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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Adam Collins and Geoff Lemon

Australia v Pakistan: first Test, day four – as it happened

Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc celebrates taking the wicket of Sarfraz Ahmed of Pakistan during day four of the first Test at the Gabba. Photograph: Ryan Pierse - CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

STUMPS - Pakistan 382-8 (Shafiq 100, Yasir 4)

There was a moment about 40 minutes into the three hour, five minute final session when we all had a good laugh. CA popped a statement out saying that day five would be free. Admirable sentiment, but come on. Let’s get serious. This is finishing tonight. Of course it is. Pakistan are plucky, but not that plucky. Not when they are slashing at everything. Giving it their best, but giving chances. Not when Josh Hazlewood is bowling as well as that. Not when having to prevail for that long after dark; a time that’s meant to be near-on impossible to survive the pink ball. Not a lower order. No. No way. No.

Well, here we are. And in the most dramatic final over - coming after the most glorious extra half-hour - Asad Shafiq raised his 10th Test ton. Not with a classical stroke, but a slap. It was in keeping with the hours that they had been. With Sarfraz early, who as dropped by Smith then cleaned up by Starc. With Amir, who looked half a chance to get in a fist fight with the same bowler but instead smashed 48 of the best. With Wahab, who tried to repeatedly put Australian bowlers on the moon, and nearly got there a couple of times. Stands of 47, 92 and 66 respectively. Asad the mainstay.

Of course, he gave his chances. One in particular to Smith who somehow shelled it in the cordon; the second time he committed that foul on the night. Unheard of with his hands. But there was a sense of destiny about how this was going to finish. Equally, there was an inevitability about the final five balls creating one more thing - Bird finally removing Wahab, Smith finally making amends. Sort of.

So we return tomorrow. Pakistan already have their highest fourth innings score of all time. They need 108 more. In reality it’s not going to happen. Right? Surely. No way. Be serious. No. But hang on. That sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Dare to dream, they say. So I will go to bed tonight doing just that.

It’s certainly been a pleasure bringing it to you. Don’t miss a minute on the live Guardian coverage tomorrow at 12:30pm QLD time when play resumes at the Gabba. Until then, here’s your day four match report:

Updated

123rd over: Pakistan 382-8 (Shafiq 100, Yasir 4). Yasir leans on the first ball he sees, the penultimate of the evening, it’s basically Mark Waugh as he times it with ease to the rope. It is Pakistan’s highest fourth innings score. Ever. EVER. Thanks again Ric Finlay on the ABC for that. Yasir defends the last ball. What a last over. What a session. What a day. They’re coming back tomorrow. That’s the real news here. Let me take a bloody breath! Back with you, with some version of a recap, in just a few minutes. I’m going to clap Shafiq off first.

Updated

WICKET! Wahab c Smith b Bird 30 (Pakistan 378-8)

Inevitable, wasn’t it? Couldn’t just have the ton and get through to stumps. A prod brings the downfall, the captain - earlier a villain for two dropped catches - who moves well to his left. Two balls to go on the day as Yasir walks out.

WHAT A CENTURY! ASAD SHAFIQ GETS THERE!

A moment to remember, at 10:05pm. Shafiq’s slap to the first Bird delivery of this epic fourth day went all the way out to the rope, the two men scampering with all their might between the wickets to secure three runs and this mighty, unexpected Test ton. His tenth. The Pakistan rooms are going absolutely wild. As they should. What a moment.

Updated

122nd over: Pakistan 375-7 (Shafiq 97, Wahab 30). Shafiq gets deep in the crease and cuts off his stumps, just evading Smith’s outstretched hand! You had your chances with him already, Skip. Doubt he’s giving you another now. Over and a half to go and Wahab is facing, as the Shafiq shot netted him three. Well within a stroke from a ton now. Wahab takes a bit old swing to a ball well outside the off-stump. It wasn’t taken by Wade anyway despite the suggestion that he may have nicked it. Who knows? I don’t. Back on the front dog to the last ball, defending. It’s over. Six balls to go, Jack Bird will bowl it. Shafiq on strike on 97. Pakistan need 115 to win with three wickets in hand. This is all pretty loose. Let’s see it through.

Updated

121st over: Pakistan 372-7 (Shafiq 94, Wahab 30). Have a 50 partnership! And Take yourself into the 90s Asad Shafiq, that’s what you do when you can sweep Nathan Lyon quite like that. Glorious batting. Could be get to 100 tonight? This has been a weird few hours, but I tell you what, we will remember it for a long time no matter what happens from here. This is no the highest fourth innings score at the Gabba, Ric Finlay informs on ABC. Three more with a punchy little paddle isn’t as convincing but it’s runs! Blessed runs! Six away from a ton no one could have possibly predicted. He’s on strike. To Nick Maddinson! Now into the attack. Okay, I better watch that now.

120th over: Pakistan 361-7 (Shafiq 86, Wahab 29). Hazlewood continues. Boy, what a shift from him, it’s his 35th over of the second dig. Still wicketless. Still landing them in his little shoebox. A push through the onside from Shafiq turns the strike over to Wahab, who is leaving well alone for the remainder of the set.

If Robert Wilson sends you a song, you put it in the OBO. “The incomparable (and deeply loopy) Yma Sumac. The perfect music to cover bowlers having a late dash in a no-hope match.”

“The sound of irresponsible zest.”

119th over: Pakistan 360-7 (Shafiq 85, Wahab 29). Wahab Riaz! Attempts a sweep, misses. Mishits a slog, finds two. Combines the two, flogs it waaaaay into the crowd! Nine from it. You know what: 130 to win all of a sudden. Geoff Lemon is yelling at me for even mentioning this. But I’m determined to suspend disbelief. Dare to dream.

118th over: Pakistan 351-7 (Shafiq 84, Wahab 21). Earlier in the over Pakistan brought up their 350 when Shafiq took Hazlewood through midwicket for a couple. Six overs to go. I think.

Not out! The small pocket of Pakistan fans go WILD when S Ravi confirms that it is not caught, or lbw, or handled ball, or obstructing the field. That was fun.

Review! Hazlewood into the pads of Wahab. The third umpire, with great humour, says “review for inside and lbw, I’m not sure which.” Beautiful areas. Stand by.

117th over: Pakistan 348-7 (Shafiq 81, Wahab 21). Wahab absolutely taking the piss here, as he should. Sweeps Lyon like a top order player to the rope, then slogs him in the direction of the moon, into the stands it lands. They are loving it on the balcony, Sarfraz especially. On his feet, having a laugh. Anything better than bowlers when they get into this kind of mood with the bat? I was clearly hating this 20 minutes ago, but I’m going to embrace it now.

116th over: Pakistan 335-7 (Shafiq 78, Wahab 11). Wahab drives Hazlewood for three. Nice way to begin the extra half hour. Asad keeps the strike with a single behind square. Looks like Nath Lyon will continue from the other end.

Meanwhile, Robert Bloody McLiam Wilson has dropped me a line! What a delight to see your name for the first time this week.

“No one is writing to you?” They are not.

“Is this about your song of the year?” Maybe.

“I thought it was ok (and I hate music). But the OBO is a harsh and frosty crowd when it comes to such things. You’re best sticking with Phil Collins. Or Showaddywaddy (sic?), if you’re feeling the call of courage.”

Taken on notice. Anyone want to give me a song, by the way? I will publish just about anything right now.

Robert goes on:
“I hate it when Starc gets a wicket from something shortpitched. Leads him astray for another year. Dommage. One of the best just over full-length bowlers around.”

What a great guy. I hope to meet him in real life. One day.

115th over: Pakistan 331-7 (Shafiq 77, Wahab 8). Lyon bowls what is, in theory, the last over of the day. It doesn’t even matter what happened. Wahab takes one, but they’re all playing out to see what the officials are going to decide next. Oh, and the decision has been made we’re going on at the Gabba! Scheduled close was 8pm, and will be finishing at 10pm. Which is 11pm on the east coast. I don’t count QLD as the east coast due to daylight savings sneering. And that they elected 11 One Nation MPs at the 1998 State Election.

Updated

114th over: Pakistan 330-7 (Shafiq 77, Wahab 7). Hazlewood is back. What does that mean? Does it suggest we’re going to extra half hour an they’ve given Smith the nod to that effect? Anyway, let’s just note that Shafiq plays a lovely cut to a shortish delivery, times the leather off it. Dots scatter the rest of the set. 370 the largest fourth innings total here, England in 2006 when they still lost by a million. Thanks to Ric Finlay on the ABC commentary for that.

113th over: Pakistan 326-7 (Shafiq 73, Wahab 7). Garry Lyon is back into the attack, the ornament of the Melbourne Football Club. He provokes an aerial flick from Shaqif in the most eventful moment of the over, but it falls just short of the substitute fielder. Or does it? Maybe he should have been on the march and diving? We’ll never know. Have Australia even deserved the extra half hour? I say no. Then again: I’ve been OBOing for many hours today and wouldn’t count as a reliable witness at this stage.

112nd over: Pakistan 324-7 (Shafiq 72, Wahab 6). Steven Peter Devereux Smith. Your full name, because you’re in trouble. A second straight-forward catch dropped by the captain. I don’t understand. He doesn’t do that. Just to his right. Barely really. Chest height. It was Shafiq who received the chance (again), Starc who created it. Sure enough, the next delivery in that general fourth stump delivery is left rather than driven at. Steven Peter Devereux Smith.

111st over: Pakistan 324-7 (Shafiq 72, Wahab 6). A maiden. The bowlers was Bird. So you know where it was. It was outside off, as it always is when he’s operating. He’s reliable like that. It’s why he gets a game. He’s the old pair of jeans. The batsman is Riaz. He’s stubborn and competitive. So instead of slashing, he’s leaving. Five of six times. When he has to play, it’s awkward but safe off an edge. It’s purgatory. Cricket purgatory.

110th over: Pakistan 324-7 (Shafiq 72, Wahab 6). Also, there is the confidence that Shafiq has to draw from this for the remainder of the series. Get yourself a hundred. It’s Wahab in the first instance, beaten again by Starc with the first ball. An unconvincing push gets him one and puts Shafiq back on show. A big old edge finishes the over, it’s a genuine one, but not to hand in the cordon. That’ll drive Starc and Smith insane in equal measure. There’s no one left talking about this game, is there? Let alone writing to me. Don’t worry, I get it. I don’t feel rejected. This won’t come up in therapy.

109th over: Pakistan 319-7 (Shafiq 68, Wahab 5). Shafiq again takes a single from the first ball, delivered by Bird. Third man the destination. Wahab has to wear one in the guts when Bird brings one back. That’s not fun. He persists in defence for the remainder of the over, before retaining the strike with a single behind point to end the over. No concerns at all from Shafiq in letting his bowlers take the bulk of the strike. I’ll reiterate my point from earlier: really not for nothing making the Australian bowlers have to get up and do it all again tomorrow with another Test Match next week. Reckon he’d do well milking some strike here with that in mind. Right?

108th over: Pakistan 317-7 (Shafiq 67, Wahab 4). Starc to Shafiq, who takes a single into the legside first ball of the over. Not sure that’s in the manual for batting with the bowlers. But not much about this last hour and a half has been. Wahab does well enough to keep the quick out, picking up a boundary when a low full-toss around the wicket clashes with an edge. The last ball of the over is a beaut, beating the edge from around the wicket. Takes special gifts to do that from the angle he is delivering from.

Updated

107th over: Pakistan 312-7 (Shafiq 66, Wahab 0). Wahab sees off the last couple of balls. In order to get the extra half hour they will need another wicket in the next eight overs.

WICKET! Amir c Wade b Bird 48 (Pakistan 312-7)

A wonderful hand comes to and when nicking off to Bird with a defensive stroke, two short of a maiden Test half-century. Considering the circumstances of how Starc was flinging them down when he arrives, and the state of the game, it was a particularly fine performance. Well played. And nicely earned by Bird, who has persisted in that channel even when they went after him.

106th over: Pakistan 311-6 (Shafiq 65, Amir 48). Starc vs Amir, once again. Bit it only lasts a ball to begin, one to third man easy as you’ll see. Shafiq sends him back though, an inside edge enabling another single. Amir is on the front foot driving to fielders, then under the customary bouncer, then swinging for the pickets to end the over. But didn’t make contact. It continues. 4890 is the crowd here today. Well down on the week, very healthy overall numbers.

Updated

105th over: Pakistan 309-6 (Shafiq 64, Amir 47). Half-chance! Khawaja gets some elevation at short cover with just the left hand. It hit some fingers but didn’t stick. It’s a great effort, but Shafiq remains. The response is emphatic, on the one knee square-driving behind gully. Maybe a cut, Geoff Lemon says next to me. Either way, it’s pretty. Seven from that over, bringing their partnership to 89. And ten overs to go. They can take half an hour after that, but they won’t be afforded it if they remain six down.

104th over: Pakistan 302-6 (Shafiq 58, Amir 46). It is Starc once more. We’re 23 overs into this second new ball now, for what that is worth. Shafiq, amusingly, gives the strike to Amir after taking one down the ground first ball of the over. But Amir is past the point where that matters much now, he’s comfortable now. Comfortable enough to take Starc though cover to give the strike back to Shafiq, who cops an absolute screamer to finish the over. Misses the edge then the stumps. There’s still enough of those to encourage a quick result tonight.

103rd over: Pakistan 300-6 (Shafiq 57, Amir 45). Wonderful cut shot from Amir brings up the Pakistan 300. They’re going at a decent clip here. 38 off the last six overs the ABC informs me. With that in mind, I’m somewhat surprised when Amir decides to defend the final two deliveries in the conventional fashion.

102nd over: Pakistan 295-6 (Shafiq 56, Amir 41). Throwing the ball around a bit here, Smith gives Starc another stint not long after finishing his previous shift. Amir enjoys the first delivery, not that wide but carved behind gully for a boundary. Have that, he’ll say to the bowler given the words that were exchanged last time he was in operation. After attacking the stumps for a bit, Starc goes upstairs but Amir bends the knees and gets out of the way. Back on the pegs with some generous tail, an inside edge is won but straight onto the pads. No real danger there. And because, why the hell not, he has a lash at the last ball of the over and it’s over the slips for four more! Thanks for coming. 194 to win.

101st over: Pakistan 287-6 (Shafiq 56, Amir 33). Singles from each of the incumbent batsmen to start this new Lyon over, to point for Amir, down the ground Shafiq. Amir risks undoing plenty of good work when hacking through square leg with no real control. Three more to the score, through. Shafiq’s single to square leg gives him another chance before the over is done, cutting on this occasion with considerably more precision, the result the same: three more. Nine from it for the tourists, the stand 67.

100th over: Pakistan 278-6 (Shafiq 54, Amir 26). Second ball after the drink and Amir throws the bat at Hazlewood, getting enough of it to fly over gully and register three runs for Pakistan. Only 216 more to win. Maybe that’s underpinning this approach? A short ball to end the over is pulled by Shafiq, and with perfect timing down to the deep backward square rope. So make that 212.

99th over: Pakistan 271-6 (Shafiq 50, Amir 23). Last over before drinks, and it’ll be Lyon. Shafiq is defending then clipping, two through midwicket to raise an altogether entertaining half-century. 80 balls to get there, with four boundaries and that audacious hooked six. He sees out the rest of the over through to the breather. 16 more overs and we’re back tomorrow. Ponder that, friends. Ponder that.

98th over: Pakistan 269-6 (Shafiq 48, Amir 23). Over gully goes Shafiq, that’s the way to annoy a still-wicketless Hazlewood. You get four for boldness like that. They thrice take singles into the off-side through the second half of the over. Positively productive. Oh, that last one though, that’s more what Bird wants, beating Amir’s edge.

97th over: Pakistan 262-6 (Shafiq 42, Amir 22). Nathan Lyon returns, the roar does as well. Been such a great part of this Test Match. Could this actually change his career? A confidence bowler, now a cult hero. Something worth exploring. In the short term, he won’t like that Amir has given it crack at pop him in the pool, four scored slogging him in that direction to end an otherwise placid over. They’ve put on 42.

96th over: Pakistan 258-6 (Shafiq 42, Amir 18). Oh have that, Shafiq says, hooking Hazlewood for six of the best! Sure, he’s been a bit punchy over the last few overs, but I didn’t see that coming. A thick old top edge gave it the elevation required to clear the rope. It’s certainly one way to go about saving a Test. Good on him. Spin to come next from the Vulture Street end, which is timely.

Updated

95th over: Pakistan 250-6 (Shafiq 34, Amir 18). Pakistan bring up ther 250 with a really quite stunning off-drive from Amir to complete the Bird over. MCC manual, and all that. It comes the ball after Bird snorts one across him, missing the off-stump by a handful of centimetres. Earlier in the over it was Amir going aerial in the off-side as well. The result may be a foregone conclusion here, but the cricket isn’t bad at all, you know.

Cricket Australia have announced that day five will be free entry.

94th over: Pakistan 244-6 (Shafiq 34, Amir 12). Hazlewood swung around to replace Starc after his fearsome stint. To Shafiq, who is good enough to get him around the corner for a couple in response to a relatively straight delivery. A bouncer follows, sure enough. No issues there. Nor with the remainder of the over, in defence throughout. Shafiq was a bit loose early in the session, but is in relative control at the moment.

93rd over: Pakistan 242-6 (Shafiq 32, Amir 12). Nice going from Shafiq who drives through cover - albeit over the field - for three. Another good stroke from Amir later on, cutting behind point for a couple. Looking alright after that initial challenge from Starc, he is.

92nd over: Pakistan 237-6 (Shafiq 29, Amir 10). Oh gosh, a bouncer - in theory - from Starc to Amir. And it has just made it over the stumps. Reminiscent of Lydia Greenway losing her stumps to Ellyse Perry last year in near-identical circumstances during their Test at Canterbury. Bit annoying that isn’t on youtube. Let’s not dwell. A rapid over ends when Starc hits the radar over 152kph which is just madness, isn’t it? He has a bit of a chirp at Amir at the end of it all when the yorker is dug out, probably just arranging to catch up after play. Sure that’s all it is. Maiden, by the way.

Also similar to this, come to think of it.

Don’t @ me, Indian fans who are still fuming about this. I’m but the messenger.

91st over: Pakistan 237-6 (Shafiq 29, Amir 10). Bird again. A bit of chat on the ABC about whether Starc and Hazlewood are the best opening duo in the world at the moment. Obviously Abbott/Philander/Rabada were really something over here, with Steyn and Morkel not even available. Meanwhile, Anderson and Broad are in the most potent handful England have ever had, certainly when it comes to career victims. Doubly so at home. But does this Australian pairing have them covered at this moment in time? I reckon they might. The third wheel in that, Bird, has the ball now. Amir does well to keep him out early before driving with real confidence for another three into the off-side. He bowls a straighter line to Shafiq in defence, then manages to bounce over his head so far that a wide is called. Not his best over.

90th over: Pakistan 233-6 (Shafiq 29, Amir 7). Fat edge from Shafiq to the first ball of Starc’s new set, and it has raced to the rope through the fifth slip region. They could probably get away with throwing another couple of grippers in there at this stage, to be fair. A sound drive does follow, though, but Warner makes a wonderful save at mid-off diving to his right, intercepting the ball in mid-air. Mad skillz. By the end of the over it’s Amir back at the business end, and he plays a perfectly acceptable drive through cover for three. Nice one.

89th over: Pakistan 225-6 (Shafiq 24, Amir 4). It is Jackson Bird for Hazlewood, at a far gentler pace than Starc up the other end. Shafiq takes one to fine leg, exposing Amir. Perhaps after what happened in the previous over to Starc he’s immediately throwing the proverbial kitchen sink at the new bowler, heaving over point for a couple. A much better stroke follows to end the over, along the carpet through cover for a couple more. More importantly: it’ll be his mate facing Starc in the first instance next over, not him.

88th over: Pakistan 220-6 (Shafiq 23, Amir 0). What a great over. That wicket-taking delivery a joy to watch on the replay, hooping a long way back through the gate. The stuff left-armers dream of. It came the ball after slicing him open but not hitting the stumps. It’s a pattern that continues once Amir gets his chance. At 150 clicks he beats his opposing number. Blimey, then he does it again with the last ball of the set. That’s just too good. A sensational over by any measure.

WICKET! Sarfraz b Starc 24 (Pakistan 220-6)

That’s more like it! Contrary to what we speculated about before the attack-leader gets another over and makes no mistake. That’s a sensational piece of bowling, cannoning into Sarfraz’s middle stump back through the gate. Classic fast, full swing. Classic Mitchell Starc. Four to go.

87th over: Pakistan 220-5 (Shafiq 23, Sarfraz 24). Hazlewood continues, running away from us here at the Vulture Street End. Again he concedes to fine leg to his first ball of the over, Shafiq benefitting from the misfire on this occasion. A decent bouncer punctuates an otherwise nondescript over, finished with Sarfraz stroking to deep cover for a couple. They’re out on 47 now.

86th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Shafiq 22, Sarfraz 21). Shafiq’s turn to have a waft, playing and missing to Starc’s first delivery. Not sure they’re fond of dragging this out to a fifth day, you know. Which is a bit daft in the context of the series. If they can force the Australians to have another bowl tomorrow - deprive them off that day off - it won’t be for absolutely nothing from Melbourne. Anyway, after getting exchange singles Shafiq uppercuts over point later in the over, reinforcing my earlier point. To be fair, it wasn’t much of a ball and a safe enough stroke. A more conventional clip ends the over, two taken through midwicket. Pushing hard here the Australian main duo but not getting it where they want enough of the time. Chris Rogers on the radio suggests that Jack Bird might be given a crack from that end, and he’s usually pretty close to the mark with these things.

More WBBL. A couple of brilliant games in Bendigo between the Gades and the Canes, both resolved on the final ball. Indeed, today’s fixture went to a super over. Here’s the report.

85th over: Pakistan 207-5 (Shafiq 14, Sarfraz 20). Sarfraz again takes a run from the first ball of Hazlewood’s over down to fine leg. Shafiq does broadly the same to square leg when he gets the chance, after missing a ball sprayed down the legside before it. Rare from Big Josh, perhaps a bit shirty after the missed chance in his previous set. Back on point, a short ball darts back at Sarfraz, getting his gloves out of the way at the last moment. Perhaps that shook him up a bit as he responded by flaying at a ball well outside the off-stump to end the over, thankfully for him playing and missing. That would have been an ugly way to go. Eventful as always.

84th over: Pakistan 205-5 (Shafiq 13, Sarfraz 19). Sure enough plenty of replays coming of Smith’s missed chance the previous over, as Starc begins after dinner. Looked to hit him on the end of the fingers rather than the palm. Can’t recall him ever putting one down back there. Shafiq leaves a couple, defends a couple, gets under a bouncer then digs out a yorker. A maiden it is.

83rd over: Pakistan 205-5 (Shafiq 13, Sarfraz 19). Sarfraz grabs a couple off Hazlewood down to fine leg first ball of the session. He’s into his 25th over and hasn’t picked up a wicket despite being Australia’s best. Frustrating times when sitting on 97 Test victims. Deserves a bag every time he has a trundle at the moment. And wouldn’t you know it? Steve Smith drops a sitter. Sarfraz giving the most conventional chance to second slip. It was coming at a decent speed and attempted to take it side-on to the right for reasons that aren’t entirely clear. It won’t cost them the Test Match, but it may very well cost them a day off.

Meanwhile, a ridiculous performance from Beth Mooney in the WBBL this afternoon at the Gabba. Playing for the Heat, she stumped four Scorchers batsmen before smashing 67 not out in the chase. Serious player.

More end of year jibber? Of the cricket variety? Five guys have 1000 Test runs to date. They are:

Root - 1471 @ 51.
Young Jonny “OBO bae” Bairstow - 1469 @ 61
Cook 1221 @ 42
Kohli 1215 @ 76
Moeen Ali 1034 @ 47
On reflection, this mostly has to do with the fact that England played 17 Tests this year, doesn’t it? For Australia, Smith has 914 @ 61.

Top of the pops with the ball while we’re at it:

Ashwin 72 (!) @ 23
Herath 54 @ 18 (in eight Tests... freak)
Broad 47 @ 26
Starc 43 @ 21
Yasir 43 @ 37

How about another song in the four minutes before they return. Not that you asked, but my favourite of the year. You’re welcome.

Go home. Baby, it’ll be alright. Put your life into the cold light.

Updated

Me, again. Thanks Geoff. Adam Collins to see you through this long two-and-a-half hour session to end day four, and surely end this Test Match. I say surely for the lights that are on, the pink ball that is new and the sky that is dark. This is the first time since we’ve had Day-Night Tests in Australia that the final session is extending the extra 60 (and tonight 90) minutes. We’ve seen how hard it is to bat in the final hour when the ball is darting around, and Australia will have twice as long as usual. That’s my logic, and I’m sticking with it.

Of course, Adam.Collins.Freelance@theguardian.com - take your best shot. That’s @collinsadam on the idiot machine. You know what, let’s have a song. In the seasonal spirit, I’m going to throw you my favourite Christmas song. An unusual winner, but I’m an unusual person.

“Oh, Santa. It’s been a real hard year.”

Dinner - Pakistan trail by 287 with five wickets in hand

Australia got everything they needed in that session, with the wickets of Azhar, Misbah and Younis. They chipped away and chipped away, and while a few runs were scored, the guys with the potential to play long innings were eventually squeezed out. Starc, Lyon and Bird got a wicket apiece, as Australia conceded 72 in the session for those three wickets. It won’t have hurt Azhar and Younis to have made a few though, and to have done so here on the bounciest deck they’ll face this tour. On the more placid surfaces at the Cricket Grounds of Melbourne and Sydney, perhaps Pakistan’s batsmen can put up more of a show. That’s it for me, Geoff Lemon out until Boxing Day, and Adam Collins will be back shortly to take you through the last stanza.

Updated

82nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Shafiq 13, Sarfraz 17)

Way down leg to start with, as is often Starc’s way. It’s also his way to take a wicket in his first over. Sarfraz blocks a couple, then squats and reaches wide of off stump to drive a bump ball to gully. Can’t help feeling for ball on bat, can Sarfraz. Second-last ball, Lyon pulls out a dive to raise himself a few more cheers, then the last is targeting the pads, and Sarfraz whips three nicely played runs away. He’s scoring quickly again.

81st over: Pakistan 200-5 (Shafiq 13, Sarfraz 14)

Here’s that new ball, in the hand of one Joshua Hazleberger. He’s too wide with the first couple of balls and they don’t trouble Shafiq, then he targets the stumps bit is blocked out. Two minutes until the dinner break as he bowls his fourth ball. The Australians would love to squeeze an extra over in. Hazlewood is getting relatively quickly thorugh his over but he still has a long run-up. He’s turning quickly, bowling wide once more. Hazlewood might win this one... he does. By a matter of eight seconds. Bowls another dot, which means Umpire Illingworth has time to get in position, and Starc will get a crack at the Pakistan batsmen.

80th over: Pakistan 200-5 (Shafiq 13, Sarfraz 14)

It’s not so much happy hour as last drinks, tequila shots, and the bouncers are circling. Sarfraz comes fdown the wicket at Bird, kneels, and slog-sweeps him towards midwicket. Mistimes the whack and gets three runs through deep backward. Shafiq times his shot much more prettily, a flick off the pads that does make the rope. Then a single from the last ball and the Pakistan 200 is raised.

79th over: Pakistan 192-5 (Shafiq 8, Sarfraz 11)

A lot of fun to watch, is Sarfraz, the Pakistani wicketkeeper with a curious resemblance to Mick Molloy. Comes down the wicket to Lyon and drives three runs through point, nicely done. Shafiq taps a single, Sarfraz follows suit, both to the posh side of the pitch, then Shafiq comes down and goes whack down the ground for four mor runs. Nine from it. Oh yes, new ball’s a-coming.

78th over: Pakistan 183-5 (Shafiq 3, Sarfraz 7)

I suppose Sarfraz figures he might as well make what he can before the new ball comes along, with Starc and Hazlewood to wield it. Slaps Bird throug point for four, glances him for a single.

77th over: Pakistan 177-5 (Shafiq 3, Sarfraz 1)

Lyon continues his good spell, mixing up his speed and flight and length. The first ball so very nearly has Sarfraz: it pitched outside off, then hit the pad as he went to sleep. Umpire Gould said that was hitting outside the line, and even if the Australians had reviews left, DRS would have showed that the impact on pad was umpire’s call. It’s a maiden, despite the best efforts of Sarfraz, who plays a shot to each point of the compass but can’t get any one of them through.

76th over: Pakistan 177-5 (Shafiq 3, Sarfraz 1)

Shafiq is know for being a bit erratic, but he’s been steady in temperament so far today. Gets a couple of runs from Bird through cover, but otherwise defends and leaves throughout the over.

75th over: Pakistan 175-5 (Shafiq 1, Sarfraz 1)

Sarfrazzamatazz was outstanding in the first innings, 59 not out from 64 balls even as the innings was a burning garbage fire around him. He’s busily off the mark again here, a single flicked away from the first ball, and Shafiq follows his example.

Updated

WICKET! Younis c Smith b Younis 65

Resistance officially over, I think. The new ball is five overs away, the dusk is coming, and surely the combination will be too much for Pakistan’s lower order once another wicket goes. Younis coughs his up, reverse-sweeping at Lyon, taking the glove and lobbing up in the air for an easy catch at first slip. They needed him to bat through, but at least his survival for this long on a tricky pitch is a promising sign for the slower wickets in Melbourne and Sydney.

74th over: Pakistan 173-4 (Younis 65, Shafiq 0)

Younis soaks up another over from Bird, taking a single from the last ball towards gully.

73rd over: Pakistan 172-4 (Younis 64, Shafiq 0)

Nice bowling from Lyon. He’s giving the ball plenty of air, and deceives Younis in flight as he tries to sweep. Then Younis comes down and plays a perfect cover drive plenty of space out there through the covers and he makes use of every bit of it. Takes a single to square leg to follow up, as is his preferred method of miking the spinners.

72nd over: Pakistan 167-4 (Younis 59, Shafiq 0)

Scratch-a-thon continues: it’s the National DJ Championships out there. Younis edges Bird from the inside of the bat past his stumps and profits by another run. Shafiq once again blocks out the rest of the over.

71st over: Pakistan 166-4 (Younis 58, Shafiq 0)

Love how scratchy this Younis innings is. Edges Lyon past slip for a single. Shafiq blocks out the rest of the over.

WICKET! Misbah c Wade b Bird 5

70th over: Pakistan 165-4 (Younis 57, Shafiq 0)

The frustration for those who want Pakistan to improve kicks in again. Bird hits a decent line and just back of a good length, but it was wide enough for Misbah to leave, and short enough to be no threat to his stumps. Why he decided to lunge outside off and push at it is anyone’s guess. It was a zero shot, no possible gain available, and all it does it offer up an edge. Nice, Wadey. Asad Shafiq comes out, and surely now Pakistan will struggle to survive the day.

69th over: Pakistan 165-3 (Younis 57, Misbah 5)

So much ‘Nice Garry!’ Wade is outdoing himself. His NGPO rate is through the roof. It’s a maiden too, so it gives him plenty to work with, as Younis keeps looking to score and can’t find a way past the field.

68th over: Pakistan 165-3 (Younis 57, Misbah 5)

Double change, and the Griffin is back: Bird and Lyon in combination. Jackson gives up a single to Younish first ball, leg glanced, then works away at Misbah around off. Misbah is still happy to leave, wait, survive. Survive he does, even the last ball when Bird attacks the stumps and convinces Smith to refer the not-out. It’s not out because there’s a massive inside edge, and Australia’s reviews are both gone, but they get them back in 12 overs.

67th over: Pakistan 164-3 (Younis 56, Misbah 5)

A bowling change, Nathan Lyon on, to the delight of the crowd. Misbah starts confidently, getting down low and well outside the off stump before sweeping out through square for two runs. But then Lyon picks things up. Ball doesn’t turn, zips on with the arm and just barely beats the edge. Wade doesn’t glove it, knocking it away to the leg side. And it looks on that replay as though Misbah’s back foot was raised around the same time the ball reached Wade’s gloves. So the batsman may have got his foot back down again in time, but there was at least some chance of a stumping there that Wade was, once again, unable to attempt or complete by virtue of losing the ball. No more runs from the over.



66th over: Pakistan 162-3 (Younis 56, Misbah 3)

Misbah is happy to be Misbah-watchful. Such a reservoir of patience. Just sits on Starc for the first four deliveries. Knows he has to see off Australia’s most dangerous bowler. Eventually he gets one straight enough that he deigns to play, and glances a single to fine leg. Younis plays the last ball well, finding the line of it, opening the face, running along the ground into the gully and taking two quick runs.

65th over: Pakistan 159-3 (Younis 54, Misbah 2)

Younis has come back since the rain delay with a deathwish. You need to bat for two days, friend! Has a big drive at a wide ball, exactly as so many Pakistan batsmen have fallen in this Test, and skews Starc in the air through gully but somehow isn’t caught. Handscomb sprints back but can’t quite save the four.

64th over: Pakistan 155-3 (Younis 50, Misbah 2)

Starc continues, Australia’s twin thoroughbreds in harness. Concedes a couple first ball as Misbah works to fine leg, then the Pakistan captain is content to bunker down. Blocks a couple, leaves a couple. Lyon fields one and the newly pro-Lyon crowd is right up for it.

Half century! Younis 50 from 115 balls

63rd over: Pakistan 153-3 (Younis 50, Misbah 0)

Well, he’s been written off after a bad tour of New Zealand, he was criticised after a duck in the first innings here but he’s fought back. never made a pair in his Test career, and avoided that this morning. From there he has battled it out, not always looking comfortable, but finding a way to survive, and he has turned that survival into profit to the tune of a fifty. Still one of very few batsmen in Test history to have more fifties than hundreds: currently he’s close at 32 and 33, though if he could convert this one he would broaden that gap again to two. He’s also 271 runs from 10,000 in Tests.

He won’t convert it if he keeps playing shots like the one to end the over though. Having got strike back via a leg bye from Misbah’s box, Younis gets another Hazlewood short ball and plays another ridiculous pull shot, swatting away and missing entirely as the ball flies through to Wade.

Updated

62nd over: Pakistan 151-3 (Younis 49, Misbah 0)

Younis has suddenly given himself a hurry-up. First he square drives Starc, delectably, for four. That ball was rising and none too full but he dealth with it. Then he plays a squat, angled, ugly pull shot, a real swat that nearly ended with the batsman falling over, and left the ball entirely unomlested on its flight path.

Ben Hartley, perhaps a relation of Queensland keeper Chris, writes this slightly abstract soliloquy from the City of Cities.

“Your partner in pain from New York here. I’m trying to think of other sports that stop because of rain. Yes, it’s a slowish night in NY as well – they happen. I mean, really, would the game be any lesser if they played in the rain? Second line of thought – when will they build an indoor stadium for cricket? The sport has no lower bar to set after the advent of T20, so perhaps an indoor stadium with a wheel were you could spin for weather conditions – humid, hot, cool, wind from the north, south or squalling. Third line of thought – if there was a reality show based on cricket, who would you feature in the first season? America has produced a President out of reality television, imagine what a few cricketers could do? I would think a Mars landing or self-toasting bread at a minimum. Over and out from a tired New York. See if you can get the Aussies to knock over the Pakistanis by the time I wake.”

(To answer the question about rain, it’s because it would ruin both the pitch and the ball in about five minutes if we played on. Indoor is a good idea though, it worked ok at Docklands Stadium in Melbourne that one time.)

Pakistan’s 150 is no sooner up that the clairvoyant groundsmen have ordered us off the field again, with one ball to go in the over.

Update: we’re quickly back. No rain has come. Last ball defended.

Updated

61st over: Pakistan 146-3 (Younis 48, Misbah 0)

So it’s down to the two old stagers once again. They’ll have to bat together for at least a couple of sessions, you would think, for Pakistan to legitimately have any chance of survival. Also, as is so often the case. there’s the matter of runs. If Pakistan somehow survived until the end of play tomorrow, they would probably be close enough to challenge for the win rather than just the draw.

Ridiculous to suggest, when chasing 490, but that’s how hard the task ahead will be.

Younis gets off strike with a leg-side poke, as is his wont. Hazlewood drops into a line outside off. Misbah watches it all go by.

WICKET! Azhar Ali c Wade b Starc 71

60th over: Pakistan 145-3 (Younis 43)

Gone at last! Azhar produces another boundary, on-driving Starc this time, but from the last ball of the over the shorter-pitched attack finally gets him. That was more at the body than the head, but he moved across his stumps, tried to shovel it to the on-side, and Starc’s pace ensued that he only gloved it through to the keeper, providing a chance of such simplicity that Wade had no trouble with it.

59th over: Pakistan 139-2 (Azhar 67, Younis 42)

An early single to Younis, who keeps finding a way. They’re determined to keep going after Azhar with the short ball, having hit him earlier. Determined that there must be a weakness there. But the last of the over Hazlewood looks for the yorker, provides the low full toss, and Azhar strokes it gorgeously straight down the pitch, past the other stumps and down the ground for four.

Updated

58th over: Pakistan 134-2 (Azhar 63, Younis 41)

Younis Khan is at a hip-hop gig. He gets low, gets low, gets low against Starc. Then gets high, gets high, gets high. Starts the bowler’s run-up standing straight. Then gets right down into his crouch waiting for the bowler to come in, then up onto tiptoes to flay the shorter ball ball through cover. Not well timed, bit of a topspin forehand jab. Good enough for a run. Azhar gets a barrage of bouncers for the rest of the over. Subtle like an ice cube down the neck.

57th over: Pakistan 133-2 (Azhar 63, Younis 40)

Hazlehoff finishes hoff the over so rudely interrupted by rain, as Azhar pushes a floater through cover for a couple, then blocks the next.

And we are away. Play resumes, this session will notionally go for two hours until 18:20 local time, then the final session will run from 19:00 until 21:00 hours. Affirmative? At ease.

If you’re wondering how a cricket press box fills in a rain delay, things like this genuinely happen. For reals.

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“To be fair to ‘how many games captained’ guy,” writes Rowan Sweeney, impotently venting about the lack of a square leg on social media is literally the most boring and pointless thing in the entire universe.”

One of the beautiful things about social media is that you can decide who to follow, and who not to. Using cricket tactics as your filter is as legitimate an approach as any.

If you’re wondering what rain at the Gabba looks like, it’s kinda like this.

Not raining at the moment, but there’s another wave of the storm forecast to come through in another 10 or 15 minutes. So the groundstaff are wavering as to whether to bother getting the covers off. They’re sort of doing it, but with very little urgency or enthusiasm. The umpires will have an official inspection shortly.

This is my favourite response to literally the most boring criticism offered to anyone who speaks about a sport.

The tweet this is replying to of course reads, “How many test matches have you captained and won for England, mate?”

The rain has stopped, the umpires are coming out for a cheeky spec. Bit of sun breaking through. Knowing the Gabba groundstaff, we’ll be back on within half an hour. Get me through that slow time by , send me an email (geoff.lemon@theguardian.com) or a twitterphone (@GeoffLemonSport).

Adam is still around being very useful. “You’ve got most of your scone in your beard,” he advises, as though that wasn’t deliberate. I... like to keep a lollipop there. He’s also sent me this AAP report on the weather.

“A massive thunderstorm has hit Ipswich, with power outages and damage already being reported, and is moving over Brisbane. Authorities have warned people to stay inside and beware of fallen trees and powerlines. The weather bureau has warned of destructive winds, large hailstones and heavy rains. The Darling Downs, Wide Bay and Burnett, and Granite Belt regions could be hit with severe storms.”

A message forwarded via Adam Collins from Simon Bogli, who I know by reputation to be a Melbourne cricketer of some established reputation.

“I know it was a typo re ‘class of cordial’ before drinks but ultimately I feel that you have an illuminated a hitherto unexplored point. Not sure if it’s applicable to Test cricket, (specialist cordial drinks makers there probably, not Steve Smith) but there should be a class of/for cordial before every season for park cricket captains about making decent cordial. It should incorporate flavours, mixes, ice quotient etc. It’s fairly important. More so that the actual captaincy stuff.”

Couldn’t agree more. There’s also the unexplored question of the class of cordial: what each brand, make, presentation of cordial says about the club and its constituents. Whether the hoity-toity rich with their bottled fizzy guava drinks sneer at the honest, hard-working Cottees fans whose dads picked the fruit that went to the company to make that beverage.

Hello, rain friends. It is indeed I, your rain companion Geoff Lemon, to guide you through the halls of moistness that make up this afternoon. Reports of some serious thunderstorm damage in Ipswich, 40 kilometres south-west of the Gabba. Here at the ground, the rain is lighter but steady, with some brighter patches of sky that give me hope that it may be tropically fleeting. Inside, the television is replying us the famous (that’s compulsory now, we have to say famous) Australian comeback win over Pakistan at Hobart, thanks to Justin Langer refusing to walk after nicking one of the thickest edges you’ll ever see. Right now, Wazzy Akram has finished tonking the Australian bowlers around, and is taking top-order wickets.

Tea wrap - Pakistan couldn’t have done much more than that.

Sure, it was hard going early. And yep, there were edges. Plenty of them. But Pakistan have made it through to the first interval without loss, Azhar Ali progressing to a patient half-century along the way.

Starc and Hazlewood’s first half-hour was especially potent, engaging in a relentless attack at Younis in particular both outside his off-stump and towards his head. He took the bait on one occasion with a hook lacking in any control coming off a top edge but falling to safety.

Azhar was the man who fared worse though, copping one in the back of the neck off Hazlewood. It didn’t look good, but he was straight back on his feet. It took him 51 minutes to progress from his overnight 41, but didn’t take long to get to his 23rd Test Match half-century once he got going.

Younis edged routinely to the cordon and surrounds, but no formal chances came from it, his soft hands helping the survival. Spin was tried through Lyon and Maddinson, but neither could get the breakthrough. The former generated an opportunity off Azhar’s glove, but Wade didn’t get a mit on it. To be fair, it would have been a freak take.

You know what I get to do now? Hand over to Geoff Lemon to OBO through what looks to be an inevitable long delay if the bleak, grey sky is anything to go by. It isn’t raining yet, but it is absolutely on the way. Hail too. Lots of it. Keep him company, as he will you, and I’ll catch you in a couple of hours.

Updated

Off (preemptively) for rain. And that's Tea. Pakistan 131-2 (Azhar 61, Younis 40)

Or something like that. With the thunderstorm warnings coming thick and fast, the groundstaff have ordered the covers on despite not a drop quite falling. That’s not without precedent here at the ‘Gabba; they know how quick the track can be damaged if they leave it too long when hail hits. So, commonsense prevails in favour of the early interval. Back in a moment with some broader thoughts on the session that was.

56th over: Pakistan 127-2 (Azhar 57, Younis 40). A legbye. A single. It’s all over before you know it with Maddinson operating. Don’t expect we’ll see him again. But good to know he’s capable of getting them down to the other end without too much stress. A bit like Rob Quiney and his medium pace. Plenty of parallels between the two at the moment.

Updated

55th over: Pakistan 125-2 (Azhar 56, Younis 40). Hazlewood gives Younis one to fine leg then Azhar two to a similar region later in the over. Belt and braces.

THUNDERSTORM WARNING! Just came up on the television. Huge hail! All happening! (Well, not yet, but soon enough). It’s on the scoreboard now too. What is it with hail always being golf-ball sized? I could be Jerry Seinfeld with that material. Time for Deano and the Four Helmets. Which could be a boyband name. Maybe it will be?

Scenes.

54th over: Pakistan 122-2 (Azhar 54, Younis 39). Nic Maddinson! Have a jam roll! For the first time in Test cricket he has the ball in his hand for some left arm ortho. Six First Class wickets to his name in 61 starts, so let’s go into this with expectations managed. To be fair, there have been worse first overs in international cricket, pushing Azhar back for the most part. But it’s pretty part-time. Evidenced by a half-tracker to finish up, smashed away with no hesitation at all by the Pakistani opener.

Updated

53rd over: Pakistan 117-2 (Azhar 50, Younis 38). Big Josh is back, replacing Lyon from the Stanley Street End. It’s a good’un. Just back into that shoebox, as he does. Younis took one to square leg to a ball that came back towards him, with Azhar leaving close to his stumps to end the set.

52nd over: Pakistan 116-2 (Azhar 50, Younis 37). That’s a very good fifty for Azhar Ali. A little dab through the gully off Bird raises the milestone, reached in 146 balls. Little wonder he’s the next captain of this side. Now up the business end Younis flashes rather wildly, the ball flying through the the cordon, but not to hand. Four scored. It’s been that kind of session for the 39-year-old.

51st over: Pakistan 110-2 (Azhar 49, Younis 32). Forehand slice! I think that’s what you’d call it? Younis gets deep in the crease to Lyon but the off-break comes back at his rapidly, the batsman deciding to go through with the stroke into the covers, off the shoulder of the bat. Dropped! Later in the over, Lyon gets Azhar’s glove when down in the sweep, it’s a bottom edge actually, and evades Wade’s glove. Tough chance, but that’s what you are judged on as a stumper, fairly or otherwise. Oh, and it’s looking dark at the ‘Gabba again. It’s not urgent or anything even remotely like that, but Australia wouldn’t mind a cleansing wicket. They’ve certainly deserved one.

50th over: Pakistan 106-2 (Azhar 48, Younis 29). In keeping with the tweet from the previous over, there’s another Younis edge falling short of the cordon off Bird in this over. Chiseled jaw, soft hands. Younis crunches a square drive to end the over, he’s smashed it, but Lyon is diving at full stretch saving his second boundary of the session. That’s wonderful fielding from the Australian off-spinner, doubly so given he is operating himself up the other end.

49th over: Pakistan 105-2 (Azhar 48, Younis 28). An Azhar sweep for one brings the 50 stand between these two. It’s been a fine effort this morning, especially that first half hour when Starc and Hazlewood were at the peak of their powers. Younis pushes to cover for one himself. Good cricket.

48th over: Pakistan 103-2 (Azhar 47, Younis 27). Bird restarting. And Younis gets his second hour underway in handy fashion, a boundary off the backfoot. It’s not the most controlled stroke, but four runs all the same. Next ball is a far more legitimate edge, falling but half a foot in front of Matt Renshaw at first slip. Smith might have got to it had he jumped in front from second slip, unconventional as that would have been. Younis back to raising his arms by the end of the over. Eventful.

SUPER OVER update. While they drink. It has gone wicket, four, one, four, two. So: they need two off the last ball. It’s Tahuhu to Erin Burns... at the top of her mark here. Do they go again if it is a tie? We won’t find out, as it is four runs! Smashed through square leg. Game over, the ‘Canes take the points. Mighty effort, as that was absolutely game over with the ‘Gades cruising at two-down. Hobart doing just as they did last year, finding wins where they shouldn’t exist.

And now we’re back at the Gabba.

47th over: Pakistan 98-2 (Azhar 45, Younis 23). Lyon to take the last over before the drinks break. Azhar nabs one to backward square to begin. Lyon throws it up in the best tradition of spin before a class of cordial. Oh and Younis says he’ll have some of it too, getting down for a reverse sweep down to the rope. Well, fair play to him. Drinks it is.

46th over: Pakistan 93-2 (Azhar 45, Younis 19). Younis defending the first half of Bird’s over, then letting the second half pass. Apart from the last ball, sprayed down leg, it is a very good over from Bird.

Caribbean teenage sensation Hayley Matthews and NZ Satterthwaite are doing the Super Over chasing at Bendigo, with White Ferns quick Lea Tahuhu ball in hand for the Renegades defending their 12. And Satterthwaite has holed out first ball!

45th over: Pakistan 91-2 (Azhar 45, Younis 19). Generous roar from the crowd which must mean it is Nathan Lyon into the attack to replace Hazlewood, running away from us at the Stanley Street end. A single down the ground from Azhar kicks off the spell. Then Younis grabs a quickish single to cover when the fielders were half-appealing for leg before. The offie just finding his range , and doing it well pinning Azhar to the crease in the latter half of the over.

Super Over in the WBBL, it is Kiwi Amy Satterthwaite from the Hurricanes bowling to her national teammate Rachel Priest and Australian smasher Grace Harris. The Renegades pair get 12 from it (four, two, one, one, two, two).

44th over: Pakistan 91-2 (Azhar 44, Younis 18). Jack Bird. Some call him Jackson, we prefer Jack. The Vulture Street end is where he’ll be out there giving it his best. It’s good news for Azhar though, who gets his first runs of the day with a drive through cover. Three of them. Nice shot. Bird strikes back with a jaffa to finish the set, beating Younis outside the off-stump. That’s the moment most likely for the Australians this morning.

43rd over: Pakistan 88-2 (Azhar 41, Younis 18). Oh, wrong I was - Starc is going around again. To be fair, deep into the spell he’s still really flinging them down. Younis is looking far better now. A good bit of batting gets him two to end the over, safely turning a ball from his ribs to backward square. Persevere and prosper. That’s the name of the game for Younis today. Does he have one more special left in him?

42nd over: Pakistan 86-2 (Azhar 41, Younis 16). Nasty. Hazlewood’s bouncer hits Azhar when he turns his body away. It’s got him on the neck, but he looks okay. The doctors are out, but the batsman is having a drink and on his feet. I note that he isn’t wearing the additional neck protection on the back of his helmet. Shouldn’t that be compulsory at this level? A couple of defensive strokes conclude the over after play resumes. He hasn’t registered a run yet today, 41 minutes in.

At Bendigo in the WBBL it is a tie! Couple of run outs, bit of chaos... so we are off to the Super Over! The best kind.

41st over: Pakistan 86-2 (Azhar 41, Younis 16). Starc does the dance with Younis, into his fifth over of this spell - he rarely goes longer, so it might be his last chance to get a breakthrough for now. He once again finds an edge, not quite making it to gully. That more or less again to end the over. Earlier in the over he was attempting to cut, also into the backward point region. So a bit of a theme there.

40th over: Pakistan 84-2 (Azhar 41, Younis 14). Another Hazlewood interrogation of Younis begins with a bouncer. Predictably enough. He’s put the hook away for now though. Good cricket when the quick strays onto the pads, three found from a well-timed stroke into the deep. Azhar handles the second half of the over with bat and pad firmly together. He’s an attractive player for those who like it the old fashioned way.

Over in the WBBL the Gades need 13 from 12 balls against the Canes in Bendigo with six wickets in hand. But they’ve just lost two wickets in a few balls, so it’s game on. It’s a tournament that really couldn’t have started any better over these opening couple of weekends.

39th over: Pakistan 81-2 (Azhar 41, Younis 11). Azhar finally gets a hit, after three overs of all Younis, all the time. The Aussie talisman is belting them into the track, the speed gun clocking him right up near that 150kph mark. The Pakistan opener is very happy to leave alone as a matter of course, but does crunch one drive. But only as far as a diving Nathan Lyon at point. And the modest crowd go up as a one. He’s their boy. There’s an honours thesis in explaining why that is the case, and I’m probably the guy to write it.

38th over: Pakistan 81-2 (Azhar 41, Younis 11). In comes the leg slip, giving a fair sense of what is to come from Hazlewood in his new set to Younis. Sure enough, the bouncer comes and Younis wants to be involved. Only a top edge though, and on another day it would have been his demise. Next time around he gets underneath the short one. Probably a better strategy for the time being. It’s a great little contest, a huge off-cutter smashing into Younis’ inside edge later in the over.

37th over: Pakistan 79-2 (Azhar 41, Younis 9). It’s all about Younis so far, successfully getting through this entire Starc over and taking a single out of his ribs from a penetrating short ball to finish it. Earlier, he looked a bit more comfortable in defending Starc off the front foot.

It’s Usman Khawaja’s birthday! 30 today. Many happy returns. Let’s celebrate by watching a highlights package of his most beautiful innings. A joy to witness, this one.

Purdy.

36th over: Pakistan 78-2 (Azhar 41, Younis 8). Hazlewood keeping Younis honest from the get go at his Vulture Street end as well, requiring him to leave close to his off-stump, defend the full, duck the short. There’s another edge, of the inside variety this time, only as far as his pad. But encouragingly for the Pakistani, he leans into a drive through cover for three to end the over and retain the strike.

35th over: Pakistan 75-2 (Azhar 41, Younis 5). Starc vs Younis from the Stanley Street End. It’s his 113rd Test and he’s never bagged a pair. And he won’t here either! The first ball he’s faced on the day has clipped the edge but in a controlled manner, rolling away to the rope. The second ball is an edge as well, and nearly carries to Smith at second slip. To an extent this reminds me of Younis at The Oval in August when he made a series-levelling double ton. He looked abysmal early in that knock, as he did for the duration of their tour of England until that point. But he somehow survived, then ultimately slayed them. Starc goes upstairs with the penultimate delivery here, the veteran bat very happy to underneath it. Before taking a single from the last ball, a quickish one into the off-side. Good batting.

Some pre-game news from Pat Howard’s interview on the ABC with Gerard Whateley. Firstly, Shaun Marsh is out for Melbourne. And then some interesting comments on Pat Cummins and James Pattinson too, basically confirming that neither are going to India. In Marsh’s case, he won’t play for the Scorchers until after Christmas, but they aren’t worried about that in terms of taking him to India off limited prep.

34th over: Pakistan 70-2 (Azhar 41, Younis 0). It’s predictable to say, but Hazlewood immediately on the money. Getting some generous tail into the right-handed Azhar. A few of the floodlights are on at the ‘Gabba the radio call tells me. Very few humans, but that’s to be expected. And to be fair, they turned out in impressive numbers across the first three days. It’s a maiden.

More radar chat. The best kind. From Sean Walsh on the twitter who tells me that the “doppler wind is interesting, with that surge of wind sweeping through Brisbane.” I’m not sure what that means.

Falsetto bit at the end is pretty tough.

You know how I said it was sunny?

It isn’t anymore. Gloomy, with nine minutes until the players are due. Any cricketer from park hack to Pallekele international knows how to read a rain radar. It’s in the constitution. Geoff “Rob Gell” Lemon sitting next to me says “it is making its way north, but it might miss us depending on how big the band is.” The BOM themselves have the chances at 30% for the first session and a half. But if political history has taught us anything, it’s a volatile old place, Queensland. So buckle up.

Welcome to day four!

Good afternoon from the Gabba. It’s Adam Collins with you in the central OBO position for the first stanza of this Sunday. It’s an odd day really. You look out and it’s hot. It’s sunny. But you just know it’s going to be disgusting before long with the storms and the hail. This becomes the talking point as we resume owing to the fact that Pakistan need a million and Australia eight wickets. 420 runs further in the case of the former, to be precise. But with their fragile batting line up, you’re probably safe in writing your own ticket as the hosts surge towards a one-zip series lead.

But whatever happens in the sky, sun or explosions, you can be sure that we’ll be here to bring it to you; over by over during the cricket, youtube by youtube if it chucks it down. Either way, we’re going to have fun. Be part of it by talking to me in the usual places, Adam.Collins.Freelance@theguardian.com and @collinsadam. As a special treat, trawl through my feed from last night to see many of the Gabba crowd drinking out of their shoes during the boozy final session. This is Queensland, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Updated

Adam will be here shortly. Here’s a reminder of the state of play after day three of play at the Gabba.

Updated

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Bad Bunny gets first solo UK Top 10 hits thanks to Super Bowl boost
The Puerto Rican star’s album Debí Tirar Más Fotos jumps to No 2, while the song DTMF rises to No 4
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Jimmy Kimmel on Maga: ‘It’s such a delicate balance between stupid and evil’
Late-night host discussed Bondi’s behavior during judiciary hearings and how Trump might spend Valentine’s Day
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Wuthering Heights Is a Kinky, Revisionist Fever Dream
A problematic hyperpop romance that collides with the manosphere
Reason
Reason
Hang On, Is Miley Cyrus Teasing Hannah Montana's Big Anniversary?
This is the life!
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Good Omens Is Coming Back, But With the Neil Gaiman Dark Cloud Over It
What is right or wrong with watching Good Omens season 3?
The Mary Sue
The Mary Sue
“Meals Aren’t Cooked Every Night”: Mother-And-Father-In-Law Cross A Line By Threatening CPS Over Messy Home
These in-laws threatened to call CPS on new parents and later used the good ol' excuse, "It was just a joke." But the parents didn't take lightly to the threats, taking immediate action to make sure the grandparents would have no rights to their daughter and even considered going no…
Bored Panda
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