Commentators keep making the point that, as tours move along, players and teams change. Part of it has to do with acclimatisation, part with learning from mistakes. Also, a lot from how the win-loss situation stands.But some things in this series have remained so alike they can almost be called patterns. Often interesting, but more often exasperating.At the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, things started with Inzamam winning the toss, making it four-in-a-row for him. And soon, the rest of the patterns — less tangible, of course — started emerging.Indians Kaif and Yuvraj again put up a spirited display on the field, with Pathan and Balaji continuing to outperform Zaheer, who is now being used by captain Ganguly the way Hansie Cronje used Allan Donald towards the end of his captaincy. As first change. Balaji seems to have picked up somewhat as the Pitch Map would have proven; he’s now bowling at least five balls in an over at more or less the same area instead of spraying the ball around like he did in the first three matches. And the difference is telling.What was more interesting, and baffling, is how the Pakistani bowlers seem determined not to watch their step or direction. Extras have hurt them once this series and pushed them back two more times. But in Lahore as well, Shabbir and Razzaq — primarily — kept the extras mounting. They aggregated 19 wides and 9 no-balls to take the tally close to 100 for the four innings they have bowled in.Two dismissals also happened off no-balls, first Tendulkar and then Laxman. It was exasperating business, and for once, even Inzamam’s Buster Keaton-like non-expression had a shadow passing over it.The other thing is that in all eight innings played so far, the fielding has been totally sloppy Ganguly led the Slop Brigade with a liberal dollop of clumsy fumbles, long-distance runner-like sprints and watching-with-hand-on-hips as overthrows he’s supposed to back-up went flying past. Kartik, Razzaq, Shoaib Malik and others did their best to reach Dada’s level, but fell short by some distance.The positive that’s come about in the last two matches is that, after the Karachi and Rawalpindi run-feasts, a sense of balance has come over the series. At least one of the Pakistani pacers has bowled well, and Pathan’s ascent to the top of the attack and Zaheer’s demotion has brought about a sea change in the effectiveness of the Indian attack.Add to that comparatively sporting pitches where the toss has a lower chance of making a difference, and Lahore on Wednesday might literally see the best team win.
