Play against the Pakistan cricket team and become an unexpected hero!
If you are a cricketer and the selectors are looking out for ways to kick you out of the side, just pray to God that you get a test match, a one-day international or a T20 against Pakistan and your life will definitely change. The Pakistan cricket team has a knack for helping out-of-favour players to gain the trust of their selectors and of turning even the most unlikely of cricketers into heroes.
Pakistan’s act of career making isn’t new as it has been around for quite some time. There used to be a fast bowler by the name of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Joel-Garner-c67141, Michael Holding and Andy Roberts. He was selected to play for the Pakistan tour in 1981 and ended the series with 14 Test wickets at 17.28. His career was cut short by a controversy that was a result of his own actions, but had he not been involved in it, he would surely have become a great in the Caribbean.
Phil Simmons was not an all rounder in his initial days as a cricketer. Yet a chance encounter with Pakistan made him emerge as one of the best batting all-rounder’s in the world. During the World Series in 1992, he managed to achieve the magical figures of 10 overs, 8 maidens, 4 wickets for 3 runs against the world champions, and from there onwards, he went onto take as many as 83 wickets in one-day internationals.
No one has heard of Anthony Stuart, yet Pakistan helped him become a hero when they toured Australia in 1996. He had played 2 matches before taking a hat-trick against Pakistan. He never got a chance to play for Australia ever again, yet he will go down in the history of cricket as a bowler with a one-day hat-trick to his name.
Indian fast bowler http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 are not enjoying a healthy bilateral relationship!
Similarly, Australia’s Michael Hussey was on the verge of being dropped for his wretched test form when Pakistan toured http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314;s bowling, who failed to hold on to any of them. The result was simple - Hussey scored a match-winning century against Pakistan, and Australia went onto win the final match of the T20 World Cup by hitting Saeed Ajmal for 22 runs in the final over of the match.
Australia was in search of a genuine spin bowler who could take the place in the side left by Shane Warne’s retirement. They didn’t have to look far because Pakistan gave them Nathan Hauritz who hasn’t looked threatening against any side, except Pakistan. He took as many as 18 wickets against them after opener Salman Butt referred to him as mediocre, ahead of the test series.
Moving onto the ongoing Pakistan - Australia series in England, the visitors had Ben Hilfenhaus making a comeback to the side from injury. He did bowl a few good overs but the way he batted was something that can be termed as phenomenal. Hilfenhaus scored his maiden Test fifty while debutant Tim Paine missed his by 3 runs, and the two are likely to stay in the side for a long time, based on these performances.
But the biggest benefactor of the match was Marcus North who has been on the critics’ radar for some time for not doing much with the bat. In the Lord’s test, he managed to spin a web against the Pakistani batsmen and finished with career best figures of six wickets for 55 runs. He will forever remain indebted to the Pakistanis who continue to lose matches, yet make heroes out of cricketers who need the help!
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