West Indies pace attack has yet again brought the true essence of fast bowling into the cricket world. Their convincing defeat of Pakistan in the first Test at Tarouwa was more than just another win ahead of Pakistan in the ICC World Test Championship. It said there’s a “tension” between two countries which used to acquire identity through fearsome pace attacks. West Indies still have faith in high-quality fast bowlers who have the ability to secure victory but Pakistan seem to have lost touch with the footballing culture that once characterised them.
This was his Jayden Seales’ version of the statement. He refused to fluctuate with Pakistan nine wickets down needing a little over 100 runs to victory. Finally, when the tension level was high with 13 balls left before the tea, Seales even shouted at Jomel Warrican to get him off and release the slowly moving ball so that Mohammad Abbas could come in at the boundary to find the boundary Babar Azam. Seales looked for his second chance to top the scoreboard after adding a hat trick to his tally, to mark a well-deserved five-wicketing draw. The competitive fire was a reflection of this West Indies bowling unit.
Another reminder of Seales’ incredible record Istanbul showed a performance against Pakistan. He now has made his debut to the Test world in 2021 and has been a constant threat in their batting order ever since. Of his 130 wickets in Test cricket, almost 19% have been against Pakistan and his top score is a mere top-seeded bowling average, which comes to just over 17 runs per wicket. More significant, however, is his commitment to playing Test cricket over franchise opportunities, as he plays less T20 cricket than the majority of fast bowlers these days.
The West Indies pace bowling attack follows suit. Kemar Roach is now the first West Indies pacer to achieve 300 Test wickets as he claimed victory against his former side of New Zealand last weekend.Kemar Roach took over the milestone of becoming with last weekend the first bowler from West Indies to reach 300 Test wickets since Curtly Ambrose. His home record is comparable with many great bats at least and his achievements deserve far greater their than even some of the legendary fast bowlers of the world. Almost 20 years on the field, Roach has only been in a handful of franchise leagues, favouriting West Indies cricket instead.
Shamar Joseph is also one of the brightest pacers for the world of cricket. Having made his unforgettable impression against Australia, he has quickly become a real match-winner. He’s among the trio along with Seales and Roach—who can take the place of any batting line-up anytime matchup makes the most of any “plus” available. The trio display pace, aggressiveness and practice with a no hiding- clause mentality that attribute to the famous West Indies teams in the past.
The situation is still totally different in Pakistan. Mohammad Abbas is still a class apart bowler with consistently fine accuracy and movement which hits the batters right in the eye. It is now up to him to lead an offensive which is devoid of pace. Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali may be able to play but both in similar style, neither variably nor intimidating. The Pakistan bowling attack is no longer an aggressive one but at least it is functional so that is good for a country that boasts the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.
With long time trends, the contrast is a bit more stark. West Indies have always had some of the top fast bowlers in the top wicket-taking club in the cricket archives ever since Seales’ debut. Reworld is the only one of the aforementioned who is not a top performer over that time and even he’s built a nice pair of tallies since his turn into world cricket. However, Pakistan have a tough time doing so as far as picking a fast bowler to be among the top wicket takers over the same period is concerned.
But it’s not just about talent. Despite the lure of franchise cricket, West Indies have been able to keep a nucleus of fast bowlers who would always play in the longest format. In Pakistan, however, their pace bowlers have focused on T20 work, with the test side suffering from a lack of pace. The outcome is an attack which is not about threatening but accurate, a far cry from Pakistan’s identity.
Interestingly, in the last few decades both countries have followed parallel paths. Both had been one of the best Test teams in the world but have both suffered from waning commercial power, global importance and spotty performances. They have come in at the bottom of the standings after last week’s World Test Championship and are still getting in a few more strengthening measures. However, on this Test they have indicated that they are going in separate directions.
A potent pace attack that can turn a game with skill and pace and that relentless aggression is what West Indies are missing from every successful side they’ve looked up to in the past, possibly in the future as well. That’s the “formula” that Pakistan are still looking for. So until they make a comeback to making quality fast bowlers that can trouble the world’s best batters on a regular basis, the distance between these previously-tierra-cotta countries can widen even more significantly. The first Test wasn’t merely another result, it was an impressive reminder that real fast bowling still plays a vital role as one of the most potent weapons in the sport’s toolbox and West Indies currently hold the upper hand.
Follow Zeroto30s for more cricket news, exclusive match analysis and the latest sports updates.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/zeroto30s/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s/