More on professionalism

A post from a fellow blogger on www.pakistaniat.com.

My response to a comment on my post on http://cricket.bloggers.pk

Thanks for referring me to pakastaniat.com. I hadn't been reading it the last little while, but Zamanov's post is an interesting one.

I think the issue of pay is really non-existent. These guys are getting paid oodles to play competitive international cricket, both through retainer and then through match fees. They all supplement their income through playing various forms of first class cricket, both at home and abroad. What is critically needed, is for the PCB to adopt the same kind of professional approach we see through the academy system in Australia and England, and the way first class cricket is run in India.

I completely do agree that our players get by on talent, not by being prepared or practicing. Most bowlers on the international circuit watch hours of tape on each batsman to ensure that they know all of their weaknesses. None of our bowlers do that. Batsmen spend hours looking at where bowlers will bowl and getting inside their heads. We don't do that. We look for the mercurial innings by our batsmen, where by sheer dint of talent they impose themselves on the other side, or by the unplayable deliveries by our bowlers. When has a batsman been "worked out" by our bowlers, the way South Africa "worked out" our batsmen through their judicious use of bouncers. The World Cup is another piece of the puzzle, which will be wasted if the side does not adopt a more professional approach. And where does all of this come from? Right from the top, where after so many years the PCB still does not even have a constitution.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this.