Here is Ali Martin’s report.
And, with Mark Butcher and Kumar Sangakkara chatting under the Sky Christmas tree, it is time for me to go and put the kettle on. Another intriguing day, led by a fearless Stokes, with Will Jacks becoming the first English spinner to take a six-fer on debut since Peter Such, Joe Root batting left handed, and Harry Brook just falling short of Gilbert Jessop’s record once again.
Play starts at 5am tomorrow, with Pakistan needing 263 more to win, Shakeel and Imam-ul-Haq well set. It’s going to be a cracker! Thanks for all the messages and see you tomorrow.
England have made this into a Test worth watching and following. After leading on T20 2.0 they are now leading on Test cricket 2.0
— Kamran Abbasi (@KamranAbbasi) December 4, 2022
England deserve to win but Pakistan could still nick it or hang for a draw. The eternal fascination of Test cricket.#PAKvENG
Paul Collingwood, England’s assistant coach, is chatting to Athers.
“They’re willing to lose to dangle a carrot. There’s not better place to do it than on a fifth day in Pakistan. It’s a good pitch, we’re not doing things conventionally, chasing down targets on the last day isn’t easy, scoreboard pressure…
“ At the start of the day you don’t know how it is going to go, then once you bowl them out…we’re not going to take the conservative route, there was some fantastic batting, Brooky, Rooty getting us up to a good target. In our day we were always scared of getting out, we’re trying to tell players… not to be.”
“I can’t think of another England team who would give themselves a chance to win on this pitch” says Michael Atherton at Rawalpindi. And I agree. A superb effort by England, inspired by Stokes, fully invested in going for the win, unselfish and inspiring. Some outrageous hitting, and then a short-pitched policy that caught Pakistan in two minds.
The loss of Babar, the injury to Azhar Ali, make this a more difficult talk for Pakistan than it might be.
The run rates for today: First session 4.75, second session 7.56, final session 4.
Stumps - Pakistan 80-2 need 263 to win
20th over: Pakistan 80-2 (Shakeel 24, Imam-ul-Haq 43) Stokes repositions the field rather like our OBO reader who was preparing to conduct Mahler on Friday. Google, unasked, tells me Beyonce is Mahler’s eighth cousin. Anyway, Root again, can Pakistan bat out till sunfall? They last the over, the umpires take another reading, and that’s that.
“Good morning Tanya,” Kim Thonger, hello!
”There is of course a compromise approach to the tea dilemma. Put a small amount of milk in the cup first, about half as much as you think it needs. That way you’re unlikely to make it too milky. Then add the tea. Then, if it’s perfect, do nothing more, and if it’s not milky enough, add another glug. It’s a bit like deciding whether you need a sleeveless sweater or the full cold weather gear. Have both available. And in April, a woolly hat. Be prepared. Dib dib. Etcetera.”
19th over: Pakistan 79-2 (Shakeel 24, Imam-ul-Haq 42) Sub-fielder Keaton Jennings, standing at short leg gets his hands to a flick from Shakeel but, in the moment, can’t hold on. Stokes chews his lip at slip as Imam strides down for a quick word. Leach collects his cap and the umpires take a light reading.
18th over: Pakistan 77-2 (Shakeel 22, Imam-ul-Haq 42) The batters pull on their helmets for the dangerous Root bouncer as a swollen gold sun drops in an ochre sky.
John Stonestreet writes: “In response to John Allen (7th over). The point of everything in cricket, be it throwdowns to your 9 year old son or an early declaration vs Pakistan. Every endeavour in English cricket is all about the Ashes. Slightly less than 2,000 words but I stand by it.”
17th over: Pakistan 75-2 (Shakeel 22, Imam-ul-Haq 40) Ooohs and ahs as Imam is foxed by Leach. A scampered single and Shakeel, now also in a cap, plays out the over. And that’s the fifty partnership off 69 balls – well played.
Keeping it real with the OBO. Over to you Tom Paternoster-Howe.
“I suspect that David Gower has his tea from a pot, so putting the milk in the cup first is perfectly acceptable, since the tea is already brewed, and you avoid the risk of your fine bone china cracking.”
16th over: Pakistan 74-2 (Shakeel 22, Imam-ul-Haq 39) Imam picks up another boundary off Jacks, slammed straight, one bounce across the rope.
15th over: Pakistan 62-2 (Shakeel 22, Imam-ul-Haq 27) Imam is now in a Pakistan cap, baggy green with a golden star. From this glasses wearer on the sofa, respect to the world class bespectacled batter and bowler on the field. Iman steps back and spears Leach across the boundary. Shakeel is batting headwear free.
14th over: Pakistan 62-2 (Shakeel 22, Imam-ul-Haq 27) According to pitch maps etc, Anderson’s two overs in this innings are the shortest he has bowled in his career. But Jimmy is done for now as Jacks replaces him as the floodlights come on. Seven from it.
“Tanya,” John Starbuck.
"The best way with milk in tea is to eschew it entirely; drinking black tea is better, especially when it’s green.”
I can force down green tea by telling myself it is medicinal.
13th over: Pakistan 55-2 (Shakeel 18, Imam-ul-Haq 24) target 343 Stokes whistles up the close fielders, three round the bat and Shakeel takes advantage of the gap at mid-wicket with two fours. Stokes will be happy with him taking the gamble.
“I was brought up at a time when it was CORRECT to put the milk first,” writes Tone White. “You young upstarts, whatever next, girls wearing trousers?”
12th over: Pakistan 46-2 (Shakeel 10, Imam-ul-Haq 23) target 343 Short, short and short again. A little pep talk from Ben Stokes. Thoughts are that all this wear and tear on the ball will encourage reverse swing more quickly than it might have done. Shakeel watches the last ball and pulls it sweetly for four.
“Jimmy, first Test in Pakistan, we have a plan for you that’s a little different to the plan that’s worked for you for 20 years…”
— Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) December 4, 2022
This cannot be true:
.@David215Gower puts milk in first when making tea.
— David Cricket (@davidoncricket) December 4, 2022
Isn’t it awful when your heroes turn out to be monsters?
11th over: Pakistan 42-2 (Shakeel 6, Imam-ul-Haq 23) target 343 Stokes turns to spin at the other end, as Jack Leach seven-steps to the crease. Imam is watchful, and that’s a maiden. Drinks come on, with half the ground now in shade.
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10th over: Pakistan 42-2 (Shakeel 6, Imam-ul-Haq 23) Jimmy Anderson comes on first change, smoothing his hair away across his side parting. He sends down the short stuff, presumably as instructed, which looks more of an effort than from Robinson’s great height. A maiden. He takes his jumper with a poker face.
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9th over: Pakistan 42-2 (Shakeel 6, Imam-ul-Haq 23) Imam has had enough of this waiting game, throwing himself at two short ones from Robinson and picking up a couple of boundaries.
8th over: Pakistan 32-2 (Shakeel 0, Imam-ul-Haq 15) Stokes again, as the camera moves 360 degrees round the crease in a way that my varifocals aren’t happy with. Shakeel off the mark with a neat back foot boundary, and Imam ducks the final delivery. Nearly time for Jimmy?
A stern telling off from Andrew Benton “I fear you may have got reptiles and woodworking mixed up again - I do believe its a sliver of an edge, rather than a slither...!” Total mental block about that one. Hopefully. like Zac Crawley, I will eventually stop getting caught at slip.
7th over: Pakistan 26-2 (Shakeel 0, Imam-ul-Haq 14) Imam waves his big white gloves urgently, something is disturbing him behind the bowler’s arm. Robinson thuds his boots into the Rawalpindi turf, but Shakeel isn’t tempted.
As long as they don't do this in the Ashes then I'm all for a result one way or another @tjaldred. What exactly is the point of a draw in a test match? Think Pakistan will edge this one if they don't throw their wickets away, mind.
— John Allen 🦊 (@moist4life) December 4, 2022
The point of a draw John? There’s a 2000 word essay on that, tucked in a compendium, sitting unopened on an OBOer’s coffee table.
6th over: Pakistan 25-2 (Shakeel 0, Imam-ul-Haq 13) Stokes, right arm in a sleeve, left arm running free, runs in, lit by the flattering evening light, throws down a short one, Babar backs away, lifts his bat over the top and gets a slither of a bottom edge through to Pope. Almost an impossible task for Pakistan from here.
“This is a very courageous declaration by Stokes based on the run rates in this Test. I sincerely hope that it pays off,” writes Mike Galvin before Babar falls.
WICKET! Babar c Pope b Stokes 4 (Pakistan 25-2)
Looks harmless enough on first viewing, but Pope roars an appeal behind the stumps, Stokes turns in some surprise, and sees the umpire raising his finger. Silence falls over Pindi like a collapsing tent.
5th over: Pakistan 24-1 (Babar 4, Imam-ul-Haq 12) New batter Azhar Ali is hit on the hand second ball by Robinson and there is a pause as various ointments are sprayed and applied. Keaton Jennings is on the field – onfer Livingstone, I presume. Oh, hang on, Azhar is walking off, retired hurt, I don’t think he can grip the bat properly. So that brings out Babar Azam, getting the full Tendulkar treatment from the delighted crowd. A huge chance for England here if they can winkle out the captain before stumps. But he’s not fazed, on his toes immediately viciously cut/chops a slightly wide ball from Robinson for four.
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WICKET! Shafique c Brook b Robinson 6 (Pakistan 20-1)
Tactic works! Shafique pulls elegantly, but straight to deep square leg where Harry Brook is waiting, catching safely at awkward thigh height.
4th over: Pakistan 20-0 (Shafique 6, Imam-ul-Haq 12) A tasty pull in front of square by Imam that beats Anderson to the rope, but Stokes’ next ball nearly works, tempting him into a greedy swipe.
They're not going to die wondering are they @tjaldred? But we're doing exactly what we said we'd do. Going for it. Setting up targets to try and win by giving teams a (big!) sniff. I'm surprised they didn't set 30-40 more, but what do I know?! It'll never be boring.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) December 4, 2022
Exactly!
3rd over: Pakistan 15-0 (Shafique 5, Imam-ul-Haq 8) A tall thin shadow stretches over the square, as Robinson runs in from the edge of the shade, enormously thick white wristband on his left wrist. Short stuff, cat and mouse.
Hello Tim “Frindall” Lord. ”Just spotted that if Pakistan make 316 or more in the chase, this’ll be the second highest scoring Test ever (and the only one ahead of it was timeless). And that despite only having around 400 overs in the match. Incredible.”
Great spot!
2nd over: Pakistan 13-0 (Shafique 4, Imam-ul-Haq 8) Enforcer Stokes is belted for four in consecutive balls by Imam, the next four fly harmlessly by. Apologies for not getting hold of your emails over the last hour – hopefully things will be a bit quieter now and I’ll get on to them.
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Evening session - target 343
1st over: Pakistan 5-0 (Shafique 4, Imam-ul-Haq 0) Ollie Robinson gets the new ball and powers through an over of effort and grunt. Three tasty bouncers that Shafique ducks safely.
Here come Pakistan!
And now... https://t.co/h7kc0vzuyd pic.twitter.com/nIrYHPL6OX
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) December 4, 2022
England declare! Pakistan need 343 to win
Dreamable. Gettable. Game on.
Tea England 264-7 lead by 342 runs
35.5 overs: England 264-7 (Livingstone 7) Crazy days, crazy hitting, crazy runs. The umpires call tea with the fall of Brook whose scorching innings led the way and whose future looks assured. England lead by 342 – I guess they’ll try for another fifty in quick-time after the break?
WICKET! Brook b Naseem Shah 87 (England 264-7)
Gilbert Jessop smiles and turns over. Brook has a mighty swing, misses and hears the death rattle. Strides off, with 87 from 65 balls, 3 sixes and eleven fours. And 240 in the match from 181 balls.
35th over: England 260-6 ( Brook 85, Livingstone 6) Mohammad Ali returns, a run-up full of trepidation. But he does Harry Brook with a slower ball, who goes to scoop but ends up on his back like an overturned beetle. He grins to himself, and why not – with 85 off 62 balls he is closing in on Gilbert Jessop’s 1902 record of fastest century off 76 balls. Livingstone limps through a run.
34th over: England 253-6 ( Brook 84, Livingstone 1) Jack perils after two consecutive sixes, Livingstone swipes first ball for one, then Brook picks up another boundary as the ball slips through the fielder on the rope. The run rate approaches seven and a half an over and it all feels like a frenetic dream.
WICKET! Jacks c Imam ul Haq by Salman 24 (England 248-6)
Jacks loses a hand off the back, scrapes the moon, before the ball returns to extra cover where it is safely caught. Tasty, hasty, debut, 24 off 13 balls.
33rd over: England 229-5 ( Brook 79, Jacks 6) The fastest Test century by an Englishman now in grasping distance of Harry Brook as Liam Livingstone shadow-bats up in the dressing room – just the 17 off Mahmood’s over. A straight six for each batsman and a powerful cover drive by Brooks.
32nd over: England 218-5 ( Brook 68, Jacks 6) Salman gets more tap, a wham over long-off from Brook before bowler-of-the-moment Jacks joins in with a reverse-sweep.
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31th over: England 209-5 ( Brook 63, Jacks 2) Brook gets in a twist advancing down the pitch and is nearly undone by a leaping Rizwan. He then unleashes two incredible shots – a charging slam over the on-side boundary for six, then a ferocious sweep. I’ve got a hunch Stokes didn’t tell him to play for the draw.
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Fifty for Harry Brook!
30th over: England 198-5 ( Brook 52, Jacks 2) With a dab off his boots, Brook reaches fifty. Effortless. The most-assured looking England debutant since Root. Is that fair?
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Key event
29th over: England 192-5 ( Brook 50, Jacks 0) A cheering double-wicket maiden for the long-suffering Zahid Mahmood as England suffer a pre-tea wobble.
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WICKET! Stokes c Saud Shakeel b Zahid Mahmood 0 (England 192-5)
Stokes takes an age to leave, giving a slightly bewildered Brook two paragraphs of instructions, after an ugly third ball hoick to cover.
WICKET! Root c Imam ul-Haq b Zahid Mahmood 73 (England 192-4)
A sweep too many for Root who, out of nowhere, turns the ball round the corner into the hands of the waiting Imam who catches as he falls backwards.
28th over: England 192-3 (Root 73, Brook 49) Root and Brook finish the over with a chat after Brook sweeps Salman audaciously for four more.
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27th over: England 185-3 (Root 71, Brook 44) Brook starts the over with a top-edge off Mahmood but finishes it with a smooth chocolatey straight-drive and a briskly-effective sweep. He’s not having a bad second Test.
26th over: England 175-3 (Root 70, Brook 35) Babar plumps for his fourth bowler, Salman Agha, who sends down some off-breaks round the wicket. Root keeping his conventional stance but reverse-sweeping with the nonchalance of someone wiping down the kitchen counter. The lead is 253.
25th over: England 168-3 (Root 65, Brook 33) Under blue skies, Mahmood whirls in, five singles are eased through.
”I am completely gobsmacked by what Eng are doing here,” writes Krishna.. “Its one thing to do this at home (as they did last summer) and its easier to go all out when you are chasing a total down. But to keep playing this way when you could lose is ... astonishing. Hats off to McCullum and Stokes for dragging test cricket into a new era - and possibly saving it in the bargain. A final thought though: will they / can they do this against Australia? especially in Australia? But whatever happens, I think an old paradigm has been demolished and (hopefully) test cricket will never be the same again. “
24th over: England 163-3 (Root 63, Brook 31) Root practises some shots left-handed – just because he can – but opts to face right-handed. And that’s a dreamy flick to midwicket for four. Meanwhile his Yorkshire teammate Harry Brook drives immaculately through the covers for four more. Tick-tock, the runs stack up and the declaration gallops over the horizon.
23rd over: England 153-3 (Root 58, Brook 26) Thanks Jim! Wood and Overton bring out drinks, Overton towering over the Lilliputians. And, er, Joe Root decides to bat left-handed, sweeps and the ball falls through the hands of Naseem Shah. Two balls later he reverts to his more typical stance and reverse sweeps Mahmood for four.
22nd over: England 145-3 (Root 51, Brook 25) In which Joe Root racks up his 83rd Test fifty! Pure class. Speaking of which - Tanya Aldred is here to take over the OBO reins and guide you through the second half of what promises to be an enthralling day. Thanks for your company, especially in the weeeeee small hours. See you tomorrow for the final knockings. Bye!
21st over: England 141-3 (Root 47, Brook 25) Ten runs off the over as Zahid struggles to stem the flow. Harry Brook treats him with disdain by shimmying down the track and clattering a length ball down the ground.
20th over: England 131-3 (Root 43, Brook 19) Naseem Shah is into the attack and he is giving it is usual gusto, fine head of jet black hair bobbing up and down as he hurtles in. Root and Brooks rotate and push England on by four runs.
19th over: England 127-3 (Root 40, Brook 18) That’s more like it! Nine runs off Zahid, including a ferocious Harry Brook cover drive. England’s lead is up to 209.
18th over: England 118-3 (Root 37, Brook 12) Things quieten down for an over with just a Joe Root single off Ali. England’s run rate tanks below seven for the first time this innings.
17th over: England 117-3 (Root 36, Brook 12) Brook hammers Zahid for another four through mid-wicket. The young Yorkshire lad looks to be in fine fettle.
16th over: England 111-3 (Root 35, Brook 7) Six runs milked from Ali’s over without breaking sweat.
G’morning Em Jackson!
“Morning James, morning everyone,
If England somehow manage to conjure a lead of 350 (lead is about 175 as I type), and accept falling short (arguably again, remember claims of 750 on Day 2?) then lose, how do we look at the shenanigans of this pitch in that light?
I admit, that could be pessimistic… but if Pakistan could chase down 350 in a day, it’d be some drama.”
This game is bubbling up very nicely Em. FWIW I think the pitch is fine, it is flat, sure, but all three results will still be possible on the final day. Granted that might be more due to England’s prolific scoring rate meaning that the game has still had the chance to progress.
15th over: England 105-3 (Root 30, Brook 6) Brook gets off the mark with a stonking six over mid-wicket! Zahid dropped short and Brook was onto it in a flash.
14th over: England 96-3 (Root 27, Brook 0) Harry Brook joins Root at the crease. England lead by 177.
Nicholas Gates whangs down an email:
“In response to Adrain Patterson’s earlier lovely Shakespearian effort and having been following the game whilst on a school trip to the Christmas Markets in Aarchen, Germany I thought I might lamely add, ‘Happy Jack’ by The Who as a suitable musical tribute to Jacks’ brilliant debut.”
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Wicket! Crawley ct Mohammad Rizwan b Mohammad Ali 50 (England 96-3)
Crawley notches fifty and then gets a feather on a short ball and has to drag himself off! Rizwan was certain behind the stumps but it had to be reviewed for the incriminating DRS spike to be revealed.
13th over: England 91-2 (Crawley 48, Root 25) Test debutant Zahid Mahmood is on for some spin and he starts nicely, just one run from his first.
12th over: England 90-2 (Crawley 47, Root 25) Pakistan are starting to leak runs, there have been 44 since lunch. Zak Crawley plays a cover drive of such elegance the whole ground seems to purr. Nasser describes it as “exquisite” and it really was, worth seeking out on the highlights later. Joe Root gives Babar more to ponder by gliding the final ball of the over away for four more. Ten off the over.
11th over: England 80-2 (Crawley 42, Root 20) Big over! Crawley plunders two boundaries from Naseem’s first two balls, all long levers and timing, he looks in excellent form – he loves playing against Pakistan. Joe Root then plays an outrageous reverse scoop that flies away for four over the keeper! 14 runs off the over, on we go…
The Root scoop 😉#PAKvENG pic.twitter.com/plUoOWFpAO
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) December 4, 2022
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10th over: England 66-2 (Crawley 33, Root 15) Shot! Crawley plays a Pietersen-esque flamingo flick through mid-wicket for four!
9th over: England 58-2 (Crawley 28, Root 12) Ahh that’s lovely from Root, a delicious late glide for four off Naseem Shah, silky hands from the Sheffield man.
Adrian Paterson has been dipping his quill and delving into his sonnets:
“Jim, as a sleepless English Lit. academic in Innsbruck I’m trying to celebrate Will Jacks’ remarkable debut performance by working in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 128. It’s not going so well, being just this side of wildly inappropriate. Maybe some less addled OBOers can help, as lots of the lines about “sweet fingers” and “dead wood” (dead bat, or maybe batters who have got out) seem to apply to spin bowling, of the sort that might bemuse batters (“so tickled that they would change their state”). It ought to work - after all it is a (saucy) sonnet by Will (S.) all about Jacks (in this case meaning the balance on the keys of a wooden keyboard instrument, hence them leaping up when played by the fingers).
How oft, when thou, my music, music play’st
Upon that blessèd wood whose motion sounds
With thy sweet fingers when thou gently sway’st
The wiry concord that mine ear confounds,
Do I envy those jacks that nimble leap
To kiss the tender inward of thy hand,
Whilst my poor lips, which should that harvest reap
At the wood’s boldness by thee blushing stand.
To be so tickled they would change their state
And situation with those dancing chips,
O’er whom thy fingers walk with gentle gait,
Making dead wood more blest than living lips.
Since saucy jacks so happy are in this,
Give them thy fingers, me thy lips to kiss
Ach, well. Anyway Jacks is certainly enviable right now, and should definitely keep hold of his fingers. And keep up the nimble work with yours!”
8th over: England 50-2 (Crawley 25, Root 7) Mohammad Ali starts up after the interval. Just one (very wide) slip in place. England start with a positively pedestrian four runs from the over. Nasser Hussain was saying during the break that England are not interested in a draw at all, that they are happy to risk losing if it means they’ve given themselves the best chance of winning. It such shift in mindset to traditional Test match thinking, the fear of failure just is not there with this side.
If England aim to go at six an over then they’ll be able dangle a 350 odd target and have a dart at Pakistan for a few overs in the shadows this evening.
The players are headed back out onto field in Rawalpindi. I’ve got my Paddington Bear on and scoffed down plenty of toast and marmalade here in a chilly London, time to settle in for an engrossing few hours of cricket.
Lunchtime/Breakfast reading:
What either side would give to have Shoaib Akhtar and his 100 mph thunderbolts in this game. I spoke to the man who brought England back down to earth with a bump in 2005. Fair to say the big man ‘gives good copy’.
Let me ask you a question.” Shoaib Akhtar fixes me with those saucer eyes. “Tell me, truthfully, when were you happiest?”
“Erm, I’m not sure. The birth of my child?”
This feels like the right thing to say and I think might call the former fast bowler’s bluff. No chance.
“Right, increase that by a thousand and it’ll be somewhere near what it feels like to bowl truly fast. If you get a wicket after all that effort, when the ball hits the stumps, the sound of it goes inside your soul and explodes like an atom bomb. That’s true happiness.”
It was a morning Will Jacks will never forget:
Outside edge and GONE! ❌
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) December 4, 2022
A great catch from Zak Crawley 👏#PAKvENG pic.twitter.com/EvUN5gc8Yr
That’s Lunch.
Root and Crawley amble off for some scran. There have been five wickets and 126 runs in the first session of the day, this game is beginning to open up. England have eight second innings wickets in hand and a lead of 124. Penny for ‘em?
7th over: England 46-2 (Crawley 24, Root 4)
6th over: England 41-2 (Crawley 21, Root 2) Root is off the mark with a neat nudge off his hip. We’ll have one more over before the lunch interval.
Wicket! Pope ct Shah b Mohammad Ali 15 (England 36-2)
Another one gone! Pope plops a top edged pull straight to Naseem Shah on the leg side fence. The lead is 117. Joe Root is the new batter. Good this.
5th over: England 36-1 (Crawley 18, Pope 15) Back to back boundaries to Crawley who is getting after Naseem here. Two dismissive cross bat shots fly to the fence. Another couple make it ten from the over. DROP! Shah spills a tricky return catch off the last ball, a leading edge from Crawley popping in and popping out onto the turf.
4th over: England 26-1 (Crawley 8, Pope 15) Pope is busy, a ginger Duracell bunny at the crease. He picks off Ali for a couple of singles and a two down to third, finishing the over with lightning handed whip for four through mid-wicket.
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3rd over: England 15-1 (Crawley 7, Pope 6) Crawley gets in on the fun and unfurls a textbook cover drive for four.
Mike Forsythe is with us and so, sort of, is his littlun’:
“Morning, my 16 month old son has decided to wake up for the opening ball of the day ever since the start of the test match. From this I can only deduce that he’s going to be a massive cricket fan, and the fact he’d rather read Peppa Pig rather than watch the action is merely testament to the unfolding tension of this contest.”
Finally, someone agrees, thanks Mike. This is going to get spicy, I’ve got a feeling.
2nd over: England 11-1 (Crawley 3, Pope 6) Pope plays a decadent flamingo pull shot off the front foot that whistles away for four. England will keep coming, you can count on that.
1st over: England 4-1 (Crawley 2, Pope 0) Phewf! Naseem thuds one into Pope’s pads and there is a HUGE appeal. NOT OUT. The ball was slipping just down leg. Pope has just kept wicket for absolutely yonks remember.
Becky Chantry is tuned in:
“Good morning! I’m currently wishing I was still in sunny Cyprus but I’m very happy for Jacks this morning - six on his debut is great work. I’m expecting England to bat very positively again today and hopefully declare with a lead c350 but alas like others I’m struggling to see anything but a draw…”
Wicket! Duckett ct Salman b Shah 0 (England 1-1)
Here we go! Duckett goes for a golden duck! He was trying to steer Shah away but only managed to give catching practice to the slips. Shah wheels away and the crowd are into this. Ollie Pope is the new batter. Don’t go anywhere.
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I’m with Ali. Buckle up. There’s a hint of dawn sneaking through here and I have an inkling this is going to be very exciting. I reckon England will look to bat fifty overs and get as many runs as possible, which of course gives Pakistan more than a chance to take the game too.
England take 78 runs first innings lead. With almost two days remaining in the Test, will be interesting to see their batting approach from here. Will they bat as aggressively as in the first innings to try and force a result?
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) December 4, 2022
Rauf ct Root b Jacks 12 (Pakistan 579 all out)
Jacks has a sixth! Shades of Peter Such in ‘93. England’s openers trot off the field to strap em on. The lead is 78. I told you this is about to get interesting. There are about 60 overs left in the day.
155th over: Pakistan 579-9 (Rauf 12, Ali 0) Robinson whirrs away. Three more runs reduce the lead to 78 runs.
Martin Wright is with us:
“Morning James! At a time when any self-respecting lark is still tucked under the duvet - a thought: The most likely non-draw scenario? Pakistan creep to within 50 of England’s total; England’s batters go bazball-tastic, get out for 160 in 20 overs, Pakistan spend most of the final day cautiously crawling home... keep mainlining that coffee!”
That is definitely an option Martin, the high-wire act that Stokes and McCullum like to go for is certainly ripe for a totter and a tumble down to earth. England need to wrap this up pretty rapidly to take a decent-ish lead into the customary difficult second album tricky third knock.
Wicket! Mahmood st Pope b Jacks 17 (Pakistan 576-9)
Sharp work from Pope to get rid of Mahmood who was given out by third umpire Marais Erasmus for having nowt behind the line. Will Jacks has five wickets on Test debut!
Will Jacks - Test match five-for! A first for him in first class cricket, too 🎉
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) December 4, 2022
Becomes the first 5-wicket haul for an England debutant since Toby-Roland Jones v South Africa in the 2017 summer. Fair play #PakvEng
154th over: Pakistan 576-9 (Rauf 8, Ali 0)
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153rd over: Pakistan 572-8 (Mahmood 17, Rauf 8) Robinson continues after drinks, three more runs reduce the lead down to 81.
Brian Withington is on the wire, morning Brian!
“Morning James
It seems like only months ago that I somewhat churlishly wrote in threatening to change my name to Brian B**B*** Withington if England successfully chased down 378 against India. I like to think I can claim some small karmic credit for what followed, although tbf I suspect Messrs Root and Bairstow deserve a little more?
What can I now offer for an England win in this one? Or anybody winning for that matter?”
Ha! I’m not sure what odds or options Deed Poll (is it deed poll?) will give you for a result for either side but I just have this feeling… (granted it could be lack of sleep)
152nd over: Pakistan 572-8 (Mahmood 15, Rauf 7) Will Jacks is on the prowl for his fifth wicket. No dice in this over and Mahmood also swats him away through the leg side for four. Time for a drink. To coffee or not to coffee?
151st over: Pakistan 565-8 (Mahmood 11, Rauf 4) Ollie Robinson replaces Jacks, a no-ball and a single see two runs from the over.
Micheal Peel emails in: “Sorry, I know you need to show some optimism but this game has been a guaranteed draw since the middle of the fourth session. We are now in the tenth of 15 sessions and there are still two innings after this one to get a result. Neither team will risk losing. We’ve seen some great batting and bowling on a pitch as dead as Monty Python’s parrot. There’s still a lot to enjoy, but excitement about the outcome isn’t one of them.”
I’m not so sure Michael… If England score at the same rate as they did in the first innings on top of a first innings lead of 80 odd then they could feasibly get up to dangling Pakistan a 350 run shaped carrot on the final day. Everything we’ve seen from Stokes and McCullum so far suggests they’ll go for a result in this game, which then of course gives Pakistan a sniff too. Maybe it is deluded optimism for an exciting finish, but things can turn very quickly in this type of game and we’ve still got the best part of two days for something pulse-quickening to occur.
150th over: Pakistan 563-8 (Mahmood 11, Rauf 3) Just a single off Jacks and the lead is whittled down a bit more, England 94 in front.
Wondered who had conceded most runs in a Test innings for England (Leach now in the top 10). Turns out it's Ian Botham https://t.co/0IT6NEBSkE
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) December 4, 2022
149th over: Pakistan 562-8 (Mahmood 11, Rauf 2) *Mark Nicholas voice* SIXAH! Mahmood slog sweeps Leach for a maximum! A lusty blow over mid-wicket. Rauf looks very ginger at the crease in his pads, word is that he has a quad strain and won’t bowl in the next innings. That’s a bit of a sickener for Rauf and Pakistan, not to mention his fellow bowlers.
Wicket! Salman ct Crawley b Jacks 53 (Pakistan 554-8)
Salman has to go now though! He hangs on the back foot and tries to work Jacks to leg but gets an outside edge that is very well snaffled by Zak Crawley at slip, lighting reflexes from the big man. England need two more and Will Jacks has four wickets on debut.
Jacks on (for) five #blameitontheboogie
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) December 4, 2022
148th over: Pakistan 555-8 (Mahmood 5, Rauf 1)
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147th over: Pakistan 554-7 (Salman 53, Mahmood 5) Fifty to Salman! He gets there with a lovely lofted drive for four off Leach. He’s been extremely fluent in this knock and is notching up vital runs for his side.
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146th over: Pakistan 545-7 (Salman 48, Mahmood 5) A harum scarum single very nearly sees the end of Mahmood but the throw from keeper Ollie Pope scooping round to gather at backward point misses by a gnat’s eyelash.
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145th over: Pakistan 542-7 (Salman 45, Mahmood 5) Another maiden from Leach who is keeping things tight for his skipper. The deficit is now 115 runs, what do we think is the likeliest path to victory here for either side? Drop me a line with your thoughts or theories if you are tuning in, it’s an inky pre-dawn here in London and to be brutally honest I could do with the company.
You can tap me up via email or on Twitter. Wackier predictions the better of course.
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144th over: Pakistan 542-7 (Salman 45, Mahmood 5) Stokes and Jacks have another middle of the over chinwag, Salman plays a pre-emptive reverse which is nearly brilliantly snaffled by Joe Root anticipating in the slips, he gets a fingertip too it. Joel Wilson then has a bit of a nightmare – giving Salman out lbw to a Will Jacks delivery that looks to clearly have pitched outside leg. Yep, NOT OUT on the review and Umpire Wilson shakes his head ruefully, I think he knew that was a bit of a brain fade as soon as he’d raised the finger.
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143rd over: Pakistan 534-7 (Salman 37, Mahmood 5) Leach sends down a probing over, a maiden. Pakistan have scored 35 runs in seven overs this morning. It’s fair to say the pitch still looks exceedingly flat.
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142nd over: Pakistan 534-7 (Salman 37, Mahmood 5) Salman crunches Jacks down the ground for four and follows it up with a reverse sweep that traces away to the fence as well. There’s a loooong conflab between Stokes and Jacks which is so lengthy that it starts to get David Gower’s stoat goat on the tv commentary. Jacks sends down a wide half-tracker to finish which I don’t think was part of the cunning plan. He gets away with it as Salman slaps it straight to point.
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141st over: Pakistan 526-7 (Salman 29, Mahmood 5) Just a single dabbed through gully from Salman off Leach. Pakistan trail by 131 and have three wickets in the hutch. I’m telling you, it’s going to get very interesting. I’m not entirely sure how yet, but mark these very vague words. Will Jacks is coming on to replace Jimmy Anderson at t’other end.
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Now, the first thing to mention is that I’ve been caught out by an earlier start time (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it) and a few overs have already been sent down. No wickets for England but a flurry of boundaries from the blade of Pakistan’s Agha Salman who has moved on to 28. Zahid Mahmood is with him at the crease and Jack Leach is twirling away under blue skies.
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to the day four OBO of Pakistan v England from Rawalpindi. It’s been three long days of toil for the bowlers but I have a sneaky suspicion this game has a sting in the tale… or maybe that is just wishful thinking.
It has been relentless stuff for the bowlers and fielders on both sides, which is tough on them but does gives me a prime opportunity to plug a piece I did recently about fielding.
Here’s what Paul Collingwood had to say about those long days in the dirt:
The deep satisfaction you get when you win Test matches means so much more when you’ve been through those never-ending days, the sessions that burn with proper fatigue, your whole body aching, legs like lead. I guess that’s what you play the game for. Those hard days give the other days more meaning. You’ve got to get through ’em, get the dark humour out.”
Jim here with the call for the first half of the day, up with the lark and hopefully some other OBOers? Do drop me a line if you are out there. Let’s do this.
