Stumps on day two - Pakistan 310-6 from 101.2 overs
And that is all folks. For a comprehensive wrap of the day’s play, check out Russell Jackson’s report below, and be sure to join us tomorrow.
Rain intervenes again at 5:15pm
101.2 overs: Pakistan 310-6 (Azhar 139, Amir 28)
That will probably be it for the day, you would imagine, since play can’t go much past 6:30 and given how long it takes to get the covers up once they’re down. Frustrating for everyone, but mostly for Pakistan, who were getting a real run on in the last half hour after battling through a difficult period against the new ball that cost a couple of wickets. But their 300 is up, a lot of time has been lost from the game, and if the visitors can come back tomorrow and push that up past 350 or beyond. There are also some showers forecast tomorrow, which may cost us yet more time. So the chances of a result grow slimmer, Pakistan should be a decent shout to draw this Test, and maybe their best scenario is to exhaust Australia’s bowler and then go on to win in Sydney.
Even a draw won’t be a bad result for Pakistan, given they’ve lost their last 10 Tests in Australia. But this rain isn’t a lucky break for them: they’ve played very well in the face of some excellent fast bowling. Just a shame we’re not getting to see more of it!
I’ll check back in with you if there’s any news, and if not then Adam Collins will kick things off half an hour early tomorrow, 10am local time. You can fill in some of the meantime by reading his article on the aforementioned wunderkind Will Pucovski here. A freakish career so far. Pucovksi has been ok too.
101st over: Pakistan 306-6 (Azhar 135, Amir 28)
Another milestone, the team 300 is up as Amir slashes Bird through the covers for four. Then he uppercuts another! Over slip again. Productive area for Amir today.
100th over: Pakistan 298-6 (Azhar 135, Amir 20)
Shawwwwt. First ball of Starc’s over, and Pakistan’s century-maker plants it back down the ground for four. He’s straight-driven exquisitely and played almost no other strokes today. Trades singles with Amir, then drives another two runs through cover. He’s starting to move along too, Azhar.
Our OBO colleague Adam Collins loves him some ephemera. “In the Ponting XII v Gilchrist XII at the SCG right now Will Pucovski just made 87* in 59 balls. And now Austin Waugh is batting in reply (son of Steve).”
Actually Austin Waugh just got out, but Will Sutherland (some of the CA boss James) smacked two fours from the last two balls to get a win at the last gasp.
99th over: Pakistan 290-6 (Azhar 128, Amir 19)
I reckon Azhar’s approach is that time is as important as runs here. The more you make Australia bowl,the more chance you break their bowlers for the second innings and for Sydney. The workload from Brisbane needs to be compounded, the exhaustion increased, the injury risk inflated. So he’s still playing conservatively against Hazlewood, ducking the bouncer, tapping a single. Amir does the best possible thing, getting a run immediately and getting back off strike, which Azhar farms from the last ball.
98th over: Pakistan 287-6 (Azhar 126, Amir 18)
Amir has come to play! First ball faced from Starc, and he smashes it straight back past the bowler for four. He misses out down the leg-side next ball, Wade appealing for a non-existent catch. Then there’s width, and Amir cuts of the top edge, through the slips again. they’ve put a third man in for him, but this ball’s so well struck that it beats him on the fine side of the field as well, Handscomb diving but just palming into the rope. Starc fumes, sends down another leg-side pie, and Amir isn’t going to miss out twice. Glanced for four! A dozen from the over, and he’s loving it so much that he tries to farm the strike, but Azhar isn’t sprinting a last single.
More than 102,000 people have attended the past 2 days of the Boxing Day Test at @MCG. Final attendanceTBC #AUSvPAK @CAComms @CricketAus
— Tim Whittaker (@timmyw85) December 27, 2016
Impressive numbers considering the frustrations with the rain. We’ve just gone past one-day’s worth of overs, and that’s in the third session of the second.
Updated
97th over: Pakistan 275-6 (Azhar 126, Amir 6)
Hazlewood gets the chance of a full over at Amir. Bat raised in his stance, waiting, twitching. Right-armer angling across a left-hander. Amir uses that angle and cuts nicely but gully saves it. Then Amir lashes out and edges over Khawaja at third slip! That’s easily catchable, it goes just over the fieldsman’s cap, but he loses sight of the ball in the gloom. In the end Khawaja is almost putting his hands up to shield his face more than going for the ball. It clears him and goes for four. Amir plays smart the next ball and taps a single into the covers. Well, maybe not that smart because he’ll have to face Mitchell Starc after Azhar defends the last ball.
96th over: Pakistan 270-6 (Azhar 126, Amir 1)
Bird continues this impressive spell, keeping Azhar watchful until the batsman escapes strike witha leg bye. Amir gets off the mark with a single to fine leg.
Sydney Thunder have capped off an easy win in the WBBL. The Renegades have been poor with the bat this year, and again today, held to 93-6 in their innings. Syney chased that down in 12 overs, West Indies skip Stafanie Taylor with 48 off 37.
95th over: Pakistan 268-6 (Azhar 126, Amir 0)
Mohammed Amir to the crease. He made his best Test score in Brisbane with 48. This will be a challenge. It’s quite hot and sticky outside but there’s thick cloud and the visibility is dull. Wicket-maiden for Hazlewood.
WICKET! Sarfraz c Renshaw b Hazlewood 10
Well, he worked Sarfraz over there. Nagging away on off stump, a sense of threat with every ball. Sarfraz pushes to the field, he leaves, he slashes. Then eventually he gets one angling in at his off stump, it moves away a touch, and the defensive push lands with first slip.
94th over: Pakistan 268-5 (Azhar 126, Sarfraz 10)
Oh, pretty. The on-drive has moved men to tears and women to immaculate conception. Azhar Ali ensures some awkward medical appointents with this rendition of the shot, from Bird’s fuller ball not far past the non-striker’s stumps. It purred for four. The leading edge fora single to cover wasn’t quite so good. Sarfraz ticks a couple of singles in the over as well, and has unobtrusively gone to double figures. It speaks well of his approach that he leaves a rank wide ball from Bird that he could have tried to carve, but may just as well have edged to slip. If Sarfraz is willing to stay the course, Pakistan can still build a strong total.
93rd over: Pakistan 261-5 (Azhar 121, Sarfraz 8)
Hazlewood’s back. Azhar pushes him into the covers, through Lyon. Warner chases back. He thinks that Lyon is backing him up for the double-team fielding, so slides in and flicks the ball back up. But Lyon has turned around to watch the pitch and doesn’t even see it. Then flinches at the shot and runs around looking for it. Solid stuff. Two runs for the price of none. But that’s all Hazlewood concedes. His accuracy is right on, even after 23 overs in the match.
92nd over: Pakistan 259-5 (Azhar 119, Sarfraz 8)
Bird trying to tempt Sarfraz into an indiscretion outside off, but the ‘keeper won’t be drawn. Then Bird bounces a good one at his head and Sarfraz evades. The bowler could have had a fourth as he reverts to the off stump line, but Sarfraz’s edge this time goes wide of slip for four.
91st over: Pakistan 255-5 (Azhar 119, Sarfraz 4)
Starc reeeeeeeally wants an lbw with a yorker. He pounds in three different attempts in that over, but Christmas has passed and his wish is not granted. The inswinging yorker is his best weapon, but it becomes less powerful when overused. Like, does anybody remember the BFG radiation cannon from Quake? And how amazing it was? Except when you used a cheat code for unlimited ammo and then just kept sending massive green plasma balls hurtling into crowded battle chambers, and it very quickly became unsatisfying and a giant void gnawed within you because where in this life could you find meaning if joy could so suddenly evaporate to nothing? Yeah, it’s like that.
90th over: Pakistan 254-5 (Azhar 119, Sarfraz 3)
I like Sarfraz Ahmed. Positive, busy player. There’s a leg bye, then a single, then Sarfraz gets up n his toes and punches Bird away for a couple of runs, then another single through square.
@GeoffLemonSport Some cricket-related stats. Unusually rainy weather? Jan is the driest month at 43.1 mm https://t.co/ldfVmqc4lw
— Andrew Benton (@thangnangman) December 27, 2016
That may be so, but April is the cruellest.
Updated
89th over: Pakistan 249-5 (Azhar 118, Sarfraz 0)
Starc continuing with the theory that if you don’t know what you’re bowling, neither will they. His first ball goes wild over the wicketkeeper for five wides. Byes? Wides. Nowhere near anything. Then he goes too full, and Azhar produces a beautiful straight drive down the ground for four. That’s the shot of a man who’s been batting all day. Then the bowler hits a nice, testing line outside off stump for four dots.
WICKET! Shafiq c Smith b Bird 50
88th over: Pakistan 240-5 (Azhar 114)
The stand breaks! And from a strange call, in that after a couple of stellar overs from Hazlewood, he was off. Jackson Bird came on. He was attacking the body of the batsmen with his line, and they each took a single tucked around the corner. Shafiq’s brought up his half century. but that’s as far as he got, as Bird resumed his usual line outside off stump, and landed the last ball of the over back of a length, got it to kick away, and Shafiq’s defensive stroke only guided the ball to slip.
All you can say at time like this is... Shaaaaaaaafiq’s out! Doo do doo doo doo.
87th over: Pakistan 238-4 (Azhar 113, Shafiq 49)
Don’t you love Ian Gould? What a sense of theatre. he’s the one man standing against this raging Australian army. Well, I guess the Pakistan batsman are doing their bit as well.
Hello! Geoff Lemon indeed here with you, and thanks to Russell for his sterling meteorological work during the day so far. I am typing to you with somewhat hampered speed due to a broken wrist, so I’m relying more than ever on readers to send me interesting things. Ctrl+C Ctrl+V is less skeletally taxing than hammering out my own epic paragraphs. But I will do what I need to do for the love of cricket and the OBO.
Starc rather wastes the new ball, banging it wide of Azhar’s off stump except for a last-ditch yorker that is blocked out. It’s a maiden, but Azhar doesn’t care.
86th over: Pakistan 238-4 (Azhar 113, Shafiq 49)
Hazlewood, it might not surprise you to know, is deadly accurate in this over. It presents a genuine challenge for the tiring live-blogger; how do you describe the same non-event in different ways over and over again? Miserly, parsimonious, stingy – there’s only so many adjectives to go around when it’s dot ball after dot ball. This time he saves me with a spirited lbw appeal against Shafiq, who is one away from his half-century, but Ian Gould waves both it and another one off after the Australians have conferenced forever. Hazlewood is not a happy camper. He really liked the second one.
Anyway, Geoff Lemon will be joining you now. Make him feel welcome!
85th over: Pakistan 238-4 (Azhar 113, Shafiq 49)
Starc can’t be faulted for his start this time, and it’s only a kamikaze single that brings Azhar his first run of the session. He knocked it to the off side, takes off for a run that isn’t there and gets lucky when Nathan Lyon’s throw at the stumps misses. The diving centurion was a good metre short of his ground and very fortunate, though he does crock himself slightly in the dive. The next ball deflects off Shafiq’s pad for four leg byes and there’s a single in that region too.
There’s some late drama in the over with a big appeal for caught behind, but Azhar survives when the third umpire rules that the ball hadn’t carried all the way into Matthew Wade’s gloves. In other news, the bars must be packed because we’re now up to an aggregate of 99,000 spectators for the game. Remarkably for a day with so little play, nobody has been kicked out.
84th over: Pakistan 232-4 (Azhar 112, Shafiq 48)
The powers that be are hoping for 38 more overs today, which might be slightly ambitious, but they’ve earmarked a further 30 minutes of play to achieve it, so we’ll be going through until 6:30pm local time. I reckon there are probably 5,000 people still scattered around the ground, maybe a few more. The third ball of this Hazlewood over is an absolute peach, decking away from Shafiq as he thrusts the blade at it. Too good for an edge, that one. Another maiden for Hazlewood, who has 1-23 from 22 overs.
83rd over: Pakistan 232-4 (Azhar 112, Shafiq 48)
Mitchell Starc is next up and his first ball is right on the money – angled into Azhar from over the wicket and drawing an uppish prod to the vacant short mid-wicket region. The next rears up to throat height on an of stump line. It’s a testing over from Starc, who has started far better than he did in the morning. An under edge from Azhar forces Matthew Wade into an athletic and successful dive, one that cuts off certain runs.
New ball taken – and we're back!
82nd over: Pakistan 232-4 (Azhar 112, Shafiq 48)
We’re back in action with Josh Hazlewood steaming in from the southern stand end of the ground, and he’s doing so with a brand spanking new Kookaburra four-piece. His first three to Shafiq are left outside off stump and there’s plenty of bounce and carry through to Matthew Wade. It’s a tidy maiden he might have made the batsman play a little more often.
Play will resume at 3:30pm local time
Which is 13 minutes away. Pakistan will be resuming at 232-4 and the faithful who’ve remained through the downpour will finally be rewarded.
Action stations! We’ll have some play soon!
Within 10 minutes by the looks of things. Umpires Ravi and Gould are out in the middle now and players are hovering by the boundary, raring to go.
The kids are still loving it
There’s no cricket to comment on but Garry fever remains contagious.
Leaving @MCG. Random kids in Yarra Park competing to say 'Nice, Garry' with most accurate delivery & timbre. 😂 @NathLyon421 #AUSvPAK
— Katie Purvis (@katiemelb) December 27, 2016
We’ll have a pitch inspection at 3:10pm local time
Which is in 15 minutes. The weather outlook remains grim, so perhaps don’t get your hopes up.
Steve Smith is going to propose we take on Pakistan in a footy match. #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/Gc4YBviIcY
— Alister Nicholson (@AlisterNicho) December 27, 2016
Things aren’t looking any better at the MCG
...though Geoff Lemon will be dropping by soon to take you through more of this rain. There’s some cheer for you. The only other thing I can report is that former A*MAZING host James Sherry is moving his way around the crowd interviewing frustrated punters. Maybe he should revive some of his old work.
I think you know what is coming
...or do you? Yes, it’s still raining and the covers are stretched out across the entire square, but also, thrillingly, word has just reached us that Andre Russell’s black bat is back in action. The West Indian has placed a clear film over the top and he’ll now be allowed to use it in Big Bash games. In the context of the last hour I’m afraid to say that this counts as excitement.
Still no play at the MCG
Though the covers are back off again, after being back on again, after being back off again, and so on and so on. Official word is there will be play in ten minutes but rain is no falling, so I doubt it.
An update from the MCG
The covers are now coming off, thankfully, though by the look of the sky it might not be a permanent measure. If you’re getting bored, give this one a spin:
Bad news, gang
The full covers are now being pulled across the entire square by ground staff, which indicates that we’ll be lucky to get play in the next half hour. Dark clouds and light rain linger.
An update on the rain
...it’s stopped. Well, mostly. We should be under way on time I think, though the covers are still on. Headband weather?
#OnThisDay 1981 Dennis Lillee took his 310th Test wicket to take himself past Lance Gibbs as the highest Test wicket taker in history. pic.twitter.com/SWXyKtk9jw
— ICC (@ICC) December 27, 2016
On lunch being taken 10 minutes early
...it was a strange one. Steve Smith was reluctant to take the new ball and almost seemed to be working in consultation with the umpires to get off a little earlier. Either way it was at least the right call with regards to protecting the pitch, because steady rain is still falling.
The pre-emptive interval is common at Brisbane. Indeed, happened last week. But can't remember ever seeing it at Melbourne. Odd. #AUSvPAK
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) December 27, 2016
Updated
Rain stopped play – and that will be lunch on day two
The rain is only light at the moment but umpires Ravi and Gould call the session to a close and the covers come on. Maybe that storm is imminent. So at lunch Pakistan are 232-4 having put on 90 runs this morning, in which time Azhar Ali has moved to a commanding 112 and Asad Shafiq has reached 48. Advantage Pakistan.
Updated
81st over: Pakistan 232-4 (Azhar 112, Shafiq 48)
Hmm, no new ball after all, though Jackson Bird returns with some pace from the Member’s End. Maybe they’re letting him warm up. The final delivery is overpitched by the Tasmanian and Shafiq was waiting for it, calmly depositing his drive wide of mid-on to pick up three.
I have no idea how the MCC calculates these penalties, but if you run on thr ground today you’ll be fined $9,327.60.
80th over: Pakistan 228-4 (Azhar 111, Shafiq 45)
Nathan Lyon is given one final over with the old ball, and it has to be said that his joyous momentum of yesterday has come to a shuddering halt before lunch today. Shafiq plays a gorgeous sweep from well outside off stump first up to pick up a boundary and cuts the over’s second delivery savagely to get four more, bringing up the 100-run partnership from 195 balls. Maybe they should have kept the part-timers on. Defensively, Lyon comes around the wicket for the rest of the over and at least brings his short leg into play, but the over fizzles out. New ball time.
US Vice-President Richard Nixon wields the willow at the @MCG, 1956
— Australian Kitsch (@OzKitsch) December 27, 2016
Pic: @naagovau #cricket #ozhist #auspol #AUSvPAK #wwos pic.twitter.com/UJXAciebKS
79th over: Pakistan 220-4 (Azhar 111, Shafiq 37)
Now Shafiq cashes in on a few flat long-hops from Maddinson, cracking one through mid-wicket for a boundary and cutting another through point to pick up three. The batsmen are just loving this. The new ball can’t come quick enough.
78th over: Pakistan 213-4 (Azhar 111, Shafiq 30)
Three more singles from Smith, who honestly should have been belted for at least 25 runs off these last few overs but will have semi-respectable figures next to his name in a few overs, when the new ball is taken.
2nd new ball rush is on, and Nathan Lyon gets neither end. Everyone gets sick of memes.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) December 27, 2016
77th over: Pakistan 210-4 (Azhar 110, Shafiq 28)
Like Smith, Maddinson’s fortune is that the Pakistani batsmen are hammering his worst balls straight in the direction of fieldsman, at least until his final delivery of this over, which Azhar Ali cracks over mid-wicket for an emphatic boundary. The rain has now eased to mild spitting. What’s the bet the sun beats down for the entire lunch break and rain comes after?
76th over: Pakistan 202-4 (Azhar 104, Shafiq 26)
Oof, Shafiq almost falls for the oldest trick in the book here when he rocks back to another Smith long hop and biffs it out towards the man posted three-quarters of the way to the boundary at cow. There’s a nice flipper from Smith in this over but again he’s lucky to escape it without significant damage to the scoreboard. We’re basically just counting down the overs until the new ball now.
A hundred to Azhar Ali!
75th over: Pakistan 199-4 (Azhar 102, Shafiq 25)
What a knock by Azhar Ali, who turns two runs to fine leg and brings up his ton from 218 balls. It’s an innings that has taken place across 338 minutes of determined, nuanced batting, and done a power of good for his side. The milestone runs come off Nic Maddinson, who is forming a part-time bowling combo with his captain.
Updated
74th over: Pakistan 196-4 (Azhar 99, Shafiq 25)
I’m not exactly sure why, but Steve Smith brings himself on now for a bit of leg-spin, and it’s his typical mixed bag of full tosses and long hops. Somehow three singles are the only cost but Azhar is now one away from his ton as light rain continues to fall.
73rd over: Pakistan 193-4 (Azhar 97, Shafiq 24)
Aaand we’re back in action. Clouds still hang darkly over the MCG but the rain has stopped and Jackson Bird is charging in again. Azhar works a single to move within three of his milestone. Word is that lunch will still be taken at the regulation local time of 12:30pm, so we’ll have just on 40 minutes of play. What was I saying about that rain? It’s now falling again and the umpires are taking a good look.
Rain stopped play
73rd over: Pakistan 192-4 (Azhar 96, Shafiq 24)
More bad news for locals: reasonably heavy rain is now falling and after a brief conference one delivery into this Jackson Bird over, umpires Gould and Ravi decide to call the players off. Let’s hope it’s not a lengthy delay.
72nd over: Pakistan 192-4 (Azhar 96, Shafiq 24)
Again Nathan Lyon is easy pickings for both batsmen, who alternate the singles before Shafiq cuts attractively for three. Might Lyon be better deployed from the member’s end? He’s hardly setting the world on fire from the southern side of the ground.
71st over: Pakistan 186-4 (Azhar 94, Shafiq 20)
This is far better from Bird, who is giving Azhar very little to work with as he approaches what seems an inevitable century with an hour to go until lunch on day two. Both of these batsmen have smothered the bowling this morning and chances have been few and far between.
70th over: Pakistan 186-4 (Azhar 94, Shafiq 20)
There were some truly bizarre scenes in that drinks break. Well after Australia’s review had been ruled unsuccessful, the big screens at the MCG suddenly and inexplicably displayed the spinning “OUT” verdict, cueing the sight of total confusion among players. Apparently it was some kind of glitch up in the control booth, and Usman Khawaja in particular was doubled over laughing as he sipped away on his Gatorade. By comparison Nathan Lyon’s first over after the break is pretty tame, featuring just a single to Azhar.
Great work from the third umpire to make this first hour just a little more amusing. #AUSvPAK
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) December 27, 2016
69th over: Pakistan 185-4 (Azhar 93, Shafiq 20)
A little like yesterday, when he struggled a bit early on and then produced some magic, Bird is making things happen in this over. There’s the unsuccessful review and then he cuts Shafiq in half with a big off-cutter. As drinks arrive he looks the man most likely.
Not out! Shafiq survives
And perhaps it wasn’t a terrible review, but you’ve got to trust your keeper in those scenarios and Wade certainly didn’t think Shafiq’s loose drive had caused an inside edge.
Review! The Australians think they have Shafiq caught behind
But I”m not so sure. Even Matthew Wade isn’t interested, which is a worry.
68th over: Pakistan 185-4 (Azhar 93, Shafiq 20)
Both batsmen get after Lyon here and the cheers have suddenly stopped as the spinner is easily hit to all corners of the ground. Without being harsh on Steve Smith, this might test his inventiveness or lack thereof, because his bowlers are labouring on this unhelpful surface. The likes of Misbah and Younus must be kicking themselves right now.
67th over: Pakistan 178-4 (Azhar 88, Shafiq 18)
A little over 15 overs in now and Pakistan have put on 36 runs without loss by the end of this over, which represents a superb start to the day. This Bird over features an emphatic straight drive to the fence by Azhar, who makes it a 50-run partnership between he and Shafiq across 88 minutes and 119 deliveries. He’s also closing in on a hundred and would thoroughly deserve it for yet another determined hand.
Robert McLiam Wilson arrives with another welcome email dispatch. “I’ve always liked Lyon and always rated him too,” says Bob. “I think what bewilders you is the Englishness of the Garry love-in. Amongst the three main branches of spinners, affection is doled out in very different ways. People expect leggies to be wild-eyed Gandalfs, reducing batsmen to nervous breakdowns (it didn’t help that the long myth-building absence of international leg-spin was broken by those two loopy outliers Qadir and Warne). Everyone thinks slow left armers are good even when they’re not. But off-spin is often a thankless and grinding task sometimes undertaken by unthanked and grinding types of players.”
“With its less fantastic set of deviations and tricks, it requires doggedness and hardiness to take wickets. There are often very fallow periods. And during those, no one looks worse than a wicketless offie. Some have had careers like that and been beloved - (Emburey and the King of Spain spring to mind). Lyon is a smart and gifted member of that group. But to love him, you have to love the odd hour or of him looking like he will never get a wicket again. That’s good practice for life and it makes it all the better when he does get a wicket. Obviously none of the above applies to Ashwin.”
66th over: Pakistan 174-4 (Azhar 84, Shafiq 18)
There’s a decent lbw shout against Shafiq but he was a long way down the track for Ian Gould to be taking Lyon’s appeal very seriously. Again the Pakistan batsmen work singles and Lyon’s line is a little turbulent.
65th over: Pakistan 172-4 (Azhar 83, Shafiq 17)
Lyon can’t stay out of the action here. The second ball of Bird’s over is handsomely driven through cover by Shafiq and the spinner sets off in pursuit, ending up metres from his adoring squadron of admirers on the southern side before he zings the ball in to Wade.
Perhaps Melbourne really is the Australian capital of off-spin; a hundred metres or so away from Lyon stands the Hugh Trumble Cafe, named in honour of the Australian offie who finished his career as the Test wicket world record holder with 141 from his 32 Tests. I’m afraid to say there is no YouTube vision of his wares, but...NIIIIICE HUGHEYYYY.
64th over: Pakistan 169-4 (Azhar 83, Shafiq 14)
The Garry Army get this wish when their bald hero takes off his cap and marks out his run-up, but it’s a somewhat subdued start for Nathan Lyon; three singles off the over and not much to excite the faithful.
63rd over: Pakistan 166-4 (Azhar 82, Shafiq 12)
The crowd in the Bay 13 region of the southern side is starting to fill out a little now and they finally have something to cheer when a regulation stop from Nathan Lyon at point is greeted with the kinds of cheers you’d associate with a Cup-winning goal. Jackson Bird’s return to the fold is solid but not spectacular, and a maiden.
Reader Nick Jones has written in. “Good clip from the archives,” he says. “Bruce Laird: hand shakes with a couple of bronzed lads on the drink all afternoon, when bringing up a ton. Who said chivalry was dead? Granted I remember when he scored a hundred at the SCG vs Windies and no fewer than 700 people ran on to give him a back slap (he just put his head down and tried to concentrate). From memory he scored 117 and we lost.”
I know we can’t have punters running out onto the ground anymore but it was pretty great the way those guys in the late 70s just nonchalantly shook hands with them. The counter to that is one name: Terry Alderman.
62nd over: Pakistan 166-4 (Azhar 82, Shafiq 12)
Josh Hazlewood is a frustrated man so far this morning but he isn’t letting it affect his miserly tendancies. There’s one from this over but that is an aberration best reflected by his figures so far; 1-23 from 19 overs of ceaselessly accurate fast bowling. Australia would be a little lost without him at the moment, though change is afoot as Jackson Bird warms up to replace Starc. Might be time for some spin as well.
Updated
61st over: Pakistan 165-4 (Azhar 81, Shafiq 12)
This is turning into a slightly longer than expected spell from Starc and much like yesterday, it’s lacking in the bite we’ve come to expect of him. Or are Pakistan just playing him particularly well? They’re certainly picking their mark; Azhar gets two here turning to leg and goes close to four down the ground before the intervention of a galloping Bird, if that description works. It might be time he had a bowl at that end, I reckon.
60th over: Pakistan 159-4 (Azhar 76, Shafiq 11)
Shafiq is industrious and always alert to the micro-moments of each over, and seizes upon a quick single here when Azhar gets an inside edge to his feet, scurrying through with great initiative when a run didn’t seem possible. The Pakistan pair are gathering runs by stealth at the moment.
59th over: Pakistan 157-4 (Azhar 75, Shafiq 10)
Mitchell Starc is testing out Shafiq with a barrage of bouncers here and giving him a fair bit of lip to go with it, but the batsman isn’t too bothered about it all and gets forward well when the inevitable variety ball is pitched well up to finish the over. It’s a nice little battle between bat and ball early in the day.
Updated
58th over: Pakistan 157-4 (Azhar 75, Shafiq 10)
Poor Azhar Ali has just copped the full force of a Josh Hazlewood off-cutter right in the groin. Ouch. You really can’t blame him for playing out a maiden thereafter. He was probably trying to get his breath back.
@rustyjacko British weather and Australian wildlife? That's not a good look. Next thing you know, all your spinners will bowl off breaks.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) December 26, 2016
Updated
57th over: Pakistan 157-4 (Azhar 75, Shafiq 10)
This is far better from Starc, who pulls back a little with his length and has the ball slamming into Matthew Wade’s gloves, though his fourth delivery is a bouncer that Tom Moody wouldn’t have reached with a stepladder. Starc finishes with a maiden and has begun to find a small measure of rhythm, but he’ll probably only get one or two more overs before he’s rested. Pakistan have started solidly.
Updated
56th over: Pakistan 157-4 (Azhar 75, Shafiq 10)
As Josh Hazlewood starts his next over the bugler – kitted out as Richie Benaud, of course – is working his way through a rather forlorn version of ‘C’mon Aussie C’mon’, in a much sadder key than seems appropriate. Maybe the weather has him in more of a Chet Baker mood. Hazlewood concedes two with the final delivery and I think I’ll stick to the Mojo original
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55th over: Pakistan 155-4 (Azhar 73, Shafiq 10)
Mitchell Starc hasn’t quite nailed it so far and Shafiq unfurls a lovely cover drive to the first ball of this over, timing it well enough to pick up three, in which the batsmen almost collide. A ball later Azhar picks up two more in the exact same region and Starc is appropriately frustrated with himself. He angles a bouncer towards the face of Shafiq but the batsman employs a Matrix-style backwards lean to avoid being chinned.
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54th over: Pakistan 149-4 (Azhar 70, Shafiq 7)
Shafiq gets started by cannily gliding Hazlewood through gully to pick up three but it’s typically tidy stuff otherwise from the paceman, and he finishes the over with a wholehearted bouncer but Azhar ducks under it without a problem.
Hmm...
Hmm... Let's hope this disappears before it gets to the MCG. pic.twitter.com/nH8ee9zflI
— Glenn Valencich (@glennvalencich) December 26, 2016
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53rd over: Pakistan 146-4 (Azhar 70, Shafiq 4)
Starc does indeed appear now, meaning that if you blinked you’ll have missed Jackson Bird’s spell. The left-armer works his way in as some carollers with a bugle work their way through one of the ropiest renditions of Hark the Herald Angels Sing you’d ever hear. Starc is gingerly working up a rhythm without hitting any great speed but that’s generally the way for him and Azhar cashes in on a juicy half-volley, cracking a crisp drive down the ground for four.
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52nd over: Pakistan 142-4 (Azhar 66, Shafiq 4)
Stranger still for Jackson Bird is the fact that he probably won’t bowl the second over from the member’s end this morning, because Mitchell Starc is likely to pair with Josh Hazlewood. The latter forced Shafiq to play from the outset, homing in on an off stump line and slanting it back in to the right-hander. The burly right-armer has three slips, gully and point, while mid-off and mid-on are both a little closer than regulation for the catching chance.
The crowd is hardly imposing; no more than 3,000 or so would be my guess, but Melburnians do tend to make a leisurely entrance to this Test and many won’t have noted the earlier starting time today. Maiden for Hazlewood.
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51st over: Pakistan 142-4 (Azhar 66, Shafiq 4)
Bird’s first delivery is right on the money and Azhar lets it go through to keeper Matthew Wade. And that is over. A strange start.
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We’re a few moments away from the first ball now
...and it’ll be the last of the 51st over, to be bowled by Jackson Bird. I make that a 19-hour over, which is a reasonable effort. Steve Smith is now leading his men out onto the ground and the Pakistan pair, Azhar and Shafiq, follow soon after. Let’s do this.
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Tell us your Garry stories
I genuinely am intrigued to hear from people who’ve been swept up in “Garry” Lyon fever. Is it the man himself who interests you, or the subtle art of off-spin? Is it ironic or genuine love? I’ll say one thing, it does seem sort of fitting that 220 Test wickets later he’s being made to feel at home by the greater public and not the selectors, who haven’t always been kind to him.
#NiiiiiceGarry #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/PwoZI5YGJl
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 26, 2016
Peak Michael Clarke
Maybe this says something about the company I keep but I’m pretty sure Michael Clarke is my only follow currently tweeting about the Sydney-to-Hobart. In other news, the pitch covers, which were still on a couple of minutes ago, have now been peeled off and we’ll have play in 15 minutes.
That's MASSIVE! @PerpetualLoyal in first place. https://t.co/xHmv86bMh6
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) December 26, 2016
An update on Mark Nicholas
The Channel Nine commentator has been discharged from hospital and wants to return to work, which is a great relief, but he’s been told to stay home and rest.
Preamble
Good morning all and welcome to day two of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, where grey skies have greeted us again. The entire third session of play yesterday was lost to rain but there’s none so far this morning, in which play will start half an hour earlier to make up for lost time.
The forecast today is a humid maximum of 28 degrees but unfortunately the Bureau of Meteorology are pegging the chance of rain at 50%, with a strong chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. My tip: it might be a bit like yesterday and 60 overs of play would be a bonus. We shall see.
It was a decent enough day for the Australian bowlers yesterday but the movement off the pitch suggested Yasir Shah could be a real handful when the home side has a bat, particularly in the fourth innings.
Russell will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s his report from day one at the MCG.
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