Tampa Bay on Friday following a demoralizing road trip | Forum
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Sep 13 '18
Sometime during Pakistans first full day in New Zealand, some of the players might have turned on the television to watch Australias fourth innings in Perth. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys . They will have seen Kagiso Rabada doing what he does. And beyond the admiration for his skills, there will have been envy - what Pakistan would give to have their own Rabada right now - followed by a sigh, because they would remember, more than most, that it wasnt long ago that Pakistan seemed to hold the trademark on young speed demons.Last month Bangladeshs Mehedi Hasan became only the 13th player to take a Test five-for before his 19th birthday. Of the previous 12, six were Pakistanis, four of them fast bowlers. And that list doesnt even include the likes of Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Zahid and Shoaib Akhtar, all of whom managed the feat in their early 20s.It is in this context that the supposed current travails of Pakistani fast bowling are measured. Of the five quick bowlers Pakistan have taken to New Zealand (Mohammad Amir, Imran Khan, Rahat Ali, Sohail Khan and Wahab Riaz), and will most likely retain for the Australia leg of the tour, only one is under the age of 28 - Amir, who has already lived a life far more eventful than most people his age have done.The tours to New Zealand and Australia are significant - perhaps the biggest since, well, this summers trip to England. And despite the players protestations about how the Tests in New Zealand are likely to be more difficult than those across the Tasman Sea, its obvious where their legacies will be defined.Pakistan havent lost a Test series to New Zealand in 30 years, while their two wins in Australia since 1980 came in dead rubbers after they lost the series. The tour to Australia is how ex-players define how hard Test cricket is. They tell stories, of big, hairy men, ready to kill them at a moments notice.Pakistan will go to Australia for the first time in 17 years with a realistic chance of returning victorious. But, perhaps for the first time in living memory, their worries are primarily over their fast bowling. Its an odd feeling for a Pakistan fan. Decades of experience tell them that it will be up to the teams batsmen and spinners to ensure that the fast bowlers efforts wont be in vain. And while over the last six years this team has busted one Pakistani myth after another, it would appear that their brand of spin-heavy control cricket might finally come undone down under.Twenty months after Wahab became a household name, 11 months after Amir made his return to the national side, the concern for Pakistan fans, and their captain, remains with the fast-bowling unit. This isnt what the script promised.There are a lot of reasons for why Pakistan find themselves in this situation. As always, the finger-pointing goes back to domestic cricket, where a combination of helpful pitches, substandard balls, and the fact that the cricket season is in the winter end up helping medium-pacers and discouraging old-school Pakistani fast bowling. The result is that in the current season of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, there are as many as ten medium-pacers who have taken over a dozen wickets at under 20.Then you have to consider the nostalgia bias - far more prevalent than any recency bias - that affects the Pakistani cricket fraternity. If they are to be believed, there were a dozen or so fast bowlers in the 90s who would have all been world-class if given enough of a chance (usually stated as: If Wasim and Waqar hadnt destroyed their careers). Yet the numbers dont bear that out. During Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis golden period - 1990 to 2003 - the other quick bowlers (those who took at least 20 wickets) combined to average 34 with the ball. Thats what the current five fast bowlers achieve - mostly in less helpful conditions.And thats the crux of the issue really. The myths that feed Pakistani exceptionalism might proclaim otherwise, but has there ever been that much depth? Right now Pakistan are operating with what should have been their second-string attack. Is this attacks performance any worse than those achieved by second-string attacks in the past? And are these bowlers as bad as is being suggested? Not really.Amir still doesnt have a full season under his belt; Rahat performs a very specific role, which he has nearly always succeeded at; Imran and Sohail, in helpful conditions, have delivered repeatedly. And Wahab is far better than his critics suggest. For all his proclivity to being smashed around like a drum, only four bowlers who have taken over 30 wickets in Asia over the last decade have had a better average than him.For all their limitations, the West Indies series, where they supposedly failed to turn up, was an exception rather than the rule for these bowlers. For six years they have operated mostly in unhelpful conditions and delivered more often than not.But as always, the thoughts turn to the what-ifs and the potential. Thats why the young speed demon will always be favoured, for his promise makes even his possible ineffectiveness worth it.In that ideal world, Pakistan would have gone on this tour with an ageing Asif ready to say his goodbyes, having spent six years tutoring Amir and a Junaid Khan who wasnt made of papier-maché. With Wahab ready to bowl on tracks that suit his style of bluster, Pakistan would have started the New Zealand series with fast bowling their strength rather than their supposed weakness.In the real world, though, Pakistan have travelled to the southern hemisphere with five pacers, all with question marks over them, wanting to change history. They may be able to affect what will happen, but theyll never change what has already gone by. And that, it would seem, will never be good enough. NFL Jerseys China . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.wholesalenikenfljerseys.com/ . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The Columbus Blue Jackets made John Tortorella sweat a little for his 500th NHL victory.Columbus squandered leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in the third period before Seth Jones scored 46 seconds into overtime Sunday to lift the Blue Jacked to a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 for their ninth straight win.Tortorella became the first U.S.-born coach to reach 500 victories, and while he downplayed the accomplishment, Columbus captain Nick Foligno said it was a special moment when he handed the 58-year-old the game puck in a boisterous locker room.He says it doesnt mean [anything], but its a lot of wins, Foligno said. Hes gone through a roller-coaster of a career ... going through so many things. Were really happy to have him at the helm here. Hes really helped push this group forward. Really gratifying for all the guys to see him get that.Brandon Saad had two goals and Cam Atkinson added a goal and an assist for Columbus. Alexander Wennberg had two assists and Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 14 saves for his league-leading 19th win.Tortorella, who took over seven games into last season, has the Blue Jackets firing on all cylinders a third of the way through 2016-17 with points in 11 straight (10-0-1) to sit in the mix near the top of the powerhouse Metropolitan Division.I have been so privileged to have the opportunity to coach as many games as I have in the league, Tortorella said after becoming the 24th coach in NHL history to reach 500 wins. To get this opportunity with this club when there are so many other people dying to get in, thats what Im so grateful for. Not numbers, just having the opportunity.It looked like Tortorella might not get this opportunity after one forgettable season with the Canucks in 2013-14, a campaign that saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008.The fiery Boston native got off to a good start in Vancouver, but things quickly started to unravel. Tortorella was involved in an ugly incident where he attempted to charge into the Calgary Flames locker-room, and he also benched star goalie Roberto Luongo for the showcase Heritage Classic game, a move that ultimately led to the netminders trade to the Florida Panthers.It makes no difference, quite honestly, Tortorella said when asked if getting to 500 against the Canucks meant more. Coming here is fun for me because I have a lot of friends here. You guys may think that He wants to get back at them. Thats not the way I am thinking. Its a tremendous city, the people always treated me wwell. Wholesale NFL Jerseys. Brandon Sutter, Daniel Sedin and Jannik Hansen scored for Vancouver, while Ryan Miller stopped 21 shots.Jones scored his fifth of the season on a 2-on-1 break with Atkinson in the extra period after Vancouvers Ben Hutton hit the post at the other end. Jones was actually caught up the ice after his stick flew into the Canucks bench and he seemed to have to battle to pry it loose.I knew Cam was going to make a great play, Jones said. I didnt know if he was going to shoot or not so I just went to the net with my stick down.The Canucks trailed 2-0 after two periods before getting on the board when Sutter scored his ninth of the season on a power play, and third goal in as many games, at 2:51 of the third.Vancouver, which picked up a much-needed 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay on Friday following a demoralizing road trip, then tied it when Daniel Sedins slap shot from well out deflected off Columbus defenseman Jack Johnsons skate and past a surprised Bobrovsky at 7:42.The Blue Jackets retook the lead with 4:39 left in regulation when Saad scored his second of the game on a nice feed from Wennberg, but Hansen tied it on a shot that went off Columbus defenseman Ryan Murray with 1:09 left.We found a way to get back in the third, not once but twice, said Hansen. We had an opportunity in overtime as well. Those little margins are whether or not you get two points.The Blue Jackets top-ranked power play went to work in the second. Atkinson scored his 11th goal of the season on a rebound off a point shot from Zach Werenski at 1:10 with Vancouver defenseman Luca Sbisa off for interference.Sbisa was then whistled for slashing midway through the period, and Columbus, which entered play clicking at 25.9 percent with the man advantage, made Vancouver pay when Scott Hartnell fed a no-look, cross-crease pass to Saad at the side of the net for his 10th with 6:42 left.He was pretty heated. We made him sweat for that win, but it was nice to be able to get that for him, Foligno said of Tortorella. Hes grown a lot as a coach and as a person. Nice to see him get rewarded.Game notes The Canucks announced Sunday that D Erik Gudbranson will undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his wrist. 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