Naseem ready to unleash on Aussies
HE has been likened to Dennis Lillee, and now Pakistan is hoping Naseem Shah is the teenage tearaway primed to strike fear into Australia’s top order this summer.
Just two days after the death of his mother, Shah ripped into Australia A in Perth on Wednesday with a destructive eight-over spell that included the wicket of Marcus Harris with a searing bouncer that caught the lefthander’s edge.
And pace great Waqar Younis is predicting more pain for Australia proper if the 16year-old is unleashed in the first Test in Brisbane starting next Thursday.
“He’s got a very strong action. He reminds me of Dennis Lillee, actually. He’s got a very similar action,” said Waqar, Pakistan’s bowling coach.
“He’s not as big as Dennis — Dennis was a big guy — but when he gets it right, he’s a handful. He’s very talented.”
Waqar was most impressed with Naseem during the Pakistan under-17s team’s recent tour of South Africa.
“He bowled really well on those bouncy pitches,” he said.
“So I’m really looking forward to see how he bowls against some real quality and experienced players like (David) Warner and (Steve) Smith.
“His first tour to Australia. It’s not going to be that easy but of course he’s going to learn a lot. At the age of 16, 17, it’s a massive tour for him.”
Waqar, who believes Pakistan has its best chance yet of winning a series in Australia for the first time, made his own Test debut a day shy of his 18th birthday and eventually retired as one of cricket’s all-time great fast-bowlers.
Now he sees something special in Naseem.
“His pace is the key but he can vary and of course then he’s smart — he’s young but he’s very smart. He knows what he’s doing,” Waqar said.
“He hits the seam on a regular basis and if there is something in the pitch he’ll make sure he gets something out of that.”
Waqar believes the key to Naseem being successful in Australia will be containing his youthful exuberance.