The strike back

As expected, South Africa fought back with the ball. Younis Khan and Kamran Akmal were both fighting hard at the end of the first day, but of the 16 wickets that fell, the two most crucial appeared to be that of Younis and Kamran both falling, within minutes, in the day's last two overs. That was 1-1 for the day: I asked Jacques Kallis at the end of the day how he assessed the day and the pitch. He replied simply, "Bob, the game is going forward." Go forward it did.

The Masterpiece: as scripted by Inzamam-ul-Haq

The second day witnessed an absolutely magnificent exhibition of batting with the tail, of farming the strike. With his unbeaten 92, Inzamam-ul-Haq created probably the defining moment of the game, an innings which proved that experience is something you cannot just buy off the shelf. Inzi calculated it beautifully and only with Mohammad Asif did he really begin protecting him. In most of the 20 overs they batted, Asif had to face a maximum of two balls, Inzi not only controlling the strike but also playing some fantastic shots. The lead he got eventually proved vital.

Murphy's Law inverted: A good one from Kamran Akmal was due, especially after some serious lapses behind the wicket © AFP

A long way from Faisalabad

When South Africa batted again they were buoyed by the fact that Shoaib was unfit to bowl. It was a defining moment for South Africa. It was also one for Pakistan for it meant someone had to stand up and be counted in what was a three-man attack. Sure enough, they all responded and Asif was exceptional, along with Kaneria and Sami as all went beyond the call of duty.

On a day of twists, their contributions were vital: South Africa played well, with Kallis and then Mark Boucher and Shaun Pollock taking the game away from Pakistan. But just after each session break, we struck, Asif getting Herschelle Gibbs and Kallis after lunch and then Kaneria dismissing Pollock just after tea. Even then Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel's bravado meant Pakistan were faced with an interesting total. I saw Pollock at the bar that evening and he reminded me of Faisalabad in 1997-98, when South Africa bowled out Pakistan for 92, chasing only 146. I said there are two differences: one, I was South Africa coach at Faisalabad and two, we're a long way from Faisalabad.

The Endgame

The final moment came when Inzi was undone by a ball that did not bounce and was adjudged leg before off Ntini while chasing the target. Immediately, visions of Faisalabad swirled in my head. But there was a nagging, positive thought at the back of my mind: Kamran Akmal, who had been criticised for a missed stumping (extremely tough) and for two dropped chances might make amends with the bat. He started fortuitously, but the secret of captaincy is always to put the fielders in the gaps. After it, he was fantastic, batting with the Pathan tiger, Younis, who fought like only a tribesman from the north of Pakistan can fight. Ironic that their 99-run partnership ended the game, as it was those two who had been involved at the end of the first day too.

It is of small consolation to the losing side, but it capped a very fine Test match, one that offered the connoisseur everything. It was tense on the last afternoon but in the end the difference was that cameo of pure genius by Inzi. Deservedly, he was presented with both "his best win" and the match award.

totally agreed to what Mr.Bob said.
he is truely a working genius and has turned many games into pakistan's way with his head.
rock on Bob..... n stay with us forever..
we feeel like one family now and u r completly part of the family i can see that...

thanx for being with us BOB

The key moments in that test were undoubtably Inzi's masterclass of batting with the lower order, Smith's continuously poor placement of fielders behind the wicket and SA's inability to tough out the difficult periods. Gibbs giving his wicket away in the second innings, Prince in the morning session, Kallis after lunch, Pollock and Boucher after tea - all inexcuseable.

Having said that, Pakistan fully deserved their win. I was fortunate to watch one of the greatest innings I have ever seen from Inzi, along with some amazing sportsmanship on his part.

A fit and happy Pakistan are the only threat in world cricket to Australia in both forms of the game. I eagerly await Pakistan's next tour of Australia.

Bob,An excellent job.Well done.Please stay with Pakistan.Dont even think of going to England.They really have promise only need dicipline like the country.They have all the talent but definately need dicipline then you see how well they perform.Take care & good luck for the rest of the matches and The World cup.Congrats

well sir i think shoaib akhter bowled very well in first inns injury is not new for the team specially shoaib akhter sir woolmer it happen its a game over i think Inzz bhai and younis khan kamran akmal really played well so u sir woolmer critcism on shoaib its not right ok some times it get in a chat so what australia do england do pcb should look to world cup and hire specilist should take care of their injury
than u

I think there should be two man of the match award in this perticular match. Shoaib should be be awarded along with Inzamam. He setup the initial platform for this win.

YES I THINK BOB IS RIGHT IN ALL THE THOUGHTS, BUT NOW PAKISTAN HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE OPNERS, THEY HAVE TO PLAY YASIR HAMEED AS A PARTNER OF MOHAMMAD HAFIZ AND ASIM KAMAL AT NO 6, TO SUPPORT INZIMAM AS WE SAW INZI NEED SUPPORT FROM OTHER END IN THE FIRST INNING.

I agree with the coach of Pakistan who should also teach the Pakistani batsmen running between the wickets.Yassir Hamid was run out because no one had told him that the shortest distance between the wickets was a straight line.Other senior batsmen like Yusuf regularly ran diagonally between the wickets.They should wake up and follow the basics.

Hi,I fully agree with Bob.I hope Pakistan will carry this performence to Capetown.

Yes , I totally agree with mr.Bob . he is a wonderful person . & he is the best thing that has happend in pakistan cricket he motivated the team to become a bunch of fighting cricketers . I wish him good luck for the world cup & hope he brings the world cup with him .

Very intersting comments and will agree with most of it.

What about Kamran Akmal Wicket Keeping? no doubt Inzi Played very weel do his very well as Captin use his only three bowler in right time.

yes, I totally agree with him. Inzi and his company was outstanding int that test match. One thing is for sure that this win will help Paksitan's confidence as well as the "Fight Back" capability.

yes bob is right it was truly a great test match and definately inzi's best win. I think contributions came from several players but bundling them out for 124 was the major factor. The contribution of shoaib akhtar in removing 4 top order wickets in 11 overs cannot be forgotten. If asifs contribution was a test of sheer endurance then shoaibs was a contribution of sheer lightening! In the end there were many man of the matches not least shoaib. Nevertheless inzi was probably did just pip him at the post. On these fast bouncy pitches the contribution of true pace can never be undermined and suffice is to say pakistan need to unearth another one. Anwar ali khan although not as fast does have great potential.

I agree with Bob, I think he is realistic in his thoughts and portrayed the complete picture of the match.

i totally agree with bob and i am pleased to see that he has faith in kamran akmal, who has admittedly been in terrible form, but form is only temperar, class is permanent. All the bowlers showed true team spirit by bowling without Shoaib Akthar, they were handled brilliantly by inzamam. I feel that Shoaib was rushed back too early. It is world cup season and nothing is more important than that. A fully fit world cup team with the likes of shaoib akhtar, afridi azhar mahmood and co is more important than saving a test series. Now that shaoib is injured he may not have enough match practice for the world cup. Also i think mustaq ahmead is much better that kaneria, regardless of age. He is still a top class operator. I have seen himfor sussex and he was amazing, roling through the notts top order. Get him in !! for both tests and odis. Good luck pakistan for next test and odi series.

yes i do agree with him.It was really marvelous effort.Specially i appriciate Inzi for his exceptional exibition with the bat and great use of limited resources while fielding.In short ,if pakistan keep showing this type of team effort,they may be a threat for australia

I agree with most comments made, but choose to be the lone sheep in calling the defining moment n the test. It was not Inzy's innings, but SA being bowled out for 124 that made the difference in the end. And in bowling them out for 124, the man who made it possible was the guys we love to hate... Shoaib. For all his failings (and frailties) one needs to give him credit. With Shoaib, SA 124, without Shoaib, SA 330+... perhaps too simplistic, but my man of the match would be Shoaib... defined as the man who had most hand in his team's victory. Ask Greame Smith when they lost the test, he will tell you being bowled out for 124 (not when Inzy farmed the tail a little too late in the game).

yeah everthing you wrote is right but one thing u missed bob which is that shoaib also played in this match his effort was also decisive

A fantastic game ,Pakistan did really well. Inzi was great and the whole team chipped in. When Shuaib starts to respect others beside himself , the team would certainly improve. I must admit that it was Woolmer who made the Pakistanis to believe in themself and start winning again. Kamran is still a young man , i hope he gets the confidence back so that he could put the gloves on again. Amod Khan

Bob, wonderful assessment of the test match. I think what you forgot to include was how much influence you have had as a coach to a pakistan team which was in the doldrums when you joined to one which is now in a position to win the world cup. This was a team which had not fully adapted to the form of test cricket and now is learning to apply themselves. Great job. I hope you stay after the world cup for if you dont I just have to pray for the future of this team.

well done sir.i always gives u respect n u deserve it.
plz give youngester chance as well like sami ullah niazi,shahid yousuf,anwar ali,arafat,imran nazir
they all have potential which needs to be polished at international level.
take care

I cannot agree more with Bob, but like a true gentleman he does not highlight the part he plays in the Pakistani dressing room. Again that is not something you can buy off the shelf. The SA players did put up quite a fight, but it is noticable how they seem to come short much more now, than whilst Bob was the SA coach.

Well done Bob & Pakistan,

It was a spelndid effort by the team. The only thing that worries me is kami;s keeping. No doubt he is a fine keeper. However he has struggled since the England series. Do you think it is just lack of confidence or a technical flaw? I don;t want to criticise the guy because i do really think he has a lot of talent. However the time has come to remedy his problem.

I must say Sir, I have to agree with your notion that statics (no matter how important they are when coaching or determining averages or whatever); are pointless when compared to the spirit the team can muster up. I do not doubt this spirit in the first Test as well, which could have swung Pakistan's way had it been for the umpires to correctly judge only two of the several solid appeals. But that is part of the game and I am most proud how Pakistan lifted in their spirits. Robin Jackman on the commentary continiously suggested 'Faisalabad', 'Faisalabad', 'Faisalabad';with all due respects to him, it wasn't to be. Win or lose, the spirit shown throughout must be kept alive.

First of all I would like to ask Bob Woolmer why did he question the sincerity of Shoaib Akhtar in the second innings when the bowler told Bob that he was unfit and had a hamstring injury which will stop him from bowling in the second innings. Instead of believing in Shoaib and getting him checked out he got so mad at him that he started yelling and screaming at him and questioned his fitness. Is this the way for a coach to behave with his team. I really don't think so.It's about time Pakistan cricket board wake up and get some one who can show more respect to professional players and act in a sensible manner.

Congrats on to you and your team for wining the test Mr. Woolmer.
With all due respect, however, I want to remind you a few simple and basic things of any game, which I think you have forgotten.
You can not win any game unless you play match winners. Guys like Farhat, Hafeez, Nazir and Rao.. they are not the match winners. They've been provided so many chances and have been tested over and over again, and yet the fail you! They have never won you a game. NEVER!
Guys like salman Butt, he was a match winner, he won you a few games in his short stint, and when he was going through a bad patch.. instead of being consistant with him, youve thrown the guy out of the picture. And so is the case with many other players.
Stop trying losers like Farhat, Hafeez, Nazir and Rao. They will never win you a game. You have to play match winners if you have to be a match winning team.

Amen

agree bob woolmer is a genius and we miss him as south african coach he certainly is one of the best around and a strong pakistan side is good for world cricket keep it up we are in the midst of another intriguing test cricket is the winner and just at the right time in what will prove an amazing season

Coach you are right in saying that Inzi's 92 was the defining moment of the match. One of the many positive things his innings brough, apart from winning us the match, is that it reassured us the beleif and expectations that are put into him as a cricketer. All great cricketrs have stood tall and they have done so when it really matters. Such was the case, again, with his 92 that it was of its class. Asif is a fantastic bowler, a real gem in this era of Pakistan cricket's fast bowling. Sami, I hope will find some real competition in the form of Asif, I hope this will brings the real fast bowler out of him

WOW! What a fight put up by Asif and Kaneria! Regarding this third Test; Pakistan should take out only, only, onlyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy the positives!! What a fighting bunch! I am so proud!!!!!!! Please tell Inzi Bhai and the whole team!!!! I am so proud! It was very, very unfortunate for Pakistan not to have backing up bowlers in form to support Asif and Kaneria, but that is how it was. The only thing I didn't like from this Test was Robin Jackman's biased commentary, especially when he said 'right on the star of Pakistan' referring to the replay of Ntini's bouncer hitting Yasir's helmet. Apart from that, I congratulate the whole team!

i agree this is a great pakistan line up ,they played well and its great to see shoaib and asif back in action.

Well I totally agree with Sir Bob, after reading all the above comments there is noting much left to say. However there is no doubt Sir Bob is the only key which can help Pakistan to grab world cup again…

Great work keep it up…… we will not forget your contribution to Pakistan cricket.

bob is he man for Pakistan and he has worked with us. but with all the controversy he has faced with us e.g the oval test forfeit i really find it hard to believe that he is going to stay with us. but just in case lets hope he does.
Tox

Our greatest strength has always been our bowling...id only give an advice to bob of playing asif, shoaib, umar and danish in our world cup matches. with these four we can stike continuously for 40 out of 50 overs, and anytime our batsman can put up more than 250 we can be sure to win. as for the 250, well we have fo look for seven guys that can fight....bob take a look at my 11 players for our wc matches. 1.hafeez 2.farhat or afridi 3.akmal 4.younis 5.yousuf 6.inzi 7.s malik 8.razzaq or danish 9.shoaib 10.umar 11.asif
because our team struggles in the opening, we might want to become the only team in the world that plays 3 openers that might bat out for the first 10 overs...hehe