A refreshing change

The genial blowing of kisses by pace bowler Aamer at centurion Shane Watson is a refreshing departure from the priggish response associated with Pakistani players

The genial blowing of kisses by pace bowler Aamer at centurion Shane Watson is a refreshing departure from the priggish response associated with Pakistani players

There was a time not so long ago when Pakistani captains, players and officials were objects of ridicule in the cricketing world for their excessively earnest habit of attributing the team's fortunes to the One Above.

Only recently, former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, a little boy lost at interviews in the English language, was the butt of a hilarious mobile phone joke, which quoted him as absent-mindedly parroting words of praise to the Almighty for his team's commendable "team spirit" and lauding Shahid Afridi's "contribution" when asked how it felt after he had fathered a son.

Mohammad Aamer became Test cricket's youngest bowler to have claimed a five-wicket haul yesterday. pic/getty images

For a failed state whose cricketing affairs are abysmally managed, Pakistan throws up fresh young talent with surprising regularity. Despite the country being deemed a pariah because of its internal strife, the team currently on tour Down Under is no exception, with discerning critics running out of adjectives to sing the praises of teenagers Mohammad Aamer (17) and Umar Akmal (19).

Over the years, India's neighbouring theological-state has produced some exciting cricketers of the likes of Imran Khan, who were fiercely proud of team, country and religion but were, at the same time, secular to the core.

Latterly, among members of the Pakistani cricket team, there has been a pronounced tilt towards religious orthodoxy that has prompted players, such as Inzamam, Saeed Anwar, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Mohammed and current skipper Mohammad Yousuf, to proclaim their religiosity through colophons such as flowing beards and the like.

Conservatism
Given that Mohammad Yousuf, formerly Yousuf Yohanna, is a religious convert (since many converts are known to incline towards obscurantism), and considering the winds of orthodoxy blowing across swathes of the Islamic world, one would expect a trend among the younger elements in his team towards conservatism, if not devotedness.

But, if reports emanating from the team camp are to be believed, there has been a pronounced change in the conduct of a team customarily known to be riven with fanaticism, sectarianism, personal ego and provincial rivalry. From all accounts, the players are relaxed, bond well and are inclined towards treating religion as a personal, rather than collective team or national matter.

Occasional manifestations can be misleading. However, the genial blowing of kisses by pace bowler Aamer at seemingly never-never Test centurion Shane Watson and the congenially combative response by teenage sensation Umar to the barrage of bouncers from Doug Bollinger, are a refreshing departure from the priggish response associated with Pakistani players of an earlier age.

With almost the entire Australian nation yesterday riveted on whether seemingly never-never centurion Watson would break the hex that seemed to have atrophied its batsmen and score a century this summer, Aamer inconspicuously became the youngest bowler in the history of the game to claim a five-wicket haul.

Akram's discovery
The exciting fast bowler, discovered and mentored by the legendary Wasim Akram, yesterday scalped Michael Clarke (37), Marcus North (8), Brad Haddin (22) u2014 he had claimed the prize wickets of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey the previous day u2014 to reduce the Australians to a modest 225 for eight declared.

Only Watson (120), Clarke (37) and Mitchell Johnson (22) surpassed 12 runs in the home side's second innings score but they, nevertheless, enabled Ponting to set the Pakistanis an imposing target of 422 to win.

Aamer finished with five for 79 in 24 overs of persistent hostile bowling that has vindicated his ample potential.

When Pakistan batted yesterday, Umar Akmal, younger brother of wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal (27), promising first-class cricketer Adnan Akmal (24) and club-level player Abdul Akmal, gallantly fought back the fire and hostility of the Australian attack for 59 minutes to remain unbeaten on 27.

Umar hit five fours as he and skipper Yousuf put on 54 runs in a bid to make a fight of it after openers Imran Farhat (12), Salman Butt (33) and Faisal Iqbal (48) had perished with the score 116.

The Met Office has forecast hot (35 degree) weather for today. The wicket is still flat but showing signs of deterioration with cracks on the bowlers' follow-through at one end and varied bounce at the other end.

Advantage Aussies
Having captured three top order wickets and Pakistan still 252 runs behind, Australia are, indisputably, in the driver's seat. But with imperturbable and reliable warhorse Yousuf at the crease, seasoned critics are still not prepared to write off Pakistan's chances of drawing (or tying), if not winning, the Test.

A lot will depend upon Umar, which is an awesome responsibility for one so young.

But, then, the history of the game, in India included, is replete with instances of "cometh the moment, cometh the man".