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@endtoendsport-blog
End to End Hoops Podcast - Episode 5
I break down games 4 and 5 of the 2012 NBA Finals and explains how the Heat defeated the Thunder to win this year's championship. Not much hilarity but plenty of sanity.... Spot the the conspicuous editing and you are guaranteed* to win a prize............. (*not a guarantee).
Either look for End to End Hoops on iTunes or click on the link below.
Listen Now
End to End Hoops Podcast - Episode 4
Episode 4 - Ugly but Interesting
Lee McDonald explains why this NBA Finals is like the not-so-pretty girl from school that everyone had a crush on. The story of game 3 is also discussed as well as what tweaks the Thunder could potentially make for game 4.
Listen Now
End to End Hoops Podcast
I've been recording an NBA podcast. It's called the End to End Hoops podcast. It's available on iTunes and everything. Episodes 1, 2, & 3 are out now.
If you like the NBA you should listen to it. I talk about crazy stuff like pick and rolls and outside jumpers. If you don't like the NBA keep calm and carry on Tumbling.
Check it out:
http://endtoendhoops.blogspot.com.au/
Neat NBA Finals Fact
MJ in his 1st NBA Finals game: 36p, 8r, 12a. KD in his: 36p, 8r, 4a... The difference? MJ got 8 more assists, KD got a win.
Utah Jazz home games: Where old ushers go to die...
What's in a name?
LeeMacSports is no longer.... Long live 'End to End Sport'! What will be a sporting cuisine of NBA and cricket with a dash of Manchester City and AFL for extra flavour.
After a hiatus from this blogging palaver over summer due to throwing myself into my cricket captaining duties (oh, and getting married too), I'm now back to whittle my life away writing stuff people will never read.
For NBA tweets head to @endtoendhoops
For other sporting twittle shake on over to @endtoendsport
Cheers,
Lee
Ryan Harris stars as Mr Glass
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Ryan Harris is a fantastic bowler. On playing ability alone he deserves his call-up to the Australian squad for the SCG Test starting Tuesday. Harris is strong, zippy, swings the ball, and one time I believe he took 4 wickets with a single delivery. Unfortunately his right leg fell off while delivering that magical ball and he had a three month layoff from cricket.
The crazy thing is that Harris’ leg falling off in a match is not far from the truth. Throughout his career the main issue for the stocky Queensland quick has been that he can’t stay fit.
I have often thought Harris would have been a more appropriate casting than Samuel L. Jackson for the role of Mr Glass in the film ‘Unbreakable’. Though it is possible he is even more fragile than that character.
That said, Harris’ international career resume contains some impressive numbers. He has a haul of 35 wickets at 21.37 in Test cricket and 41 wickets at 16.12 in One Day Internationals. But these numbers alone don’t paint the whole picture of Harris’ time in Australian colours. To help paint a better picture we inevitably need more numbers.
From when he made his ODI debut in January 2009 against South Africa until his last ODI against England, Harris played in just 17 of Australia’s 59 matches. Since that last ODI against England in July 2010 Australia have played 29 matches without the name R.J. Harris on the team sheet. This includes a trip to the World Cup where a fit Harris could have been a significant contributor to what was eventually a failed campaign.
More worrying given his selection for this Test is that, since making his Test debut against New Zealand in March 2010, Harris has played in just 8 of Australia’s last 19 Test Matches. Knee, ankle, and hamstring injuries have plagued him during that time. Like the old cricket club stalwart who makes a comeback every year only to get injured in his first game back, Harris’ body can’t keep up with what the mind is still capable of.
There is no way that Harris should play in the SCG Test (I would call it the New Year’s Test but that seems a tad inappropriate given that the start date keeps pushing further away from New Year's Day) ahead of the bowlers who strutted their stuff in a famous Australian victory at the MCG.
Peter Siddle has hit a strong rhythm and appears to be making the ball hit the bat (as opposed to the other way around), Ben Hilfenhaus swung the ball and looked to be quicker than he has been in some time, and James Pattinson has been a revelation with his aggression and perfect hair.
And although off-spinner Nathan Lyon struggled at times in Melbourne, he has had a promising start to his Test career and shouldn’t be dropped on the basis of one sub-par performance. The Australian selectors have only recently managed to slow down their out of control spin bowler merry-go-round and would be cutting off their nose to spite their face if they dropped Lyon by going into Sydney with four quicks.
It is a massive shame that Harris struggles on the injury front. On talent he should be a walk-up start for the Test side. But when it boils down to it, Harris is 32 years old and he can’t stay fit. This is a combination of characteristics about as appropriate for elite sport as shyness and a propensity to suck one’s thumb.
Mr. Cricket also in the firing line
The Australian batting line-up is currently as fragile as butterflies made of snowflakes. As pretty as that sounds, from an Australian perspective it makes for some ugly, albeit extremely engaging, Test cricket.
As exciting as yesterday’s finish to the 2nd Test against New Zealand was, and there is no doubt that it was as gripping as David Warner’s bottom hand, the reality is that Australia’s batting performance in the Test simply wasn’t good enough.
It is true that the pitch in Hobart was challenging and a tinge of Hulk-green. However it wasn’t a minefield, and after collapses of varying degrees in each of the last four Tests it is clear that something needs to change ahead of the Boxing Day Test against India.
David Warner, Usman Khawaja and Michael Clarke are all safe. Warner just carried his bat and hit a gritty ton, Khawaja has probably done just enough to be persisted with, and Clarke is the captain (and a selector).
Brad Haddin is hanging onto his place by the webbing of his ‘keeping gloves. Haddin’s likely successor is Tim Paine, but with Paine on the long-term injury list the selectors will persist with Haddin.
So those under the microscope are narrowed down to Phil Hughes, Ricky Ponting, and Michael Hussey.
While there has been a lot of noise about Hughes and/or Ponting being dropped, Mr Cricket has been flying under the radar. Let’s take a look at their recent stats:
Hughes’ scores over the last 4 Tests: 9, 9, 88, 11, 10, 7, 20. Avg = 19.25.
Ponting: 8, 0, 0, 62, 78, 5, 16. Avg = 24.14.
Hussey: 1, 0, 20, 39, 15, 8, 0. Avg = 11.86.
It is true that even I was proclaiming the evergreen Hussey as somewhat of a superhero after the series against Sri Lanka. Not least of all due to the fact that he looks eerily similar to Reed Richards from the Fantastic Four.
But the stats speak for themselves (figuratively, not literally) and this is not the first time in his career that Hussey has hit a dry patch. Although Ponting and/or Hughes may also go, with age against him and his form on the wane Huss is a man under pressure to hold his spot.
If he is fit, Shane Watson should come in for Hussey and bat at six. If not, the man in need of a surname, Dan Trevor Christian, should come into the side.
The inclusion of Watson or the in form Christian will also improve balance of the Australian side as it would add depth to the Australian bowling attack. This is something that could prove invaluable should India’s batting line-up hit form down under and force some long days in the field for the Australians during the series.
Why the Black Caps could beat Australia
For much of the past 20 years, each summer fans of the Australian cricket team have greeted the return of international cricket to home soil with great enthusiasm. This enthusiasm was born from the knowledge that, much like Mark Cosgrove at the airport donut store, the Australian cricket team would devour anything put in front of them.
The 2011-12 Australian international summer of cricket (as Channel 9 would put it) officially kicks off today with the 1st Test between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane. For the first time in a generation the summer begins with no one really being sure how the Australian team will perform.
In case anyone needs reminding, last summer England visited these shores and used the Australian cricket team to wipe the floor of several unsanitary floors. It was smelly, it was icky, but it must be said that before that series there were many that genuinely believed Australia would defeat England.
Although those thoughts appear to be optimistic in hindsight, the optimism was based on some sound assumptions. Not least of which was the fact that England hadn’t won a series in Australia since 1987.
Also, unlike 2005, Australia were unlucky to lose the 2009 Ashes in England. Considering they had bounced back so well in the last Ashes on Australian soil - a monumental 5-0 whitewash just 18 months removed from the classic 2005 series - the home conditions were anticipated to swing the series in Australia’s favour once more.
In the end, just like Australia’s bowling, the series swung in Australia’s favour in Perth but nowhere else.
The start to this summer feels different. There is still belief that Australia will win, but it’s the kind of baseless optimism idiots like me have when going to see an action movie sequel even though the first film was riddled with plot holes and had Jason Statham in it.
There is a new coach in Mickey Arthur, the experienced players in the side are mostly out of form, others are still finding their feet at the highest level, and there could be as many as four debutants. Definitively predicting how anyone in the side will perform is like trying to predict how Kanye West will behave at an awards ceremony.
Mitigating this concern is that fact that New Zealand have not won a Test Match in Australia since 1985, never mind a series, and have won just 4 of their past 28 Tests against all opposition. More worryingly for the Black Caps is that Australia have a lot of potential talent. In fact, there is enough potential talent in most state teams to fill two and a half sides to the same talent level of the New Zealand cricket team. So it’s lucky that the Black Caps will be facing a state-level quality bowling attack.
Like every other cricket/action movie-loving idiot out there, I believe Australia will beat New Zealand. However, potential alone doesn’t determine sporting contests and the Black Caps beating the Australia is possible.
With that in mind, and because lists are fun, here are 4 reasons why New Zealand could beat Australia in their 2 Test “series” (and set up a loooooooong summer of Aussie cricket bashing):
1) New Zealand are prepared
To use a footy analogy, this is New Zealand’s Grand Final. For Australia, this is more like round 8 against the second bottom side when you have a few niggling injuries.
Both sides have prepared accordingly. New Zealand meticulously planning under respected coach John Wright and Australia only announcing their new coach a week before the match.
2) Australia are vulnerable
Despite solid performances for 1 and a half Tests against South Africa, injuries mean up to four debutants could be in the Baggy Green today. It’s almost like the dark days of World Series Cricket again and, in case anyone needs a history lesson, that didn’t work out too well for the board-endorsed national side back then.
3) New Zealand’s explosive batsmen.
Anyone of Jesse Ryder, Brendon McCullum, and Ross Taylor can take the game by the scruff of the neck. If any one of them gets going with the bat any match can quickly turn in New Zealand’s favour.
It also must be said after a rough start to his career off the field, Ryder appears to be getting his act together. This means that the odds for him being involved in an off-field alcohol-related incident while on tour are now 2-1 rather than evens.
4) Daniel Vettori
Vettori’s left-arm orthodox spin isn’t the type of bowling that is going to mow through a side’s batting order like Muttiah Muralitharan on a uncovered pitch, but he is the best spinner in this series.
That might not be saying much but Vettori bowls with precision and guile. Free from captaincy duties he can concentrate on his bowling and I expect him to thrive.
Is it possible that a skinny blonde nerd could be the difference between the two sides? It’s as good a guess as any.
My first piece on the entertaining and always insightful cricket blog Alternative Cricket (posted on their site last week). I answer the question on the tip of everyone's lips in Australian cricket - Who is John Inverarity?.... It's cricket, for grown-ups!
http://www.thealternativecricketalmanack.com/2011/11/john-inverarity/
Australia v South Africa: No love lost
Australians and South Africans don’t get along on the cricket field. There, I said it. Now we can all acknowledge the elephant in the room. Yes I know you were trying to pretend it was Jacques Kallis. That was very unfair of you calling the elephant names like that.
Why do the two sides not get along? It’s simple really. It is because they are so similar. Both sides are generally ultra-competitive, full of machismo, attacking, and arrogant. It’s kind of like the two jocks at school competing over the affections of the hottest looking cheerleader. Lucky for us it tends to generate some extremely engaging cricket.
This mutual hatred will be on display again this week as the two countries clash in a two match series. Although calling two Test Matches a series is almost the same as calling a schooner a pint.
The Proteas come into the match possibly a tad underdone in the long format of the game. Their last Test Match was the New Years Test against India and most of their squad haven’t played first-class cricket since last summer.
However their squad oozes class. In the batting department any one of Kallis, Hashim Amla A.B. de Villiers, or even the out of form Graeme Smith can take the game away from the opposition with classy hundreds.
Bowling-wise South Africa has the number one rated Test bowler in the world. Fast, accurate, fiery, and as intense as a mother with high blood pressure on her daughter’s wedding day, Dale Steyn is the complete fast-bowling package.
Steyn, who has neck veins that pulsate like heart of a lion on amphetamines and breathes actual fire, is ably support by Morne Morkel, left-armer Lonwabo Tsotsobe, and Kallis.
South Africa’s bowling X-factor though could be Imran Tahir, who looks set to make his Test debut. The leg-spinner, who was born in Pakistan, is a proven wicket-taker in First-class cricket and if successful for South Africa would be their first attacking spinner since, well, forever! The dour negative finger-spinners Pat Symcox, Nicky Boje and Paul Harris will be turning in their graves, if they were dead that is.
Despite facing this formidable opposition, Australia come into this series full of confidence after a successful tour of Sri Lanka and a win in the One Day Series earlier in this tour of South Africa.
The men in the baggy green caps will be banking on Michael Hussey and Shaun Marsh continuing their good form with the bat and that captain Michael Clarke and his predecessor Ricky Ponting get their mojo flowing once more.
The two enigmas of the Aussie side, Phil Hughes and Mitchell Johnson, will be returning to the scenes of glory past as both had extremely successful tours of South Africa in 2009. Johnson took 9 wickets in the warm-up match and he will spearhead an attack that has been bowling a much fuller and more attacking length under new bowling coach Craig McDermott.
In the spin department, Nathan Lyon could make or break Australia. Not necessarily with his wickets but his economy rate as well. He will need to play a holding role at times and if he proves expensive he could end up be the 671st post-Warne era spinner on the scrapheap.
However, all in all I believe throwing all these factors into a container and shaking them around produces the cocktail of a 1-0 series win for the Aussies. The main factors being Australia’s confidence after their win in Sri Lanka and South Africa lacking some Test Match fitness.
One thing is for sure, and that is that there will be no love lost between the two sides. It will be fiery from the first ball.
So grab some biltong, a can of Castle Lager to wash it down with, and sit back and enjoy. This is going to be an intense ‘not quite a series’ series.
herochan:
Optimus - by Reza ilyasa
(via:geekvariety)
Who is John Inverarity?
John Inverarity is Australian cricket’s new Chairmen of Selectors. To most people Inverarity is a bit of an unknown. So in order to help educate the masses I thought I’d detail some facts about the new overlord of the national team.
Inverarity is a former captain of Western Australia who played 223 First-class matches including 6 Tests for Australia.
In his playing days Inverarity was a right-hand top order batsmen and handy left-arm orthodox spinner.
Since retiring, Inverarity has coached Kent and Warwickshire in English county cricket as well as being a Headmaster at Hale School in Perth.
In a Sheffield Shield match at the Adelaide Oval in 1969 John Inverarity killed a sparrow with his eyes after it flew into his eye line while he was batting.
Unfortunately for Inverarity milliseconds after the sparrow’s spirit left this earth a delivery bowled at him by Greg Chappell struck the sparrow in mid-air and the ball cannoned into Inverarity’s stumps, seemingly dismissing him for a duck.
Fortunately for Inverarity umpire Colin Egar signalled dead ball. Afterwards, Egar was quoted as saying “Of course I signalled dead ball. I feared the same fate as the sparrow if I didn’t”.
J.I. has a music and drama centre named after him at Hale School in honour of the fact that he once had a number 1 hit song called “Orthodox is Sexy Too”.
John Inverarity is a great communicator. In fact, the source code for Twitter is based on his DNA.
Inverarity is a great cricket theorist. He has a Bachelors degree in Cricket Philosophy and invented Twenty20 cricket after he had a dream involving Lalit Modi and the 20 women who received sexual text messages from Shane Warne in June of 2002.
John Inverarity’s nickname is the “Silver Fox” due to his luscious silver locks. His hair is silver as he is made of steel.
Silver Fox talks about himself in the third person.
Silver Fox once got into altercation with Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Richie Benaud, Andy Roberts and the Red Power Ranger. He won.
Inverarity is really Clint Eastwood in disguise.
For the last 8 years John Inverarity has been dead but Cricket Australia brought him back to life by injecting a vile of Steve Waugh’s blood into Inverarity’s decaying corpse.
John Inverarity is not the saviour of the Australian cricket team. But maybe, just maybe, he might be a cool and learned cricketing man to shepherd through a time of change.
India feel at home sweet home
Cricket, as they say, is a funny game. By funny I’m guessing they mean funny as in weird, not funny as in “ha-ha”. And by weird I assume they mean there are a lot of unexplained things that can happen. But is it really that funny (weird/unexplained) that the same two teams can engage in two separate series in the space of a couple of months and the results are such polar opposites?
Well it is that funny, but it can be explained.
India defeated England 5-0 in their recent five match One Day International series in India. And by defeated I mean England had their asses handed to them to wear as a hat by India.
Thankfully for England they managed to salvage some pride with a comfortable 6 wicket win in the sole Twenty20 match of the tour over the weekend.
However, over the recent northern hemisphere summer India toured England and experienced some ass-hat wearing of their own. England won the Test series 4-0, the ODI series 3-0 and even the sole Twenty20 match.
Such was the drubbing during that winless tour that the hats India were wearing during it had also eaten vindaloo the night before.
At least that is how it would appear at first glance.
Although England comprehensively won the Test series, the ODI’s were a slightly different affair. The five match series did have a tie as well as an abandoned match and England’s three wins all came with them batting second and winning with 10 balls or less to spare. In fact, if it wasn’t for a few rain and Duckworth-Lewis affected matches India may have scraped together a win or two.
Really, the ODI series in England was much closer than the 3-0 score line suggests.
Once back home India rediscovered their mojo (which they’d clearly forgotten to take it with them to England) by injecting some youth and fielding athleticism into their side, engaging in attacking yet controlled top order batting, exposing England’s susceptibility to spin, as well performing some sort of procedure to turn MS Dhoni into Superman.
Dhoni didn’t have an average in the series, which sounds bad. But considering the lack of an average is because he scored 212 runs in the series without getting out I’m sure he’ll be sleeping well on his bed full of cash this week.
Most importantly for India they were at home, and nothing seems to galvanise a professional sporting team more than their own stadiums, their own beds, their home fans, and their regular groupies.
The turnaround in results was also help by England’s ineptitude. Historically, England are about as useful in the subcontinent as Ian Botham in a fidelity contest.
Without the swinging ball England’s bowlers seemed out of ideas and their batsmen lacked the fortitude and patience to keep the scoreboard ticking over in the middle overs. Their inability to work quick singles that lead to rotation of the strike was one of their biggest issues.
All of this combined to mean it was England’s turn to do a “no pants” run in the ODI series.
So what have we learnt about these sides over the last few months?
Firstly, England are a good Test side and a mediocre ODI Side, especially when conditions don’t suit them.
In saying that though, apart from the great Australian sides, who is good when the conditions don’t suit them?
India on the other hand are a mediocre Test side right now, a pretty competitive ODI side away from home and a potentially great ODI side at home.
India’s next challenge is 3 Tests and 5 ODI’s at home to the West Indies. I use the word “challenge” very loosely. Expect the Indians to wallop our calypso cricketing friends harder than Simon Katich would a wax statue of Michael Clarke.
England on the other hand have a bit of a break before taking on Pakistan in the Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the new year. The tour will contain 3 Tests, 4 ODIs and 3 Twenty20’s.
The English should add credence to their number one Test status and win the Test series but the other games will depend on which Pakistan side turns up.
And of course whether the conditions suit them.
Welcome to Manchester: United v City Preview
The biggest game of the English Premier League season so far is this Sunday. Surprisingly it doesn’t involve Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea. Not so surprisingly, the game features Manchester United.
The 161st edition of the Manchester Derby is upon us and it is set to provide more excitement than a Ryan Giggs sex scandal. It won’t only be local bragging rights on the line when United take on Manchester City, this game could have a major bearing on who wins the Premiership.
City are in first place and United are just two points behind them in second. Although the season is still in its infancy, it appears that the traditional group that make up the “Big Four” clubs of English football are quickly changing into the “Big Two”. Manchester is fast becoming the centre of the English football universe.
The last time these two sides met was during English football’s traditional curtain raiser for the season at Wembley Stadium, the FA Community Shield. Though I prefer to call it the ‘Not a Real Trophy’ shield.
City raced to a 2-0 half-time lead thanks to goals from Joleon Lescott and Edin Dzeko. United got back into the match with early second half goals to Chris Smalling and Granny. Sorry, Nani.
In the fourth minute of injury time United snatched victory thanks to a second goal from Nani and claimed the first silverware of the season.
A late goal for the red side of Manchester is not uncommon. United’s knack for late goals during their time under legendary Scottish manager Alex Ferguson is uncanny.
Whether you feel this is as a result of their hard work and perseverance or them being as jammy as that guy you know who wins every raffle he enters, it can’t be denied that it has been crucial to United’s success. They do it so frequently that injury time is often called “Fergie-time”.
The Red Devils come into this weekend’s game on the back of two slightly uninspiring results. A hard fought, albeit relatively dull, 1-1 draw at Liverpool last weekend was followed by a comfortable 2-0 win mid-week in the Champions League against the all conquering European powerhouse that is Romania’s Ostelul Galati. The latter came courtesy of two Wayne Rooney penalties.
United have been clinical going forward so far this season but at the back have been about as organised as a teenager’s bedroom that has been set on fire. Injuries have played their part, and young defender Phil Jones looks like a bit of a find for them, but there is no doubting that this isn’t the traditional sturdy United back four.
Though I suppose if Rooney, Javier Hernandez, Danny Welbeck and company (not Kompany, he plays for City) keep banging in goals like they are playing against the Wythenshawe Amateurs third division reserves, United may be able to overcome the burden of having a toothless defence.
Table-toppers City are probably in slightly better form having dispatched Aston Villa 4-1 last weekend and then defeating Villarreal 2-1 in their mid-week Champions league match. However both of those games were at home and, with this match at Old Trafford, City cannot expect for things to go quite as smoothly.
The Blues weren’t altogether convincing against the Spaniards. In fact they did “a United” and scored deep into injury time to claim the win. Sergio Aguero late winner came with him sliding in at the far post to meet a Pablo Zabaleta cross from the right wing.
This inspired manager Roberto Mancini to do the mash potato dance in celebration.
Like United, City also look a tad shaky at the back. Blues’ captain Vincent Kompany appears the only player in defence who plays with any authority.
Similarly again, City have been sublime when going forward. Aguero and Edin Dzeko have led the line well when required.
Even Mario Balotelli has stopped being mental for long enough to bag a few goals.
City’s most influential player though has been the little Spanish attacking midfielder David Silva.
Silva has grown in stature (metaphorically) for the Blues and his creativity and poise have been scintillating to watch. Plus, his play sometimes features more pirouettes than Swan Lake.
Most importantly Silva appears to have adapted to the pace and physicality of the Premier League after being pushed off the ball a lot prior to this season.
Besides deciding on which dance to do for his next celebration, the biggest challenge for Roberto Mancini appears to be if he can keep his players in line.
Forward Carlos Tevez has been suspended by the club for his recent petulance and, with lots of egos and big paychecks in the dressing room, City will be hoping schoolyard behaviour like that doesn’t catch on.
I’m predicting the game will have a few goals in it and finish as a 2-2 draw. That being said, my blue blood wouldn’t exactly be disappointed to be proven wrong by a City win.
I’ll also be hoping for as little “Fergie-time” as possible.
Boom-Boom back in the room
“Boom-Boom” is back! No, I’m not talking about an increase in carnal relations amongst the general populace. Shahid Afridi has announced his un-retirement from One Day International and Twenty20 International cricket.
The former Pakistan captain announced his conditional retirement back in May but, like Mr Burns in ‘The Simpsons’, Afridi has had one of his customary changes of heart. Don’t be disappointed if you missed it, much like ‘The Simpsons’ these days I’m not sure many people were paying attention.
Shahid does have a track record regarding retirement. He retired from Test cricket in 2006 only to return as captain for one Test against England at Lord’s in 2010.
Maybe he just liked the thought of playing a Test at a ground that lets you bring your own alcohol? It’s as good a theory as any.
He subsequently re-retired from Test cricket at the end of that match. It is fair to say that Afridi changes his mind more than he changes his underpants.
Having announced his latest un-retirement, ESPN Cricinfo quoted Afridi as saying "I didn't as such retire. I only said I will not play under the previous board but now people are changed - exactly what I wanted - so I am available for selection for the country."
So having taken his bat and ball home because he wasn’t getting his own way, albeit due to a board that were about as consistent and moral as Two-Face from Batman, Shahid now returns to the international arena. Hopefully not having eaten the ball he originally took away with him.
The announcement only comes as a surprise to the type of people who still find it surprising when Mitchell Johnson bowls badly. Afridi, a non-spinning leg spinner and slogging right-hand batsman, has the attention span of a goldfish with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and his decision to un-retire is probably mostly because he was bored.
“Boom-Boom” has a reputation as a big-hitting match winner but averages just 23.49 with the bat in ODI’s and 17.97 in Twenty20’s for Pakistan.
That being said, Afridi did lead Pakistan to a Semi-Final appearance in the ODI World Cup this year.
The weaknesses of his batting, the attention span of a gnat and a penchant for the unconventional, have actually helped his bowling. Shahid’s greatest contributions to Pakistan in the shorter formats of the game have come with the ball.
Shaihid has about as much patience as Ian Chappell has tolerance for sloppy fielding and he is consistently hustling in and hurrying the batsman. With subtle variations in pace, bounce and drift Afridi has taken 315 ODI wickets at 34.22 and 53 Twenty20 wickets at 18.96.
It looks unlikely that Afridi will return as captain for the Pakistan ODI and Twenty20 sides.
By the time you have finished reading this piece don’t be surprised if Afridi has had another change of heart.
"Do you wanna hug it out? Let's bug it out bitch".
