As Australia take on Pakistan, here is a look at how teams performed in UAE.
Interestingly scoring runs is not easy for batsmen in UAE (Pakistan inclusive). At same time it does not suggest that wickets are easy to come by…No, they are not!.
From below stats it suggests that scoring boundaries were not easy, and scoring rate is under 25/100 balls, meaning runs scoring is hard task.
One requires to stay around longer period of time to build total, and that has been achieved by host/overseas teams scoring 20 centuries in 22 Tests since 2011….yet the run rate is below 3.00 and boundary rate is under 5/100 balls.
On other end, only 11 times five wicket haul was taken, and only once ten wicket in a match was achieved.
Batting Table:
Batting Synopsis-Sri Lanka and South Africa batted much better than Pakistan who acted as host. The Lankans in 6 Tests manage to post 4 big scores(>400 score) compare to 3 by Pakistan and one by SA.
| Bat | Tests | Runs | Centuries | Avg | ss/balls | 4s | b/w | r/o |
| Eng | 3 | 1144 | 0 | 19.07 | 23.16 | 4.22 | 43.10 | 2.66 |
| Pak | 11 | 5364 | 12 | 33.32 | 23.48 | 4.19 | 75.91 | 2.78 |
| SA | 2 | 998 | 3 | 33.27 | 27.48 | 3.69 | 67.80 | 2.95 |
| SL | 6 | 3621 | 5 | 35.50 | 26.49 | 5.23 | 69.76 | 2.73 |
| Total | 22 | 11127 | 20 | 31.52 | 24.68 | 4.46 | 67.87 | 2.76 |
Bowling synopsis: Saeed Ajmal was Pakistan’s backbone. His tally of 64(11 Tests) wickets is 33.33% of what Pakistan picked in UAE. Other than that, England did extremely well with the ball(but unable to complement their bowling with their batting).
Though SA won a Test here, but it was not because of their bowlers. The likes of Steyn, Morkel, Phillander were below par when you compare them to likes of England’s Broad, Panesar and Swann.
The shocking performance was from SL. Inspite spin being their major weapon, they were unable to restrict and concede less runs. They picked wickets but they didn’t threaten or had any damaging effect on Pakistan. History suggests that Lankans bowl better in sub-continent, than other Asian teams. Their performance in India, Pakistan(in past) in UAE(in past)in Bangladesh is evidence of that. However that was not the case during their last two visit in UAE (2011-2013) v/s Pakistan.
| Bowl | Tests | Overs | Runs | Wkts | 4wkt/Inn | 5w/inn | Avg | b/w | Ss/balls | 4s | LER x LSR |
| Eng | 3 | 515 | 1288 | 50 | 3 | 2 | 25.76 | 62.00 | 21.42 | 4.29 | 155.06 |
| Pak | 11 | 2097.6 | 5763 | 192 | 8 | 6 | 30.02 | 61.13 | 25.93 | 4.74 | 167.94 |
| SA | 2 | 323.4 | 912 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 28.50 | 60.81 | 23.48 | 4.57 | 171.49 |
| SL | 6 | 1093.1 | 3164 | 79 | 2 | 2 | 40.05 | 90.82 | 24.38 | 4.04 | 262.89 |
| Total | 22 | 4029.1 | 11127 | 353 | 13 | 11 | 31.52 | 67.87 | 24.68 | 4.46 | 187.43 |
Method of dismissals and Low score dismissals:
Another surprise from non-Asian bowlers in UAE. Although England lost badly here, but their bowlers performed extremely well. They achieved 40.00% of L B W dismissals (20/50) and 52.00% low score dismissals. Not even Pakistan can achieve that (inspite having Ajmal). SA over haul is the best Test side in all surface, even in UAE they have the highest % of low score dismissals.
| Bowl | % L B W | %(bowled) | % keeper | % low score dismissals |
| Eng | 40.00 | 24.00 | 10.00 | 52.00 |
| Pak | 22.40 | 14.58 | 15.63 | 50.00 |
| SA | 25.00 | 25.00 | 15.63 | 59.37 |
| SL | 18.99 | 15.19 | 21.52 | 46.83 |
| Total | 24.36 | 17.00 | 16.15 | 50.42 |
Hereby i conclude my Test analysis(2011-2014) which was started few days back in these 3 posts (http://allthatcricket.com/?p=7281 –http://allthatcricket.com/?p=7288 – http://allthatcricket.com/?p=7302)
I believe the UAE series between Aus Pak will depend on primary skills of each player, which would be tested severely by weather and surface.
There is an old Arabic phrase “ The desert only favors survivors, who are willing to fight…till their blood is touched by the sand”.
As i warm up to watch this series, this particular song is an enlightenment for difficult times :)).
A very appropriate one “Blood red skies” from 1988 album <Ram it Down> by Judas Priest(a heavy metal band). It seems this song was inspired from similar scenario, when Rob Halford their singer along with his band was touring UAE .
Here is a link to meaning of all indicators/formula –
A Guide to Indicator & Formula. Its meaning and explanation.
