The debate of Misbah-ul-Haq playing in the Pakistan ODI team is up for debate all the time. Many fans believe he is not good enough to be in the team, let alone captain it. Here is a KheloPakistan special by two authors on their views on the problem that is Misbah-ul-Haq.

Following are two different views:

Ashes to Ashes...Dust to Dust....was what we thought after the 1st Test with Australia dead to rites, and South Africa primed to bury them.
The only talk we heard in regards to Australia was that Ponting should retire, Haddin is the reincarnation of Iron Gloves, and bats like Chris Martin, and Mitchell Johnson is about as useful as a waterproof tea bag.
How the former two left us with eggs on our faces with crucial contributions in a remarkable win, and as for Johnson...lets just say that his batting, and its compelling influence on the result saved him from being given an honorary South African cap
As the historians look back on this game, I am sure it will be used to highlight Pat Cummins first step on his way to impending greatness. Lets hope this doesn't serve as a jinx for the young lad, after me ordaining Mitchell Johnson as the new Alan Davidson a few years back!
My word I must have been drunk to say that!
Let us revert back to the present, and look at the two Teams.

The true surreal nature of the contest was summed up by Alan Border in commentary remarking that he had batted in an innings longer than this Test had indeed lasted. A game so full of the bizarre and freakish, ended with sanity being restored with South Africa brushing the rust off their 1st innings all round performance. To truly victimise an inept Australia.


If you look at the game honestly, the competitive stages in the game for Australia were propelled by the freakish coupled with the relative rust of a South African Team that hasn't played in near on a year in Test Cricket.


Let us look at the flaws and merits of both.

You just have to love the theatre of the man.

He gets thrown the ball from Misbah with one of his first offerings sailing high over mid on for 6 courtesy of Dinesh Chandimal. Then unfazed, he goes back to the top of his mark and bowls Chandimal an unplayable googly trapping him plumb in front

Arms raised in the middle of the pitch in a typical Afridi pose oozing that unique charismatic aura with the crowd going gonzo in appreciation of him.

South Africa Test squad:  Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers (vice-capt), Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher (wk), JP Duminy, Paul Harris, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Ashwell Prince, Jacques Rudolph, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe

The Squad is Gary Kirsten's first as the new South African Coach. In truth it pulled no surprises, and saw the welcome return of Jacques Rudolph. Who after 5 years in the International wilderness has earned a recall to the National Team, and assured of a place in the team as Graeme Smith's opening partner.

It must be said that his recall was way overdue, for he is a very talented batsman. Who is perfectly suited for the openers role


Aside from the welcome inclusion of Rudolph, the rest of the squad made me raise a few questions. Which are as follows


Can Graeme Smith Quiet The Boo Boys?

Aside from the controversial Referee in the South Africa versus Australia Rugby World Cup match.


It has to be queried, whether there is a more despised personality in South African sport at present than Graeme Smith.


Obviously he has been held accountable for yet another South African ODI World Cup failure, and then his lapse attitude in the recent ODI in no way helped in his popularity.

The verbal diarrhoea that sprouted out of alleged bookie Mazhar Majeed's mouth didn't spare anyone over the contentious issue of corruption in the game of cricket

In truth all these powerful men making loud noises on their soap boxes made you think in a manner that you logically do when confronted by this occurrence in life.


That their collective reactions made one believe threads of truth might exist in the claims


For all they had to do to kill the words from Mr Majeed was simply say this....

I must say I enjoyed Fottball more in the early 80's when my beloved Aston Villa won the title and the European Cup.

Though must admit the English Premier League formed in 1992 has been the greatest revolution in football in a long time.

From a viewers point of view it truly is a thrill a minute,high quality theatre.

Here is my top 25 ever in the Premier League:

Spurs Croatian Sensations Modric and Kranjcar

In 1978 the then Tottenham Hotspurs Manager Keith Burkinshaw indulged in what was a brave move at the time by investing in two Agentinian stars in Ozzie Ardiles and Ricky Villa.The risk being that foreign players traditionally struggled with the unique English game.Plus the lack of English for the two players was seen as a huge drawback.