Thanks for your company on a damp Boxing Day, and cheers to Jim Wallace for starting it off from the Old Dart. Wishing you and yours a happy week ahead, and we’ll of course be back with you from Day 2 tomorrow.
Stumps on Day 1 - Australia 187 for 3
After losing the toss and being asked to bat, that’s a reasonable result for Australia. We got 66 overs bowled in the end, so realistically we only lost about 20 to rain. Not too bad considering the length of the delay. Had Shafique held onto Warner early in the day, Pakistan may have been able to apply more pressure. But the scoring never cut loose – strike rates in the 30s and 40s for each batter today – so Pakistan are still well placed if they can stop major partnerships from building tomorrow. Australia will probably aim to do just that, keep on grinding out runs and hope that scoring gets easier.
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66th over: Australia 187-3 (Labuschagne 44, Head 9) Agha Salman to bowl it. Off spin. And nearly a wicket! Width, flight, Head drives, and it flies just past second slip. Shan Masood has positioned himself there, and flings himself across, but it’s travelling too fast. Gets a run. Labuschagne another to long on. And that’s that.
65th over: Australia 185-3 (Labuschagne 43, Head 8) Mir Hamza is still smiling late in the day, bustling in to tempt Labuschagne outside the off stump, but the batter leaves it alone. The clock ticks over to 7pm before the umpire is standing behind the non-striker’s stumps, but he’s reaching for the bowler’s hat and jumper so they will get this over in.
64th over: Australia 185-3 (Labuschagne 43, Head 8) Jamal losing his control late in the day, must be tiring. Five wides from a leg-side bouncer, then another wide with too much height on the ball.
CA says 2036 heart tests have been done on the machines installed at the ground today in honour of Shane Warne.
63rd over: Australia 177-3 (Labuschagne 42, Head 7) Mir Hamza back near the end of the day, and Labuschagne gets three more with an on drive. Head on strike keeps himself in check, seems to be thinking of reaching stumps more than scoring, though he does punch a single to point.
62nd over: Australia 173-3 (Labuschagne 39, Head 6) Couple of defensive shots from Head facing Jamal. It always feels like a countdown clock is ticking when this happens. He drives to mid off, no run. But the big shot doesn’t come, just a tickle behind square for one.
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61st over: Australia 171-3 (Labuschagne 38, Head 6) Labuschagne ticks along, another couple of runs pushed to leg from Shaheen.
60th over: Australia 168-3 (Labuschagne 36, Head 5) Jamal is bowling the next over, so the treatment worked. Pakistan are full of confidence with their reviewing, too, and waste one going down the leg side against Labuschagne. Head carves away a boundary with the cut shot in typical style.
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59th over: Australia 162-3 (Labuschagne 35, Head 0) Just over 62,000 people in today, decent crowd considering the forecast. I can tell you that a lot went home ahead of the first big rainstorm, it was looming on the radar in a fluorescent horrorshow as they headed for the trams and trains.
Quite the over from Shaheen. Top edge as Labuschagne tries to bail out of a pull shot but accidentally hits it anyway, over the keeper. Then a beamer that hits Travis Head on the top of the shoulder, followed by a pearler that just misses his off stump.
Meanwhile, Jamal has gone down with some discomfort in his hip after a sliding save, and is getting treatment from the physio to warm it up, pushing his leg back and wobbling it about. In a highly medical way.
WICKET! Smith c Rizwan b Jamal 26, Australia 154-3
58th over: Australia 154-3 (Labuschagne 28) Talk about against the run of play! The two batters have got through a tough period and they look ready to prosper. Smith drives through cover with a flourish, running another three. Gets the strike back. Then last ball of the over, pushes at Jamal, who appeals with Rizwan as ball beats edge. At least that’s how it looks. And sounds. The umpire says no. Pakistan take the review. And there is the tiniest spike, entirely recognisable in its sharpness but in miniature, like a baby octopus compared to the full-grown thing. An edge, and as ever, Smith walks off shaking his head. Jamal comes through for his team.
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57th over: Australia 150-2 (Labuschagne 27, Smith 23) A drinks break comes and goes. We’re playing until 7pm tonight, which is another three quarters of an hour away. Sunlight across the MCG now, long shadows of the two batters across the pitch. Two slips and a gully still wait. Backward point. Short cover crouching. Smith pulls Shaheen out through midwicket for three, then thanks to a misfield at mid off, Labuschagne drives him for four.
56th over: Australia 143-2 (Labuschagne 23, Smith 20) Jamal to Labuschagne, very wide again and it’s cut for a run. Smith does the same for one to backward point. Jamal’s line has been all over the place.
55th over: Australia 141-2 (Labuschagne 22, Smith 19) Given! But this time, ball-tracking saves Steve Smith, the tiny margin going his way after it went against him in Perth. Shaheen over the wicket gets the ball to swing back in and just pitch in line. Beats Smith’s shot across the ball and strikes his pad. Knee roll, just above, but he’s playing back and well inside the crease. After a long few seconds of thinking, umpire Michael Gough raises the finger. But Smith’s review shows the bounce clearing the bail by a couple of millimetres.
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54th over: Australia 139-2 (Labuschagne 22, Smith 17) Decent short ball! Jamal digs one in at Labuschagne that reads at over 136 kph, much faster than most of his speeds in Perth – and usually shorter ones read slower. Interesting. Labuschagne hops out of the way as it zips over his shoulder, good direction.
53rd over: Australia 137-2 (Labuschagne 21, Smith 16) Shaheen returns and he also starts with some garbage, more short and wide and cuttable stuff. Smith with the boundary this time.
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52nd over: Australia 133-2 (Labuschagne 21, Smith 12) Aamer Jamal is back into the action, and starts poorly – short and wide for Labuschagne to usher past slip with a back cut. Four. Then an extra as Jamal bowls even wider.
51st over: Australia 128-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 12) Smith is opening up, cracking his wrist position to nail a cover drive. Babar dives across to get a hand to it, turning four into two. The only runs from Hamza’s over.
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50th over: Australia 126-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 10) Labuschagne in full survival mode, comes on strike against Hasan Ali and just leaves, defends.
49th over: Australia 125-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 9) Now Hamza dials up the challenge to Labuschagne, beating him twice outside the off stump as the Australian No3 drives at one ball and pushes defensively at another. Good seam away. Rizwan and Hamza appeal for the first but the toe of the bat hit the ground. This is good stuff.
48th over: Australia 125-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 9) Oh, so close to a fine over! Hasan Ali works Smith hard, getting the inside half of a dragged drive to mid on, then beating the edge twice. But the sixth ball undoes some good work, an easy length on the pads for Smith to flick through midwicket for four.
47th over: Australia 121-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 5) The runs coming a little more easily from Hamza’s over, Smith getting singles with both the pull shot and a push to cover.
46th over: Australia 118-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 3) This has been an impressive return from Hasan Ali. Smacks a length outside off stump, bowls a couple a bit wide but others very close to the timber. Labuschagne leaves them all but it’s disciplined bowling.
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45th over: Australia 118-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 3) Labuschagne with another leg-side single, then Hamza is wided for sending a ball soaring over Smith’s head. Squares him up after that, taking a leading edge into the covers.
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44th over: Australia 116-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 3) Steven Smith, and you won’t believe this, walks across his stumps to glance a single. I was shocked too. Hasan Ali cuts Marnus in half, seam off the deck and hits him in the stomach. Eventually nudges one away like Smith.
43rd over: Australia 114-2 (Labuschagne 15, Smith 2) We’re finally back, and Mir Hamza picks up where we left off: bowling dot balls to Labuschagne.
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The resumption is 15 minutes away.
We can see the pitch now, so cricket may unfortunately interrupt the Shane MacGowan Live Tribute Blog at any moment.
Steve Perrin is also on the Shane Train. “Drinking Wellington lager and alternating ‘The Old Main Drag’ [song] with Prosecco Socialist [band]. Shane may or may not have approved.”
“Afternoon Geoff, and a happy damp Boxing Day to you,” writes Jack Jorgensen. “That Glen Hansard-led version at Shane MacGowan’s funeral is joyous. I enjoyed an Xmas evening watching highlights of David Boon’s second ever Test century at the SCG against India. Luscious mullet matched only by a luscious mo.”
We’re down to the central pitch cover, the rest are gone. David Warner is doing a walk-and-talk interview around the boundary with Mark Howard. A few players are warming up.
The big cover comes off the centre square. Merry Christmas to all.
The pegs are coming out! Things that excite us on Boxing Day…
Bursts of sunshine coming through now, some shadows are visible from the security staff, but it’s still drizzling at the same time. Is it about to stop? I think the regs are that they have to be back on by the scheduled close of play, which is 1 hour and 4 minutes away, and it usually takes about 45 minutes to clean up the ground and let the players warm up. But the drizzle has to totally stop first.
Yeah, still sprinkling. Small puddles have returned. The umpires are out there having a look with their umbrellas firmly up.
They’ve drained the surface water off the other run-up cover now, so I’ve lost my means of telling if it’s still raining. Must be very faint if at all. The light out there seems brighter now. There is a radar gap that might leave enough time to get back on for a bit.
This is a strange one. There’s a cheer as half a dozen members of ground crew come out and remove one of the covers from the bowlers’ approach area at the Shane Warne Stand end. But it’s still raining, you can clearly see the ripples on the other covers. Then they put the first cover back on again. Maybe it just wasn’t lined up properly with the central cover.
I think we’re in trouble on the radar. The southerly swoop of the cloud band has now shifted more east to west, dragging it across Melbourne for the predicted 90-minute window ahead. It’s 15:30ish local time.
Great minds thinking simpatico here. Harry Sachar writes in. “Had a great Christmas with great friends. We shared a Guinness while watching the Pogues’ rendition of Fairytale of New York at Shane MacGowan’s funeral.”
Or this rendition is pretty special…
I’m going to need some help to get through the next hour or so. How was your Christmas? Tell me some tales, let’s warm our hearts. My highlight was spending Christmas Eve listening not to carols but to a thumping live band at a Shane MacGowan tribute night. Ending, of course, with this one.
Still drizzling away out there…
Thanks Jim, and happy festive etceteras to everyone. This rain announced its imminence dramatically. I had to duck home at the lunch break, and riding back to the ground acrosss Melbourne from north to south, there was this terrific massif of slate-grey cloud following all the way behind me, with an advance phalanx advancing to the east, like an arm curling around our city’s shoulders, down the Mornington Peninsula around the bay. So here it is. My early guess is that this will take about an hour to pass, then there might be another band that clips us. And if we get back on by about 4:30pm, which is an hour and three quarters away, we’ll get more play.
I’ll take that as my cue to leave, Geoff Lemon is sidling into the OBO armchair and will guide you through the afternoon. Glad tidings etc etc. Over to you, Geoff!
Rain stops play
42.4 overs: Australia 114-2 (Labuschagne 15, Smith 2) Mir Hamza comes into the attack and has just about enough time to weave four dots together before the sky above the MCG finally breaks and unleashes an almighty... mizzle. The players scatter from the field as boos bounce around the MCG.
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42nd over: Australia 114-2 (Labuschagne 15, Smith 2) Jamal beats Labuschagne with a length ball that nibbles away. A plinked drive to extra cover for no run induces a bit of chatter from the slips. Frisson building out there it seems. I haven’t spoken to another human being in about four hours. Jamal fluffs his lines with a short and wide ball that Marnus can punch easily for a single.
41st over: Australia 113-2 (Labuschagne 14, Smith 2) Now then. A bit of needle between Marnus and Shaheen. Lots of eyeballing and the odd remark under the breath. Labuschagne gets off strike with a clip behind square. Teensy tiny victory for the batter.
40th over: Australia 112-2 (Labuschagne 13, Smith 2) Marnus tickles into the leg side to get his first run off the bat in 19 deliveries. Absorbing cricket under foreboding skies.
39th over: Australia 111-2 (Labuschagne 11, Smith 2) Dot. Dot. Dot. Dot. Dot… would you look at that! A leg-bye brings a single, Labuschagne haring down the other end to bring about the first run in almost four overs. Shaheen has a few words with him for good measure. Floodlights on, shadows lengthening. Marnus’s eyes like saucers.
38th over: Australia 110-2 (Labuschagne 11, Smith 2) You guessed it, another maiden. Hasan Ali and Marnus are engaged in an engrossing battle, cat and mouse stuff. Ali squares up his nemesis with a zipping delivery but Marnus is stoic, leaving and defending to blunt the threat. Angry, dark clouds gather over the MCG, all adding to the building atmospherics.
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37th over: Australia 110-2 (Labuschagne 11, Smith 2) Shaheen makes it another maiden as the Pakistani pressure cooker starts to emit a very subtle hiss, a lisping corn snake, no more than that. There have been just two runs in the last 24 deliveries. Hsssss.
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36th over: Australia 110-2 (Labuschagne 11, Smith 2) Hasan Ali into his groove, joining the dots to complete a nagging maiden, keeping Smith honest early in his innings.
Meanwhile – Mike Hussey in the Hall of Fame:
Congratulations Mike Hussey on being inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.
— Australian Cricketers' Association (@ACA_Players) December 25, 2023
“Mike is a case study in Aussie persistence, knocking out runs in the Sheffield Shield for ten years before getting a shot at international level.” ACA CEO, Todd Greenberg pic.twitter.com/xfF8m8Tt8z
35th over: Australia 11o-1 (Labuschagne 11, Smith 2) Pakistan have bowled a lot better since lunch, hitting a more consistent length and giving away less freebies. Shaheen hones in on Smith’s front pad, where once he was invincible there has recently been a chink of the mere mortal in that area. A gift of width allows Smith to poke into the off and scamper down the non strikers end.
34th over: Australia 109-2 (Labuschagne 11, Smith 1) Loosey Goosey! Hasan comes charging in for his first ball to Steve Smith, four slips and a gully in wait for Pakistan and Smith obliges by throwing his hands at a wide one first up… that was so uncharacteristic/nervy from Smith. The skies are bruising above the MCG and there’s a crackle of anticipation, a charge of atmosphere. How has that missed?! Ali gets one to duck in prodigiously and it very nearly cleans Steve Smith up neck and crop. Ooof. The replay induces a gasp from the crowd.
WICKET! Khawaja c Agha Salman b Hasan Ali 42 (Australia 108-2)
Gone! Khawaja tries a late cut but serves only to chop to third slip where Salman takes a nifty catch.
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33rd over: Australia 108-1 (Khawaja 42, Labuschagne 11) Yikes! Shaheen nearly removers Labuschagne with consecutive deliveries, the ball spitting off the surface like a haughty camel and slicing past the edge of the bat. Credit to the batter who withdrew his bat inside the line of the second one.
32nd over: Australia 107-1 (Khawaja 41, Labuschagne 11) Ali hits a decent spot outside off stump and squares Labuschagne up, a thick outside edge runs away wide of the slips and the batters scamper three runs. Don’t bowl there to Usman, Ali strays onto the pads and is clipped away nonchalantly for another three runs.
31st over: Australia 101-1 (Khawaja 38, Labuschagne 8) Marnus clips for three through midwicket, he’s scored at every opportunity in his brief stay at the crease so far. There are some dodgy looking radar images doing the rounds, there could be a storm headed to the MCG. Pakistan will be hoping in a more metaphorical than meteorological sense.
30th over: Australia 97-1 (Khawaja 37, Labuschagne 5) Hasan Ali replaces the warner snaring Salman Agha. He angles the ball across Marnus trying to entice the drive but the batter isn’t playing ball. A compact drive into the off side brings a single, Khawaja continues in unflappable fashion with glance into the leg side. The wind looks to be getting up and the sky shaping a smidge darker in Melbourne, let’s hope the wet stuff stays away.
Absolutely tremendous to get a text this morning from every single company I’ve ever bought something from about their Boxing Day sale
— Ian Higgins (@1an_Higgins) December 25, 2023
Arf.
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29th over: Australia 94-1 (Khawaja 36, Labuschagne 4) Shaheen takes the ball from the other end. Labuschagne looks to be in decent knick as he digs out a yorker for three through square, a perky start. Khawaja is happy to see off the rest of the over for no further runs.
28th over: Australia 91-1 (Khawaja 36, Labuschagne 1) Marnus gets off the mark from his first ball, playing with the spin into the leg side. After a golden couple of years the form of Labuschagne has been one of the very few dampeners for Australia this year – averaging 35 with the bat in Test cricket in 2023 – Marnus’s Test average has taken a dip from 59.05 to 52.15. Hardly a massive problem but a score would be very welcome here at the MCG.
Here come the players for the afternoon session, Marnus Labuschagne is strolling out with Usman Khawaja. Salman Agha has five deliveries left in the 28th over.
Punter’s POV:
A Boxing Day treat.
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 25, 2023
Ricky Ponting takes us through a batter's point of view facing their first over in the middle from Shaheen Afridi.
- Decisions to be made
- Reading the field
- Focusing on strengths
- Working through plans
A fascinating watch #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/7DrBs6wI6O
Lunchtime reading – Gideon off the long run: *Fruity language warning*
For many years the world’s longest-running stage comedy was a farce called No Sex Please, We’re British, its jollity deriving from the idea that the more the characters tried to avoid the subject, the more they became implicated, and the greater the comic complications. Cricket has its own enduring counterpart: No Politics Please, We’re the ICC. Its hilarious premise is that the International Cricket Council is charged with preventing the game’s contamination by ill-defined but somehow always untoward political influence. This has now extended to…checks notes…a fucking dove.”
Honoured to help bring G Haigh - from the sight screen - to your inbox for free via Cricket et al. Please sign up to keep this humming and if you’re willing to provide paid support, even better.
— The Grade Cricketer (@gradecricketer) December 26, 2023
✍️ Read “Dove Actually” here: https://t.co/TgRbdBThr7 pic.twitter.com/mqMNt3HKkD
LUNCH - Australia 90-1 (Khawaja 36*)
That’ll be lunch too, Warner rips his gloves off and stomps from the field – that was sloppy game management from the experienced batter. Pakistan would have been flat as ten day old Tizer had Warner and Khawaja strolled off unbeaten after having been inserted by Shan Masood. As it is, they get a wicket on the stroke of lunch and gambol off with a skip in their step. Still Australia’s morning, but a crack of light for Pakistan at the last.
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WICKET! Warner ct Babar b Agha Salman 38 (Australia 90-1)
No they can’t! Warner aims a booming drive off the spin of Agha but a bit of drift and turn does for him as the thick edge is caught at slip by Babar Azam!
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27th over: Australia 90-0 (Warner 38, Khawaja 36) A couple of singles off Aamer Jamal, can Australia survive unscathed through to the lunch break? That would make it a consummate morning’s work with the bat for the home side.
26th over: Australia 86-0 (Warner 36, Khawaja 34) Time for some spin as Agha Salman comes on for a twirl. Tidy stuff from the off-spinner, landing it on the spot from the off. Khawaja leans into one to pick up a single into the off side. Time for a couple more before lunch.
25th over: Australia 86-0 (Warner 36, Khawaja 34) Aamer Jamal is back into the attack with about ten minutes til the players take lunch in Melbourne. Has he been told to send down a short ball barrage by his skipper? He thuds the ball into the middle of the pitch repeatedly, one is too short and flies away over Rizwan for four. The umpire harshly gives that as byes rather than wides. A low flying seagull puts Warner off next ball and it is called dead. Go gull, go.
24th over: Australia 80-0 (Warner 35, Khawaja 33) Pass the Oxygen! Warner crunches Shaheen away square of the wicket but the ball somehow doesn’t go for four on the gargantuan MCG outfield – the batters pump the legs to spring the four runs the shot deserved. Yikes! Warner drops to his knees and attempts a ramp/scoop into the leg side, he only manages to get a cue end on it and falls backwards in the dirt like an upturned beetle.
23rd over: Australia 74-0 (Warner 28, Khawaja 28) Hamza shunts one down the leg side wastefully to gift Australia four more byes. Pakistan need to re-group here.
22nd over: Australia 68-0 (Warner 28, Khawaja 28) Shot of the morning session so far from Usman Khawaja! Shaheen goes for the yorker and isn’t far off but Khawaja waits for it and digs it out with power and placement, the ball skimming down the ground for four runs. Shaheen starting to leak runs – the bowler whangs one down the leg side for four byes and then strays onto Khawaja’s pads to be clipped away confidently for three more. Eleven runs off the over, Australia beginning to strain at the shackles and dominate this morning sessions after being asked to bat first.
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21st over: Australia 57-0 (Warner 28, Khawaja 21)Well bowled Mir Hamza. A probing maiden is completed with a delicious nip away-er that whispers sweet nothings to the edge of Warner’s bat as it passes. Something along the lines of “Why won’t you kiss me?” Something like that. Probably.
20th over: Australia 57-0 (Warner 28, Khawaja 21) Shaheen drops short and wide of off stump, Warner flat bats through extra cover for what would be four on most grounds but on the vast MCG baize he has to settle for three.
19th over: Australia 52-0 (Warner 25, Khawaja 20) Just a single to Warner off the over, Shaheen is coming back into the attack to see if he can prise a wicket for his side. Would help if the slips snaffled the simple edges, mind. Ahem.
#PAKvsAUS
— Ashley (Molly™) (@theAshMolly) December 25, 2023
Spot the Difference 😂😂😂😅😅🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/fHAGU6MDah
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18th over: Australia 51-0 (Warner 24, Khawaja 20) Hasan Ali takes Warner’s edge but it is from the cue end of his bat and so bounces on its way into Rizwan’s mitts behind the stumps. Warner living a slightly charmed life this morning. Rowan Sweeney has dipped his quill RE Colum Farrell’s haul of Lynx – Voodoo- Java shower gel:
“There once was a man named Colum,
Whose 2024 outlook was quite solemn,
To expend Yuletide gifts,
He’ll shower in eight hour shifts,
And enter 2025 looking like Gollum”
17th over: Australia 50-0 (Warner 23, Khawaja 20) Warner brings up the fifty partnership for the Aussie opening stand with a punch through cover. The two batters share a quick peck on the cheek low key embrace in the middle. Hamza is still getting some lovely shape away from the left-handers and he beats Khawaja with an absolute beauty that pitches on middle and nips away wide of off stump. Good criggit.
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16th over: Australia 49-0 (Warner 22, Khawaja 20) Warner flays Hasan Ali just over second slip! The edge meatier than an AGM in a Butcher shop (gimme a break, it’s 1am here) and flew to the boundary. Warner has not not been unconvincing so far in this innings but they all count.
15th over: Australia 42-0 (Warner 17, Khawaja 20) Aamer Jamal continues after a slurp of isotonic beverage and he’s greeted immediately by Usman Khawaja slamming him through midwicket for four. A back of a length ball that Khawaja was onto in a flash. Close! Those soft hands again save Khawaja as he edges a length ball but it dies before meeting the cordon.
Pakistan haven’t allowed Australia to score quickly or getaway from them int he first hour but after winning the toss and choosing to bowl they will be ruing that missed chance to get David Warner back into the sheds early.
David Warner gets a life on two! Shaheen Afridi gets the ball swinging and Abdullah Shafique puts it down at first slip #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/EJc4AptxJk
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 25, 2023
14th over: Australia 34-0 (Warner 17, Khawaja 12) Shot! Hasan Ali drops short and Warner cracks a pull away powerfully for four, the ball skimming Michael Gough’s toes at square leg - the English umpire momentarily doing an impression of a man who has trodden on a dogs tail in a beer garden. Speaking of which, we’ve had an hour of play and it’s time for a drink.
13th over: Australia 30-0 (Warner 13, Khawaja 12) Jamal has Warner hopping about a little, working up a spicy pace and testing out the back half of the pitch. Warner paddles a short one fine for a couple and keeps the strike with a mistimed drive into the gap at cover.
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12th over: Australia 26-0 (Warner 10, Khawaja 12) Hasan Ali is bowling well here, he sends down another maiden and the sizeable MCG crowd start to get a little restless. Good pressure being built up from the visitors. They need some scalps this morning session though.
11th over: Australia 26-0 (Warner 10, Khawaja 12)Aamir Jamal is given the nod by his captain, he pocketed a five-fer on debut last week and looked a handful. Still plenty of movement to be found, Warner is watchful, defending resolutely and leaving the balls outside his eyeline. A maiden.
I’ve just cracked into an OBO graveyard shift friendly 0.5 per cent Lucky Saint, so far the undisputed king of low percentage beer? I’m open to other suggestions of course.
10th over: Australia 26-0 (Warner 10, Khawaja 12) Hasan Ali comes into the attack and is on the button straight away. Warner managed to tick over with a drop and run into the off side.
Gets through his action quite well tbf https://t.co/T6YgZgWuL2
— Phil Walker (@Phil_Wisden) December 26, 2023
Have only just seen this. Cats. Coca Cola. Conservatives. Cricket. Not for me. Any of it.
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9th over: Australia 25-0 (Warner 9, Khawaja 12) Khawaja clips through midwicket to pick up two and then follows up with another nudge into the leg side, he attracts umpire Michael Gough’s ire with his second run, the umpire seemingly ticking Khawaja off for running straight down the wicket. The guy can’t cop a break.
8th over: Australia 21-0 (Warner 9, Khawaja 8) Big swing from Hamza as he scuds one into Khawaja’s pads… the appeal is stifled as the ball was clearly missing leg stump but there seems to be plenty to work with for Pakistan’s seamers. Khawaja leans on the final delivery to pick up three down the ground.
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7th over: Australia 18-0 (Warner 9, Khawaja 5) Shaheen is working up a decent pace and getting some away movement, beating the edge of Warner as the moustachioed one gropes at a delivery wide of off stump. Cripes – four byes conceded as Shaheen’s radar goes awry off the final delivery, nothing Rizwan could do about that one behind the stumps.
6th over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 9, Khawaja 5) Warner glides behind point for a couple and pokes a cover drive for a single. Pakistan need to make the most of these early conditions with the new ball, especially as the Melbourne sun seems to be creeping out as I type.
“Following the OBO from my bed in Derry, Northern Ireland, beside five bottles of shower gel.” Trills Colum Farell. “Christmas gifts all. I’ll have to increase my washing frequency to use them all by next Christmas.” No comment, Colum. Not my place.
5th over: Australia 11-0 (Warner 6, Khawaja 5) Shaheen stitches a maiden together, including beating Khawaja with a ball that shaped away from a good length, the batter wandering down the wicket to try and get a feel for the ball. He was lucky he didn’t there.
“Merry Christmas and all that as we head into another nocturnal betwixtmas!”
Back at you Megan Purvis.
“I’m getting in early on the sandwich discussion with a vote for piccalilli—you want sharp flavours. I sometimes stay up for college football in the US with 2am kickoffs (Geaux Tigers!), and it’s the only time in my life I crave IPAs. Something to wake your tongue, and the rest of your head, up.”
What was that old Peter Kay line about picallilli? ‘Never eat anything that’s luminous’ but I know where you are coming from Megan. I’ll be dusting off the gherkins and pickled onions tomorrow.
4th over: Australia 11-0 (Warner 6, Khawaja 5) Eeeesht! Warner decides to throw the kitchen sink, kettle, fridge and bloomin’ toasted sandwich maker at a length ball outside off stump from Hamza. Connects only with fresh air. Next ball is a half volley and Warner doesn’t miss out this time - well and truly whalloping it through mid off for his first boundary. Penny for Shafique’s thoughts.
3rd over: Australia 6-0 (Warner 1, Khawaja 4) DROP! Huge moment early in this game as David Warner tickles a lovely ball from Shaheen to Abdullah Shafique at first slip and he spills it! It’s an absolute goober as far as slip catches go, the ball hit the palms and then fell forlornly to the turf. Warner allows himself a wry smile.
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2nd over: Australia 6-0 (Warner 2, Khawaja 4) Mir Hamza shares the new orb. Close! Warner goes for a quick single and has to dive for his ground. Not sure he would have made it but the throw was whanged wide. Settle down Davey lad. Decent first over from Hamza, landing it on a handkerchief with a whiff of away movement. Just that dodgy single off it.
1st over: Australia 5-0 (Warner 1, Khawaja 4) Shaheen spears the first ball down the leg side but there’s definite movement to be glimpsed. Late movement too. Warner gets off the mark with a clip to leg and Khawaja picks up a boundary by playing a length ball with Andrex soft hands into the gap between the third slip and gully.
“Where am I OBOing?” asks a suitably pleased Justin Howden. “Lounging poolside in Sydney’s Cherrybrook with double espresso!”
I see you Justin, and I erm raise you a mug of instant Kenco on a dining room chair. No contest.
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Righto, brass tacks time. Here come the players. Shaheen Shah Afridi has the shiny new ball in his hand, it looks to be a deeper rouge than Santa’s hooter. David Warner and Usman Khawaja are out in the middle under cloudy skies and a green-ish pitch. The MCG crackles with anticipation, as does my in-laws’ lounge. Boxing Day Test first session, let’s play!
Greetings from the MCG for the Boxing Day Test 🏟
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 25, 2023
Rizwan makes it to Pakistan's XI along with an all-pace attack; Australia are unchanged from Perth 🏏
Follow live 👉 https://t.co/o2UAnXbS93 #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/PA1yeEekPI
Come one, come all, Brendan.
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Australia name an unchanged XI from Perth. Pakistan have gone all in on pace and Rizwan comes in to take the gloves.
Greetings from the MCG for the Boxing Day Test 🏟
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 25, 2023
Rizwan makes it to Pakistan's XI along with an all-pace attack; Australia are unchanged from Perth 🏏
Follow live 👉 https://t.co/o2UAnXbS93 #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/PA1yeEekPI
Do drop us a line if you are tuning in. Let us know how and where you are settling into this Boxing Day Test match.
I’ll post the teams in a second, there are a couple of changes for the visitors.
'We won't go until we get some, so bring it right here'
— Jim Wallace (@Jimbo_Cricket) December 25, 2023
🥊 🏏 🎄 🍮
On the tools for the start of the Boxing Day Test for @guardian_sport / @GuardianAus fuelled by booze/coffee/turkey/quality street/my own ego https://t.co/KhQYWZaMbE
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Pakistan win the toss and choose to bowl
Shan Masood calls correctly and decides to insert Australia. It’s a bold move but Pat Cummins confesses he would have had a bowl first too.
The Pakistan skipper says:
Just having looked at the MCG Tests for the past three years the bowling side has done well. There’s been a bit of weather around so we’d just like to avail every opportunity with the ball.”
Early wickets the order of the day for the visitors. For the hosts, David Warner will get the chance to impose himself on the game from the off.
The Aussie skipper says:
We were going to have a bowl as well. This year’s pitch feels a little bit harder than previous years. There’s a bit of grass and a bit of cloud cover… but we’re not too upset to have a bat.”
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A tinge of green maybe, enough to make the Grinch a pair of socks. Looks decent for a bat first though doesn’t it?
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The buildup to the match has been dominated by Usman Khawaja’s tussles with the ICC. The people that run the game at a global level covering themselves in glory once more…
Khawaja had hoped to use images of a dove holding an olive branch, as well as a reference to article one of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, on one of his boots and bat in the second Test against Pakistan at the MCG.
Cummins described the dove symbol as “pretty vanilla” and said it was “not really” any different to observant Christian Labuschagne’s eagle, which represents a Bible verse.
“We really support Uzzy. He’s standing up for what he believes and I think he’s done it really respectfully,” Cummins said.
“[His initial message was] ‘all lives are equal’ and I don’t think that’s very offensive, and I’d say the same about the dove. That’s Uzzy. I think he can really hold his head high with the way he’s gone about it.
“But obviously there’s rules in place and I believe the ICC have said they’re not going to approve that. They make up the rules and you’ve got to accept it.”
Beady eyes on the warm ups:
Sajid Khan warming up with the reserves. looks like Pakistan are going with an all-pace attack with Agha Salman as the only spin option #AusvPak pic.twitter.com/YZKqAEaq6E
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 25, 2023
Good news from the MCG – after a day and a bit of rain lingering over Melbourne during Christmas Eve and Day it is currently DRY and relatively bright on Boxing Day morning. There might be a threat of storms later in the afternoon though.
What to do? The pitch has been sat sweating under covers for the last few days, the toss might be a decent one to lose.
Not that is is relevant, or interesting, but it is inky black where I am in deepest Sussex, Christmas Day coming to a soporific close for another year.
Preamble
Hello and greetings of the season, welcome to the OBO of the first day of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan from the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
I hope you had a merry/bright/perfectly adequate day whether you were celebrating or not, and if you were then what better way to cope with the post Christmas Day comedown than by sticking your paw back into the trusty tin of Quality Street Test Match Cricket.
The Boxing Day Test match is now firmly established as an iconic fixture in the sporting calendar, with nigh on 90,000 revelling supporters due at the MCG to see whether Pat Cummins’ Australia can cap off a humdinger of a year in all formats.
For three days in Perth last week Shan Masood’s Pakistan side were well in the contest only to be rolled for 89 in the third innings to go 1-0 down in the three match Test series. It was a purring performance from Australia who fired in all departments, David Warner notching up a pugnacious and critic cornea jabbing 164 at the start and Nathan Lyon taking his 500th Test match wicket at the end. One of that pair is hanging up his boots at the end of this series, the other could go on and on … and on, longer than a Christmas lunch squabble or game of Monopoly*.
Can Pakistan get back in the series and blot Australia’s 2023 copybook at the last (the odds are stacking against after illness and injury have blighted their camp in the last few days) – or will the home side take the series at the earliest opportunity to cap off an Annus Bonzribilis**?
We’ll soon find out. I’ll be back about half an hour before play begins with news of the teams and the toss … and, crucially, which accompaniments I’ve chosen for my midnight turkey sandwich. Do join me for the first half of the action, drop us an email or tweet into the OBO mailbag and we can get stuck into Boxing Day together. Geoff Lemon will be grasping the tools for the second portion of the day and if I know The Lem*** he’ll be at the ground keeping a hawkish eye on proceedings.
Play gets under way at 10.30am AEDT, 11.30pm UK time.
*Anyone else attempted to watch Maestro with the in-laws and a toddler jacked up on chocolate yet? Thoughts and prayers.
**Apologies, have been at the ginger wine. It’s still Christmas afternoon in England.
***No one calls him this.
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