Experienced Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq believes Australia’s aura has diminished after losing the fear factor of the bowling attack which dominated world cricket.
Misbah says while Australia remain formidable foes at home, their much-changed bowling line-up is a far cry from the Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath-fuelled attack of the past.
Australia go into the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan at the MCG off some indifferent form in their victorious series against the West Indies, as well as skipper Ricky Ponting battling for full fitness after an elbow injury.
But Misbah believes pivotal to the series could be Australia’s bowling, which he believes has a way to go to measure up to the legends who have gone before.
“If you look at the standard of the bowling it’s really changed. At one time they had four frontline bowlers, all great bowlers, match-winners,” Misbah said.
“Now it’s a bit changed. They don’t have Warne especially. He was one of the legends of spin bowling.
“So Australia is suffering a bit of a problem in their bowling, but they’re still a good team.
“You still have to work hard and you have to play well to play against them.”
He believes the Aussies still pose a difficult task for a young Pakistan side, with or without Ponting.
“However they are playing, however they are performing, they are giving really tough competition to the team (they are playing against),” Misbah said.
“In their own conditions here in Australia they are really tough to beat.
“You have to play really well to compete with Australia in Australia. We have to play good cricket.”
Misbah was a late call-up to the Pakistan squad for the recent series against New Zealand, replacing former skipper Younus Khan who stood down from the tour citing poor form.
Misbah said the Pakistan team had responded well to replacement skipper Mohammad Yousuf.
“Mohammad Yousuf is the leading run-getter and a senior player so everyone respects him,” Misbah said.
“The batsmen and bowlers are just looking to their own job and to play as a team. It’s not an issue to any of the players that the captaincy has been changed.”
Pakistan trained at the MCG on Wednesday.
They are coming off a drawn Test series against New Zealand.
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Jameswm said | December 24th 2009 @ 7:26am | Report comment
Honestly, I’m a bit over all these international players talking about Australia losing its aura.
It’s a bit like the All Blacks in the last 10 years. Everyone talks about them losing their aura, but they seem to keep winning. I think the more people feel the need to say these teams have lost their aura, the more it suggests they still have it.
Give it 3-4 years when Johnson, Hilfy and Siddle are established, and Josh Heazlewood, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson are knocking the fast bowling door down. Add in Bollie (only 28 but it feels like he’s been around for ages), and I’d say our fast bowling stocks are strong.
whiteline said | December 24th 2009 @ 8:29am | Report comment
I think they may have done the same thing when Chappell, Lillee and Marsh all bailed out. It seemed to take years before the media stopped talking about that!!
Mushi said | December 24th 2009 @ 9:35am | Report comment
I thought our world class bowling attack left man many moons ago?
Is Misbah-ul-Haq that slow on the uptake that it’s taken two years and three lost series for him to cotton on that Warne is in the commentary box not the first 11?
Next thing he’s going to warn us about the Y2k bug.
Rabbitz said | December 24th 2009 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
Thanks Captain Obvious!!!!!!!
Sheesh can’t they dream up a better press release than that?
Ian Whitchurch said | December 24th 2009 @ 4:04pm | Report comment
Jameswm,
In the immortal words of Jack Lang, you can lie to the Caucus and you can lie to the press, but you can never ever ever lie to yourself.
Johnson is Australia’s very own Steve Harmison. Siddle, Hilfenhaus and Bollinger are useful triers.
Note that you don’t mention slow bowlers at all, because Australia is as weak in these as it has ever been.
Australia are winning Test matches, yes, but part of that is that everyone else has got worse as well as the greats of a golden era for cricket are either retiring or on the downslope.
vinay verma said | December 24th 2009 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
Ian “bengal Tiger”Whitchurch,you are selling the other teams short including B’desh. Sri lanka,B’desh,India and South Africa are the big improvers so I cant agree with “every one else has got worse..” The four mentioned here have never been stronger.
jameswm said | December 24th 2009 @ 7:55pm | Report comment
Ian
McGrath was a useful trier when he started too. Ditto Gillespie. I said in 3-4 years.
Roebuck who is notoriously tough on the Aussies picked Johnson in his test team of the year. South Africa couldn’t handle him. At his worst he picks up wickets but goes for a few. At his best he creams the opposition. Harmy was a sensation when on remember.
If you’re in fact telling us what Johnson will do for the next 3-4 years, can you please use the same crystal ball to tell me who will win the Melbourne Cup next year?
I disagree that Australia is as weak in slow bowling stocks as it’s ever been. Funky Miller was our frontline spinner for some time, ditto Tim May. Jim Higgs. Tony Mann. Warne was the exception.
Ian Whitchurch said | December 26th 2009 @ 11:43pm | Report comment
Jameswm,
I’ll back Fasta Sleep, Tim May, Jim Higgs or Ashley Mallett over what passes for Australia’s slow bowling “attack” any day of the week. Hmm, better add Greg Matthews to that list. Or that offie who cleaned up India in India … what’s his name. Oh thats right. Micheal Clarke.
Oh thats right, Clarke’s in the team. But his captain’s an incompetant lazy shit who is incapable of anything else other than picking betwen bowling McGrath or Warne, and is lost at sea with mere mortals, and therefore wont bowl him.
Fuck it. Offer Enamul Haque Jr a five-year contract with Tasmania then a passport and a baggy green cap. It worked for Kepler Wessells, and it’s not like Enamul can get a first-run gig with the Tiges anyway (yeah, thats right. Bangladesh’s third-string, maybe fourth-string slow bowler is better than Autralia’s best).
Vinay,
No. India have a great top seven but were better when Srinath led their attack. Likewise, South Africa lack a cutting edge – if you look for the White Lightning, he’s just not there, and Ntini is a trier. Sri Lanka, likewise – Murali appears past it, and believe it or not they’ve dropped Vaas. As for the Tiges … this is better than we’ve had, but much as I love them we’ll count the marbles in six months, ok ?
Justin said | December 27th 2009 @ 8:38am | Report comment
Surely you realise Clarke has a dodgy back and can’t bowl???