THE agony is finally over. We should thank the Australians for having done the job in a hurry, for, indeed, there was no point in prolonging the misery. Come to think of it, the Australians batted four times during the entire series, while Pakistan had to slug it out six times. I have never been a keen follower of statistics, but the kind of pathetic display Pakistan produced during the latest Test series can only be highlighted through cold undeniable figures. I have worked out a few to underscore the widening gulf between Australia and other sides in world cricket. Here they are:
In their four outings during the series the Australians consumed 377.2 overs, scoring 1,348 runs. In contrast, Pakistan consumed 355 overs in their six innings, scoring a total of 1,089 runs. In simple terms, an Australian innings during the series lasted on an average 94.3 overs, while a Pakistan innings lasted just 59.1 overs.
Also, it means that, on an average, the Australians scored 337 runs per innings during the series as compared to a paltry 181 runs managed by the Pakistanis — a per-innings deficit of 156 runs. Compare the two totals, and you will see that Pakistan scored 259 runs less than the Australians during the series even though they batted two times more than the Australians. This means that Pakistan could have played almost two more times before matching the Australian accumulation.
And now the most telling statistic of them all. I had mentioned it in my last column as well that the first Test in Colombo entered the fifth day only because the post-Tea session was wiped out almost completely on each of the first four days. The second Test also ended inside two days, and the third Test entered the fourth, but just, and it happened because bad light had interrupted play during the first three days. In all, 732.2 overs were bowled during the series by both sides. Going by the official requirement of 90 overs per day, it would have taken the two teams 8.13 days to bowl that many overs had there been no interruptions.
So, the whole series effectively lasted just eight days, instead of the allotted 15. In other words, the Australians used just about 54 per cent of the available time and overs to thrash Pakistan 3-0, with the victory margins being 41 runs, an innings and 198 runs, and an innings and 20 runs. That’s why I said we should thank the Australians for putting an end to our misery. Just imagine how many times the fragile Pakistani lineup would have batted if we had to stretch it to the limits! Unfortunately, we don’t have the relevant figures available, otherwise we would have known how many dollars Pakistan was losing per hour of that agony in terms of paying all those foreigners who are associated with the team. As it happened, the PCB might not have averted the disaster from happening, but it could have certainly avoided losing precious foreign exchange, for the same result could have been had with much less confusion.
The biggest failure on the whole tour was the coach, who failed to come up with any kind of game plan. It happened every time the Pakistanis batted, but the coach could never quite convince the inexperienced batsmen to try to stay on the pitch and practice discretion. Everyone tried to hit his way out of the crisis, instead of keeping a steady head, and the coach was a mere bystander, who was more interested in speaking to the media about possible Australian lineup during the Ashes. As for the trainers, one need not say much, as the level of fitness and the catalogue of recent injuries is a clear proof of whatever the trainers are worth.
As for the team itself, it could have done better despite the lack of experience and exposure, which was made out to be the sole excuse for every single debacle during the series. Each of the youngster who got a chance, made an impression. The potential is very much there. It is all a matter of working under and around someone who may value the logic of doing basic things right. There is, indeed, life beyond this drubbing, and we will talk about it in the days to come.
THE agony is finally over. We should thank the Australians for having done the job in a hurry, for, indeed, there was no point in prolonging the misery. Come to think of it, the Australians batted four times during the entire series, while Pakistan had to slug it out six times. I have never been a keen follower of statistics, but the kind of pathetic display Pakistan produced during the latest Test series can only be highlighted through cold undeniable figures. I have worked out a few to underscore the widening gulf between Australia and other sides in world cricket. Here they are:
