And here’s the day one match report:
Summary
A topsy-turvy day of Test cricket where both teams looked on top at various stages, but ultimately there can be no argument that the opening exchanges of this first Test belong to Australia. Pakistan’s first-wicket pair battled so bravely, and with great discipline, to put on 75 runs, but after Shan Masood fell midway through the afternoon it created a domino effect. Australia’s pace brigade started pitching the ball up a bit more, and the result was a dizzying period which saw five wickets fall for 19 runs. At 94 for five anything could have happened, but Asad Shafiq’s 76 did much to restore some credit to Pakistan’s total. Mitchell Starc (4-52) and Pat Cummins (3-60) were the pick of the bowlers, with Cummins’ removal of Mohammad Rizwan, despite the appearance of a possible no-ball, the talking point of the day. As ever, the first innings of any Test match can only be put into perspective by the other team’s first dig. But 240 is surely inadequate on what looks good batting deck, relatively placid for Gabba standards. Australia did plenty right today - heck, Tim Paine even got a referral right - and they’ll look forward to facing Pakistan’s fresh-faced attack when play resumes on day two. And I’ll be looking forward to seeing it. Please join me, and my partner in OBO literary criminology, Geoff Lemon, for more of the same tomorrow. Thanks for your company.
Wicket! Naseem c & b Starc 7 (Pakistan 240 all out) & Stumps
The end arrives, with Naseem sending a leading edge back to Starc to make it four wickets for the innings. That is stumps. Australia, and they will be thankful for this, won’t be asked to face an over or two before the day’s end.
86th over: Pakistan 240-9 (Imran Khan 5, Naseem Shah 7)
These two tailenders are looking more assured by the minute. Imran has little difficulty keeping Cummins at arm’s length until, last ball of the over, he reaches at a wide one outside off-stump and picks out Labuschagne, only to survive as the the third slip fumbles the sharp chance.
85th over: Pakistan 240-9 (Imran Khan 5, Naseem Shah 7)
Starc has eyes only for the three uprights but Naseem is up to the challenge. The leftie changes tack and drops one in short, so short in fact that it’s called a wide. Naseem then keeps at bay the fastest delivery of the day - upwards of 146kph - before ending the over with a ripper of an on-drive that finds the rope.
84th over: Pakistan 233-9 (Imran Khan 5, Naseem Shah 1)
Naseem tries to get off the mark in Test cricket by hoicking Cummins out of the ground (amazingly, this doesn’t work) but he eventually troubles the scorer with a defensive mis-hit past point. Imran then swings hard and gets enough on it to clear the slip cordon for a boundary.
83rd over: Pakistan 228-9 (Imran Khan 1, Naseem Shah 0)
Starc mixes his length to Imran, who shows greater resolve than technique to keep the fast bowler at bay. No runs, no wicket.
82nd over: Pakistan 228-9 (Imran Khan 1, Naseem Shah 0)
If Australia can take the remaining Pakistan wicket next over, they’ll have about 15 minutes to bat before stumps. Question is: do they really want that?
Updated
Wicket! Asad b Cummins 76 (Pakistan 227-9)
Fast, hostile bowling from Cummins is rewarded as Asad plays around a straight one and is bowled through the gate, ending a very good innings. The end for Pakistan is nigh.
Wicket! Shaheen c Paine b Starc 0 (Pakistan 227-8)
Shaheen comes and goes, edging his first ball into Paine’s gloves. The initial decision is not out, but Australia review the decision and Shaheen does indeed feather an edge.
The hat-trick ball, to be faced by none other than the 16-year-old debutant Naseem Shah, is survived by no thanks to what can only be described as comedy footwork by the teenager. What an over!
Updated
Wicket! Yasir b Starc 26 (Pakistan 227-7)
An absolute ripsnorter of a yorker from Starc, whose tracer bullet swings into Yasir and breaks his stump. Not many batsmen would have survived that one.
81st over: Pakistan 227-6 (Asad Shafiq 76, Yasir Shah 26)
Starc returns to the attack. The new ball is due but not yet taken. That scenario lasts just one delivery, Starc’s loosener, before the new cherry is taken. Starc’s first effort with the shiny new nut beats Yasir’s outside edge before trapping him in front. The appeal goes up but the ball looks clearly to have pitched outside leg-stump. No review.
80th over: Pakistan 226-6 (Asad Shafiq 75, Yasir Shah 26)
Smith is tossed the ball in the last over before the new ball is due. He presents a rank full-toss to Asad, who helps himself a boundary past long-on. Last ball, Smith beats Yasir’s bat with a beauty.
79th over: Pakistan 220-6 (Asad Shafiq 70, Yasir Shah 25)
Asad picks up a single courtesy of a solidly struck sweep off Labuschagne, a shot which frankly deserved more than one run, and it’s the same shot, same result for Yasir later in the over. New ball due in an over.
78th over: Pakistan 216-6 (Asad Shafiq 68, Yasir Shah 23)
Yasir advances down the pitch and tries to heave Lyon out of the ground, but succeeds only in lofting his mistimed shot to the vacant mid-on area. No such issues for Asad, who next ball connect with his paddle sweep for another boundary.
77th over: Pakistan 209-6 (Asad Shafiq 62, Yasir Shah 22)
It’s been all singles since tea but Asad breaks the shackles, punching Labuschagne wide of extra cover for four.
76th over: Pakistan 204-6 (Asad Shafiq 57, Yasir Shah 22)
Three singles are scored off Lyon’s latest over, and I believe Australia are yet to bowl a maiden this session.
75th over: Pakistan 201-6 (Asad Shafiq 55, Yasir Shah 21)
Pakistan bring up their 200, which an hour or so ago looked unlikely. Labuschagne concedes three runs with his fast leg-breaks, both in terms of speed of delivery and speed of over.
74th over: Pakistan 198-6 (Asad Shafiq 52, Yasir Shah 21)
A single off Lyon’s over, which must be a contender for the quickest to be bowled. Ever.
73rd over: Pakistan 197-6 (Asad Shafiq 51, Yasir Shah 21)
A couple of nurdled singles off Labuschagne’s over. It seems both batsmen and bowlers are shutting up shop, waiting for the new ball to arrive. Can’t see any pacemen warming up just yet, though.
72nd over: Pakistan 195-6 (Asad Shafiq 50, Yasir Shah 20)
Just two singles off Lyon’s over, included one that brought up Asad’s fifty. That is all.
Asad half-century!
Asad registers his fifty, a timely and well constructed knock, off 99 balls. It’s his 24th Test fifty and he won’t have made many more important ones than this.
71st over: Pakistan 193-6 (Asad Shafiq 49, Yasir Shah 19)
Labuschagne continues, and may well continue to do so until the new ball is due, but his radar goes AWOL somewhat and Asad drives the wide full-toss past mid-off for two, drawing an extravagant save from Cummins whose knee takes more than a divot or two out of the Gabba turf. And that is the fifty partnership for this seventh wicket.
70th over: Pakistan 189-6 (Asad Shafiq 46, Yasir Shah 18)
Two singles off Lyon’s over but an eventful one all the same, with Asad kind of getting hold of a paddle sweep that clears the keeper but only just stays away from Smith, who makes ground from slip but never seriously looks like taking a catch. Time for drinks.
69th over: Pakistan 187-6 (Asad Shafiq 45, Yasir Shah 17)
A couple of singles off Labuschagne’s latest over. Not much more to add, I’m afraid.
68th over: Pakistan 185-6 (Asad Shafiq 44, Yasir Shah 16)
These two spinners are really ripping through their overs, which is a good thing for Australia’s pedestrian run-rate but not so good for your humble OBO blogger who has to juggle writing duties with the calls of nature. Four runs off Lyon’s latest offering.
67th over: Pakistan 181-6 (Asad Shafiq 41, Yasir Shah 15)
Just one run from Labuschagne’s second over. Justin Howden writes in, adding a voice of reason to the no-ball call that decided Rizwan’s wicket. “Not a no-ball,” Justin writes. “Re reading the rule it’s ‘some part behind the line on the ground or in the air’ and as one can’t see the whole white line / rear edge UNDER the rear of the boot, even in ultra magnify, I guess logic says some part of it is behind it albeit in the air?” Hmm, I think you might be onto something.
66th over: Pakistan 180-6 (Asad Shafiq 40, Yasir Shah 15)
Lyon continues, with a short-leg and a bat-pad in situ, and Head earns his wages in the former position, wearing a full-blooded sweep from Yasir flush on the grill of his helmet. The glass-half-empty side of me says dropped catch, the half-full side says four runs saved. Well played, and the main thing is Head is just fine after that blow.
65th over: Pakistan 179-6 (Asad Shafiq 39, Yasir Shah 15)
Labuschagne in the attack now, replacing Starc, which is probably down in equal parts to: 1. Australia’s poor over-rate; 2. The ball is getting a bit old and tired; and 3. He’s no stranger to a Test wicket.
Nothing doing with his leg-breaks in this over, however, with Asad’s cut shot for two the pick of the action.
64th over: Pakistan 176-6 (Asad Shafiq 36, Yasir Shah 15)
Nice and tight from Lyon, who concedes just a single in the over.
63rd over: Pakistan 175-6 (Asad Shafiq 35, Yasir Shah 15)
Cummins commits a rare misfield at mid-off, gifting Asad an easy two runs that the batsmen turn into a hurriedly run three. That was a bit of a scramble. And probably why they say you should never run off a misfield.
62nd over: Pakistan 172-6 (Asad Shafiq 32, Yasir Shah 15)
Paine makes a double change, Hazlewood now making way for the spin of Lyon. Asad’s cut for two behind point highlights the over. This no-ball-that-wasn’t controversy just won’t lie down. Patrick O’Brien writes in to say: “Are you blind??!?!?!? His foot was clearly behind the line during his run up!”
Is who blind, Patrick, me or the third umpire?
61st over: Pakistan 169-6 (Asad Shafiq 29, Yasir Shah 15)
Starc in the attack now for Cummins. Australia’s quicks look to be a bit shorter than they were in the afternoon, by design or otherwise, and a half-pitcher from Starc almost pays dividends with Yasir mistiming his pull shot but, luckily for him, not finding a fielder. No fortune needed next ball as he square-drives the returning left-armer for an exquisite boundary.
60th over: Pakistan 163-6 (Asad Shafiq 29, Yasir Shah 9)
Yasir makes a bit of a mess of defending a short ball from Hazlewood, popping a leading edge into the air (and the ball seems to stay there forever and a day) but surviving as it lands just in front of the diving Lyon running in from point. Asad them helps himself to possibly the shot of the day, brutalising Hazlewood through mid-wicket with a cracking pull shot.
59th over: Pakistan 158-6 (Asad Shafiq 25, Yasir Shah 8)
Asad has a taste for it now, driving Cummins on the up and beating gully for a welcome boundary. Peter Miller is with me, and the rest of the planet bar the third umpire, on that no-ball call. “Clearly a no-ball! What is the third umpire thinking?” asks Peter.
I do not know, Peter, I do not know. It’s to be hoped Michael Gough knows. He’s the third umpire, by the way.
58th over: Pakistan 154-6 (Asad Shafiq 21, Yasir Shah 8)
Asad treats himself to a rare attacking shot and reaps the rewards, pulling Hazlewood through mid-wicket for three. And I’m looking, I really am, but I still can’t see any of that boot behind the crease line.
Definitely a no-ball.
— CricBlog (@cric_blog) November 21, 2019
Bad call from the 3rd umpire.#AUSvPAK #AUSvsPAK pic.twitter.com/rV0D9IC96p
57th over: Pakistan 151-6 (Asad Shafiq 18, Yasir Shah 8)
Yasir picks up where the restless Rizwan left off, cutting Cummins backward of point for a good-looking boundary. Short and wide, the delivery deserved no less.
56th over: Pakistan 147-6 (Asad Shafiq 18, Yasir Shah 4)
Yasir clips Hazlewood through mid-on for three. Now, back to that no-ball call. Check out the replay below and make up your own mind. For the life of me, I can’t see any of Cummin’s foot behind that line.
It doesn't come any closer than that!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 21, 2019
This was judged a legal delivery! #closematters@Gillette | #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/Dtl2fCo2if
55th over: Pakistan 144-6 (Asad Shafiq 18, Yasir Shah 1)
Nicinfo has tweeted in, questioning the wisdom of the third umpire in that Rizwan dismissal. “No ball surely,” tweets Nicinfo. I agree, sir.
Wicket! Rizwan c Paine b Cummins 37 (Pakistan 143-6)
Rizwan’s breezy contribution comes to an end as Cummins catches him on the crease with one just short of a length, and Paine completes the job off the resultant edge. But this dismissal is not without its controversy, with doubts over whether any part of Cummins’ front foot was behind the line. Replays were being examined at length, and it looked like Rizwan would be recalled to the centre, but the wicket stands. Not too sure about that decision.
54th over: Pakistan 143-5 (Asad Shafiq 18, Mohammad Rizwan 37)
Hazlewood in the attack now. Rizwan maintains his resolve to keep the score ticking over, edging less than convincingly for a boundary.
Updated
53rd over: Pakistan 138-5 (Asad Shafiq 18, Mohammad Rizwan 32)
One thing you can’t doubt about Rizwan is his intent, or his conviction for that matter. I’m tipping there might have been a Red Bull or two for tea because he’s returned for the evening session with wings, clobbering Cummins for three boundaries (including two off the first two balls) and taking 13 runs off the over. You could say he’s gone mental (Alan would), but in fact they were all thoroughly conventional, thoroughly controlled shots.
Wow.
Update: never before in Tests has *any team* lost its first four wickets with the score in the 70s. Previous "worst" - first three wickets.
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) November 21, 2019
History made today 😀 https://t.co/9CvLCkZJVz
Tea - Pakistan 125-5 (Asad Shafiq 18, Mohammad Rizwan 19)
Well, that wasn’t what Pakistan had in mind after doing so well to put themselves in a solid position in the morning. The visitors went from 75 without loss to 94-5 in what seemed an instant. Plaudits to Australia’s pacemen on what looks a good batting deck, but Pakistan’s decline was attributed in no small part to some curious strokeplay. Like this from Babar Azam.
Hazlweood threw it wide and Babar took the bait! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/juwGQ2OF73
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 21, 2019
52nd over: Pakistan 125-5 (Asad Shafiq 18, Mohammad Rizwan 19)
A maiden from Lyon and mostly uneventful stuff apart from the penultimate delivery, which angles across Asad and beats the outside edge. Judging by Paine’s response, that was a coat of lacquer from touching the bat.
51st over: Pakistan 125-5 (Asad Shafiq 18, Mohammad Rizwan 19)
Outstanding counter-attacking batting from Rizwan, who takes eight runs off the last two deliveries of Cummins’ over - first a sweetly timed straight drive before a savagely struck hook shot that crashes into the fence past deep square.
50th over: Pakistan 116-5 (Asad Shafiq 17, Mohammad Rizwan 11)
Rizwan clearly doesn’t plan to block his way out of this crisis, dancing down the pitch to Lyon and driving him down the ground for an impressive boundary. A lovely shot from a man who also smells rather nice, apparently.
"He smells very nice."
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 21, 2019
Tim Paine was impressed with Muhammad Rizwan's scent upon his arrival at the crease 😅#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/DMHYDEm2Pl
49th over: Pakistan 111-5 (Asad Shafiq 16, Mohammad Rizwan 7)
Cummins now returns to the attack - well, he’s now nice and loose after that mad dash to the boundary. It must be nice for Paine to have so many options. Kid in a lolly shop. Cummins’ radar will likely improve for his first over back, driven by Rizwan through the covers for two before straying down leg and conceding four leg-byes.
48th over: Pakistan 105-5 (Asad Shafiq 16, Mohammad Rizwan 5)
A little too short from Lyon and this allows Rizwan time and space to punch the spinner past point. Equally great chasing from Cummins, who slips his big frame into top gear and slides near the rope to restrict the shot to three runs.
Updated
47th over: Pakistan 101-5 (Asad Shafiq 15, Mohammad Rizwan 2)
Pakistan seemingly don’t know what to do here. A flurry of wickets will do that to a middle-order, but the strategy (or lack thereof) seems to be all or nothing. This time it’s all, with Asad pounding Starc through the covers for a frankly stunning boundary. Rizwan then gets off the mark with a couple nudged through the off-side.
Updated
46th over: Pakistan 94-5 (Asad Shafiq 10, Mohammad Rizwan 0)
7,696 Test runs - Happy Birthday to @HaydosTweets' opening partner in crime, Justin Langer! pic.twitter.com/82mqMwHH96
— ICC (@ICC) November 21, 2015
Wicket! Iftikhar c Labuschagne b Lyon 7 (Pakistan 94-5)
Lyon returns to the attack and doesn’t have to wait long, in fact not at all, to claim his first wicket of the series as Iftikhar really reaches at standard off-break, edging onto his pads and into the waiting hands of Labuschagne at short-leg. Pakistan’s promising start seems so far away now. In fact, they’ve gone from comfort to disarray in the matter of an hour.
45th over: Pakistan 94-4 (Asad Shafiq 10, Iftikhar Ahmed 7)
Asad doesn’t even look like scoring as Starc returns a maiden, his fourth of the innings. This seems like as good an opportunity as ever to wish Justin Langer a happy 50th birthday.
44th over: Pakistan 94-4 (Asad Shafiq 10, Iftikhar Ahmed 7)
If there’s a fast bowler who puts his back into a spell more than Pat Cummins, I’d like to meet him. The Australian asks a variety of questions of Iftikhar, mixing line and length but the batsman is not to be outdone as he cover drives for a nice boundary. A decent battle between bat and ball developing here - that four, combined with five dot-balls, says honours are about even.
43rd over: Pakistan 90-4 (Asad Shafiq 10, Iftikhar Ahmed 3)
Iftikhar gets off the mark, rocking back on the crease and steering Starc to third man for three. Asad then displays some deft hand-eye, barely moving his feet but clipping a straight one off his pads for two forward of square. A promising start to this partnership and don’t Pakistan need it to be a good one.
42nd over: Pakistan 85-4 (Asad Shafiq 8, Iftikhar Ahmed 0)
Paine rings the changes with Cummins replacing Hazlewood. Asad welcomes the paceman back into the fray with an exquisite boundary driven hard past the bowler. Cummins has the last word, however, catching the batsman in two minds and drawing a half-hearted prod that dribbles to slip before beating the bat with speed and seam movement to finish the over.
41st over: Pakistan 81-4 (Asad Shafiq 4, Iftikhar Ahmed 0)
The watchfulness of the opening session has made way for some expansive, and some outright reckless, stroke play. This time it works as Asad leans into Starc and off-drives for three.
40th over: Pakistan 78-4 (Asad Shafiq 1, Iftikhar Ahmed 0)
Thanks very much, Geoff. Sterling work from your good self. Almost as impressive as Australia’s response to that wicketless opening session. Speaking of those circumspect first two hours, I’ve just received word that you’ve been shortlisted for a new Walkley category – ‘Most colourful description of 17 successive dot-balls on day one of a Test match’. Gotta be proud. Anyway, in Australian sporting vernacular, I’m ‘super excited’ to be parking my derriere in the hot seat for the remainder of day one at the Gabba. And I’d be most honoured if you could join me (on the blog, not in the hot seat). You can do so by commenting below, sending me an email or tweeting @scott_heinrich
Wicket! Babar c Burns b Hazlewood 1 (Pakistan 78-4)
A big wicket for Australia as Hazlewood snares the dangerous Babar, who swings at a wide one (one, mind, that he might have left alone) and succeeds only in finding Burns in slip. Rather mindless from a man clearly less at home in the whites of Test cricket.
The drinks break has been called early with the wicket, so that’s my cue to hand over to Scott Heinrich. Until tomorrow...
Wicket! Haris Sohail c Paine b Starc 1 (Pakistan 77-3)
Poor shot! After all the discipline of the opening hours, Haris Sohail worsens the slide with a lack of the same. Starc bangs the ball in outside off stump, a nothing much delivery although it has good pace. It draws the batsman into a push, a nothing shot for a nothing ball, and he gets a touch on it.
38th over: Pakistan 77-2 (Haris Sohail 1, Asad Shafiq 1) Hazlewood almost through onto the stumps, but Sohail gets the bat down just in time to keep it out of his pads. Gets off the mark with a single.
37th over: Pakistan 76-2 (Haris Sohail 0, Asad Shafiq 1) Another maiden for Cummins, he’s bowled half a dozen of them now. Conceded 13 runs in 11 overs, which is fairly ludicrous. Shafiq is happy to wait him out as Cummins keeps testing him.
36th over: Pakistan 76-2 (Haris Sohail 0, Asad Shafiq 1) Hazlewood to the diminutive Shafiq, who batted so well in the warm-up matches. Made important runs last October in the UAE as well. Made a brilliant ton here at the Gabba in 2016. Has the most runs of anyone batting at No6 in Tests except for Steve Waugh, though Shafiq has moved up the order now. Pakistan need him. He gets off the mark with a push to leg.
“Good afternoon Geoff, lovely to have you back on board the OBO,” writes Lee Henderson. Thanks Lee, nice to be here. “The Gabba, three quicks and our GOAT. If this was a normal weather year you’d expect that afternoon buildup and maybe a thumping subtropical storm but it’s not going to happen methinks with the humidity at crispy levels. Could we see that rarest of things, a Gabba pitch turning into a bunsen, drying out in this oppressive heat? Glamorgan’s batting supremo and the GOAT in tandem?Would T-Paine try something from left-field like this?”
If the pitch turns, I have no doubt he would.
35th over: Pakistan 75-2 (Haris Sohail 0, Asad Shafiq 0) Right then. Haris Sohail, left-hander, stylish as per the cliche, made a brilliant ton against Australia in Dubai last year. Did some good things during the World Cup as well. Cummins is trying to bounce him out from around the wicket too. Sohail leaves most things well alone.
Nick Jones emails in. “How is the atmosphere at the Gabbatoir? Good to follow you live - from here in San Francisco - where there is ample coverage of impeachment hearings, a new editor at the FT, a new CEO at BHP, a new manager at Spurs, a new head coach of the Wallabies. A season of renewal. A great knock by Mauricio Pochettino.”
It’s pretty sparsely populated at the Gabba, but the sparse populace has found a lot more voice since those two wickets.
34th over: Pakistan 75-2 (Haris Sohail 0, Asad Shafiq 0) A wicket maiden for Hazlewood, and suddenly it’s time for Pakistan to start again.
Wicket! Azhar Ali c Burns b Hazlewood 39 (Pakistan 75-2)
After that long first session, and all that waiting, Australia have two wickets without the scoreboard having moved! The perfect channel from Hazlewood. Full enough to draw the shot, short enough to allow some seam movement. Azhar defends, the thick edge flies low, and Burns dives forward for the ball to hit the heels of his hand and stay in the basket, fingers resting on the turf.
33rd over: Pakistan 75-1 (Azhar Ali 39) Cummins has 1 for 13 from nine overs, outstanding perseverance for him. Haris Sohail will be next in at first drop.
Wicket! Shan Masood c Smith b Cummins 27 (Pakistan 75-1)
Brilliant bowling from Cummins! He has worked over the opener, over the course of a couple of overs. Shan had played so stubbornly through the first session, but looked a bit rattled once Cummins hit him on the glove and body with that short ball in the previous over. In this over, Cummins has him hopping. One ball just outside off has Shan playing his first indisciplined prod, taking a thick edge through a vacant third slip for four. But Cummins shrugs off that disappointment, angling the final ball of the over in at the body, drawing another hesitant shot, this time in defence. This time it skews straight to second slip for Smith to catch.
Updated
32nd over: Pakistan 71-0 (Shan Masood 23, Azhar Ali 39) Hazlewood is still working away, quality bowling but can’t get through. One ball beats Azhar’s edge and clips the thigh pad through into Paine’s gloves, prompting an appeal. Another takes a thick edge along the ground behind point, uncontrolled but the batsman gets three.
31st over: Pakistan 67-0 (Shan Masood 22, Azhar Ali 36) Shan keeps ducking the bouncers from Cummins, but eventually Cummins lands one that he has to play at. Up at the collarbone, and Shan is hopping and fending, trying to get glove in the way and managing that. The ball pops up near short leg but lands safely, just, and Shan has to get some treatment for his hand where he took the impact. Another Cummins maiden.
30th over: Pakistan 67-0 (Shan Masood 22, Azhar Ali 36) Shan wants to get away from Hazlewood, which is fair enough, so he manoeuvres a shortish ball away square for a run. Azhar is tested out in the channel, and rides the bounce to steer a ball through third man for four. A bit of luck, but he played it down deliberately.
What's on the flavoured milk menu for lunch, Geoff? The Cinnamon Donut could become a mainstay in the lineup, so too the Jaffa. But, are the tried and tested Lime or Vanilla Malt channeling Simple Minds and asking for us loyal devotees to not forget about their existence?
— Nick Turner (@tweetnickpt) November 21, 2019
I can tell Nick that, having sampled the Jaffa flavoured milk after an evening on stage on Monday night, it is an abomination. It tasted like nothing but the chemicals in the shell of the Jaffa, without any sense of actual chocolate or orange. The Chokito variant was pretty good though. But I would always go for a vanilla malt above all.
29th over: Pakistan 62-0 (Shan Masood 21, Azhar Ali 32) Pat Cummins will take up duties from the Vulture Street end. He went for 5 runs from his first 6 overs in the morning session. Three slips and a gully. He’s landing consistently in the channel outside off stump. But eventually he errs, too full, and Azhar chops away an on-drive for four. That wasn’t sweetly timed, there was a clunky sound off the bat, but it was effective. Cummins gets his length right again, and Azhar resumes careful defence.
28th over: Pakistan 58-0 (Shan Masood 21, Azhar Ali 28) Josh Hazlewood will start things off after lunch, and immediately he’s bowling full. Hits Azhar on the pad, and decides against a review as the ball slides away for a leg bye. He then gives Shan a very sharp bouncer, zipping through, then a mid-range short ball that Shan tries to pull off his hip, and edges into his thigh pad so that it sits up and interests short leg. The ball doesn’t go to hand.
Right, the stat doing the rounds is that no Australian team has ever bowled a wicketless first session to start a Test at the Gabba. Not ever. That’s a fair achievement for Pakistan. Of course, they have a lot more work to do, because that first session could be wasted with a bad half hour.
Lunch – Pakistan 57 without loss
Excellent session for Pakistan. It’s not like they’ve piled on the runs, but they have done exactly what they wanted to do: assess the conditions, see off the new ball, see off the fresh bowlers, and make sure they didn’t lose a wicket in so doing. Azhar and Shan Masood have played with restraint and care, with minimal lapses. They’ve done the tough part, given their team a headstart, and now they have a good chance to spend the rest of the day building on that. More in half an hour.
27th over: Pakistan 57-0 (Shan Masood 21, Azhar Ali 28) Starc just starts to stray in the final over of the session: outside off and Shan can steer two runs behind point, then when Starc gets too straight Shan can take another brace through square. Sandwich time!
26th over: Pakistan 53-0 (Shan Masood 17, Azhar Ali 28) The Pakistani batsmen aren’t going into their shells near lunch. They’ve batted well and they’re confident, as evinced by Azhar’s square drive against Hazlewood’s overly full ball, for a boundary through point. In full control again.
25th over: Pakistan 49-0 (Shan Masood 17, Azhar Ali 24) Shan has kept the strike against Starc, and a good sign for the batsman is that when he has received a ball that he likes, he’s been confident playing shots against it. Full and straight from Starc, and it gets whipped away for four through the leg side by Shan. Starc doesn’t like that much, and his pace starts cranking up as the over wears on.
24th over: Pakistan 45-0 (Shan Masood 13, Azhar Ali 24) Hazlewood again, and Shan is still happy to take his time, calmly nudging a single to leg rather than look for anything else. Lunch is around the corner now.
Updated
23rd over: Pakistan 44-0 (Shan Masood 12, Azhar Ali 24) Starc sails down another maiden at Azhar Ali. Brian Withington, avid reader of the England OBOs, has found our Australian variant. “It’s been far too long since 15th September, only to discover that you are now cross referencing instead of preambling! For shame, sir. Good to see you launching a new Test season though.”
September 15 feels very recent, Brian. That’s why I’m taking steps to avoid repeating myself.
22nd over: Pakistan 44-0 (Shan Masood 12, Azhar Ali 24) The slow scoring continues, with Azhar only taking a leg bye from the last ball of Hazlewood’s over.
21st over: Pakistan 43-0 (Shan Masood 12, Azhar Ali 24) Paine moves to full attack, wanting a wicket before lunch. Starc is back on to partner Hazlewood. And for a moment he thinks he has that wicket, as Shan spoons a fuller ball away towards square leg where Head is waiting, but it bounces short. The batsman sees out a maiden.
20th over: Pakistan 43-0 (Shan Masood 12, Azhar Ali 24) Hazlewood comes back on, to immediate effect! Snorting delivery, it takes off from a length just on the off stump. Past Azhar’s nose as he jerks back out of the way. That’s the bounce Azhar can get. Then Hazlewood yorks him, but Azhar is calm and level enough that he isn’t waiting on the back foot, and keeps the ball out.
Next ball, in between those two, and Azhar drives it for four! Now there is his best-timed shot for the day. A simple straight drive, with a stride forward, and it comfortably beats the chaser into the fence. Top shot against easily Australia’s most dangerous bowler of the morning.
19th over: Pakistan 39-0 (Shan Masood 12, Azhar Ali 20) Cummins again, and he does make Azhar reach for a ball outside off. Plays it down into the ground, chopping it with an arc of the bat, but that wasn’t a safe shot. Against fuller balls Azhar blocks, but isn’t getting them in the middle. He hasn’t timed a shot today, really, except maybe that on-drive earlier. But he’s staying in place, and jabs a single across his front pad to end the over and keep strike.
18th over: Pakistan 38-0 (Shan Masood 12, Azhar Ali 19) Now Shan wants to get into the waiting game, playing out a maiden against Lyon.
17th over: Pakistan 38-0 (Shan Masood 12, Azhar Ali 19) Cummins adds a maiden to his tally, playing the patience game with Azhar around off stump. Azhar loves the patience game. He would not prefer to play Hungry Hungry Hippos.
16th over: Pakistan 38-0 (Shan Masood 12, Azhar Ali 19) Lyon to Shan, who waits out the over, mostly defending off the back foot again. Lyon is excited when Shan leaves, counting on turn against a ball that doesn’t get much, and isn’t far away from off stump. But the last ball of the over Lyon drops short, and Shan is alert enough to take advantage, playing a controlled cut shot through backward point for his first boundary.
15th over: Pakistan 34-0 (Shan Masood 8, Azhar Ali 19) Cummins from the other end, and nice carry outside the off stump, Azhar shouldering arms. Closer to the woodwork with the next ball, cutting back in but sailing well over the bails. Azhar left the ball on length with confidence. Quite a high backlift in his waiting stance, Azhar, then comes down on the ball. Another maiden for Cummins.
14th over: Pakistan 34-0 (Shan Masood 8, Azhar Ali 19) Refreshed, iced, garnished, and salt-rimmed, the players return to their work. Lyon bowling outside off, Azhar reaching across to whip to leg. A single. Lyon gets his first look at the left-hander, and immediately comes around the wicket to him, bringing the slip into play. A short leg as well. On the money, right on off stump. Nice flight from Lyon and some dip. Shan is defending off the back foot, which Lyon won’t mind either. Those pads are right in front of the stumps.
13th over: Pakistan 33-0 (Shan Masood 8, Azhar Ali 18) Bouncer from Cummins! A good one, around the wicket to the left-hander. Shan hops and fends it down, and it would have been interesting if short leg were still in position. Instead they’ve got square leg out in case there’s a hook, but we haven’t seen either batsman attempt one yet. Cummins reverts to length, getting some seam movement away from Shan for a couple of balls, then goes the bouncer again but Shan ducks. Pakistan with the control so far. And more, as Cummins bowls fuller and Shan drives him through cover for two. Only once in the first hour, with Azhar’s missed drive, have the batsmen played an excessive shot. Otherwise they have been models of restraint. Drinks.
Updated
12th over: Pakistan 31-0 (Shan Masood 6, Azhar Ali 18) Nathan Lyon is on to bowl, some off-spin to give the fast bowlers a break. He starts a little straight, and Azhar whips him to leg and runs sharply to get back for a second run. Lyon moves his line wider thereafter, bowling over the wicket, meaning the right-hander has to reach for the ball to try to work it to leg. There’s no further score.
11th over: Pakistan 29-0 (Shan Masood 6, Azhar Ali 16) Cummins drops short but Shan is down underneath it immediately. That’s a giveaway as well: no thoughts of taking on the bouncer, both these batsmen are happy to just bat time to begin the match and make sure they give their team a foothold. Shan defends from the crease thereafter. It’s been impressive application from him. A maiden for Cummins.
10th over: Pakistan 29-0 (Shan Masood 6, Azhar Ali 16) Back of a length from Hazlewood and edged, but on the bounce into the cordon. Azhar did that deliberately, rode the bounce to keep that ball down even as it surprised him. Skilled play. Hazlewood follows up by striving for some extra pace and oversteps, his long limb telescoping out over the front line. But Azhar is playing really calmly, and waits for a fuller ball that he can get forward to and push through the covers for two. He’s not trying anything too much, but he’s not getting becalmed either.
9th over: Pakistan 26-0 (Shan Masood 6, Azhar Ali 14) Pat Cummins is on first change. A lot of talk about whether he should take the new ball, but Starc’s biggest threat in the first 40 overs is with new-ball swing. Cummins doesn’t start right, on Shan’s pads for a single, then overpitched for Azhar to drive two through cover. But he gets the line right across Shan, then in at the body and nearly brings his short-leg catcher into play.
8th over: Pakistan 24-0 (Shan Masood 5, Azhar Ali 13) Seam movement in from Hazlewood and again Azhar is hit on the pads. This time Paine comes up to ask about a review, but Hazlewood thinks it was missing leg, and he’s probably right. He slips too full with the next ball, and Azhar has no problem connecting this time, playing a very nice on-drive away for four!
7th over: Pakistan 19-0 (Shan Masood 5, Azhar Ali 9) Fourth over on the trot for Starc, and Shan is growing into his innings as well, taking a ball off his pads away for a brace of runs. Then miscues a single. Azhar gets tangled up trying to play to the leg side, missing the ball but it hits him high on the pad and the appeal is turned down.
6th over: Pakistan 16-0 (Shan Masood 2, Azhar Ali 9) Off the back foot now for Azhar, just waiting for Hazlewood’s shorter length and steering it away off the open face through gully. Warner puts in a good chase and save on the boundary to keep the scoring to two. Hazlewood draws him into a looser drive afterwards though, and Paine is celebrating, though the umpire says no... does Snicko suggest the tiniest flicker of the graph there as ball passes bat? That would have been interesting had it been reviewed.
5th over: Pakistan 13-0 (Shan Masood 1, Azhar Ali 7) Starc keeps pitching up, looking for swing, but Azhar is growing in confidence to take those deliveries on. Not with any big shots, but just presenting the straight bat and punching a couple of drives straight. First he takes two runs, then drives more firmly for three. Low-risk accumulation, smart play from the very experienced opener. Shan Masood then gets off the mark with a nudge off his pads for one.
4th over: Pakistan 7-0 (Shan Masood 0, Azhar Ali 2) Hazlewood is right in the channel outside Shan’s off stump, aside from slipping in a bouncer to see how it feels coming out. He has the best bouncer of these three Australian quicks, for my money, when he gives it full effort. But that was a warm-up.
3rd over: Pakistan 7-0 (Shan Masood 0, Azhar Ali 2) First runs off the bat for Pakistan, as Starc bowls on the stumps and Azhar is able to blunt the ball into the leg side for a couple of runs, finding a gap square. Starc continues on that straight approach, nearly drawing an edge down the leg side as Azhar misses a glance.
2nd over: Pakistan 5-0 (Shan Masood 0, Azhar Ali 0) Josh Hazlewood starts from the other end, and he is right on the money straight away. What a wonderful bowler he is. You can get complacent about Hazlewood because others are flashier, but he proved once again when he came in for the second Ashes Test at Lord’s in August just how good he is. He immediately gets good bounce from a perfect length here at the Gabba, pinning Shan to the crease. Then when he slips the ball fuller, it swings prodigiously and late. One sneaks down the leg side and away from Paine in the air, for four extras. But the next beats the outside edge by a micron.
1st over: Pakistan 1-0 (Shan Masood 0, Azhar Ali 0) Mitchell Starc has the new ball and will look for swing. He does so immediately, swinging his first ball away from the left-handed Shan. Nice shape. The second ball loses its line though, drifting onto leg stump and clunking away off the pad for a leg bye. Pakistan get off the mark. Starc very nearly does too next ball – searing delivery! It swings into the right-handed Azhar and nearly cleans him up lbw. But he just gets an inside edge onto it before it clatters into his pad. Starc tries a couple more yorkers, and they’re pretty good as well. Azhar survives, just looking to block.
Drop me a line
Remember you can email me any time with thoughts or contributions, at geoff.lemon@the guardian.com. You can also find me on Twitter using @GeoffLemonSport.
Terry Hogan has written in. “Love the Flight of the Conchords reference to open. Hopefully the game lasts longer than 2 minutes, or 2 days for that matter.” Two days in heaven is better than one day in heaven.
The anthems are done, the teams are out in the middle, and we’re nearly ready to go.
Teams
Pakistan have left out Mohammad Abbas? What madness is this? He towelled up Australia in the UAE last year, seaming the ball even on a Dubai road. He could have been wonderful in Brisbane. Mind you, Shaheen Shah Afridi isn’t too bad himself, and Imran Khan (the new version) took a lot of wickets against Australia A.
Pakistan
Shan Masood
Azhar Ali *
Haris Sohail
Babar Azam
Asad Shafiq
Iftikhar Ahmed
Mohammad Rizwan +
Yasir Shah
Shaheen Afridi
Imran Khan
Naseem Shah
Australia
Joe Burns
David Warner
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith
Travis Head
Matthew Wade
Tim Paine * +
Pat Cummins
Mitch Starc
Nathan Lyon
Josh Hazlewood
Pakistan win the toss and will bat
The first little advantage for Pakistan. A lot of bowling sides have started with hope at the Gabba and watched it quickly disappear. So if the visitors can avoid any early problems, they can set themselves up for the day. Azhar Ali has no hesitation in making his choice.
Here’s a first look at the Brisbane surface.
Beautiful day for it! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/6cVsoq5ZhL
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 20, 2019
Preamble
It’s cricket, it’s cricket time. You know when I’m wearing my cricket socks, that means it’s cricket time.
Look, I could write you a long and considered preamble about how nice it is that Test match season has rolled around again, and how long it’s been, and what it signifies to those involved, and the relative chances of the teams lining up. But... I already did that, in an article last night. Here you go.
