Ajmal Versus Swann: the Best ODI Bowler Debate

Call it the old Pakistani habit of biting more than what one can eat, Saeed Ajmal, the supposed best Pakistani bowler in the ODI format at the moment has gone on to verbally challenge the ace English off spin bowler, saying that he is on the verge of replacing the English spinning revelation in the forthcoming season. While some purists might say that a bit of tussle for the top spinner's slot, particularly in the ODI format, might be good since the spinners have been reduced to fill-up bowlers in a game that has become unreasonably inclined towards the batsmen. However, it should also be seen as an act of desperation by Saeed Ajmal since he has simply failed to get the attention of the global cricketing fraternity though it should be said that Ajmal is quite a good bowler in his own respect but fails to impress as much as the guile induced by Swann. Some experts would say that saying such things were a bit uncalled for by Ajmal but then again, apart from engaging the attention of the cricketing media through such measures, Ajmal stands little chance of adding to his reputation in world cricket which is also partially because of increasing depreciation with which performances of the Pakistani cricket team is looked upon. 

MY VERDICT? I seriously doubt that Ajmal has what it will take to displace Swann from his pedestal. He just isn't as tricky and cannot float the ball in the air like Swann does.

Pakistan may have the answers to the Aussie Challenge

The first test match between Australia and Pakistan is upon us and to me, it seems that Pakistan does have the resources to beat Australia in the Aussie backyard. For starters, their bowling line-up is the most penetrative, even more than that of South Africa and marginally better balanced that Australia’s bowling resources. Pakistan bowling has benefited from the return of some former players who had wandered away into the ICL and those who have made decent comebacks. With Mohammed Sami being added to the mix of Mohammed Asif, Umar Gul and Sohail Tanveer, along with the every-improving Mohammed Aamer, Pakistan’s arsenal is varied and penetrative if you consider that Saeed Ajmal is a very decent off-spinner. It should be noted that Australia would be missing the services of an injured Ponting and Michael Clarke too may not play all the matches. These are unarguably two of their best spin counterattacking batsmen and without them, the side would have to come to terms with the guile of Ajmal. The big concern lies with Pakistan's unreliable batting line-up that is known to crumble at the slightest hint of sustained, short-pitched bowling. None of their openers has overseas credibility and with Younis Khan unavailable due to some strange personal issues, the middle-order is very vulnerable to collapsing within 70-80 overs. With Peter Siddle and Bollinger in top bowling form, it would be difficult for the sub-continental batsmen to keep the balls out of their rib-cages and none of them are decent pullers of the short ball.

To some extent, the fact that Pakistan are coming off from a decent tour of New Zealand should help them get quickly familiarized with the kind of bowling that awaits them but then, the Kiwi bowling attack doesn’t match the Aussie bench in terms of pure aggression and horse-power. Still if one chooses to be optimistic, Pakistan's bowling alone can win them the series, provided internal issues are sidelined and cricket becomes the only focus for the team… otherwise, we are all too familiar with how crazy things can go with this team but yes, their uncertainty may well become their biggest weapon.

Kiwis just cannot handle Pak bowlers

The final of the three test match series between Pakistan and the Kiwis is underway and it is very clear that no matter how little the Pakistani batsmen will score, their bowlers can always pull the game back, courtesy the poor batting on display by the Kiwi batsmen. It is not just the spin of Saeed Ajmal or Kaneria that they are struggling against, nearly every Pakistani bowler has got his number on a Kiwi batsmen.
Vettori must be scratching his head, trying to find at least two batsmen to bat at the top of the order who can at least play out a session without giving the jeepers to the men in the dressing room. What is amazing is that these are the kind of pitches that the Kiwis have been brought up on and yet, their footwork against swing bowling is almost non-existent. All of them are happy to be perched on the backfoot, waiting for the ball to swing and do something before they commit themselves to a stroke and by the time they do so, their stumps are shattered or they are caught plumb, in front of the wicket. As things stand now, it is again up to the latter half of the lower-middle order of New Zealand to somehow bail out the team, as the top-order has crumbled to Kaneria who has been absent from the wicket-taking scene for some time. Asif first and now Kaneria, it is like a comeback season for the Pak bowlers against suspect, under-par Kiwi batsmen.