Here’s Vic Marks’s report from Old Trafford:
Pakistan rewarded for a bold call at the toss. It couldn’t have been easy for Azhar Ali to bat on a dark morning with the fast bowlers he has at his disposal, but bat first he did. And yes, he was one of the two wickets to fall before lunch - there were always going to be early casualities. But from that point forward, thanks to a combination of Masood’s patience and Babar’s class, it was all Pakistan, the pair adding an unbeaten 96 either side of the four-hour rain delay. They’ve earned their first day honours. And that’ll be it from me today. Thanks for your emails. G’night!
Stumps!
The umpires have abandoned play for the day.
Updated
Bad light stops play
49th over: Pakistan 139-2 (Masood 46, Babar 69) Goodness me that’s lovely batting, Babar dancing at Bess as he did before the rain delay, getting to the pitch of the off-break and plonking him with authority over mid-on for a once-bounce boundary. They’ve now put 96 on for this third wicket. Excellent work on a wet day. And that’s it. The umpires have taken the players off for bad light. It won’t quite be stumps, but I would be very surprised if they are back out there again this evening.
48th over: Pakistan 134-2 (Masood 46, Babar 64) Better from Masood, jumping on the front foot and playing an assertive push to mid-off, calling loudly and racing down the other end. He’s now faced 150 deliveries. Babar’s turn and he leaps on a bad one from Root, down the legside and helped on its way with a compact sweep.
“PS I do hope my now 43 year old son didn’t read that,” adds Geoff Wignall. “His childhood was actually a great joy to me; somehow apparently, he enjoyed it too. Children are very resilient.”
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47th over: Pakistan 127-2 (Masood 45, Babar 58) Missed stumping! Bess gets one to really go with big spin and bounce at Masood who danced at the wrong one. It’s too good for the outside edge and also for the ‘keeper, hitting Buttler on the shoulder, missing his gloves entirely. They’ve never pretty replays for stumpers.
46th over: Pakistan 126-2 (Masood 45, Babar 57) Root is keeping Babar pinned down from around the wicket - that nagging line, angling behind his front pad without a lot of turn. He is able to turn a single around the corner to retain the strike. How long will this continue before they get they give the light meter a spin, I wonder?
45th over: Pakistan 125-2 (Masood 45, Babar 56) That’s another tidy over from Dom Bess, who looks to be growing in confidence through this strange summer. Granted, he was barely required in the Third Test against West Indies (but did make handy runs and execute a run out). I hope they invest in him for the long term.
44th over: Pakistan 124-2 (Masood 45, Babar 55) So, Archer is out of the attack after that consultation with the umpires, Joe Root bringing himself on to bowl off-breaks from around the wicket at Babar with a short leg and a leg slip. Ooh, and the latter catcher is into the game, Babar flicking in the direction of Burns, nearly carrying to him. Masood continues to play with a nice, straight blade. Deserves a half-century.
“Hi Adam.” Hi, Geoff Wignall. “Simon McMahon is, on this occasion, far too doom heavy. The true advice is, 18 years and they’re out of the house - no big deal. (Whether or not you change the locks is entirely optional).” I’ve clearly haven’t been in this parenting caper that long. Because of the Covid lockdown, I suppose, I rarely leave for more than a couple of hours before wanting to get back for a cuddle.
43rd over: Pakistan 123-2 (Masood 45, Babar 54) Bess continues his spell to Babar, working him back the crease to begin with a short leg in there catching. A good response from the right-hander, jumping onto the front foot to take a single to point. Big shout for leg before to Masood from around the wicket, beating the left-hander on the inside edge, but they elect not to review because it didn’t straighten.
A long conversation between the umpires and Root. With it dark at Old Trafford, they aren’t too keen on Archer’s approach there. And here comes the light meter. It goes straight into Richard Kettleborough’s pocket for the time being. Per Michael Holding on comms, England made a rod for their own back there by telegraphing Archer’s short-pitched attack with a number of men catching on the legside.
42nd over: Pakistan 122-2 (Masood 45, Babar 53) Archer isn’t mucking around with his legside attack, bouncing him twice in a hurry. The second short one is right on the money, spooned away down to fine leg. There’s nothing fun about this. Masood pushes out to cover, ‘no run there!’ he calls. I’m a big Masood fan. From memory, he’s been dropped about nine times in seven years but he’s finally getting a bit of a consistent run in the XI of late. Oooh, another rapid bouncer to finish, the left-hander doing well to duck underneath it. After four hours, the end of his over.
Updated
The players are back on the field! At last. Archer has five balls to complete his over with Pakistan 121-2. He’s bowling at Babar, who is on 52. He’s put on 78 with Masood, who is on 45 from 134 balls. I see catchers all over the legside. PLAY!
“Afternoon Adam.” And to you, Kim Thonger. “I’d like to propose a Test match in Tromso against Norway. It could be a 24 hour affair as the sun never sets and so presumably there’s never bad light. Monty Don was waxing lyrical about it in his around the world in 80 gardens thingy on BBC IPlayer archive. I assume Monty is a cricketer, and very likely a wicketkeeper, as his crumpled trousers always look as though he’s had his pads on for the previous 8 hours.”
Give it an hour and I’ll be ranting about bad light again... with my solution!
John Starbuck on Rob Wilson’s earlier note. “Re-reading my way through Robert Rankin books I’m on ‘Waiting for Godalming’; just as I read the OBO bit about Northern Irish as baby talk, I came upon a reference by Greek barber Stravino, saying ‘all that gurgling that they do. That’s not gurgling. That’s an ancestral tongue. You have to keep babies apart, you can’t let them chat, there’s no telling what they might plot among themselves.’ Coincidence indeed.”
And Nick Hailstone wants to poop my party. “As a father of now 33 year old twin sons I have to mention regarding your comment about having two grandfathers who are twins - the hereditary chance of you having twins is zero as the necessary requirements are for multiple eggs ( fraternal ) or for an egg to divide ( identical ) which passes via your partner’s family. Not to say you could not have twins though but your grandfathers would have no influence.”
My partner will be thrilled to read this.
“I almost got away with an afternoon’s TMS here (Swedes aren’t really up with cricket) last summer,” writes Julian Menz. “I fooled the in-laws (ear-phones, important meeting updates) for a while, until dear daughter Molly decided she wasn’t going to go along with dad’s bluff any longer, removed my ear-phones, and shouted ”pappa lystnar på cricket!”. Well, at least she knows the difference between cricket and croquet. It’s a start.”
I just had Winnie on my lap watching the 1992 World Cup doco on Sky for a few minutes. She kept reaching at England uniforms - good early fashion sense, there.
Interesting maths. 23 overs into 75 minutes; that’s not how they usually do it. It would normally be 15 overs per hour, so 19 overs in 75 minutes. You could conclude that this is commonsense at play, knowing they have until 7:30pm. Fair enough.
5:45pm re-start!
22.5 overs remaining. Scheduled close of play 7pm.
As promised. This is a very good use of a rain delay.
They did this first attempt... ⚽️😉
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 5, 2020
Match Centre: https://t.co/WLcJsk1Ddh#ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/Ih4Rilvjz2
A lot of criticism from those at Old Trafford about the subsequent inspection. Indeed, the tweets are as one on this point.
Bright sunshine at Old Trafford and puddles mopped up. Why another inspection at 5.30? Just say play at 5.30 if no further rain
— Chris Stocks (@StocksC_cricket) August 5, 2020
Covers off, not rained for an hour and yet the next inspection is not for another 20 minutes. Should be playing now.
— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket) August 5, 2020
When is Test cricket going to change !!!!!! Conditions don’t need to be perfect .... Get on with it .... #ENGvPAK
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 5, 2020
And while I’m here, a note from Simon McMahon: “I had tickets for the Eng v Aus T20 game at Old Trafford at the start of July. I’ve been told they will be transferred to next years game against Pakistan, so fair play to them. Hopefully I’ll be able to go. On the parenting front, the ‘best’ piece of advice I ever received was on the birth of my first daughter, when a friend, who obviously knew something, told me ‘the first thirty years are the hardest’. Good luck!” So far, so good...
Another inspection at 5:30pm
It must be pretty wet out there. Meanwhile, brilliant keepy-uppy work from the England team. Sky Cricket will surely post that on their social media feeds - I’ll drop it in here when they do. Most impressive all-round sportspeople, this lot.
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Pete Salmon has an idea. And it’s a good one. “Good to see so many dads offering tips Winnie raiding. Wondering if there might be a gap in the market for an OBO baby wrangling book. My go-to manual at the time was Kaz Cooke’s ‘Up the Duff’ which was great, but very little information on how to juggle child rearing and simultaneously watching, listening to and reading about a match in progress. Absolutely nothing on Jos Buttler, where Woakes should bat, Andre the Giant (callback!) or how to transition from peas porridge to cucumber sandwiches. Any time in your schedule to make this happen?”
I realised when making Calling the Shots that I have to be careful what I add to my dancecard when trying to make a living as a freelance journalist! But, as David Brent said, a good idea is a good idea... forever. So, maybe one for down the track.
Jeremy Nash has two pieces of weaning advice: “laminate flooring, and a dog.” Believe me when I say, every day I slowly build the case for the latter. One day.
If you have access to this Sky Cricket series on Pakistan, it’s well worth your time.
➡️ Out of Exile: the lost generation ⬅️
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 5, 2020
In part 1⃣ of our new feature @athersmike investigates the economic, cultural and sporting impact on Pakistan cricket of the 2009 terrorist attacks in Lahore. 🇵🇰
📌 Watch in full On Demand or here: https://t.co/dDl44RqJxX
A rain-app recommendation! Every cricketer loves one of those. David Keech in Ohio, take it away. “I use a great site raintoday.co.uk to see what the weather is doing during cricket matches. It has good radar and tells you how it will change over the next couple of hours. I am in the USA and it frustrates me that often I know more about what is happening with the weather than the commentators on TMS. Highly recommend this site from anywhere in the world.”
The good news from there: it says there’s 9 per cent chance of rain at 6pm. The bad: that number swells to 65% by 7pm. So, maybe we’ll get one hour rather than two.
“Now on to the serious stuff,” emails Digvijay Yadav. “Who will she support when she’s grown up?” Well, she was a Hawthorn member from the day she was born - that was a non-negotiable. And her first day at the other football was going to be a Dulwich Hamlet home game the day she turned one month, but, yes, Corona. Her grandmother has knitted her brilliant Hawthorn and Dulwich kits.
Also, a note from Matt Fordham. “I was supposed to be taking my sons (8 and 12) to this test at the weekend. Real shame we can’t go, given it’s already looking like a good test and (by then) good weather. We’ve been offered tickets for the corresponding day against India next summer. I don’t know what other grounds are doing but this seems a reasonable deal to me.”
I saw The Oval did something similar. Good form in tough financial circumstances.
Inspection at 5pm
So, maybe 5:30pm for the re-start? That’ll mean two hours before stumps. And by two hours, I mean 90 minutes (23 overs) plus the extra half an hour to get them in.
Not just dry but sunny at Old Trafford, would you believe.
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) August 5, 2020
“Adam.” Hi, Andrew Benton. “Are you still in the bubble in the Bowl? Are they letting you out to see your family?” It worked really well for written press, we were allowed to come and go for each day. Broadcasters, in a closer bubble to the players, had to stay at the ground for the last week or so. But all finished for now. I’ll be in the county cricket equivalent from Saturday, calling the Middlesex home games.
Better news from Old Trafford. The rain has stopped and the big covers are coming off. It’ll take them a while to clean up the surface but we’re on the right track.
“Hi Adam, really lovely to hear you’re weaning your firstborn.” Thanks, Rob Glossop - it’s a joy. “Extensive metre-age of plastic sheeting definitely a good idea. I still remember the Exorcist-like moment when we tried to introduce mushed leek to my daughter’s diet. 360° batting wagon wheel. Given that she was spoonfed in a highchair, I’ve still no idea how she managed so many shots past the slip cordon or the into-the-stands scoop shot. Cheers, and good luck.”
Given the enthusiastic way I eat, I won’t judge her if/when it does go this way.
As for Ben Mimmack, he keeps it simple. “Two words: pureed prunes.” Noted!
“Congratulations!” Cheers, George Brown. “You and I are at similar stages of parenthood. My twins (!) are now 7 months and have taken to “human food” with gusto. Further to Guy Hornsby’s suggestion of floor mat, can I also recommend fishing waders or a waterproof boilersuit for the spoon-handler? My little lad has taken to blowing bubbles with his mush, and has a surprisingly good range. Keep up the good work!”
Twins! Lovely! Congratulations to you. Both of my grandfathers were identical twins so we convinced ourselves that this was our fate. Maybe (probably) next time.
|Another word for ‘washable floor mat’ (Hornsby) or ‘giant plastic sheets’ (you), is a tiled floor (two words, actually). Add ‘mop’ and ‘bucket’ to make four words.” Romeo, we are one step ahead of you: we went for just this is our kitchen last year.
Last one on this for now, from the ever-reliable Ian Forth. “When my firstborn arrived Coventry (my team) had just miraculously escaped relegation. Tony Blair was the new Prime Minister (then a ‘good thing’). The sun was out. It was the best of times. His debut test was England hammering Australia in the first of the 1997 series. The world seemed a joyous place! I hope the omens are similarly aligned in your life, Adam. Maybe for you the good times will last longer than it did for England in the next four tests.”
Our first cricket experience was an interesting one. I was scheduled to do the OBO that glorious afternoon but, well, Winnie was born. Tim picked up the shift for me - what a guy. We were watching along and reading the OBO (where her birth was announced) before having to make a trip the sickbay, which lasted for 48 hours!
The weather at Old Trafford is "signifcantly worse"
The assessment of Ian Ward on Sky. Yep, the pictures from the middle are grim.
“Bum,” replies Rob Wilson. “Very sorry to miss out on squeezing opportunities (and showing off my Obama-level baby-wrangling skills). It’s been a remarkably baby-free year (which is maybe really why we’re all geeking out on Aaron Rupar’s baby-heavy anti-Trump Twitter feed). You don’t actually realise how necessary it is till it’s gone. The only sprog I have current access to - a Turkish/Belgian 2 and a half year old - has taken out a restraining order against me because he likes that velcro ball-bat game way, way less than I’d been hoping. I’d been taking evening lessons and everything.”
Winnie has learned to pick up and throw one of her toys so she will like your game - hold onto it for me. I reckon she’ll be a pesky wicketkeeper. She has a British passport and her Australian one will be sorted before we go back for the Australia v Afghanistan Test then the Border-Gavaskar series later in the year.
Updated
It’s still unpleasant and wet at Old Trafford. So says my man Will Macpherson, formerly of the OBO parish. I assume we’re now into the tea inverval. Sigh.
“Shame about the weather today,” writes Peter Rowntree, “especially as the cricket played so far has been very interesting. Watching the international weather forecast here last night, they were talking about a gradual improvement moving to the weekend for Western Europe, with hot weather forecast for this weekend. So, let’s hope this is true, and that we generally get drier weather over the next few days.”
I’m genuinely encouraged by that. Better some international forecasting than ‘local knowledge.’ As I’ve ranted at various cricket grounds, just because someone has lived somewhere for a long time does not make them a meteorologist.
“Back to the subject of wicketkeepers again, I have also read reports that the Gloucestershire player, James Bracey is also very much in the selectors’ thoughts - he’s a good young cricketer and it never hurts to have plenty of competition for places.” You’re right: they like him, a lot. Consider him Generation Next.
“Daddy Collins.” Rob Wilson. “A seamlessly successful puréed carrot debut? Good areas. Now you can begin to force-feed her Tolstoy in Russian, Horace in Latin and Aeschylus in Lithuanian (just for the yuks). I also recommend you find a Northern Irish babysitter to help you decipher her early oralisations (technical term). Young parents commonly fail to understand that small babies are actually speaking fairly fluent English - just in an unusually impenetrable Ballymena accent.”
I didn’t tell you at the time, but we had Eurostar bookings for the week after easter, which would have given you a chance for a squeeze. But... Covid, innit. Next year.
I'm right with you in the cricket/OBO/new dad nexus @collinsadam. With a nearly-3 year old those days seem an ancient. Also heavily recommend finding a washable floor mat, as the ability for food to be flung to cow corner is incredible, like a mini Jason Roy, spoon/bat in hand.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) August 5, 2020
We’ve been advised to go one step further with several giant plastic sheets. I’m picturing the covers when the rain falls at a Sri Lankan cricket ground.
I assume many of us watched that Sky Cricket bit on Pakistan? Athers has done a fantastic job over there. Sadly, I suspect there’s a greater chance of me walking on the moon than the Australian team scheduling a visit there this decade.
Thanks @Athersmike for name checking the SL team's bus driver Mohammad Khalil - a man who the entire cricketing world should know about. #Hero
— Tasneem-Summer Khan (@summeryael) August 5, 2020
Interesting (or maybe not that interesting considering his form in PSL) that the Pakistani lads interviewed by Athers in that Sky Sports doco immediately cite Alex Hales as their fave overseas player. One man’s hero lah-de-dah. #ENGvPAK
— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) August 5, 2020
“Adam.” John Starbuck. “Hi. The dropping of a wicketkeeper certainly is awkward. Think back to how Matt Prior went and the fluctuating fortunes of Jonny Bairstow. It could be that the ‘keeper considers him/herself the most important part of the team and hence has a really heavy sense of responsibility, making them even more reluctant to give up. When was the last time an England ‘keeper retired willingly?”
It’s interesting hearing Justin Langer discuss Tim Paine. His formulation is his captain’s main job is to wicketkeep and make things happen with the gloves that wouldn’t happen with an inferior stumper. Runs, as he sees it, are a bonus. A touch old-school, sure, but I can definitely see where he is coming from.
“Hi @collinsadam.” Gary Naylor, a man I’ve missed spending press box time with this summer. “I used to mushify everything we ate in an electric coffee grinder and use it as baby food. We knew it was vegetarian and, if you froze it in those plastic containers that the Asian takeaways use for chutney, you can have a week’s worth available at all times.”
Yep, that’s the plan at this end, too. She had fun sucking on a cucumber last night, devoured the carrot puree and seemed to be okay with the mushy banana we started the process with. We’re vegetarian, so we’ll follow your method.
“Hi Adam.” Hello, John the Vegan Chef! “Love the OBO - keep up the great work - it can be truly weird which appeals to me greatly. I have a theory that the ECB has “Kompromat” of some kind on Ben Foakes - why else would Bairstow and Buttler be ahead of him for selection ?? - Its the only answer that makes sense.”
Don’t get me wrong, Ben Foakes is a gun and the case for him to play at the moment is a robust one. However, he picked a bad time for a poor season in 2019. I noticed (well, a spy noticed for me) that Foakes was neatly gloving everything in the background of Buttler’s pre-Test interview on Sky Cricket this morning.
“Hi Adam.” Marcus Steven in Seoul, one of my favourite cities, hello to you. “I stayed up as late as possible with your OBO coverage of Eng v Ire last night - one Guardian page open on my mac, and another with Wiki’s “Glossary of Cricket Terms” up for quick reference (I’m new to this). I have to say I was really happy with your Mark E. Smith reference... it felt like someone had opened a door to me and let me in. Really looking forward to this test, the lists, and the oddities.”
Yes, we had a lot of fun yesterday. It was Rob on the tools through the second stanza, though, driving Ireland to their famous win. Down my end of the press box, we weren’t exactly professional, cheering every Kevin O’Brien run. What a guy.
“Afternoon Adam.” And to you, Digvijay Yadav. “On the issue of wicketkeepers, I think they are often the toughest to drop. There is an element of sentimentality about it, considering they are often the heart beat of the team (maybe a cliche). Think Healy was kept for about a season too long and even when the cull did come, it wasn’t the cleanest of executions.”
Yes, that was especially ugly. For years after (even now) it became a bit of a myth that Healy was cut short just before reaching his 100th Test. In fact, he played 119!
On when Tests became Tests? Here’s Billy Mills. “Following on from Tam Watson, searching the archive shows that Test cricket was definitely a thing by the 1895 tour of Australia. Here’s a search. And Wikipedia have this handy image.
On this very topic, I direct you to Jarrod Kimber’s brilliant new podcast series on the history of cricket. He devoted the first episode to the origins of Test ‘status’.
Something wholesome early in my stint? Noticing that it was raining, my partner just called me into the kitchen so that I could have my first attempt at feeding our baby some solid food - pureed carrot. She tried (and liked) it for the first time last night when I was away working on the England/Ireland ODI. Brave new world.
Updated
Guess what? I’ve arrived to an inbox full of emails about Jos Buttler after that dropped catch. “I hate to jump on the jumpiest of jumpable band wagons,” says Neil Dobson, “but can we please have Foakes in as wicketkeeper? I’m not sure how many runs that will cost us, but my guess is about a hundred million. I respect the tendency towards loyalty but I just think this is Buttleritical Correctness gone mad.”
Ian Ward says that the radar they are working off shows the rain to not be quite as bad as thought for this afternoon. Of course, they can play until 7:30pm local time.
It doesn’t appear to be heavy rain, but the umbrellas are up. Very dark too, according to Athers on the telly. A wonderful hour and a quarter for Pakistan.
Rain stops play
I’m sorry.
Babar Azam to 50!
41st over: Pakistan 119-2 (Masood 45, Babar 50) Nice flight from Bess, beating Masood’s inside edge; they take the leg bye. Ohh, Babar! Stop it! He dances at Bess before clobbering him over midwicket with complete contempt, one bounce, over the rope. Glorious. Using his feet to push the next ball to cover, he takes a single to move to 50! Just 70 deliveries to reach that mark. What a dreamy cricketer he is. 00
Updated
38th over: Pakistan 113-2 (Babar Azam 45; Shan Masood 45) Babar looks at a short ball from Archer outside off stump and cuts it, majestically. Don’t go anywhere, this is getting good. The players pause for drinks and I hand over to my colleague Adam Collins. Thanks very much for all the company and emails - bye!
37th over: Pakistan 109-2 (Babar Azam 41; Shan Masood 45) The last ball of Bess’s over spits out of the pitch and bounces just past the outside edge of Masood’s bat - NO! it skims the outside edge - where Buttler fumbles behind the stumps. Buttler adjusts his cap and looks abashed. A chance.
Updated
36th over: Pakistan 104-2 (Babar Azam 39; Shan Masood 42) Full toss, square leg, boom. Masood dispatches Archer for four.
“When,” asks Azhar Saeed Butt, “was the last time a team played 2 leg spinners in a test? Perhaps Warne and McGill...”
Updated
36th over: Pakistan 100-2 (Babar Azam 39; Shan Masood 38) Babar Azam brings up the Pakistan hundred, and overtakes Masood with a square drive, knees just so: boundary. He’d already unleashed, no that’s a too vulgar, embroidered, a cover drive earlier in the over for another four.
Updated
35th over: Pakistan 90-2 (Babar Azam 30; Shan Masood 37) Babar drives - makes it look so easy - Archer’s first ball for four. Style and grace. And so the score ticks on.
Detective Derek Stocker: “TMS commentary. Bess spins himself a catch, licks his fingers and runs in.Is that a whoops moment?”
If so... yes! I’ll keep my eye on it.
34th over: Pakistan 85-2 (Babar Azam 25; Shan Masood 37) “An English off-spinner bowling to a set Pakistani top order on the first day of a Test in England. It’s not gonna end well,” grumbles Richard Holmes. Richard, Richard, look, here’s a Bess maiden for you. Let’s give him time.
33rd over: Pakistan 85-2 (Babar Azam 25; Shan Masood 37) Perhaps for surprise value, Broad releases a short fat full toss which Azam punch-drives for four. He dead-bats the rest of the over.
I knew it! Romeo, this is for you.
To help Romeo answer his question I’d recommend the British Newspaper Archive, a paid service from the British Library that can be searched for free,” writes Tam Watson.
“For example, an edition of the Derby Mercury from Wednesday 10th December 1873 quotes Wisden 1874 as saying:“Derbyshire played a Colts’ match, a test match between the North and South of the shire...”
Which suggests to me the phrase was in currency at the time for a big occasion if not for full internationals.”
Updated
32nd over: Pakistan 81-2 (Babar Azam 21; Shan Masood 37) Enough Jimmy! Root turns to spin and the lesser-bowled Dom Bess. He pitches the first few outside off stump and they go through for a couple off an over that didn’t probe particularly.
32nd over: Pakistan 79-2 (Babar Azam 20; Shan Masood 36) After immaculately playing out Broad’s over, Masood, clad in a short sleeved jumper, shuffle-flicks a short one to square leg. Four. Rattling along nicely here for Pakistan.
31st over: Pakistan 74-2 (Babar Azam 20; Shan Masood 31) A back foot four from Babar, beautiful balance, an extra-cover caress. Anderson, already pissed off by a no-ball called earlier in the over by the third umpire unleashes one of his hardest stares. Time for a bowling change?
“ Afternoon Tanya Fascinating morning’s play, but we can’t get Azam’s wicket quickly enough. Not because I’m a chauvanistic Englishman, but because I’ve got the Beach Boys stuck in my head and need it gone.”
Martin Whitaker you’re not the only one. Over to you, Brian Withington:
“In the spirit of injecting unnecessary razzmatazz into the great red ball game, there is always the option of walk on music to accompany batsmen to the crease. Babar Azam could of course ear-worm his way in to the Beach Boys’ Barbara Ann,”
30th over: Pakistan 69-2 (Babar Azam 16; Shan Masood 31) Clouds bulking ominously above the Old Trafford Point. Broad saves the best ball of his maiden till last, pitching long and squeaking past the pushing bat of Masood.
Updated
29th over: Pakistan 69-2 (Babar Azam 16; Shan Masood 31) Anderson drifts towards Babar Azam’s legs - big mistake. He pings it with a flick to the square leg boundary. A couple more come through midwicket. Broad and Anderson are proving less potent after lunch than Woakes and Archer were before.
Updated
28th over: Pakistan 63-2 (Babar Azam 10; Shan Masood 31) Masood pushes a short one from Broad and kisses it for four down past point.
I’m in love with the Pakistan tracksuit tops. Orange-gold arms and upper torso, pine lower torso. A good handful of the squad team walk round the the boundary to the Old Trafford nets.
27th over: Pakistan 58-2 (Babar Azam 9; Shan Masood 27) Barbar Azam, neat beard and moustache visible through his helmet, short sleeved shirt, clops leg-side Anderson slop for four to the fine leg boundary; then nips a less assured squirty single.
26th over: Pakistan 53-2 (Babar Azam 4; Shan Masood 27) Masood plays and misses at Broad’s first ball after lunch, and Broad varies long then short throughout the over.
We have a first-hand witness: “I’m a long time OBO reader, first time contributor,” taps Gina.“I was in that 2019 CWC Opening Ceremony (on the far left in the Viv Richards photo) and can confirm that not only was Chris Hughes present, but also that he is a very useful batsman, as one of his cover drives hit me hard on the knee at close range. Oh, and England (CH and KP) won that game of street cricket, a portent of the CWC itself!”
“Is it my imagination or have there been fewer than usual bowled wickets this summer by England? asks Richard Mansell. “Lots of catches and LBWs, very few clean bowled. Actually, looking through the WI scorecards England took two wickets by clean bowling every innings in the first two Tests (usually near the tail), and just one in the third. The Windies (Roach and Gabriel in particular) got more wickets by clean bowling.”
“What is the average per innings of wickets falling from being bowled? And has this changed over time? Does it vary between teams (batting and bowling)?”
A quick google isn’t helping me. I know I’ve read this somewhere - perhaps in Tim de Lisle’s Young Wisden. It makes sense that there must be variations according to team and conditions and probably era. I’m nominating Wasim and Waqar for a high percentage of wickets clean bowled.
Updated
Thanks for all the emails and sorry not to have got to them all.
Romeo writes with the sort of question that an OBO reader will answer.
I have a question for owners of the 1877 and 1878 editions of Wisden and also the guardians of The Guardian’s archive. Is there any reference in either to ‘Test Match’ in relation to the matches played in what is now described as the first Test series?
Bill Frindall said in 2001 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_talk/1723724.stm) that “The phrase ‘test match’ was coined in 1861-62 during the very first cricket tour of Australia. The contests between HH Stephenson’s English team and each of the Australian colonies were described as ‘test matches’.
The Brisbane Courier of 5 March 1877 doesn’t use the word ‘test’ but refers to ‘the international match’.
Basic question is when did it become a common term.
Fascinating chat between Wasim Khan, ex-Chance to Shine and Leicestershire, now PCB chairman, and Mike Atherton. Wasim says England (who haven’t toured since 2005) are due to come in 2022 but he is hoping they might come for a short tour before. Says it is difficult for Pakistan to dispute the perception that the country is unsafe. Their best spokespeople have come from the 35 overseas players who played in the PSL. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka the only countries so far to have toured since the country re-opened.
To put your collective minds at rest before lunch, news on Chris Hughes.
Afternoon Tanya, afternoon everyone, writes Andrew Cosgrove.
I am sitting in sun-kissed South London bewildered by the concept of rain stopped play.What I like most about that wikipedia page about the world cup opening party is that of all the celebrities listed, Chris Hughes is the only one without a link through to a wikipedia page. Not even wikipedia knows who he is.
But what’s this? The investigative skills of Darrien Bold, “In answer to Peter Haining, “TV personality” Chris Hughes actually plays cricket to a decent level. I think he is a bits and pieces player, not quite good enough to get into the Opening Ceremony side as a cricketer or as a famous person. Reminiscent of the selection policy that brought us the likes of Mark Ealham and Vince Wells in the 1990s.”
I’m just going to grab a sandwich for fortification after that intriguing opening session. Back in 10 mins!
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Lunch
25th over: Pakistan 53-2 (Babar Azam 4; Shan Masood 27) Woakes the smiling assassin, w0bbling the seam. Barbar is turned round by a beauty that nips off the pitch past his outside edge. Tremendous bowling by Woakes - no discernible relief for the Pakistan batsmen when Broad-Anderson were exchanged for Woakes-Archer. First blood to England as they go off for lunch.
24th over: Pakistan 51-2 (Babar Azam 2; Shan Masood 27) Another spicy over from Archer but Babar safely negotiates the penultimate over before lunch.
23rd over: Pakistan 50-2 (Babar Azam 1; Shan Masood 27) And with a cry, Babar gets off the mark with shove to the covers. Earlier in the over Root had considered reviewing a Woakes LBW shout - his indecision was right as it pitched outside.
Thank you Tim!
#ENGvPAK Got to feel for Abid Ali. His Test average has just gone below 100 for the first time @tjaldred https://t.co/lwAfpFg8jy
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) August 5, 2020
22nd over: Pakistan 48-2 (Babar Azam 0; Shan Masood 26) A maiden as Archer eases silkily to the crease. Azam has gone 14 balls without scoring.
“All this talk of ceremonial celebrity cricketers took my mind elsewhere. In the era of modern television, the first suggestion for any idea is “is there a way of making this into a reality show that people claim to watch ironically, but in fact enjoy begrudgingly while slowly fostering a deep-seated sense of self-loathing”. writes Adam Giles. “As such, I propose a show somewhere between “I’m a celeb” and the film “Predator”. Kidnap a bunch of C-listers, drop them into village recreation ground in some drab, backwater Yorkshire township (I’m thinking Chapel-en-le-Frith), give them two days of coaching from a resident veteran (referred to as “Big Dave” despite the ~9% chance that his name is not in fact “Big Dave”) followed by a match between two arbitrarily formed sides. Losing team of celebs have to stay and await the next 11 celebs arriving. The thought of Michael Buble spending the rest of his days bowling 10-ball overs of half-track pies away from mainstream society, rather than continuing to murder Christmas songs, has already given me far too much joy.”
I like it, though Chapel en le Frithers will point out that the “capital of the peak” is in Derbyshire. Beautiful but bleak.
21st overs: Pakistan 48-2 (Babar Azam 0; Shan Masood 26) Another streaky four for Masood, the ball screaming off the edge to brush the diving Sibley’s fingertips. An lbw appeal dies on Woakes’ lips. Excellent bowling.
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20 overs: Pakistan 44-2 (Babar Azam 0; Shan Masood 22) Archer has the wind behind him today, angels at his feet, nippy, aggressive, varying his length.
Peter Haining, meanwhile, has his head in his hands
“It’s there on wikipedia,” says Peter Haining with his head in his hands.
“TV personality Chris Hughes? Is he? was he? Who?
And Malala. I don’t even try to understand.”
With the rain break the scheduled close is 6.08pm.
19 overs: Pakistan 44-2 (Babar Azam 0; Shan Masood 22) Pakistan’s big hope walks to the crease and is greeted by a first-ball snorter from Woakes which is full and rises to within a sneeze - a hiccup - of off stump. In his last five Tests, Babar has scored four centuries.
WICKET! Azhar Ali lbw Woakes 0
The Pakistan captain goes for a duck - but not before reviewing - unsuccessfully. A full ball that would have cannoned into the stumps.
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18 overs: Pakistan 43-1 (Azhar Ali 0; Shan Masood 18) Sky run a three-way split screen on Archer showing him in his delivery stride - one of the balls is full, the other two short. There is no discernible way of knowing which is the short one - what a nightmare for batsmen. Warnie get it though - whatever his faults, his cricketing brain is immaculate. Another superb over by Archer; just a four from Masood who gets an invisible touch and sends the ball flying through gully.
17 overs: Pakistan 39-1 (Azhar Ali 0; Shan Masood 18) An excellent stop by Buttler behind the stumps as the ball seems to drop without warning. Three to Masood. And so we go on.
John Sharp would like to add a slight twist to the bowl out.
I like Mr Copestake’s idea but would prefer it if Mr Cummings was the facing batsman during the ceremonial opening ball. Dom could be reassured he wouldn’t need all the protective kit because it would only be a gentle opener from, say, a local PHE Director. Then ask Dr Steyn (whose post Cricket career in Public Health is now revealed) to bowl him a livener. I think that would be popular.
16 overs: Pakistan 36-1 (Azhar Ali 0; Shan Masood 15) The players stroll back on after that short break and Archer finishes his over with two dots.
The first pitch idea is worth considering @tjaldred, but I think Steve Harmison came up with the idea first in Brisbane in 2006.
— Ed Round 🔶🇪🇺🏴 (@EdMRound) August 5, 2020
Boom Boom!
Rain stopped play
15.4 overs: Pakistan 36-1 (Azhar Ali 0; Shan Masood 15) The rain starts to fall after the Pakistan captain has faced three balls. Hover cover, no sheets. That was a lip-smacking ball by Archer, who has mixed up his deliveries this morning. After softening Ali up with a couple of bouncers at the end of his last over, this was on a length, Ali shuffled towards it a bit late and the ball shuttled into his off stump. Ping.
“Afternoon Tanya, afternoon everyone,” writes Michael Avery.
“I really enjoyed the wide range of people involved in the opening ceremony for the 2019 World Cup. In one part of the ceremony every country brought along a celebrity to represent them in a cricket match, and whilst England chose someone from Love Island whose name escapes me Pakistan went for Noble Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai (no, really, Malala Yousafzai). It definitely had the feel of something that hadn’t been discussed beforehand.”
That can’t be true. Surely that can’t be true...
WICKET! Abid Ali b Archer 16
Castled! Full and stumps splayed.
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15th over: Pakistan 35-0 (Abid Ali 16; Shan Masood 15) An excellent first hour here from Pakistan who have safely negociated 14 overs of dissecting bowling from Broad and Anderson, and now Woakes and Archer. England’s batsmen will be delighted to hear that the pitch is so dry that foot holes are already developing for the Pakistan spinners to exploit. A couple of singles off Woakes’ over.
14th over: Pakistan 34-0 (Abid Ali 15; Shan Masood 14) The bowling knitting committee of Broad and Anderson consult at the top of Archer’s mark as he prepares to bowl his first over. Archer has had a hair do -neat zig zags shaved into his scalp. We wait four balls, the fifth is a bouncer on an immaculate line that would have removed Ali’s head had he not bent his knees and fallen like a foal to the ground. A slightly less potent bouncer follows. The rain, by the way, has stopped.
“Harkarn Sumal suggests a grand way to liven up this English summer day,” taps Ian Copestake. “I would like to involve fielding positions as part of the opening ceremonial and, if his eyes are up to it, invite Dominic Cummings to try long-off but with a freedom to wander to the boundary if and when it suits him..”
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13th over: Pakistan 32-0 (Abid Ali 14; Shan Masood 13) The rain starts to fall, and the groundstaff sprint into readiness. But they stay on as as Woakes sends down another accurate maiden.
12th over: Pakistan 32-0 (Abid Ali 14; Shan Masood 13) Broad is given another over, challenging, but Ali is up to the task and knocks a quick single from the last ball .
Harkarn, not quite Diana Ross, but I give you model Caprice and TV presenter Anneka Rice who were excruciatingly persuaded into promoting the 1999 World Cup held in England. Rice admitted in her first interview that she found the game boring.
11th over: Pakistan 30-0 (Abid Ali 13; Shan Masood 12)The first bowling change of the day as Chris Woakes (black headband, full beard) replaces Jimmy Anderson (just-so hair, designer stubble). A maiden.
Harkarn Sumal has been thinking:
As The Hundred has been postponed for a year, it gives us the chance to think of new and enterprising ways of ruining cricket in the meantime. I’ve been applying a good deal of though to this, and one innovation that we could import and cannibalise from our cousins across the pond is an equivalent of baseball’s “ceremonial first pitch”.
It’s a top-drawer low-brow bit of pantomime buffoonery, which could be inserted before play at every level of the professional game. So the match sponsor (e.g. the owner of the local bakery or carpet warehouse) turning up and turning their arm over for one delivery one week at a county or T20 game, a local first-round ejectee from a Saturday night shiny-floor singing contest show or the mayor doing so for the Hundred, right up to an appropriate dignitary for the international stuff. You know the drill; Christopher Biggins lobbing up an off-break for a T20 international, George Osborne getting pelters from the crowd for his inswinger that surreptitiously moves away to the right prior to an ODI, and the likes of Joanna Lumley being wheeled out to do the honours for a test match.
The more shambolic the better. Think Diana Ross attempting a penalty at the 1994 World Cup.
Suggestions of celeb&format combos are welcomed from your other reader!
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10th over: Pakistan 29-0 (Abid Ali 12; Shan Masood 12) Ali plays a ball into his stomach, which bounces on the ground and Broad, to the bewilderment of the watching Buttler, charges in and left-foots the ball just wide of the stumps. Meanwhile Ollie Pope dons the helmet at short leg.
“Interesting that England have listed Broad above Archer on their teamsheet” ponders Richard O’Hagan. “Entirely justified on recent performances, it’s been almost as good to see Broad getting his batting mojo back as it has been to see him bowl.”
Good spot and absolutely deserved. I imagine that Broad has taken his slip down the batting order entirely in his stride.
9th over: Pakistan 27-0 (Abid Ali 11; Shan Masood 11) Consecutive fours off Anderson as Ali first turns a loose ball off his pads down to the boundary, then flays one through gully and just over the fingertips of the diving Burns.
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8th over: Pakistan 18-0 (Abid Ali 3; Shan Masood 10) Under the stern Old Trafford floodlights, Broad continues from the Brian Staham End, shiny red orb gripped just-so in his hand. Ali plays out the over nicely until the last ball which he eyes up, drives flamboyantly and gets an inside edge onto his pad.
Re your remarks on Rory Burns @tjaldred, a friend of mine at school enjoyed a generous olfactory capacity and would refer to his going through life wearing "a false nose and glasses". Were Rory to don some specs, he would be rocking that same look. Very Tintin villainish.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) August 5, 2020
7th over: Pakistan 18-0 (Abid Ali 3; Shan Masood 10) Masood continues to irritate Anderson with a thick edge through the slips to the boundary. Jimmy neighs and pounds the grass with his feet.
6th over: Pakistan 13-0 (Abid Ali 2; Shan Masood 6) It is one long sleeved jumper weather out there. Masood cuts Broad at head height, turning the wrists to send the ball past point for four. Pakistan’s first boundary of the day.
“Morning Tanya,” writes Ian in sunny Turkey, “really looking forward to this series against Pakistan. It will be a great test for both teams, with their strong bowling line ups and still unpredictable batting line ups especially for Pakistan in English conditions, we shall see how the new sensation Babar copes with the moving ball both through the air and off the pitch especially against the rejuvenated Broad and Joe Root and Buttler are due for big scores anytime soon. I just hope my internet doesn’t crash.”
5th over: Pakistan 8-0 (Abid Ali 1; Shan Masood 2) An inside edge squeaks off Masood’s bat in a not completely controlled way. Anderson’s next ball squares up Ali. He’s on the money.
Rory Burns not only hasn’t had a haircut but is wearing the kind of beard you might purchase for a Christmas stocking.
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4th over: Pakistan 7-0 (Abid Ali 1; Shan Masood 1) A haphazard leg-bye, but no runs from Broad’s second over to the empty stadium
“I was interested to hear Nassar Hussain’s opinion that Babar Azam has been scoring heavily since he started to play the ball more under his nose.” types Steve Hudson, “The impressively-beconked Nassar always found this particularly easy, so he knows what he’s talking about.” As the owner of a sizeable conk myself, I’ve always had time for Nasser’s noble nose.
3rd over: Pakistan 6-0 (Abid Ali 1; Shan Masood 1) Masood is twice beaten outside the off stump by Anderson, this feels a bit like a matter of time. I hope I’m wrong
Here are Gary Naylor’s talking points from the first round of the Bob Willis Trophy. Such an exciting day’s cricket yesterday - four nail-biters and giant killing by Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Middlesex and Worcestershire.
2nd over: Pakistan 2-0 (Abid Ali 1; Shan Masood 1) Pakistan nip a couple of quick singles off Broad’s over. Nasser points out the difficulty Masood had leaving the ball last time he was in England. Watch and wait.
“Really looking forward to this series, not just to see Pakistan’s bowling,” taps Toby Sims, “but also very importantly, the team lockdown haircut competition...”
Root, I don’t think, has hit the barbers. Broad is still in his white bandana with wild locks. I think Stokes has been shorn, but I’d need him to take his hat off to be sure.
1st over: Pakistan 0-0 (Abid Ali 0; Shan Masood 0) James Anderson takes the ball from his, less favoured, James Anderson End ,and serves up a predictably probing, accurate maiden. A beauty slips past a probing Masood as he props forward.
The players line up for the national anthems, now a minutes silence for all those round the world affected by Covid-19.
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Pakistan will BAT -arghgh - thanks to all those who pointed out my, what Bob o’Hara called, brain fart.
Meanwhile Peter Haining pre-guesses the inbox with the overseas TMS link. Click here. Thank you Peter.
And Nasser Hussain puts the fear of god into England fans by an adulation of Babar Azam, who averages 64.57 since 2018, and, Sky have discovered, is playing the ball later and later and more underneath his nose.
A note from my colleague Ali Martin. The players will not be taking the knee today in solidarity with Black Lives Matters. This from the ECB:
“The players wore the Black Lives Matter logo and took the knee throughout the West Indies series in solidarity and respect to the message and our rivals. It remains a hugely important issue for both the ECB and the players as there is no place for discrimination of any kind in cricket or society.
“The ECB is continuing to develop plans and consult with the game to make cricket more inclusive and diverse, and we recently set out a range of action we are taking to address some of the feedback we’ve received as we seek to drive real change.”
Warnie is waxing lyrical about Pakistan’s two legs-spinners, Yasir Shar - who he says spins the ball both ways, has all the toys and just needs the right fields -and Shadab Khan, who had been due to join Surrey for their Blast cricket this season.
The teams
England: Burns, Sibley, Root, Stokes, Pope, Buttler, Woakes, Bess, Archer, Broad, Anderson
Pakistan: Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali (c), Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Shadab Khan, Yasir Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah.
Pakistan have won the toss and will bat
Azhar Ali says they’re going in with three seamers and two leg spinners.
England have chosen an unchanged XI - which presumably means Ben Stokes won’t bowl. Root says he’d have batted first but looking forward to exploiting the overhead conditions.
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You’ll remember that England have lost eight of their last ten first-Tests of a series, including against Pakistan in 2018.
Rob riffed on it here
Also, that England haven’t beaten Pakistan in a Test series for a decade.
The first email of the day pings in:
“As long as it remains dry, the cricket should start on time. I’m very excited to watch Babar - and the continued growth of England’s opening pair, who are doing exactly the job asked of them (batting time, establishing a platform). Burns and Sibley are both averaging more than 42, since the Ashes/debut.”
Good stat James Debens! Though I’m nervous about Burns and Sibley opening this morning against this Pakistan in these conditions. Toss is imminent.
And here is the pitch. Note the grassy outfield - it hosed it down last night (as it has much of the last month).
At Old Trafford, Ben Stokes is currently undergoing a bowling fitness Test.
And in other news, this series will be used as a trial for the TV umpire to call front-foot no-balls for the first time in Tests.
Here is the forecast. You might wish you hadn’t looked.
Cloudy for many northern and western areas through Wednesday, with some outbreaks of heavy #rain at times
— Met Office (@metoffice) August 4, 2020
Largely dry elsewhere, with some warm spells of #sunshine
Here is out #4cast 👇 pic.twitter.com/WSpqrKsutV
And for those of you who want to relive the astonishing ODI against Ireland last night, here’s Vic Marks purring with delight.
Some pre-match reading:
and
Preamble
If yesterday was Ireland and last week was West Indies, today must be Pakistan - and there can be no better way to start a grizzled Wednesday morning in Manchester than a Test match against them - the first of three, followed by three T20s.
Pakistan last played a Test in February, so are without England’s intense match practise, but they have been quietly going about their business in the UK since the end of June. A journalist who watched them at both their warm-up matches at Derby said the batting was very reliant on Babar Azam but their bowling was a match for England’s.
The man - boy - causing the greatest excitement is Naseem Shah, the 17 year old with the flowing side-on action that Michael Vaughan has compared to Fred Trueman’s. Just 17, he can bowl at 90mph, swing the ball both ways and already has a Test hat-trick, against Bangladesh earlier this year. One fears for England’s stumps. He is complemented by Shaheen Afridi, who so impressed in last year’s World Cup.
Babar Azam is the pick of the batting. His last tour of England in 2018 ended after just one innings when his wrist was broken by a ball from Ben Stokes during 68 at Lord’s. He is now the third ranked batsmen in ODIs and the sixth ranked in Tests - and has been compared by his captain to Steve Smith and Virat Kohli in terms of talent. A stint with Somerset last summer will have helped his acclimatisation to English conditions.
England, who announced a 14 man squad unchanged from the final Test against West Indies, are waiting on Ben Stokes’ fitness to bowl. And another milestone beckons - James Anderson needs just 11 wickets to reach the 600 mark. And the weather? Blowy, damp and grey, though no rain is forecast until this afternoon.
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