Pakistani slip fielders and wicketkeepers have dropped 16 catches in last l17 Test matches of Muhammad Amir. The spearhead of Pakistani bowling attack has been dropped repeatedly.
The Cricinfo has given a detailed report on dropped catches on the bowling of Amir.
v England, 1st Test, Lord’s
First innings
6.4 Mohammad Amir to Cook, no run, dropped. Oh no. Hafeez. What have you done? Superb channels from Amir. Just outside off on a good length. Cook is drawn forward and has to play. A thick outside edge carries low to Hafeez at first slip, who gets down but the ball bursts out of his hands. Hit his left hand and bounced out, hands not in a good place. Should have been taken
25.1 Mohammad Amir to Cook, no run, pitched up, draws the drive, Cook nicks through to Sarfraz… who shells another chance off Amir! Unbelievable! Amir is understandably a little miffed by all this. Sarfraz dived to his left and got to the ball, a fairly simple chance but it hit his wrists and then rebounded into his face, only lacking the comedy sound effect for complete embarrassment
The cost: Alastair Cook was on 22 when he was first dropped, and on 55 the second time. He went on to score 81 and was England’s top-scorer. Amir removed him eventually, but had to wait 45 overs for his first wicket on his comeback.
v England, 2nd Test, Manchester
First innings
6.3 Mohammad Amir to Hales, FOUR, reaching for the drive, thick-edged and, sad as I am to type it, a tough chance is dropped at gully! He was standing quite close, only got one hand up to the ball and it burst through
The cost: Nought. Amir burst through Hales’ defence three balls later, removing him for 10.
57.5 Mohammad Amir to Vince, no run, big wind up, the ball whizzes through outside off, kisses the edge as Vince goes for the big drive… but Younis drops it! He seemed surprised by the pace, it flew around chest height and it hit the palm of his right hand before ricocheting off his chest and down. Still no one has taken a catch off Amir
The cost: Vince added 12 more before he was dismissed for 18 six overs later.
v England, 4th Test, The Oval
First innings
30.6 Mohammad Amir to Ali, no run, edged, flat and low to Azhar at third slip, who drops the chance! He clung on, fortuitously, to a near identical fumble off Ballance, but this was was if anything an easier opportunity in the first instance. Straight in, straight out. Amir kicks the turf in fury
The cost: England were 130 for 5. Ali went on to score 108 and was the last man out, with the score on 328.
v West Indies, 3rd Test, Sharjah
Second innings
0.5 Mohammad Amir to Johnson, no run, oh Pakistan’s horror day refuses to end. Perfect seam position, on a length, on off, just about holds its line, takes the edge, goes to Misbah at third slip at a nice catchable height. Misbah lets it slip, though. Oh just when you thought you had said goodbye to the naughty Pakistan of old
2.5 Mohammad Amir to Johnson, no run, West Indies won’t lose this match even if they want to. Poor cricket all around. Loose push to a shortish ball outside off, the edge carries chest high to Sami Aslam at first slip, but he makes a meal of it. Never in any danger of catching this. Hard hands, don’t close at the right time. Poor Amir is left to kick the ground in disgust
The cost: Leon Johnson was on 0 and 3. He was dismissed for 12 after adding 29 for the opening wicket in a historic West Indies victory.
v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Hamilton
First innings
0.3 Mohammad Amir to Raval, no run, another catch dropped off Amir, Aslam is the culprit now at first slip. Full away-swinger, pokes and edges it low to the left of Aslam. He bends low and shells the knee-high grab
4.6 Mohammad Amir to Williamson, no run, Amir drops a return catch to his right. Full and angling away outside off, Williamson drives it in the air to the right of the bowler. Think Amir was reluctant to dive, he ultimately tumbles late to his right. Attempts the catch with both hands but spills it
28.6 Mohammad Amir to Raval, 1 run, Aslam drops another straightforward catch off Amir at first slip. Raval was reprieved on 4 on the first morning, he is reprieved again on 40 on the second morning. Good length, angled in, and then straightens away outside off. Raval has a naughty flirt and outside-edges it. Aslam is slow to react to start with; he then dives across to his right and shells it. He did not even have to fall that far to his right. The hands are apart and he is never really balanced. Amir is livid and is ready to tear his hair apart
The cost: Jeet Raval was on 0 and 41 when he was dropped. He top-scored with 55. Williamson made 13 after being dropped on 0.
Second innings
30.4 Mohammad Amir to Latham, 2 runs, midwicket drops a tough catch diving to his left. Aslam drops another catch off Amir in this Test. Short and outside off, Latham skips back and pulls in the air. Aslam throws himself to his left, the ball hits his left hand and bobbles out. Poor Amir, and Aslam has been banished to the deep
The cost: Latham was on 39 when he was dropped. He finished with 80.
v Australia, 2nd Test, Melbourne
First innings
80.5 Mohammad Amir to Handscomb, no run, dropped. All return catches are hard but they are still chances. Handscomb pushes casually and fails to keep this down. Amir is off balance is his follow through and is hit on that high part of the hand as goes to claim this dipping offering
The cost: Handscomb was on 51 when dropped but could only add three runs to his score before Sohail Khan dismissed him.
v West Indies, 2nd Test, Barbados
First innings
4.3 Mohammad Amir to Kraigg Brathwaite, no run, put down. Amir has another dropped opportunity against his name. Everything according to the ploy here with short cover there just for the checked defensive drives. Amir gets Brathwaite to do just that, only to watch his efforts neutralized by the ball popping out of Shehzad’s palms. Oh dear
The cost: Nothing – Brathwaite was on 9 when dropped, but fell two balls later to Amir, caught behind by Sarfraz Ahmed.
v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
Second innings
54.3 Mohammad Amir to Dilruwan Perera, no run, dropped at second slip! Oh Amir, doesn’t even have anything to say. Happens that often. Back of a length in the corridor, pokes at it and gets a thick outside edge that’s heading towards first slip. But Asad Shafiq leaps to his left and puts it down. The pace of the pitch is the reason. It was hanging up for quite a while and he grabbed at it
The cost: No runs. Perera fell in the next over, leg-before to Yasir Shah.
v Ireland, only Test, Malahide
Second innings
0.3 Mohammad Amir to Joyce, no run, dropped? Nicked for certain, but did it carry? Full just outside off, but the ball shapes away slightly, and takes the outside edge. Drops in front of first slip, but definitely a chance for the keeper, because he stands slightly forward. Nervy start
The cost: To be determined. Joyce had yet to score but ended day three of the Test on 39.
4.5 Mohammad Amir to Porterfield, no run, dropped again! This time Porterfield gets the life. Another missed chance off Amir. Good length on off stump, shapes just enough to take the edge and that was pretty simple for Azhar at third slip
The cost: To be determined. Porterfield was on 3 at the time and finished day three of the Test unbeaten on 23.