Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis changed it forever in this crash-bang-thud festival from the summer of ‘92. The disbelievers reacted with prompt criticism and alleged malpractices with the ball. Some leading fast bowlers like Donald (who then went on to master the skill) actually joined the war-cry against ‘ball tampering’. Subsequently the scientific-minded came out with a study of the phenomenon and there was gradual, even grudging acceptance of the possibility that a skillful bowler can reverse-swing an old ball even without scruffing it up on one side with a soft drink bottle cap.

A lot of words have since been said, printed and aired on this series and its famous by-product. For a change we can cut out the words and look at some numbers that help comprehend the actual damage done to the lower order of English line-up by the Sultans of Swing at their respective peaks. A look into cricinfo’s records yielded the following info about the 2nd, 4th and 5th Tests of the series (screening out the other two Tests, which were drawn):

Match, Inngs, Indiv. Contrib.of last 5 b’men dismissed, Runs added by last 5 wkts, Details of collapse, Winner

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2nd Test 1st, 11 42 153/1>255/10 Pak
2nd Test 2nd 22 38 108/2>175/10 Pak
4th Test 1st 2 22 271/1>320/10 Eng
4th Test 2nd (lower order did not bat) Eng
5th Test 1st 13 17 138/2>207/10 Pak
5th Test 2nd 17 82 153/5>174/10 Pak

[Wasim and Waqar accounted for 21 of the 25 lower order wickets in the innings listed above, the balance four going to Mushtaq Ahmed. Wasim snared 10 and Waqar 11. Pakistan won the series 2-1]

Why am I being a fusspot and raking up issues from another era? Because Pakistani bowlers happened to be the pioneers of “tail-crushing” fast bowling, and India are now visiting them to play a series with arguably the most reliable tail in the history of Indian cricket.

Apparently the Indian lower order is improving every match, as was evident in their last Test when they reached the other extreme from the English story of that 1992 series by scoring over 500 runs in the two innings after the fall of first 5 wickets. But that was against another side and in another country – theirs.

The toughest Tests of performance under pressure are about to confront the warring sides in a day or two. May the team that is better at it win.

quote: "India are now visiting them to play a series with arguably the most reliable tail in the history of Indian cricket." unquote

Well..definitely 'arguable'...there was a time when Kapil paji played at 8 and Madan Lal at number 10 for us. That was the strongest tail. Not the strongest batting lineup though :-)

Wasim and Waqar were the best Pakistani bowling pair ever, infact they are however i hope they do not remain the best. We need another good bowling pair, soon. Shoaib and rana will do good, however we do need a left hand bowler.

WASIM&WAQAR WERE NOT ONLY BEST OF PAKISTAN THEY ALSO BEST IN THE WORLD NO ONE CAN REPLACE THEM WE CAN IMPROVE OUR BOWLERS WITH THE HELP OF THERE EXPERIENCE.WASIM&WAQAR IS BEST WAS BEST WILL BEST