Wrong-Footed Henchmen, Aging Youth, and 'Pulling A Diddy'

As I watched them dominate Australia earlier today, I suddenly realised how much the Pakistan team has changed in the past few months, and how much I need to catch up on regarding their new look, new attitude, etc. Some random observations:

• I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Pakistan did a very nice job in the field. (No, don’t laugh, I’m being serious.) They really have helped their cause immensely with some good hustle and a selfless effort from their fielders. (Stop it, really. It’s not a joke.) They have saved their batsmen at least 20 runs through their efforts containing the Australian batsmen. (Yes, I did mean Pakistan. For real! You’re not gonna believe me, are you? Fine.)
  
  
• Sohail Tanvir is a very interesting bowler – it’s nice to see some more idiosyncratic players rising onto the scene. At times during his spell he was variating his pace better than anyone in world not named ‘Daniel Vettori.’ I wonder if it’s just his unorthodox, wrong-footed action (described by my buddy George as, “a fast-medium Paul Adams”) that had the Australian batsman so confused, or if there’s something else lurking behind that deceptively gentle run-up and that cavernous, henchman-to-an-early-Bond-villain visage.

• When did Younis Khan change his name to Younus Khan? And why wasn’t I informed of this? After the Youhana/Yousuf switch a couple of years ago, these are the things I need to be made aware of… Oh and by the way, Ponting better not be serious about dropping the –y from his first name. I didn't accept the 're-monikerisation' from Puffy at the time, and I will certainly not accept it from you now, R-I-C-K-Y.

• Andrew Symonds is throwing the ball. Yes, that’s right -- he’s a chucker. No one will ever mention it, of course, since he is Australian. (I suppose he also seems like a nice enough guy. And besides, who wants to ban a wobbly part-timer from bowling, really?)
  
  
• Memo to Slater, Chapell, and co.: ‘Inexperience at the international level’ ≠ ‘Youth’. Misbah-ul-Haq has been around for quite a while now; do your research. His name always pops up in discussions during periods of renovation and reconstruction for Pakistani cricket, when the selectors feel they need to re-arrange their shop front and apply a few surface coats for the public. Give it two years or so, and he'll be right back to captaining that 'A' squad with little hope for the future.

• Here's a guarantee: Pakistan will never get anywhere in world cricket as long as their worst three batters also happen to be their first three batters. Choose one of those top three and go with him -- cut the other two a cheque, thank them for their services, and send Youn?s Khan up the order to open with the winner.