Cricket Uncut
A group blog run by professional cricket writers from across the world
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Cricketing Cliche 21
Chopping and changing.
For years, cricket writers have bemoaned the "chopping and changing" that goes on in the Pakistan side, the unwillingness of the Pakistan selectors to give young players (cliche coming up) an extended run in the side. In today's papers there were comments about the dropping of Salman Butt, but I felt that he needed to go. Once a guy's been found out, you can destroy him by exposing him repeatedly. Better to send him back to work on his game, and get his head sorted out if that, too, is required.
But the trend that cliche talks about exists in Pakistan cricket, and it's sad. Talents such as Mohammad Wasim and Hasan Raza, to name just two, have been lost to the game, and that's a shame. Wasim may soon qualify to play for New Zealand, I hear, and he's (one more cliche) miles better than some of their current players. After the way his countrymen treated him, I wouldn't consider him a traitor for taking that step, for taking the only route that would do justice to his talent and hard work.
For years, cricket writers have bemoaned the "chopping and changing" that goes on in the Pakistan side, the unwillingness of the Pakistan selectors to give young players (cliche coming up) an extended run in the side. In today's papers there were comments about the dropping of Salman Butt, but I felt that he needed to go. Once a guy's been found out, you can destroy him by exposing him repeatedly. Better to send him back to work on his game, and get his head sorted out if that, too, is required.
But the trend that cliche talks about exists in Pakistan cricket, and it's sad. Talents such as Mohammad Wasim and Hasan Raza, to name just two, have been lost to the game, and that's a shame. Wasim may soon qualify to play for New Zealand, I hear, and he's (one more cliche) miles better than some of their current players. After the way his countrymen treated him, I wouldn't consider him a traitor for taking that step, for taking the only route that would do justice to his talent and hard work.
