYo’s not going anywhere. He’ll be back with a new hairstyle.
On Bored: The many lives and times of MoYo
A captaincy can provoke such unsettlement in the extreme. Poor MoYo, he was all shook up by the captaincy. As I have said before, it is not easy captaining from third man, especially if you know you’re a third rate captain.
Also, as I have said before, he, like his co-conspirators, those spineless seniors, who collectively spat at the No. 3 position…but if it’s been said before, then why say it again?
Sunday afternoon, siesta time, to hell with MoYo. Let’s sleep on it. MoYo’s not going anywhere. He’ll be back with a new hairstyle.
On Bored: The many lives and times of MoYo
March 11, 2010
January 31, 2010
Over to Afridi
Left to himself, Afridi would like to play just the super over. And the IPL is one big Boom Boom super over, put him on a polygraph and the truth will out itself – “I’m confident, gimme the T20 or 20 balls and I will go Boom Boom – No thinking, just hitting, no thinking…”
Afridi is not alone, if you put others to the test, their love for T20 will come shining through, honestly. There is Rohit Sharma, who is forced to play Ranji, and then score a triple – can you imagine the torture – in the same time he could have played a few IPLs.
But Afridi is special. Today he plays yet another one day game, the fifth – string them together and five one day games make a test (and more) – no wonder he’s had a rough series. All along he’s been thinking, “I’m not confident, why are you giving me test when I want T20”
This is wrong: First you make MoYo captain, then Younis, ex-captain returns – and pressure too. Why have expectations when you have Afridi. Just let him play, but he can’t play as a follower, taking orders – if only there was the super sub rule, and he came and smashed the ball around for a few overs.
Now seeing as this is a post on Afridi It’s already way too long. 16 overs to go, kaptaan Shahid Bhai! Shahid Bhai! on next – life is a T20 again.
On Bored: Razzaqed (an attempt to unite India and Pakistan over cricket, again)
Afridi is not alone, if you put others to the test, their love for T20 will come shining through, honestly. There is Rohit Sharma, who is forced to play Ranji, and then score a triple – can you imagine the torture – in the same time he could have played a few IPLs.
But Afridi is special. Today he plays yet another one day game, the fifth – string them together and five one day games make a test (and more) – no wonder he’s had a rough series. All along he’s been thinking, “I’m not confident, why are you giving me test when I want T20”
This is wrong: First you make MoYo captain, then Younis, ex-captain returns – and pressure too. Why have expectations when you have Afridi. Just let him play, but he can’t play as a follower, taking orders – if only there was the super sub rule, and he came and smashed the ball around for a few overs.
Now seeing as this is a post on Afridi It’s already way too long. 16 overs to go, kaptaan Shahid Bhai! Shahid Bhai! on next – life is a T20 again.
On Bored: Razzaqed (an attempt to unite India and Pakistan over cricket, again)
December 29, 2009
The 2 Ys of Pak cricket
If they could, Pakistan would like to have Younis Khan in the side right now. Granted he’s not scored many this year, but then neither had Misbah. Also, Younis is far more cheerful; what does Misbah bring other than his MBA – suggest they call him MBAH and get over with it.
Anyway, looks like Younis should be in for the Sydney test; right now he’s at the airport – and this is the strange sequence of events, what happened when Younis and Yousuf tried to make contact.
Anyway, looks like Younis should be in for the Sydney test; right now he’s at the airport – and this is the strange sequence of events, what happened when Younis and Yousuf tried to make contact.
November 28, 2009
Sacrificial Goats.
Pakistan’s first three batsmen in batting order are Khurram Manzoor, Imran Farhat and Fawad Alam. Bet you’ve been following their careers all your life. Khurram and Fawad have played 9 tests between them, both made their debut this summer.
Imran Farhat has played 28 tests across 8 years. After Afridi, he’s the first proper T20 batsman to play test cricket.
In 6 test innings in the Dunedin test, these three batsmen had a bumper harvest of 67 runs between them.
In the absence of Younis Khan, none of the so called seniors cared to bat up the order. Instead they were scattered all over the place, waiting for the older ball.
Captain MoYo at four. Former captain Malik at six after that nineteen year old kid on debut, Umar Akmal.
Wait and watch, if Mohammad Aamer shows any more promise as a batsman, he could be earn himself a double promotion.
In the meantime, MoYo will lead from the middle.
On Bored: Pakistan Cricket Specials
Imran Farhat has played 28 tests across 8 years. After Afridi, he’s the first proper T20 batsman to play test cricket.
In 6 test innings in the Dunedin test, these three batsmen had a bumper harvest of 67 runs between them.
In the absence of Younis Khan, none of the so called seniors cared to bat up the order. Instead they were scattered all over the place, waiting for the older ball.
Captain MoYo at four. Former captain Malik at six after that nineteen year old kid on debut, Umar Akmal.
Wait and watch, if Mohammad Aamer shows any more promise as a batsman, he could be earn himself a double promotion.
In the meantime, MoYo will lead from the middle.
On Bored: Pakistan Cricket Specials
November 11, 2009
A third rate captain.
I have watched Mohammad Yousuf closely, last time round in Delhi, he fielded under my nose. At third man. Third man is MoYo’s favourite place in the whole world. It is here that he’s one with himself, far from the madding crowds of team bonhomie, backslapping, hair ruffling, feelings, feeling.
When a wicket fell, no less than an Indian wicket that, after the mercurial Shoaib Akhtar ran a mile to bowl, MoYo didn’t budge an inch, forget drag his heals a few metres to the middle.
Instead he turned on his heal, turned his back to the boys, got lost in some future ICL thoughts.
Now MoYo is to be captain for a full test series. Never mind he says – I will captain from third man. This way, I don’t need to hurl annoying instructions that captains…he stops mid sentence, sensing an effort .
From third man there will be no such problems. Bowlers will bowl, appeal, change ends. Yes, that’s another thing, no appealing either. “I will not raise a finger, not in appeal, not at anyone, I want peace”
And what about the change of ends after every over – surely MoYo will not walk a few paces to mid on - that would be much too close to his teammates or cross over to the other side again (just to be in his safe house, third man)
MoYo languidly strokes his beard, and replies somewhat sternly, “I cannot afford to remain there and have a long on…I am not a defensive captain...I plan to go off the field every alternate over and give some youngster an opportunity to play for Pakistan”
On Bored: Vettori to captain Pakistan
When a wicket fell, no less than an Indian wicket that, after the mercurial Shoaib Akhtar ran a mile to bowl, MoYo didn’t budge an inch, forget drag his heals a few metres to the middle.
Instead he turned on his heal, turned his back to the boys, got lost in some future ICL thoughts.
Now MoYo is to be captain for a full test series. Never mind he says – I will captain from third man. This way, I don’t need to hurl annoying instructions that captains…he stops mid sentence, sensing an effort .
From third man there will be no such problems. Bowlers will bowl, appeal, change ends. Yes, that’s another thing, no appealing either. “I will not raise a finger, not in appeal, not at anyone, I want peace”
And what about the change of ends after every over – surely MoYo will not walk a few paces to mid on - that would be much too close to his teammates or cross over to the other side again (just to be in his safe house, third man)
MoYo languidly strokes his beard, and replies somewhat sternly, “I cannot afford to remain there and have a long on…I am not a defensive captain...I plan to go off the field every alternate over and give some youngster an opportunity to play for Pakistan”
On Bored: Vettori to captain Pakistan
November 10, 2009
Aamer is actually seventeen.
Unlike Boom Boom Afridi who isn’t seventeen. Boom Boom plays like he’s seventeen, Aamer on the other hand, plays with the concern of an older man, someone MoYo’s age – MoYo of course didn’t play today.
When the chase was on in earnest, the importance wasn’t lost on the Pak players.
They were frozen in time – approx the time they lost it personally.
However MoYo looked miffed as he played with his beard. Word is the ICL will call him later tonight. Of course he won’t get a game there either.
But these are trivial pursuits, young Aamer, who goes by two names, one on his jersey, the other on the TV, was so cool, he deserves to break more records – I recommend he bat even lower than 10, and break the highest score by a No. 11 batsman.
Also thanks Aamer, from India, for helping us remember one Douglas Marillier, who until today had a world record to his name.
The record’s gone but the memories fresh. And if it isn’t, what do you think they made scorecards for?
When the chase was on in earnest, the importance wasn’t lost on the Pak players.
They were frozen in time – approx the time they lost it personally.
However MoYo looked miffed as he played with his beard. Word is the ICL will call him later tonight. Of course he won’t get a game there either.
But these are trivial pursuits, young Aamer, who goes by two names, one on his jersey, the other on the TV, was so cool, he deserves to break more records – I recommend he bat even lower than 10, and break the highest score by a No. 11 batsman.
Also thanks Aamer, from India, for helping us remember one Douglas Marillier, who until today had a world record to his name.
The record’s gone but the memories fresh. And if it isn’t, what do you think they made scorecards for?
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