Summary
Another innings victory for Australia. Another Test win at home over Pakistan (Australia have now recorded 14 on the bounce since 1995, when they last lost to Pakistan on these shores) and another home series win over this opponent (Pakistan have never won a Test series in Australia). And it was as comprehensive as it sounds. Dave Warner, whose mind boggling 335 not out in Adelaide took his series tally to 489 runs, is back in form, Marnus Labuschagne has sewn up first drop for a time to come and Australia’s attack showed yet again how devastating and versatile it is. The pacemen shared the wickets and, on this fourth day in Adelaide, Nathan Lyon claimed his 16th five-wicket bag to remind all and sundry that when his time comes, he rarely fluffs his lines. And to think, amongst all this, Steve Smith was barely sighted. Australia will find a greater challenge in New Zealand, but in Pakistan they have partaken in a confidence-building exercise that will stand them in good stead. Onwards and upwards. Thanks for your company. Please join us again in Perth.
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WICKET! Abbas run out 1 (Pakistan 239 all out - Australia win by an innings and 48 runs)
Musa jumps around the crease like a, well, teenage No.11 making his Test debut, but manages to get a thick edge over the slip cordon for four before Abbas sets off for a single to get on strike but is sent back, and packing, as Cummins effects a direct hit from mid on. Game over. Australia win the series 2-0.
WICKET! Rizwan b Hazlewood 45 (Pakistan 235-9)
Hazlewood on for Lyon and he strikes with his first effort, a straight one that moves ever so slightly in the air and finds its way through Rizwan’s forward defensive.
81st over: Pakistan 235-8 (Rizwan 45, Abbas 1) New ball taken. Abbas has the questionable honour of facing it with his first ball, but he gets off strike immediately by pushing Starc for one. Rizwan puts the No.10 back on strike straight away, as you do, and Abbas is equal to the challenge, if you can call being beaten all ends up across the body equal to the challenge.
80th over: Pakistan 233-8 (Rizwan 44, Abbas 0) Lyon finishes his over, conceding a boundary to Rizwan, and now the new ball is due.
Not far away from the resumption of play.
To bide the remaining minutes, here’s John Phaceas: “Hi Scott, Playing lookalikes is a pretty low rent game, but your comment about Marnus Labuschagne smiling like the Joker got me thinking. I reckon there’s a bit of strip-club Freddy from Mr In-Between about him. Give him another 15 years, and shift him to the ‘Cross …”
Firstly, I’ll pay that. Secondly, playing lookalikes is not low rent at all. The day I unleashed Mitch Johnson-Dave Grohl on a crowded room, it went down like a cruise missile.
Dinner - Pakistan 229-8 in their second innings (trail Australia by 58 runs)
The end is nigh. Pakistan have showed some fight, but when you give a team like Australia a 15-length start you’re playing a game of catch-up that cannot be won. Like Thanos, the result of this match was likely inevitable from the moment Dave Warner’s eye was in.
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WICKET! Shaheen c Hazlewood b Lyon 1 (Pakistan 229-8)
80th over: Pakistan 229-8 (Rizwan 40) Rizwan hands over the strike with a single off Lyon’s first ball (hmmm!) and Shaheen can’t resist one of good length outside off, but he gets little of his slog and does no more than find Hazlewood running in from long off. That’s Lyon’s 16th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. All five have fallen his way today. And that is dinner.
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79th over: Pakistan 228-7 (Rizwan 39, Shaheen 1) Starc again but again no breakthrough for the quick. One more over before the new ball is due.
78th over: Pakistan 227-7 (Rizwan 38, Shaheen 1) Lyon, a fifth wicket in the crosshairs, gets Shaheen on strike with two balls remaining but the No.9 shows decent defensive technique to keep him at bay.
Taking you back a few overs now, but Dave Arthur pondered thus: “I wonder how many times a #6 of the team batting first has not got a hit in a result match? Wouldn’t be often!”
I put that to Ric Finlay, someone much more knowledgeable than I, and he came back with: “For Aus, never happened before.”
So there you have it. Rare indeed.
77th over: Pakistan 226-7 (Rizwan 37, Shaheen 1) Starc now on for Cummins, the new ball available three overs after this one. Full and straight, Shaheen survives an appeal for leg before (going down leg, just) before managing to keep out a yorker that has designs on uprooting all three stumps. Maiden over from Starc to the tailender.
WICKET! Yasir lbw b Lyon 13 (Pakistan 221-7)
76th over: Pakistan 226-7 (Rizwan 37, Shaheen 1) Lyon traps Yasir in front, back in the crease, and his appeal for leg before is readily upheld by umpire Illingworth. Yasir asks for a review but that is plumb. On your way, son. Lyon coming into his own on this flat fourth-day pitch. That’s four wickets now in this dig for Gaz, all taken today. Rizwan finishes the over with a heave over midwicket for four.
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75th over: Pakistan 221-6 (Rizwan 33, Yasir 10) Cummins again, this time with a leg gully in place. No doubt Rizwan is still hurting after that blow to the armpit (you don’t write that often) and no doubt he’s expecting more chin music. Three from the over, all from Lyon, and a bit ineffectual from Cummins. Tiring perhaps?
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74th over: Pakistan 218-6 (Rizwan 33, Yasir 10) Lyon continues. Nice air and turn, but these two are prepared to defend and work him around the wicket for ones and twos. Four from the over.
Dave Arthur writes in with this: “Hi Scott, I wonder how many times a #6 of the team batting first has not got a hit in a result match? Wouldn’t be often!”
Hi Dave. Not often but I’m tipping it’s happened more often than you think. I’ve consulted the one and only Ric Finlay to see if he has the answer. Watch this space.
73rd over: Pakistan 214-6 (Rizwan 32, Yasir 7) Good, hostile short bowling from Cummins, and he thinks he’s set Yasir up but the straight, full one that follows just isn’t straight enough, inviting Yasir to clip him backward of square for four. For a player who’s batting average prior to this Test was 12, Yasir is in fine touch. Nice bloke, too, offering Labuschagne an apology and how-are-you after clobbering a pull shot into the short leg’s helmet. I’d say good fielding from Labuschagne. The medicos are out but Marnus is smiling like The Joker, hopefully not from any concussion-related issues. He’s fine. Not sure about his helmet, though.
72nd over: Pakistan 206-6 (Rizwan 30, Yasir 2) A maiden from Lyon and a lovely one at that, highlighted by one that straightened up and beat Rizwan’s bat. Pakistan trail by by 81 runs.
Here’s that Cummins comet from the previous over.
😲😲 That's going to leave a mark!
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 2, 2019
📺 Stream the second #AUSvPAK Test ad-break free live on Kayo: https://t.co/WrUMc9grxW
Live blog 📝: https://t.co/0Q9Awa27Q5 pic.twitter.com/QuoyPFs7fA
71st over: Pakistan 206-6 (Rizwan 30, Yasir 2) Rizwan wears a Cummins lifter on the upper ribs, just below the armpit. Yowser. The bat immediately flies out the hand. Not surprising. The human body wasn’t designed to absorb little rocks zooming at speeds of 140kph. Rizwan is stretching his arms, his torso. With a stiff upper lip, he gets off the strike with a pull shot for one. A big appeal for leg before to end the over is turned down, with no review, and Yasir survives. Yep, going down leg.
70th over: Pakistan 205-6 (Rizwan 29, Yasir 2) A single off Lyon’s over. Not much to report other than with a keeper, short leg, slip and leg slip in place, the Pakistan batsmen will have plenty of hard-to-understand voices in their ears.
69th over: Pakistan 204-6 (Rizwan 28, Yasir 2) Hazlewood to Yasir, no slips but a short leg in place. The new ball not far away. Amazing, really, how little movement in the air this pink ball has offered. Hazlewood overpitches and strays too far down leg, leaving Starc to effect some sharp fielding at fine leg to save two runs.
Here’s Labuschagne’s catch. See, I wasn’t lying. He can hold onto them.
Relief for Labuschagne! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/d54tS9pEkP
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 2, 2019
WICKET! Iftikhar c Labuschagne b Lyon 27 (Pakistan 201-6)
68th over: Pakistan 201-6 (Rizwan 27, Yasir 0) Labuschagne hangs onto one! Iftikar pops one up to short leg and the entire world (sort of) holds their breath as Labuschagne juggles once and then claims the catch. Yasir the new batsman. Wouldn’t Pakistan like another hundred from him.
Thanking you muchly, Jonathan. Some admirable fight on display here from Pakistan. We’ve seen that a few times this series with their backs against the wall. Perhaps catch-up is Pakistan’s game. The first box, drawing level with Australia’s first-innings run orgy, is getting closer to being ticked. But, as Dave Warner and co so devastatingly illustrated, this is a ripper of a batting deck. Even on this fourth day. A little like my faith in Father Christmas, this Adelaide pitch is holding up surprisingly well. Let’s see how the rest of today plays out. It’s a pleasure to have your company. Get involved by emailing me or dipping into the eclectic environs of Twitter - @scott_heinrich
67th over: Pakistan 201-5 (Iftikhar 27, Rizwan 27) Hazlewood returns to plan A, the bumper barrage, but he can’t find the right length, sending a couple of loopy bouncers over Rizwan’s head that are easy to evade.
And that’s drinks. Which means it’s time for Scott Heinrich to take over and for me to have a rest. Will Scott see Australia home?
66th over: Pakistan 199-5 (Iftikhar 27, Rizwan 25) Pakistan deal with the second over of Lyon’s spell much more comfortably than they did the first, Rizwan sweeping smartly for two in an over worth four runs.
65th over: Pakistan 195-5 (Iftikhar 26, Rizwan 22) Apologies to Rizwan, that chance in the previous over was not actually a chance after all. Snicko confirms the ball missed the inside-edge on its way up and over the batsman’s head. Hazlewood continues to probe from the other end and Australia reckon there might be a hint of reverse swing for him to exploit. It manifests in an LBW shout that’s easy to decline, but still refreshing to see the ball deviate off straight for perhaps the third time this Test.
"It's nearly hit him in the head!"
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 2, 2019
Have you ever seen anything like this? #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/Z40ipg6Qhh
64th over: Pakistan 192-5 (Iftikhar 23, Rizwan 22) Belatedly, it’s Lyon time, and his impact is almost immediate but yet another chance goes begging, this time in comical fashion. Rizwan makes a mess of his shot, scooping the ball almost directly above his head, but Paine has no idea where the ball has gone and so fails to pouch a simple chance. The close fielders all converged like a pack of seagulls after a hot chip but none were close enough to complete the dismissal.
63rd over: Pakistan 191-5 (Iftikhar 23, Rizwan 21) The first change since tea is like for like with Hazlewood replacing Cummins from the cathedral end. He reprises Cummins’ early tactic of searching for the mistimed pull and he almost succeeds but Rizwan doesn’t get enough bat on his swipe for it to carry to the leg-side sweeper. Iftikhar almost perishes the following ball but the inside-edge back towards his stumps from a lazy back-foot prod somehow doesn’t send the bails flying.
62nd over: Pakistan 191-5 (Iftikhar 23, Rizwan 21) Starc is afforded another over but there’s little to write home about, even after the big left-armer shifts from over to around the wicket. This partnership is now settled and attuned to the benign conditions.
61st over: Pakistan 188-5 (Iftikhar 23, Rizwan 18) Cummins continues for now and again Pakistan score three runs off his bowling with a back-foot squeeze behind square on the off-side. Matters are drifting again out in the middle of Adelaide Oval.
60th over: Pakistan 184-5 (Iftikhar 20, Rizwan 17) Iftikhar is happy to use the angle of Starc’s stock ball from over the wicket and work it behind square on the off-side. He engineers a couple using that method before rotating strike with it shortly afterwards. After a bright start following the tea break Australia have gone a bit flat again in the field. Perhaps time for more Nathan Lyon?
59th over: Pakistan 181-5 (Iftikhar 17, Rizwan 17) Iftikhar guides Cummins smartly behind point for three but the bowler responds superbly by jagging a length delivery off the seam that prompts a full-throated but futile appeal. Cummins is bang on the money thereafter, hitting Rizwan’s bat hard and causing the Pakistani keeper to skittishly look to rotate strike at every opportunity.
58th over: Pakistan 176-5 (Iftikhar 13, Rizwan 16) Livelier from Starc to begin the second over of his spell and that extra grunt beats Rizwan for pace outside his off stump. Starc retains an excellent line and length and ends a searching over with a maiden.
57th over: Pakistan 176-5 (Iftikhar 13, Rizwan 16) Cummins has the badge on the front of the Pakistan helmet in his crosshairs as he tests both batsmen with a series of short balls. Neither Iftikhar nor Rizwan can resist hooking, and neither looks especially composed, but both survive with singles down to deep square-leg.
56th over: Pakistan 173-5 (Iftikhar 12, Rizwan 14) Starc shares duties with Cummins after the tea break, perhaps surprisingly considering how effective Lyon was before the interval. He finds a tidy line and length quickly and it almost earns him a wicket but a beauty that finds the shoulder of Iftikhar’s bat is dropped by Smith at second slip. That was a very tough chance, the ball dying on the diving fielder, but it’s yet another life to Pakistan. Australia have been uncharacteristically generous this Test.
55th over: Pakistan 170-5 (Iftikhar 10, Rizwan 13) We’re back in business after tea, and it’s the far from overused Pat Cummins with the ball in his hand. Just eight overs so far this innings from the no. 1 bowler in Test cricket. Cummins’ spell begins with a full half-volley that Rizwan leans into and caresses for three through the covers.
Tea - Pakistan 167-5 (trailing Australia by 120 runs)
An up and down session that ends with Australia edging closer to an innings victory. They bowled and fielded poorly for about 90 minutes before Nathan Lyon stepped up with a decisive intervention, spinning out the two set batsman, Shan Masood and Asad Shafiq.
There’s still nothing in the pitch which means it’s hard work for the bowlers, especially the pacemen. We’ll be back in 20 minutes or so to keep an eye on their toil.
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54th over: Pakistan 167-5 (Iftikhar 10, Rizwan 10) The first well-struck shot in anger for some time sees Rizwan’s score advance by four. The right-hander swept Lyon powerfully from outside off stump to behind square-leg.
53rd over: Pakistan 162-5 (Iftikhar 10, Rizwan 5) Hazlewood follows up Lyon’s over with a good ‘un of his own, hitting the bat hard from a decent length.
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52nd over: Pakistan 161-5 (Iftikhar 10, Rizwan 4) Maiden from Lyon to Iftikhar. Tea on the horizon.
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51st over: Pakistan 161-5 (Iftikhar 10, Rizwan 4) Hazlewood fancies the short ball to this pair of right-handers. It nearly worked in the previous over to Rizwan but this time it’s Iftikhar reflex pulling just short of deep square-leg, the ball spending plenty of time in the air.
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50th over: Pakistan 160-5 (Iftikhar 9, Rizwan 4) Lyon is dictating terms out there now, ripping the ball into the right-handers from around the wicket and getting serious bounce. It almost leads to another wicket but a Rizwan bat-pad flies just wide of the diving Labuschagne at short-leg.
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49th over: Pakistan 159-5 (Iftikhar 8, Rizwan 4) Lyon’s recall to the attack around half-an-hour ago has transformed this session. It’s not been the best couple of hours of cricket in Australia’s history but the off-spinner’s ability to make something happen and energise his colleagues has handed his team two priceless breakthroughs. Hazlewood has been a good foil at the other end too, keeping Pakistan honest with his line and length. He’s lacked Lyon’s luck though, as exemplified in a wild hook from Rizwan flying safely for four behind Tim Paine when it could easily have resulted in a catch.
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WICKET! Asad c Warner b Lyon 57 (Pakistan 154-5)
Lyon does it again! A good duel of an over with Asad ends with the batsman tickling an inside-edge onto his thigh pad, sending the ball looping into the safe hands of David Warner at leg slip. That was Lyon’s trademark overspin at work, getting the ball to bounce more than Asad expected.
That's out! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/pigmZs5HbQ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 2, 2019
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47th over: Pakistan 154-4 (Asad 57, Iftikhar 7) Hazlewood beats Iftikhar’s outside edge and is so excited at the sight he bellows hard and long for a catch behind. The problem is he’s the only man appealing and the umpire’s index finger remains curled in his fist. Decent over from the big paceman though, operating as best he can stump-to-stump with a legside field.
46th over: Pakistan 150-4 (Asad 57, Iftikhar 3) Pakistan get busy against Lyon, the two right-handers using their feet and wrists to good effect to keep the scoreboard moving. The pick of an eight-run over is a swept boundary from Asad.
45th over: Pakistan 142-4 (Asad 50, Iftikhar 2) Starc’s brief and unconvincing spell is ended by the recall of Hazlewood, who is immediately in the thick of things. A rank short ball is helped around the corner by Asad but it’s perilously close to Paine’s dive, the third near-miss of that variety this session. That boundary takes Asad to 49 and by the end of the over he’s 50, raising his bat modestly for the 25th time in Tests.
44th over: Pakistan 137-4 (Asad 45, Iftikhar 2) Tight over from Lyon, accompanied by plenty of chat among the Australian fielders. There’s been a welcome rise in intensity over the past 20 minutes or so.
43rd over: Pakistan 136-4 (Asad 44, Iftikhar 2) Lovely shot for three from Asad who leans elegantly into a cover drive that is well stopped in the shadow of the sponsor’s hoarding by Nathan Lyon. He picks up three more to the same fielder in the same square footage of Adelaide Oval to round the over out, this time off the back foot. Starc is still yet to fully fire in this spell, perhaps still hampered his rolled ankle yesterday evening.
42nd over: Pakistan 129-4 (Asad 38, Iftikhar 1) Lyon thinks there’s a chance of a second quick wicket but Warner is wrong-footed at leg-slip and the ball passes him in the air. The signal is leg-byes though so it didn’t matter. Otherwise Pakistan are happy to defend their stumps and accept the occasional single.
41st over: Pakistan 126-4 (Asad 37, Iftikhar 1) The wicket brings spearhead Starc immediately back into the attack but the big paceman is slow to get up to full speed and it’s an unimpressive over largely of looseners.
Brian Withington has dropped in to the the drop-in debate. “I’m liking Andy’s suggestion of tailored drop in pitches - maybe these could include a worn day 5 option? I’m reminded of the story of some of the coconut matting wickets used on the sub-continent back in the day. Apparently touring sides suspected that the tension was adjusted between innings to favour the home team spinners. Bring back the classic sticky dog uncovered wickets, I say - with sprinkler attachments.” Within reason, Brian, within reason...
40th over: Pakistan 123-4 (Asad 35, Iftikhar 0) Wicket maiden for Lyon, just the fillip Australia required the game drifting.
OUT! The 🐐 gets the breakthrough, and Shaan Masood holes out to mid-off #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/E0C24ctdLW
— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 2, 2019
WICKET! Shan c Starc b Lyon 68 (Pakistan 123-4)
Wahey! That was a splendidly timed previous entry. The increasingly assured Shan Masood has just dumped a mistimed drive straight down Mitchell Starc’s throat at mid-off. Nathan Lyon has a wicket, Australia have a gift, and Pakistan relinquish their hard-earned initiative.
39th over: Pakistan 123-3 (Shan 68, Asad 35) That’s the 100 partnership for Shan Masood and Asad Shafiq, and it is one that is looking increasingly assured.
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38th over: Pakistan 117-3 (Shan 67, Asad 33) Asad has some craft at the crease and he shows his deftness to work Lyon for three down to fine-leg. Australia still going through the motions with a lack of intent.
37th over: Pakistan 114-3 (Shan 67, Asad 30) Labuschagne remains in the attack. “Not sure Australia should be persisting with this bowling partnership,” remarks Damien Fleming on the telly. By contrast, Pakistan are quite happy with the current state of affairs, and they advance their score by four singles in an over lacking incident.
36th over: Pakistan 110-3 (Shan 65, Asad 28) A bit more life in Lyon’s first over after drinks, one featuring a couple of optimistic appeals for bat-pad catches. Asad and Shan prevail though as they have all afternoon so far.
35th over: Pakistan 106-3 (Shan 64, Asad 25) For the second day in a row Marnus Labuschagne’s part-time legspin is called upon early in the piece. His opening over is serviceable but unlikely to cause Pakistan any sleepless nights.
Drinks arrive on the field with Australia facing some awkward questions.
34th over: Pakistan 104-3 (Shan 63, Asad 24) A relieved Lyon enjoys a rare rapid maiden that caused Asad some discomfort.
Andy’s back to keep the conversation about drop-ins going. “You may be right regarding pitches; can’t put the chicken back in the egg and all that. So maybe the push should be to make drop in pitches with variation – maybe a different character for each venue? What we have may be functional but it is so obviously not perfect. Maybe CA should hint that they would be open to procuring pitches from someone who can develop something a little less “samey”? Or even fund some R&D to make a better product? They themselves would be the beneficiaries after all; better viewing spectacle, better attendance, better for skill development for both Shield and the international team. So JH, you with me? Let’s get into them and tell them to pull out their cheque book for improved drop-ins!”
Ha! I like the passion Andy. To be fair to CA I think the standard of drop-ins is improving. For example, I think the MCG surface on Boxing Day this year should be the best we’ve seen in some time. Perth’s new drop-in is ok, and Adelaide’s hasn’t been that bad since the change. This one would be fine if was showing signs of deterioration.
33rd over: Pakistan 104-3 (Shan 63, Asad 24) 100 up for Pakistan and the milestone is achieved in nail-biting fashion. For the second time today Shan fails to connect with a pull and gloves down the legside, but for the second time today the ball flies agonisingly out of reach of Paine’s dive. Hazlewood is going through his full deck of variations now, slower balls, cutters, knuckle balls and bouncers. This is not a fun day to be a fast bowler.
32nd over: Pakistan 98-3 (Shan 57, Asad 24) Shan has scored freely off Lyon today and that pattern continues when he slaps a long-hop through point. He nurdles another single before Asad picks up the baton, sneaking a couple courtesy of another example of Australia’s lackadaisical fielding then smashing Lyon over long-off for four.
31st over: Pakistan 87-3 (Shan 52, Asad 18) Hazlewood provides an excellent measure of the conditions because he is so consistent on all surfaces around the world. Today his conventional line and length is so unthreatening Asad is able to watch the bowler’s arm come over, count the leaves on the Moreton Bay figs next to the scoreboard, lean forward with the full face of the bat presented and calmly jog two runs. An hour gone and Australia’s brains trust will be scratching their heads.
30th over: Pakistan 84-3 (Shan 51, Asad 16) After a sketchy few minutes to open the day Shan is now flying. He reaches his sixth Test 50 by stepping down and bullying Lyon through mid-on for four.
29th over: Pakistan 79-3 (Shan 46, Asad 16) Asad blocks a maiden over from Hazlewood. This could be a long couple of days in the field for Australia.
Andy in FNQ has joined in via email. “Saw the earlier comment regarding the lifeless pitch; think that this is far more of an issue than the ball. It is no accident that the Gabba is the best pitch in Australia; it’s because it doesn’t use a drop-in pitch. These blights on Australian cricket have been shown, summer after summer, to be identical, single paced, and far too durable. They don’t wear, and offer nothing for pace or spin. When are Australia’s major stadiums (with Cricket Australia’s support) going to stand up to the AFL and say centre wickets are coming back for good? Brisbane play at the Gabba without any issues on its centre wicket; time for the other venues to follow their great example!” An admirable sentiment Andy but I think that particular genie is out of the bottle never to return.
28th over: Pakistan 79-3 (Shan 46, Asad 16) Lyon sends down the ball of the day so far, ripping one past Shan’s outside edge that misses the bat by the width of a Higgs boson. Around that beauty Pakistan collect a couple of singles pretty straightforwardly.
27th over: Pakistan 77-3 (Shan 45, Asad 15) Tim Paine is really overcomplicating things this morning. Hazlewood begins his second over with an extra fielder on the legside, meaning there are four fielders either catching or saving one between square leg and mid-on. Guess what he sends down? That’s right, a long-hop wide of off stump that is dismissively cut to the third-man fence by Asad.
Over the past two days, save for that one spell of Starc’s under lights with the new ball, Australia have bowled and fielded very poorly. They’ll need to be better against New Zealand.
26th over: Pakistan 73-3 (Shan 45, Asad 11) Tighter from Lyon, getting some nice drift on his offies and tempting Asad into driving on the front foot. The batsman looks assured against the slow spin though, as you’d expect from a top-order Pakistani.
25th over: Pakistan 71-3 (Shan 44, Asad 10) Double change for Australia with Hazlewood replacing Cummins from the cathedral end. Shan is now determined to attack, regardless of who happens to be bowling, pulling firmly well in front of square to a short ball. Australia’s tactics to him so far today have been questionable - too short and straight - and Ricky Ponting on TV has had enough. What’s wrong with the top of off, he asks forlornly.
24th over: Pakistan 66-3 (Shan 39, Asad 10) Spin for the first time today with Lyon replacing Starc and giving Shan something new to consider from the river end. He spends all of three balls in a state of contemplation, then he skips down the track and deposits a testosterone fuelled six over the bowler’s head like it’s payday in the IPL not a 180-over vigil to scrape a draw. Tremendous fun.
23rd over: Pakistan 59-3 (Shan 33, Asad 9) It’s a battle of wills between the right-handers Cummins and Asad in these early exchanges. The bowler is finding a consistent line and length, keeping the batsman pinned to his crease, but Asad holds his nerve and finally drops the ball into a gap to collect his first run of the day. Following that wake-up call form Starc Shan is now motoring. He backs up his consecutive fours from the previous over with a lovely checked off-drive for two, then a glance off his hip for one more.
22nd over: Pakistan 55-3 (Shan 30, Asad 8) Starc again focuses on Shan’s stumps, and it almost pays dividends when the left-hander aims an uppish drive in the direction of the two catchers at short midwicket, but fortunately for Pakistan the stroke is so mistimed it doesn’t carry on the full. Shan is even more fortunate a couple of balls later when he gloves a pull down the legside that lands just wide of the diving Paine. It appears that let-off sparks something in the opener because he then smashes consecutive boundaries, both pulls through midwicket, the second of which is sweetly timed. A curious over.
21st over: Pakistan 45-3 (Shan 20, Asad 8) Cummins is proving difficult to get away with his angle into the right-handed Asad from over the wicket. The pressure almost induces an error when Asad under-edges a square cut in the direction of his stumps but there’ no harm done.
20th over: Pakistan 45-3 (Shan 20, Asad 8) Starc is persisting with that straight line of attack to Shan, preying on the batsman’s tendency to drive with a closed bat face. Despite a couple of catchers stationed in the same short midwicket region Shan still manages to work a couple of runs into the legside.
19th over: Pakistan 43-3 (Shan 18, Asad 8) Just the single to document from an over of Cummins deliveries on a tight line and length to Shan.
“If Australia were playing a more resilient opponent who also scored 400+ in an innings, would we be saying this is an awful pitch and something should be done about it?” asks Murray Henman. “I’m also wondering whether this question also applies to the Gabba?”
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. This is a lifeless pitch that has shown little sign of deteriorating, exacerbated by a lifeless ball that has shown no indication it wants to travel any direction other than gun barrel straight. In defence of the Adelaide Oval curator he might have expected the pink ball to do much more under lights than it has, and therefore prepared a surface to even out the balance somewhat. But regardless, the outcome has been disappointing.
18th over: Pakistan 42-3 (Shan 17, Asad 8) Mitchell Starc with the first full over of the day, the left-armer loping in from the river end, targeting the left-handed Shan Masood’s stumps with a field inviting a tighter line than perhaps we’ve become accustomed to. Inevitably that means Starc leaks onto Shan’s pads and Pakistan work their first runs of the day through square-leg.
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17th over: Pakistan 39-3 (Shan 14, Asad 8) Asad Shafiq props forward and defends the final ball from the Pat Cummins over that began yesterday evening. We are away!
The players are making their way out into the middle. Day four will be up and running imminently.
There’s some cricket happening just across the ditch too, where England have given themselves a sniff of an unlikely victory.
Do you want something meaty to chew on in the minutes leading up to the first ball of the day? Well, sink your teeth into this Geoff Lemon classic on David Warner’s 335.
Pitch: The Adelaide Oval surface has been dull for three days and there’s little indication that’s going to change today.
Here's how the track looks ahead of day four.
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 2, 2019
The forecast looks pretty good - what's going to happen today?#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/TbxCP50cxo
Missed what happened yesterday? Catch up on all the action, including Yasir Shah’s sparkling century, right here.
Weather: The good news is it’s dry in Adelaide and forecast to remain so for the rest of the day. However it is cool (top of 17C) and there is a gusty souwesterly keeping the flags afluttering on top of the famous old scoreboard.
Sunny and windy. #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/l6rb08Y5fx
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) December 2, 2019
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live OBO coverage of the fourth day of the second Test between Australia and Pakistan from Adelaide Oval.
Once again play will get underway half-an-hour earlier than scheduled to make up overs lost to rain. That means today’s session times are as follows (in AEDT): 2pm-4.30pm | 4.50pm-6.50pm | 7.30pm-9.30pm.
Australia will be disappointed if the match progresses deep into the floodlit portion of the day. Just seven Pakistan wickets are required to complete an innings victory, and with Babar Azam already dismissed, there is little to concern the hungry home attack. Although that may be being unfairly dismissive of first-innings centurion Yasir Shah, who was by some margin Sunday’s star performer.
As always, feel free to use this platform to have your say, or simply keep me entertained while I type into the void. You can find me on Twitter - @JPHowcroft- or by email - jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
