"Worst Attack": Ricky Ponting On Pakistan's Current Crop Of Fast Bowlers

Pakistan are almost on the verge of suffering another humiliating loss against Australia as they were reeling at 39/3 at stumps on Day 3 of the second Test on Sunday. Pakistan who picked a young fast bowling unit, comprising three teenagers, for the tough tour failed to deliver as they allowed the hosts to pile huge runs in both the Test matches. Their poor show and inability to pick wickets received scathing remarks from former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting who believes they are the "worst bowling attack" he has seen in a long time playing on their soil.

"They (Pakistan's bowlers) have been poor... their bowling attack is terrible really for a Test attack," Ricky Ponting told cricket.com.au.

"I'm not sure I have seen a worse bowling attack on our shores in a long time," Ponting said.

Ponting said he fails to fathom why Pakistan didn't play the 16-year-old Naseem Shah who impressed one and all -- first in the practice game and then on his Test debut.

Ponting was also not mighty impressed by the inexperienced bowler Muhammad Musa who replaced Naseem in the playing XI. In fact, he even declared Musa not ready for Test match bowling.

"I still can't understand why the 16-year-old hasn't played this game, Naseem," Ponting said.

"And they go with another guy (Musa) who has played seven first-class games and just doesn't look to be a Test match bowler," added Ponting, who led Australia to back-to-back World Cup wins in 2003 and 2007.

Explaining where the Pakistani fast bowlers have lacked, Ponting said: "They haven't got much cattle. And when you haven't got much cattle against a batting line-up as hungry as ours, and in our conditions, and a team that is really trying to prove themselves back on the world stage, then I think Pakistan have just been caught in a perfect storm".

As far as the match is concerned, Australia enforced the follow on after taking a huge-first innings lead and after third day's play, Pakistan were trailing the hosts by 248 runs, with only seven wickets left.

Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team Ricky Ponting Naseem Shah Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Cricket Muhammad Musa