Stumps Day 2 - Pakistan 194-6, trail on the first innings by 124
Another good day for Australia, though it could have been a good one for Pakistan. They bowled with great success in the first session, got through Australia’s final seven wickets and kept them to a further 131 runs added. Conceding 318 at least kept Pakistan in the game. And at 124 for 1 themselves, they had every chance to push towards that score and past it. But 5 for 46 put paid to that, and now it’s up to Rizwan and the lower to try to limit the damage again tomorrow. Cummins was superb with three of those wickets, two to start off the collapse when that was most needed. Two for Lyon, one for Hazlewood.
We’ll be back tomorrow for day three.
55th over: Pakistan 194-6 (Rizwan 29, Jamal 2) Another wild Starc short ball goes over the keeper for five wides. Rizwan cuts a single, and with the clock ticking past 6pm that will probably be his last work for the day. Jamal with three slips waiting in the shadow of one of the light towers gets forward gamely and blocks, and blocks, and gets smashed on the pad swinging down leg, but Starc decides not to press the case for a review… so that is that!
54th over: Pakistan 188-6 (Rizwan 28, Jamal 2) Eight minutes left in the day and Lyon comes back. Warner at cover is double hatted again, wearing Carey’s cap on top of the broad brim. Bay 13 chanting “Bison, Bison,” with Mitchell Marsh halfway back at midwicket. Jamal gets another run to cover, Rizwan stabs at each Lyon delivery like it’s explosive.
53rd over: Pakistan 186-6 (Rizwan 27, Jamal 1) Another top edge for Rizwan, this time Starc down to long leg but short of the fielder. One run. Starc to Jamal swings a ball down the leg side for four byes. Jamal drives a yorker, middles it. Still hasn’t scored but doing his bit. The margin down to 133. Pakistan need a Rizwan ton from here though. Jamal ducks a bouncer, then gets his first run! A guide behind point. Bay 13 are chanting something about Jonny Bairstow.
52nd over: Pakistan 180-6 (Rizwan 26, Jamal 0) A maiden from Cummins to Jamal.
Tom Lewis wants to know more about Jim Burke. He was a Barnacle Bailey type through the very dull Test cricket of the 50s, the style that made Bradman ask Richie Benaud to give the format a boot up the date ahead of the 1960-61 West Indies tour, when the enterprising style from Frank Worrell’s team matched with Benaud’s to create that great spectacle. Burke was an opener who ground out long slow runs. Didn’t make a lot of hundreds but had a famous one on the India tour of 1956. Did make a lot of in-between scores taking the shine off.
His lowest scores? A couple of ones, a couple of twos, a couple of threes, a four, a five, a seven, and two eights. So he didn’t dodge the duck by much!
Oh, and he made a 0 not out, when Australia needed one to win in Johannesburg in 1958. He’d made 81 in the first innings.
51st over: Pakistan 180-6 (Rizwan 26, Jamal 0) Rizwan lives by the sword, and prospers. Takes on a pull from a Starc ball on leg stump that isn’t that shot, and gets an awkward top edge down through fine leg for four. Slashes two more out through cover point. He really is carrying on in 50-over mode, and it’s working.
Updated
50th over: Pakistan 174-6 (Rizwan 20, Jamal 0) Rizwan is happy to take a run first ball against Cummins. I guess you can’t shield a No8, and Jamal has some first-class pedigree from a small sample size. Shows some mettle to let a bouncer hit him on the shoulder rather than risk getting his gloves involved. Nearly edges the next ball defending a line he has to play. Keeps out a good yorker. Quality bowling, well played.
144 behind.
Updated
49th over: Pakistan 173-5 (Rizwan 19, Jamal 0) It’s already one-day batting for Rizwan. Hares the second run out through midwicket, reaches for a wide yorker to squeeze it past cover and again looks for the second but bails out. Aamer Jamal has two balls to face from Starc. Ducks the first, blocks the second.
Randolph Baral has the spreadsheet out. “I predict that Pakistan will reach between 236 and 288 since, in my 40 odd years of watching test cricket, first innings totals seem to be mostly be within 10% of double the ‘three for’ score. The first three first innings of this series has been in this range. Is there any statistical rigour to my observation?”
This is landing more in Ric Finlay areas. I’m sure it’s trackable, everything else is. Pakistan might be struggling to get there now though, unless Rizwan goes Sicko Mode.
WICKET! Salman c Carey b Cummins 5, Pakistan 170-6
48th over: Pakistan 170-6 (Rizwan 16) Rizwan takes the deficit down to 149 with an extraordinary clout off his pads over deep backward square for six! That’s a World Cup shot. Cummins is bemused. Rizwan climbs into a hook but fine leg is back, one run.
But even in this over, you can’t keep Cummins down. Gets the other man on strike, bowls classic channel length seaming away, and it’s a terrible shot as Salman Agha drives at a wide line on the up, nicking.
Updated
47th over: Pakistan 163-5 (Rizwan 9, Salman 5) Hazlewood sizes up Rizwan, on a length outside off, three slips and a gully waiting, similar field most of the day except when the second-wicket partnership was flourishing. The Rizla guides a couple past gully. Then lays into a pull shot in front of square, gets about 30% of it and takes a run. Much classier shot from Agha Salman to end the over! Scatters the pigeons at long off with a grassborne straight drive.
46th over: Pakistan 156-5 (Rizwan 6, Salman 1) Three for Rizwan through cover off Lyon.
“Greetings from sunny Hobart, Geoff,” writes Tom Lewis, with a question that is still relevant. “Your comment just now re Shakeel’s duckless streak got me wondering. Who and what is the longest (most innings I guess) Test career with no ducks? Your esteemed readership can surely elucidate. Many thanks for the wonders of OBO.”
Well, this is a good trivia one. Longest streak without a duck was David Gower with 119 innings, but he got some before and after that. Longest streak at the start of a career was AB de Villiers with 78 innings, though he got some later. And the best entirely duckless career was Australian opener Jim Burke, who played in the 50s, and batted 44 times without a nought.
45th over: Pakistan 151-5 (Rizwan 2, Salman 0) They’ve lost 4 for 27 since Shafique got out.
WICKET! Shakeel b Hazlewood 9, Pakistan 151-5
Noooooooooo!
Mendooooozzzzaaaa!
There goes his record. Saud Shakeel’s first single-figure score in Tests comes in his 16th (I think) innings, a fair achievement. And a fair delivery from Hazlewood, that perfect length again, seam movement, through the gate and takes the off bail.
44th over: Pakistan 151-4 (Shakeel 9, Rizwan 2) Lyon continues, Shakeel nudges another run to the leg side.
43rd over: Pakistan 150-4 (Shakeel 8, Rizwan 2) The wicketkeeper gets going like Shafique played, pushing through point for a couple. That’s after Shakeel pulls confidently for one run from Hazlewood, he played the cross-bat shots well in Perth.
42nd over: Pakistan 147-4 (Shakeel 7, Rizwan 0) That good position has slipped a long way for Pakistan. Three wickets in not many overs, and where they looked like they were running down Australia’s score, now that 171 deficit looks a long way away.
WICKET! Masood c Marsh b Lyon 54, Pakistan 147-4
The captain goes. He seemed to be tiring a bit, at least in concentration. The focus slipping. Comes onto strike after Shakeen cuts three, and tries to repeat the shot he hit for six against Lyon before. Down the pitch but not to the pitch, the turn does him, outside half of the bat and it goes high to point where Marsh cups it falling backwards.
41st over: Pakistan 144-3 (Masood 54, Shakeel 4) Hazlewood is back to Masood, who is careful starting off. Just two slips and a gully left, with two out for the hook. Mid on, mid off, a fairly short cover, deep point. A lot of leaves, no run from the over.
40th over: Pakistan 144-3 (Masood 54, Shakeel 4) It’s time for another fun game of Can Saud Shakeel Make 22?
The rules of the game are, Saud Shakeel has never made a lower score than 22 in Test cricket. We watch and see if he can reach 22 again.
He doubles his score here with a sweep off Lyon for two.
39th over: Pakistan 141-3 (Masood 53, Shakeel 2) Short ball too quick for Masood and for Carey, getting just over the pull shot and past the keeper for four byes. Shan drops away a couple of runs behind point, tucks another behind square. Looks confident. This has been quality batting. Two slips, two gullies for Saud Shakeel, who flicks to square leg but finds Head.
Half century! Shan Masood 50 from 63 balls
38th over: Pakistan 134-3 (Masood 50, Shakeel 2) The new captain needed this. A score of some substance in his early days leading the side. He made a double century in the warm-up game against the PM’s XI but this is different. A single to midwicket for his minor milestone.
37th over: Pakistan 134-3 (Masood 49, Shakeel 2) So often its Cummins. Just when a team thinks they’re getting on top, he finds a way to pull his side back ahead in the contest. Two in two overs, removing the best player of this innings and the best player in the team. Saud Shakeel comes out, and immediately continues his streak of never having made a Test duck, clipping two square.
WICKET! Babar b Cummins 1, Pakistan 131-3
Screaming jets! That’s another Cummins classic for the compilation. He’s a man of degrees. Comes in at off stump and moves ever so slightly in, towards middle. And that perfect Cummins length, the one that gets Babar stuck half forward, half back, not sure where to go. Too late, too quick. It arrows at the gap between bat and pad, and clips the bails at the top of middle stump.
Fast bowling perfection.
36th over: Pakistan 131-2 (Masood 49, Babar 1) Huge appeal from Marsh, goes past the striker’s stumps in his backpedalling. “That should trigger a review automatically,” observes one wit near me. Inside edge I think, and Shan celebrates by getting on the front foot and driving through cover for four. He’s played some lovely shots today. That’s an overstep too. Masood puts Babar on strike for his first couple of balls of the day. A block and a leave, a back-foot defence. A single to deep square. The gorgeous sunny afternoon rolls on. There is something in this pitch for Marsh, but this is still the time to bat at the MCG.
35th over: Pakistan 124-2 (Masood 44) Last ball of the over for the catch. Been a great partnership but they really needed Shafique to keep going from here. Here comes Babar Azam.
WICKET! Shafique c & b Cummins 62, Pakistan 124-2
Great catch. Reminiscent of his one in Lahore last year from Azhar Ali, but this time Cummins doesn’t throw the ball away. It goes low to his right after Shafique times his forward push wrong, and Cummins gets both hands down and snares it before tumbling over onto his back and celebrating from the ground.
34th over: Pakistan 123-1 (Shafique 62, Masood 43) The talisman on for a bowl, Mitchell Marsh for his first over. Second ball is short but harmless and Shafique creams it for four! Pulled in front of square. Turns over strike and Masood drives two off the back foot through cover, then nudges one.
Ten overs since tea and Pakistan have put on 55.
They’re behind by 195.
33rd over: Pakistan 115-1 (Shafique 57, Masood 40) Cummins to Masood, who plays another stylish shot, this time a pull that he gets tall over. Only one run with a deep square leg out, might have been two had they pressed harder on the first. Another run for Shafique on the glance.
32nd over: Pakistan 113-1 (Shafique 56, Masood 39) Another streak to the boundary! Shan Masood batting like Travis Head, but taller and more stylish. Slices Lyon away off the diagonal edge to pick up four past slip.
31st over: Pakistan 108-1 (Shafique 56, Masood 34) Cummins is back. Might slow the scoring. Masood clips two, then a leg bye.
“Wilson and Gough; has there been a Test match where the extremes of the on-field umpires has been larger?” writes Keith Johnson from New York. What is the accuracy difference between the two? Does Wilson still catch flak from the Aussie supporters? (Can’t blame them). Rock on!”
And rock on to you, fellow dude. Be excellent to each other. And to Joel Wilson, who cops a lot of flack but must still have a good enough record to stay on the elite panel. The ICC do keep stats on all the umpires, and every decision, not just the reviewed ones. They don’t release the detail though, far as I know.
Updated
30th over: Pakistan 105-1 (Shafique 56, Masood 32) Short from Lyon, Masood cuts but finds the field. Down the leg side and the batter almost lifts his back foot as Carey takes well. Dabs a single behind square from the third ball. Shafique gets a couple of runs past the lid around the corner, then Labuschagne there is appealing for a catch but it’s not out. Snared cleanly but no edge.
Half century! Abdullah Shafique 51 from 90 balls
29th over: Pakistan 102-1 (Shafique 54, Masood 31) Fifty partnership up for this pair. This is the danger zone for Shan Masood though – he averages 28, and tends to get out for these sort of bright little scores. Pulls three here and goes into the 30s. Still four in the cordon for Starc, and rightly so as Abdullah drives square… but beats Lyon at backward point! Four! And a fifty!
Third slip goes to cover. First and second shuffle wider. A small victory for the batter. And it doesn’t bother him, following a no-ball, as he sees a full length and drives square of that cover fielder for three more, after a long chase for Labuschagne still wearing the shinpads from short leg.
The over costs 13 runs. Pakistan down by 216.
28th over: Pakistan 89-1 (Shafique 46, Masood 28) Shot! There was a clear strategy in Perth to go after Lyon, brief as it was before Pakistan wickets started falling, and Masood does the same here. Gets on strike via a leg bye, and dances to his Lyon way over long on. A six at the MCG, that’s no small feat.
27th over: Pakistan 82-1 (Shafique 46, Masood 22) Again, Shafique goes through point with a square push, he’s played there a lot. Hits this one well and gets three runs for it, might have been four if not for Lyon getting fingers to it initially.
26th over: Pakistan 79-1 (Shafique 43, Masood 22) Bright stuff against Lyon! Masood comes skipping down first ball and drives it for four. Nudges a single, then Lyon drops short and Shafique goes back to middle his cut shot for three. A couple more singles mean ten from the over.
25th over: Pakistan 69-1 (Shafique 39, Masood 15) Back after tea. Quiet start, one run from Starc’s over.
Tea - Pakistan 68 for 1, trailing by 250 on the first innings
That’s a handy start for Pakistan. Finished off Australia this morning for a good but not great score, and they’ve made early inroads for the loss of one.
Updated
24th over: Pakistan 68-1 (Shafique 39, Masood 15) Annoyed face from Hazlewood as he gets too straight and concedes two to Shafique, through midwicket. High standards. That’s just after a rare overstep too, no ball. And that’s tea!
23rd over: Pakistan 64-1 (Shafique 37, Masood 14) Starc takes his long walk back to the top of his long run. Travis Head is making friends with the Bay 13 crew, who were involved in a very enthused “you are a wanker” chant to someone in the crowd not long ago. Ah, the classics. So too from Starc: yorker, bouncer, single. Pakistan are 254 behind.
22nd over: Pakistan 63-1 (Shafique 37, Masood 13) Shafique keeps finding ones in that area around point, waiting and deflecting, but Hazlewood nearly gets Masood just afterwards, a genuine nick that falls just short of Khawaja at third slip. Scooped up on the half volley. Then there’s a medical break as Masood gets clipped on the scone by a Hazlewood bouncer, but no harm done and an extra for the deflection.
21st over: Pakistan 61-1 (Shafique 36, Masood 13) Starc to join Hazlewood. Abdullah falls over tucking one through midwicket, after having one go past his outside edge. Recalibrate for a left-hander… who drives two through cover, then misses a leg glance. Marsh at gully and Lyon at point keep meeting to chat between deliveries, it has happened a few times now. Two more for Shan through midwicket, a fuller ball. This is good accumulation from Pakistan, though we saw in Perth their brittleness can come into effect at any moment.
20th over: Pakistan 56-1 (Shafique 35, Masood 9) Hazlewood comes back on… and they poke him off his length well! Shan Masood with a two and a one, Abdullah knocking three through point, Masood prods away two more to the off side. Lucrative over, eight from it.
19th over: Pakistan 48-1 (Shafique 28, Masood 4) Five in the cordon, really, with the four usual spots plus Lyon at backward point really there for a sliced catch if Shan goes extravagant. Cover is open to tempt just that. But he nudges Cummins to midwicket instead for one. Whoops, hit post on that early. Streaky from Abdullah! Reaches for width, flashes at it just wide of the cordon. So many catchers waiting. He did it deliberately.
Updated
18th over: Pakistan 43-1 (Shafique 28, Masood 2) Nice little tuck off the pads from Shan for his first runs, very fine past the wicketkeeper. Fast feet to Lyon, who will be a challenge for the left-hander.
17th over: Pakistan 39-1 (Shafique 27, Masood 0) Abdullah Shafique almost follows! Edges along the ground through the cordon for four. The cordon is stackked, five slips really, or four and a gully, an unbroken line. Shafique drives on the up, back to the bowler. More edges coming…
16th over: Pakistan 34-1 (Shafique 22, Masood 0) The captain walks to the middle.
Updated
WICKET! Imam c Labuschagne b Lyon 10, Pakistan 34-2
There’s the first one! Lyon gets some drift and turn, Imam can’t resist poking at it, and gets a thick edge flying past second slip. But Labuschagne takes a good one leaning across, very quick hands. The obstinate Imam walks off.
Updated
15th over: Pakistan 33-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 10, Shafique 21) Cummins from the Members End, draws a leading edge from Imam and an “oooh” from the crowd, but it ends up safely at cover point. Then an edge with soft hands to the gully, Marsh there complementing three slips. Third ball running, another big appeal! Hits him outside the line maybe? The ball loops up to Khawaja at third slip, so it couldn’t have been an edge that saved him. Probably height. All that after Shafique started the over pulling nicely for three. Yep, over leg bail on the replay.
14th over: Pakistan 29-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 9, Shafique 18) Nice from Lyon for his second over, this one following the drinks break. Shafique pats out a maiden.
13th over: Pakistan 29-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 9, Shafique 18) Thanks Angus. It has become an absolutely glorious day in Melbourne, real beach weather. Park weather. Cricket weather. Low 20s but it feels warmer, slight breeze, fat gold sunshine. The pigeons at the top of Cummins’ mark shift away from the bowler like iron filings scattering before a magnet. He hammers a length to Shafique for a few balls before a straighter ball is pushed for one. Imam sways back from a bouncer. The spectators are very vocal, their noise swaying and receding with each delivery.
12th over: Pakistan 26-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 9, Shafique 16) Lyon on line! After two testers, one of which Shafique chips past midwicket for two, a ball pitches outside off and jags in. A huge appeal and it’s close but no review. Time for me to take a spell in the shadows of fine leg and let Geoff Lemon steam in off the long gallop. Thanks for your company and see you on the morrow!
11th over: Pakistan 23-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 7, Shafique 14) As Pat Cummins rumbles in for a second over at Shafique, Rob Davison has dropped us a kindly line from the Apple Isle under Down Under:
“G’day Angus love the Guardian Live, a great way to consume cricket. Keep up the good work! I’m currently walking around Ben Lomond Tasmania at 1595 meters above sea level. Anyone higher catching your coverage?”
Any Kathmandu readers want to put Rob in his place?
After being punched for three wide of mid-off, Cummins appeals on the faster fifth ball. Umpire says NOT OUT. The Australians will review but it looked high on the knee roll… and so it proves. Nathan Lyon looks like he’ll get the next over.
Updated
10th over: Pakistan 20-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 7, Shafique 11) Hazlewood to Shafique and a hasty late leave catches a thick bottom edge and bounces it in front of Australia’s four-man slip cordon. Hazlewood resumes drilling on and outside off-stump but dangles the last a little wider and Shafique has a swish, mistiming it behind square to steal an unconvincing single.
9th over: Pakistan 19-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 7, Shafique 10) Starc gets a rest and Captain Pat takes the pill while there’s still plenty of shine on it. Shafique slices into the covers for a single on the first to leave Pakistan 299 to chase. Cummins bangs his fourth ball in at 138kph and Imam-ul_Haq leans away as it whizzes past at eye-height. A nod from the batter to acknowledge the gauntlet thrown down and the challenge accepted.
Updated
8th over: Pakistan 18-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 7, Shafique 9) Cameron Green has galumphed off the field after filling in on the field while David Warner cleaned up the Christmas ham everyone left on their plates. Did you dare dine on the swine again at lunch? Personally I balked at the pork and went with white bread lightly toasted and slathered in kewpie mayo and tabasco sauce and then piled with leftover tiger prawns aka the wee pigs of the sea. Hazlewood allows a leg bye and a single but there’s a huge shout on the last but close-in fielder Lyon gets final say and it’s a… YEAH BUT NAH.
7th over: Pakistan 16-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 7, Shafique 8) Starc returns his fourth over seeking his 339th Test wicket. The skies overhead are blue, the day is warm and we’re seeing some hiss and spit from this second day pitch. Starc is scrambling the seam and trying the inswinger but he’s still delivering too wide.
6th over: Pakistan 16-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 7, Shafique 8) The Hoff gets biffed! Imam-ul-Haq drove lavishly and didn’t middle it but the ball flew through backyard point for a boundary. An appeal for LBW on the second but no review. Almost an edge to the third as Imam-ul-Haq left it late and the ball caught the edge on the way through. The last snarls past the batter’s naval. Four from the over but plenty of threat too. Honours even.
5th over: Pakistan 12-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 3, Shafique 8) Starc takes on Shafique but the batter wins out, square driving the first ball for four. Starc responds with a flurry of juicy tempters and Shafique strangles one for two. Smith wants to review the last delivery for an edge but no one else is interested and rightly so.
4th over: Pakistan 6-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 3, Shafique 2) Like a metronomic monster, The Hoff Returns (for a second over). Josh Reginald Hazlewood has 242 wickets from his 64 Tests at the wonderful average of 26, not a bad return for a tall quiet lad from Tamworth, Australia’s country music capital. He’s 33 this year but there’s life in the old dog yet.
3rd over: Pakistan 6-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 3, Shafique 2) Almost an edge! Starc delivered it full and Imam-ul-Haq’s eyes lit up but the ball bit and swung and a loose stroke turned into a handsome leave. It spooks the batter and he leaves the next four before getting some pad on the fifth for a single. No need to play at Starc’s last delivery as it’s aimed at second slip’s ankles.
2nd over: Pakistan 5-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 3, Shafique 2) Here comes Josh Hazlewood. As usual, he’s on the money, targeting Shafique’s off stump and letting the seam do the work. Six dots on the trot. That’s The Hoff.
Updated
1st over: Pakistan 5-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 3, Shafique 2) And we’re back! Mitchell Starc has the new ball and Abdullah Shafique has the strike. A single from the first as Starc, wearing thermals to his wrists, tails one in on middle stump. The second ball is outside off and Imam-ul-Haq steps out and greets it with a crunching cover drive that goes just short of the rope for three. A yorker on the fourth as Starc curls it in at Shafique’s shoelaces. A wide lifter down leg to finish. Lively start to the second session!
Geoff Lemon has some lunchtime reading for you, on Usman Khawaja and the ICC.
Really, the International Cricket Council could not have done Usman Khawaja more of a favour. Had Australia’s opener been allowed to take the field for the Perth Test wearing shoes with two blandly general phrases about human rights written in pen on the sidewall, a few photos would have been published and that would have been that.
By making his nine runs today Starc has joined an elite club of Australian bowlers.
Mitchell Starc's in elite company 👏
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 27, 2023
LIVE 👉 https://t.co/tROefZrJ4D#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/V6P2rpNicL
Lunch: Australia all out for 318
What a brilliant first session day two of the Second Test delivered!
Australia came out swinging through Travis Head and then Mitchell Marsh but neither dangerman got away with their lusty hitting for long. Even sheet anchor Marnus Labuschagne couldn’t cash in, falling for a slow, solid but ultimately disappointing 63.
Pakistan’s bowlers were great – tight, aggressive, unyielding – but their fielders were better. Behind the wicket and in the outfield they took every chance to keep Australia on the back foot all morning. Seven wickets were their reward and now they have an achievable target of 319 to chase down on a wicket providing plenty of bounce and swing for Australia’s bowlers but also ample reward for Pakistan batters prepared to take the game on.
That’s lunch on day two – to ham or not to ham? Let’s find out where you landed in a hot half hour shall we?
Updated
WICKET! Lyon c Hamza b Hasan Ali 8 (Australia 318-10)
Lyon swipes at the fourth ball and got lucky but not so on the fifth. It flew straight to Hamza on the boundary who made good ground to take the catch. Another great catch by the visitors to complement good bowling.
Updated
97th over: Australia 318-9 (Lyon 8, Hazlewood 5) With the umpires still uncertain on the Christmas ham question, we’ll have one more over to decide. Hazlewood takes a single and Lyon swipes at the fourth to send it sailing over the slip cordon and into the rope for four. He tries it again on the next ball but doesn’t time it so sweetly…
96th over: Australia 312-9 (Lyon 3, Hazlewood 4) Josh Hazlewood walks out… but a fourth ball edge might have him walking off. The slips fielder has claimed the catch but the batter hasn’t walked and the onfield officials are not sure. It will be left to the third umpire to decide. Replays show the ball sticking into the pinkies with fingers under the ball but the ball then finding equilibrium with the turf. The call is NOT OUT. And Hazlewood then salts the wound by uncoiling a silken cover drive to the boundary. There’s a sprawling effort to deny it but it’s not successful.
WICKET! Cummins c Hasan Ali b Jamal 13 (Australia 308-9)
Cummins goes heave-ho at the first ball from Aamer Jamal and this one skews high and heavy and eventually lands safely in the sticky fingers of Hamza. The Australian captain, rattled by the short stuff earlier, has holed out and a sixth wicket falls in the session. Great fightback by Pakistan… but they have to bat on this fizzer of a wicket yet.
Updated
95th over: Australia 308-8 (Cummins 13, Lyon 3) Australia are in survival mode now. Cummins scampers a single to start contemplating the Christmas ham at lunch while Nathan Lyon tries to save his own bacon by fending off Hasan’s 23rd over. He does, running one and leaving Cummins to strike lustily at another nothing ball from Hasan. It flies straight and bounces twicer between reaching the rope. The Australian skipper tries to duplicate the shot on the next ball but Hasan sees him coming and it hits high on the bat and baloons safely short of Shaheen on the fence for a run.
94th over: Australia 301-8 (Cummins 7, Lyon 2) Wild, wide and FOUR! That crazy legside zinger from Jamal runs to the fine leg boundary for a boundary. It takes Australia’s total past 300 and Pakistan’s sundries tally over 50. Lyon bats back the next five deliveries. One more over until lunch and yep, it’s time to ask your belly whether it can handle one more slice of Christmas ham…
Updated
93rd over: Australia 295-8 (Cummins 7, Lyon 1) Lyon runs a single off the first Hasan delivery and it’s a good one because Hassan has got the new ball spitting off this MCG pitch. Cummins fends another chin-grazer off his gloves but it lands just short of slips. Good fight happening here. They want to attack but Pakistan are too busy making them defend.
92nd over: Australia 295-8 (Cummins 7, Lyon 1) As has been the case all day from Pakistan, Hamza’s reward for his wicket is to be immediately replaced in the attack. Instead it will be Aamer Jamal returning for a 17th over. Lyon taps him into the covers for single to get off his duck and Cummins wafts at a couple before falling away backwards to a bouncer that chases him. He’s been struck a nasty blow on the right collarbone but waves sympathy away. The ball, not the blow, was his greater fear – it landed on middle stump but spat spinning just past the leg peg. Aamer’s next ball is even fiercer – it skythes off the pitch and goes over Cummins, over the wicketkeeper and runs away for four byes.
91st over: Australia 290-8 (Cummins 7, Lyon 0) Skied but safe! Cummins had a big swing at Hasan’s first ball and it went up but plopped between the infield and outfielders for two nervous runs. He takes another swing at the fourth but misses. Clearly Captain Pat likes what he’s seeing for the quicks in this MCG wicket and wants to get into the field before lunch.
Updated
90th over: Australia 286-8 (Cummins 3, Lyon 0) Hamza has two wickets for 51 from 22 overs this innings, a fine return and a just reward for some excellent aggressive bowling this morning. Pakistan are fielding at five-from-five in the field today too with no dropped catches cruelling their quest as was the case yesterday. Nathan Lyon has wandered out for a bat and Hamza turns the screws another notch, forcing the GOAT to play out a wicket-maiden.
Updated
WICKET! Marsh c Jamal b Hamza 41 (Australia 286-8)
Marsh opened his shoulders to the first ball of Hamza’s 22nd over, aiming it in front of square but it was faster and wider and instead he sliced it straight to Aamer Jamal for a simple jumping catch. Pakistan strike again – that’s five wickets for the session… and they’re not done yet.
Updated
89th over: Australia 286-7 (Marsh 41, Cummins 3) Hasan is whizzing them down the corridor of uncertainty and Cummins is fishing, then leaving. Plenty of seam movement this morning which bodes well for Australia’s bowlers this afternoon. But for now Pakistan have the new ball swinging and the Australians missing. A maiden.
88th over: Australia 286-7 (Marsh 41, Cummins 3) The run rate today is 4.5 compared with the first day’s 2.8. As Cummins gets off his duck by clipping Hamza off his hip for three, it means Australia have bashed 99 runs from the 22 overs so far. But Pakistan have claimed four key wickets. Great session of cricket, no?
87th over: Australia 283-7 (Marsh 41, Cummins 0) Australia are seven wickets down and shy of 300 but it means Mitchell Marsh is batting with the tail and that’s a reason to get excited. BANG goes the second ball as Shaheen digs it in and Marsh cover drives for another four. Bowler is not happy and shows it, thundering the next ball short. Marsh half-ducks it and lets it thump into his helmet and fly away for four byes. Tempers rise again but now they’ll will cool as we take a break for some helmet checking and concussion protocols. New batter Pat Cummins, a key architect in allowing Marsh to embrace his inner-Beast and cut loose this year, strolls down for some soothing words. They don’t help much as Shaheen almost catches Marsh’s edge on his final ball.
WICKET! Starc c Salman b Hamza 9 (Australia 275-7)
Slower ball gets Starc snicking and he’s OUT! That was classic Starc – two wonderful boundaries displaying his skill and showmanship… and then a quick comedown as he wafts at the next and is outwitted by Hamza.
Updated
86th over: Australia 275-6 (Marsh 37, Starc 9) First ball from Hamza is straight but so is Starc’s bat. He smokes it down the ground for four. Next ball is short and directed at Starc’s stubbled chin but the big quick swivels and swipes fine for another boundary to fine leg. That’s 2000 Test runs for Mitchell Starc at the highly respectable average (for a bowler) of over 21. But the next ball is slower and Starc reaches for it…
Updated
85th over: Australia 267-6 (Marsh 37, Starc 1) Wide ball… WHACK! Shaheen put it wide and Marsh crouches low and reaches out to send it worm burning behind square for a fifth four. He can’t collar the next five though.
Updated
84th over: Australia 263-6 (Marsh 33, Starc 1) Almost yorked him! Lovely ball from Hamza and Marsh’s barrel chest collapsed over his toes trying to keep it out. The big allrounder makes amends with a straight drive from the next but it’s miscued and they run only a single. Another biug curling inswinger to finish and Marsh flicks hard at it but misses.
83rd over: Australia 262-6 (Marsh 32, Starc 1) Fantastic fightback by Pakistan this morning and they will smell fresh blood in the water with Mitchell Starc at the crease with his reputation for good time-not-long time innings. He and Marsh both sneak singles to keep things ticking over.
WICKET! Carey c Rizwan b Shaheen 4 (Australia 260-6)
What a catch from the Pakistan wicketkeeper! Carey got a big snick to an inswinger from Shaheen and Rizwan dived full length to his right to haul it in one-handed. Carey’s troubles with the bat continue and Pakistan officially move into the ascendency in the second Test!
Updated
82nd over: Australia 256-5 (Marsh 31, Carey 4) Following the peculiar AFL practice of subbing off a goalscorer, Pakistan have again opted to spell the man who just took a wicket. This time Jamal is given a rest and Hamza is reintroduced. He finds big swing with his second ball and despite it landing at just 122kph Carey is bewildered and can only squirt it into the onside. Carey responds with a big swing of his own to a ball flying short and wide, flaying it to the square leg boundary but only for three runs.
Updated
81st over: Australia 253-5 (Marsh 31, Carey 1) Here’s the new ball! Great time for Pakistan and Shaheen to have it in hand too, having dismissed the dangerous Head and now the well set Labuschagne for another 63. If it’s possible I think Marnus walked off even slower than usual, Sloth Speed shifting down into Snail Mode. This shiny orb is proving tough to control as Pakistan spray it around and leak a (very wide) wide and a legbye.
80th over: Australia 251-5 (Marsh 30, Carey 1) Pakistan hit back! They have continued their excellent bowling from yesterday and claimed the big wickets of the overnight batters Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne. That gets rid of the Australian top five and brings in wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey who desperately needs a big score. He’s off the mark though.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Shafique b Jamal 63 (Australia 250-5)
Final over before Pakistan take the new ball and they’ve struck with the old! Jamal dug it in hard and straight and it squared Labuschagne up and he got a healthy edge to Shafique at first slip. Big breakthrough!
Updated
79th over: Australia 249-4 (Labuschagne 63, Marsh 30) Salman is back with the handy part-time spin that drew the “lazy” shot dismissal of David Warner yesterday. Maarsh takes a single and then Labuschagne threads one through the infield for three. Pakistan are trying to slow this partnership down to stay in the game but it’s not working. Five from the over.
Updated
78th over: Australia 244-4 (Labuschagne 60, Marsh 28) After that 12-run over, Pakistan have introduced Aamer Jamal who picked up the scalp of Steve Smith yesterday. But it doesn’t change the result as Marsh leans on his back hooves and heaves it hard over square for another powerful four. He’s rattling along at a run a ball. The field is well spread but the big Western Australian continues to split or clear them. Looks like the home side are going to batter all life out of this old ball before the ripe cherry arrives in two overs time.
Updated
77th over: Australia 238-4 (Labuschagne 59, Marsh 24) Come in spinner! Here comes Salman, fresh from the catch of the Test so far. That puts Salman back in the black, having taken one and dropped one yesterday. Thanks to a mid-pitch dolly he’s also in the grandstand, Marsh stepping down to launch him out of the screws and down the ground for SIX. The next ball is better, skipping back to square cut for another boundary. Batten down the hatches, folks – The Bison is starting to charge!
Updated
76th over: Australia 226-4 (Labuschagne 59, Marsh 12) Mauled by Marsh! It was faster and shorter from Hasan but it was also just a fraction wide and Marsh swung the axe and cut it square to the boundary rope. Great shot from a man in form. He’s content with a single down legside from the fourth to retain strike.
75th over: Australia 221-4 (Labuschagne 59, Marsh 7) Almost a run-out! Marnus Labuschagne, famed for his speed between the creases, tucked the second ball from Hamza square but slipped turning for the second. He made it but only just. After the errant butterfly, the dropped bat and the two overruled dismissals in the last over and that near-miss the crowd have certainly woken up! Another two to Labuschagne makes it four from the over. Second new ball is due in five overs.
74th over: Australia 217-4 (Labuschagne 55, Marsh 7) Big shout for LBW on the second ball from Hasan Ali to Marsh…and he’s OUT! Marsh will review though and rightly so as replays show the tiniest inside edge on HotSpot. Pakistan don’t like it though and there’s some debate onfield between the players and the umpire as to why Snicko hasn’t been used to make this decision. Controversy here… but it doesn’t matter because Marsh has inside edged the fourth ball to the wicketkeeper. Onfield decision is OUT but Australia will review again. Tensions rising… but again the hot air deflates when Joel Wilson is forced to overturned his decision. A Bronx cheer for the man in the white hat as the fifth delivery yields only a dot. An eventful maiden for Hasan!
Updated
73rd over: Australia 217-4 (Labuschagne 55, Marsh 7) Strange bowling change here as Pakistan replaces the wicket-taker Shaheen with new inclusion Mir Hamza. Maybe they’re saving him for the new ball but he looked to be in very good rhythm. However, as he watches Mitchell Marsh cover drive Hamza down thr ground for four, fielding at fine leg doesn’t look so bad. Marsh cocks-up the sequel though, pulling wild and fast and missing it completely, the ball hitting the back of the blade and scuttling into the infield. Labuschagne adds to the comedy errors by dropping his bat as the ball leaves the bowler’s hands.
72nd over: Australia 212-4 (Labuschagne 55, Marsh 2) Important fifty for Labuschagne who is averaging in the mid-30s in 2023 after sitting comfortably in the mid-60s in 2021 and mid-50s in 2022. He’s batting a full step out of his crease today, a statement of attacking intent perhaps. Like his glimmer twin Steve Smith, he’s been in survival mode of late, strangely lacking in confidence and the freeflowing strokes that come with it. He taps a single from Hasan and Marsh rushes another to complete the over.
Updated
71st over: Australia 210-4 (Labuschagne 54, Marsh 1) Great breakthrough for Pakistan and just reward for Shaheen who has bowled without much luck in the two Tests so far. It came courtesy of a fabulous catch by Salman who dived a body length to his left and took the grab with his left hand, rolling expertly to ensure the ball didn’t jar loose. Head departs and with it a bit of adrenaline seeps from the crowd… but not too much as Mitchell Marsh strides outt. He takes a single from the first and Labuschagne clips a boundary from the fifth to reach his half century.
WICKET! Head c Salman b Shaheen 17 (Australia 204-4)
Faster ball from Shaheen and Head reaches for it, getting a thick edge and sending it to the flying Salman at first slip. Loose shot. Great catch!
Updated
70th over: Australia 204-3 (Labuschagne 49, Head 17) Here comes Hasan Ali again. One of the new inclusions for this Test, the 29-year-old Punjabi is looking to get a promising 22 Test career back on track after bursting onto the cricket scene as Player of the Champions League in 2017 where he topped the tournament averages with 13 scalps at 14.69. He holds the line well here, five dot balls and then a weird moment only cricket can deliver. A fat white butterfly – perhaps a stand-in for the dove Usman Khawaja wanted on his shoes? – flutters across the line and Labuschagne withdraws late. A dot ball ensues.
69th over: Australia 204-3 (Labuschagne 49, Head 17) Labuschagne’s single off the first ball brings up the fifty partnership for these two. It comes off just 63 balls, a significant acceleration on the 30-40 strike-rate of yesterday. These two are the only Australians in the XI under the age of 30 (Head hits 30 on Thursday, Marnus in June) so younger legs and youthful intent at the crease. Not so here as Head sees off Shaheen’a final five without scoring.
68th over: Australia 203-3 (Labuschagne 48, Head 17) Head hammers his first ball for four! It wasn’t a bad delivery by Hasan Ali but Head crashed it through covers to the fence. He gives the third ball a biff as well. It was wide and WHACK! He square drove it to the fence to get scoring rattling along.
Updated
67th over: Australia 195-3 (Labuschagne 48, Head 9) Shaheen Afridi went wicketless yesterday but he starts on target today, whistling his first two past Labuschagne’s forward defensive prod. The third is over-pitched and Marnus clips it off his toes and sends it to the fence. Lovely stuff Marnie! The fourth is down leg and – bat? pad? – deflects it down legside for three. Umpire indicates leg bye and Labuschagne shakes his head like a laughing clown at Luna Park. I know he needs runs – he averages only 37 from his 13 Tests this year – but not by stealing sundries…
Updated
The early clouds have parted and blue skies have arrived. On field the rollers are off and players are on. Here comes the first ball of day two from Shaheen Afridi to Marnus Labuschagne …
Updated
On a more serious note, Usman Khawaja took to the MCG with messages of support on his shoes and opening partner David Warner in his corner. Heartfelt as they were, they were very different from what Uzzy intended
Pakistan did their best to brighten a murky Day One for an MCG crowd of over 60k with some of truly vaudevillian fielding. It’s been an ongoing issue for Pakistan cricket over the years it seems…
For those who came in late, here’s what went down (apart from catches) on day one …
Updated
Preamble
Greetings cricket fans and welcome to day two of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan in Melbourne. Angus Fontaine here with a bellyful of ham (and a fridge full of dodgier-by-the minute prawns) to guide you through the first half. Geoff Lemon will pad up after lunch.
A big day looms for both teams – and all us spectators. Australia battled through a lost toss, bad weather and good bowling to land at 187 for 3 at stumps from 66 overs with Marnus Labuschagne to resume on 44 and Travis Head on nine. Pakistan bowled beautifully in patches yesterday and must do so again today if they’re to wrestle the series ledger back to 1-1.
Day one lost 20 overs to rain but the bigger deal was that Pakistan lost the chance to scruff this Test by dropping several catches, including Shafique’s early shocker at slip when David Warner was on two. In his penultimate Test, Warner was eventually out for 38 on the last ball before lunch, having reached 18,515 runs across all formats, eclipsing Steve Waugh’s 18,496.
Warner has since described his performance as “lazy” and the same tag could be applied to his opening partner’s dismissal. Having eased to 42, Usman Khawaja played a poor shot off Hasan Ali after lunch. Steve Smith won’t be happy with his typically weird and pernickety innings either, out to Aamer Jamal for 26 after surviving an lbw shout a few minutes prior.
Honours even I reckon. Pakistan have plenty to play for and something to build on, having kept the scoring rate below 40 all day despite fielding sloppier than that displayed by the shickered uncles and cordial-fuelled grommets in my back yard on Christmas Day. The day two forecast looks sunny but with that man Travis Head at the crease, thunder and lightning is always a chance.
Updated
