By Eddie Smith
December 28 2004

Eddie Smith delights Shoaib Akhtar fans with some statistics on his comparison with Brett Lee and info on the great man and what the future may hold for him. At the end of 2000, Shoaib had test figures of 15 matches, 45 wickets @ 35.84, whilst Brett Lee had the career figures of 7 matches, 42 wickets @ 16.07.

Many Lee fans claimed that although Shoaib may have an edge over Lee in the pace stakes, he was nowhere near the class of bowler that Lee was.

Four years later we are in a fine position to see what has transpired and here is the updated stats (at this minute)-

Brett Lee: 37 matches, 139 Test wickets @ 31.66
Shoaib Akhtar: 35 matches, 142 wickets @ 24.02

Cricket is a game of numbers and numbers don't lie. They don't always tell all the facts, but they don't lie, and these numbers certainly tell a tale.

If at the end of 2000, you had predicted these figures for the said bowlers then most people would have called you crazy, but cricket is funny game.

nb: Lee's stats are conclusive of the 2004 year though Shoaib may well end the current match with an average below 24. This would be the second time that he has achieved this.

Shoaib had a rest while Pakistan was playing WA's second 11 here in Perth. Instead of resting, Shoaib was running lap after lap of James reserve in 38c degree temeratures. The guy has the passion (eye of the tiger for the Rocky fans) and while he has that passion he can keep on going for as long as his body will let him.

I certainly hope he can, and I'll tell you something that I found interesting from the Perth test. When Shoaib was injured, he still managed to trouble batsmen with deliveries around 136km/h. This started me thinking along the lines of Akram, Donald, Walsh and Waqar that even when their pace deminished they could still perform a valuable service for their countries.

These warriors knew how to take wickets! this is a skill in itself and is not some skill that can be taught to a raw youngster. They have either got or they haven't and if they've got it then through time they refine it. The same way that the best strikers in soccer always know where the net is, the best bowler have a knack of taking wickets.

Shoaib 'knows where the net is', and this coupled with desire plus modern diet and training methods should ensure his longevity in the sport.

Another asset that Shoaib should retain where others have failed is his ability to pull a faster ball out of somewhere. He may be tired, he may be injured but often times he can just generate that surprise faster ball when required. this is a rare weapon that should not be under-rated and their is no reason why this weapon would desert him, even when his sustained pace has deminished.

The problem comes in that when a bowler gets to around 33, selectors, media men and fans alike begin to look at them as a number, waiting for one of two things to bring about their demise - injury or loss of form. When someone is 33 years old then they are not given the same credit that they would when they were 28.

When McGrath got injured and was away from the game, at his age many had written him off. But the guy fights his way back and is now the PWC number 1 once more.

Injury and form troughs can spell the end for any 30-something fast bowler and often times prematurely. These factors are innevitable, but one would hope that when they come upon Shoaib, their is enough influencial powerbrokers around the PCB to ensure that he is given every opportunity to get back off the canvas and keep punching until the time is right. Hopefully when Shoaib says that it is time.