So it finishes 2-2, probably the right result for this wonderful series – one of the very best we’ve seen on these shores in a generation. Younus Khan will surely be man of the match and deservedly so, but there have been wonderful performances throughout.
Chris Woakes finishes with 26 wickets, Younus became the second double-centurion of the series after Joe Root, there have been wonderful centuries from Moeen Ali and Asad Shafiq. Pakistan’s team performance here was the equal of England’s at Edgbaston. Yasir Shah took 15 wickets for 272 at 18.1 in London and England took him for 502 runs for the loss of just four wickets – at an average of 125.5 – elsewhere. Yes, I’d say 2-2 is exactly the right result.
No sign of press-ups yet from Pakistan. Rather it’s a victory lap for their players, parading a large flag around the boundary. The competition for the title might not be the strongest but on their five days they are surely the world’s best Test team – something that will become official if India fail to beat the West Indies in the final Test of their tour over there.
Thanks from me and the rest of the OBO team for keeping up company throughout. It has, as ever, been a blast. Join us again for the limited overs stuff, which promises to be pretty damn good in its own right.
Bye!
Updated
And because we’re damn efficient here at the Guardian, here is a hot take on the final day of the series.
Mike Selvey will be filing shortly. Do stick around for that, the great man’s final Test match report for the Guardian.
Pakistan win by 10 wickets to tie series 2-2
13th over: Pakistan 42-0 (Sami 12, Ali 30), target 40 Azhar Ali gets down on one knee and belts the first ball of Moeen’s over high over mid-on and into the advertising board for a betting company on the second tier balcony. And that’s the English Test summer done and dusted.
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12th over: Pakistan 36-0 (Sami 12, Ali 24), target 40 Steve Finn has a hamstring strain and will have a scan tomorrow. Six dot balls, including a pointless review, make for a maiden. Root has figures of 3-2-1-0, which is rather pleasing on the eye. Four needed still.
Not out
The batsman lifted the back of his foot for a brief moment but that’s it.
Review
Bairstow whips the bails off after Sami Aslam misses a cut. This isn’t out.
11th over: Pakistan 36-0 (Sami 12, Ali 24), target 40 Out comes the slog-sweep from Ali. It’s not a very good one, badly mistimed but slugged hard enough to get to the fence after going between the men at midwicket and mid-on. Another slice down to the third-man boundary means Pakistan are about to Gimme Shelter: the win is just a shot away.
10th over: Pakistan 28-0 (Sami 12, Ali 16), target 40 “Ohhh, Root-ah! Played Joseph!” cheers Bairstow. I like him a bit less now. A watchful maiden.
9th over: Pakistan 28-0 (Sami 12, Ali 16), target 40 Azhar Ali drives his namesake Moeen for one. We’ll get ‘em in singles lads. Or not, as Sami top-edges a sweep to vacant long-leg for four. Another single, then Azhar gets a thick outside edge all along the ground for four more to third man. 12 needed.
“Don’t think even Jones BBQ and foot massage could save England now, Dan,” writes Simon McMahon. I don’t think Eddie Jones could save England now, Simon.
8th over: Pakistan 18-0 (Aslam 7, Azhar 11), target 40 Pakistan will face a trial by spin now as Root comes into the attack. Personally I’d go with Hales and Vince given they’re not likely to play another Test again for a fair while. Once again, it’s a single to Azhar before Aslam sees off the remaining five balls.
7th over: Pakistan 17-0 (Aslam 7, Azhar 10), target 40 Moeen is going to be thrown into the grinder first thing after tea. Ali chips him round the corner for one before Sami misses out going for a mighty slog sweep.
Did someone just say: "We're the good guys, lads. We're the really good fellas, lads?" on stump mic?
— Tom Collomosse (@TomCStandard) August 14, 2016
I believe they did, yes. Bairstow follows this up with a huge shout for a forward defensive. That’s not a typo.
“After the Younussance, it must be time for the return of the Bell Epoque?” reckons Vivek. Yes, yes, oh yes. A thousand times, yes.
Thanks Tom. Back in May 2014 I OBOed the second innings of an ODI between England and Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, when Alastair Cook and Ian Bell chased down 67 for a 10-wicket England win in 12.1 overs. Having rushed in from my flat just off Gray’s Inn Road, I was done 45 minutes later. So no, this isn’t going to be my shortest ever OBO shift.
Anyway, while the players have tea, I’m passing the baton back to Dan Lucas, who can twirl it above his head without a care in the world as he goes through the formalities of describing Pakistan’s win. Thanks for your company.
Tea, Pakistan 16-0
7th over: Pakistan 16-0 (Aslam 7, Azhar 9), target 40. Woakes finds some bounce off the surface, of the sort that has been pretty rare in this match, and Azhar has to fend it away towards short leg but manages to nick a single. And the umpires decree we will have a tea interval.
“I don’t think Alastair Cook will be blaming himself for batting first nearly as much as he’ll be blaming some of his team (quietly),” writes Drew Goldie. “The England batsmen were just as likely to play bad shots and get out for not very much if they’d been faced with whatever total Pakistan might have posted. It was hardly a got-to-put-them-in wicket. No captain wants to get that one wrong. And in a way it’s done England a favour (well, you know what I mean) by exposing the pretty obvious frailties which might not have been addressed if England had drawn this game.”
6th over: Pakistan 15-0 (Aslam 7, Azhar 8), target 40. This should be the penultimate over before tea, from Moeen, but the umpires might opt to keep them out there till all is done and dusted. Uncharacteristically, the Pakistan batsmen treat Moeen to some respectful blocking, almost as if they’ve eyed up a nice spread for tea and would rather tuck into it now, rather than wait until after the ceremonies. I suppose sandwiches might start to curl up by then. One run from the over.
5th over: Pakistan 14-0 (Aslam 7, Azhar 7), target 40. Azhar fancies getting this over quickly to avoid a tea interruption, and effortless rocks back and cracks Woakes away square on the offside for three. Aslam adds two more with a clip through midwicket.
In selection talking point news, Nick Compton has bagged a timely century. Read about it, and other county goings on, here.
4th over: Pakistan 9-0 (Aslam 5, Azhar 4), target 40. Cook, who may find himself tormented by that decision to bat first (though how often do teams opt to bowl first at Oval Tests?), persists with Moeen, who keeps it tight until the final ball of the over, which is too short and clobbered away square on the legside for four.
3rd over: Pakistan 5-0 (Aslam 1, Azhar 4), target 40. Woakes goes short and Azhar hooks him for four. Textbook. Thirty-five runs to go.
Updated
2nd over: Pakistan 1-0 (Aslam 1, Azhar 0), target 40. Cook decides to use neither of his usual new-ball bowlers, giving Finn the chance to open up at the Pavilion End, and he begins with a snorter, just back of a length and slanted past the left-handed Sami, which he ducks back from. However, Finn isn’t feeling too clever, wincing over the state of his left hamstring, which seems to have tweaked as he finished his follow through. He took a tumble while batting too and that might also be taking its toll now. He’s off the field after two deliveries. He really isn’t the luckiest bowler in the world.
For something completely different, Moeen gets a feel of the new ball and takes the final four balls of the over. There are no runs from it.
1st over: Pakistan 1-0 (Aslam 1, Azhar 0), target 40. Chris Woakes is tossed the new ball first, reward for his sparky bowling all series. Sami Aslam gets the chase underway with a tuck away on the legside for one. A pleasingly aggressive field is set for Azhar, including a short mid-on, three slips and a gully.
So Yasir finishes with five for 71, though he’ll almost certainly pipped for man of the match by Younis (Shafiq’s worth a mention in dispatches too as his knock on Friday was a delight). We’ll find out soon enough. The various man of the series awards are harder to call – Yasir for Pakistan? Root, Bairstow, Woakes or Moeen for England? Anyway, the batsmen are coming out to do the necessary:
Updated
Wicket! Anderson lbw b Iftikhar Ahmed 17, England all out 253
79.2 overs: England 253 (Finn 16) The Anderson’s missed sweeping finally proves his undoing as Iftikhar Ahmed is brought on and strikes almost instantly, getting the lbw that eluded Yasir even though replays show it was going over the top. Thems the breaks. Back in a tick for Pakistan’s surely routine chase. They need 40.
Updated
79th over: England 253-9 (Finn 16, Anderson 17) The chants of “Pakistan! Zindabad!” are growing louder as the tourists hunt that final wicket. Yasir has another huge yell for leg before, from a very similar missed sweep as in his previous over, and it’s turned down for the same reason. He then finds too much drift into the left-hander with his subsequent delivery which beats batsman and wicketkeeper and races away for four byes. Another single follows before Finn thumps him down the ground for four, and England’s lead is now 39.
78th over: England 244-9 (Finn 12, Anderson 16) Finn picks up a single off Sohail’s first delivery and then Anderson drives pleasingly at an overpitched delivery for a lovely four. Emboldened, he takes a risky single after a dab to point. He’d have been out if the fielder had hit. Finn then clips neatly to deep square leg for two. This partnership is now worth 23, the fourth highest of this innings.
77th over: England 236-9 (Finn 9, Anderson 11) This has been a good series for unlikely last-wicket partnerships, even in a doomed cause, as Pakistan’s last pair showed at Edgbaston. So let English readers cling, pathetically, to that fraying strand of hope. Yasir has a big shout at ending this one when he yells for lbw against a sweeping Anderson. It’s hitting, according to ball tracking, but outside the line though surely.
76th over: England 235-9 (Finn 8, Anderson 11) Sohail, who looked Pakistan’s sprightliest pace bowler before lunch, returns at the Vauxhall End. Anderson thick-edges a single before Sohail treats Finn to some chin music, which he ducks away from and smiles at stoically. A leg-bye and a nonchalant leg glance from Anderson take England’s lead to a mighty 21.
“When Broad went I chose (shouted) the epithet ‘brainless’ to describe him,” thunders Ian Copestake. “Why are the final batsmen suddenly doing everything to look like avant-garde batsmen rather than trying to build some sort of lead?” I like the idea of avant-garde batting – what might it consist of?
75th over: England 229-9 (Finn 8, Anderson 6) Afternoon again everyone. Well so much for an England fightback – they were going along at a fair old trot until that Moeen dismissal just before lunch, and the successive scalps of Woakes and Bairstow put the result beyond doubt, with only the Burnley Lara and the Watford Wall standing in the way. Yasir continues round the wicket at Anderson who reverse-sweeps – the cheeky scamp – down towards backward point for three. Finn survives the rest of the over. There’s not much more he can try to do.
74th over: England 226-9 (Finn 8, Anderson 3) One more to Finn, who drives up and over the man at cover point prompting a moment of excitement among the Pakistan fielders. Anderson to face Wahab for the first time. Or not – after a no-ball, Wahab is hauled from the attack for running into the danger zone, so Amir comes on to replace him and is promptly clipped away for Jimmy’s first two runs. England’s lead is into double figures!
Right, that’s drinks and I’ll hand you back to Tom Davies until tea/this all comes to an end.
Updated
73rd over: England 221-9 (Finn 7, Anderson 0) Broad sees off the first and goes to the second. He looks deeply unhappy with the decision, and asks Finn about a review, but England don’t have any left. I think the reason he’s not happy is that the bat hit the ground, but hotspot confirms he’s hit it. England lead by seven. There’s an appeal for lbw against a reverse-sweeping Anderson, but he’s hit just outside the line.
Wicket! Broad c Yonus b Yasir 5
Broad goes for the reverse sweep and spoons it off the splice straight to slip. Yasir has five for 92.
Updated
72nd over: England 221-8 (Finn 7, Broad 5) A very sharp lifter from Wahab has Finn in trouble – he rolls his ankle over when landing after defending on the jump and looks in some pain.
One of the more extreme Short Bowlers vs Tall Batsmen battles around in world cricket I suspect @DanLucas86. Size isn't everything though!
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) August 14, 2016
I assume Gary means Finn v Yasir – a whole 14 inches!
71st over: England 220-8 (Finn 7, Broad 4) A really nice cover drive brings three for Broad, right into a huge vacant area but not quite hit hard enough to get to the fence.
70th over: England 217-8 (Finn 7, Broad 1) Finn takes a single from the first ball, meaning it’s Broad’s turn to face Wahab for the first time. There are again only two slips in place while the crowd chant for a bouncer. Instead he goes full, from round the wicket and sends a fast yorker down the leg-side. I’m not sure about this line to Broad, especially with so few close catches and nor is Wahab, as he ends that experiment after two balls. Broad gets under way with a desperate single to mid-off.
69th over: England 215-8 (Finn 6, Broad 0) Misbah has a short leg, leg-slip and slip in for Broad. It’s the second of those who gets called into play fifth ball – it shoots off the inside edge to Shafiq, but the ball didn’t quite carry. In fairness to the fielder, he didn’t really celebrate but rather just asked the question of the umpires. Fair enough, but no doubt some idiot is going to tweet about cheating shortly.
Not out
It did not.
Review
Has Broad got an inside edge to leg-slip? Don’t think it carried.
England lead by one
68th over: England 215-8 (Finn 6, Broad 0) How will Steven Finn fare against Wahab then? He gets four off his first ball with a thick edge that flies well wide of the second – and indeed widest – slip. Not sure that would have carried to a third, in fairness. A nudge to midwicket for two takes England into the lead, leaving them effectively one for eight. And that’s in the English scoring format. Solid showing from the man who hasn’t been called the Watford Wall for ages.
67th over: England 209-8 (Finn 0, Broad 0) England still trail by five runs and Yasir has Stuart Broad in his sights. The crowd might be predominantly English, as Tom pointed out earlier, but Pakistan’s fans are making all the noise now. Yasir has three men around the bat – why not more? – and he thinks he might have a sweeping Broad lbw. It’s struck him well outside off though.
66th over: England 209-8 (Finn 0, Broad 0) Change of bowling as Wahab comes into the attack. He’s gone at 4.7 an over so far in this innings but if it clicks for him this could all be over very shortly. Woakes plays him nicely enough though, timing it through cover for a couple.
And then Wahab ensures this is going to be all over very shortly.
According to Bumble, the whispers are that Ben Stokes will play in T20 finals day next Saturday as a batsman.
Wicket! Bairstow c Ali b Wahab 81
Bairstow goes very next ball! He drives airily outside off and Ali dives to his left to take an excellent low catch at extra-cover!
Updated
Wicket! Woakes run out (Wahab) 4
This is brilliant from Wahab. Bairstoiw dropped it into the on-side and set off, before deciding against it and sending Woakes back. He’d backed up too far though, was already halfway down the track and was unable to turn in time. Wahab ran round him, gathered, turned and threw down the stumps with extreme prejudice.
Updated
65th over: England 205-6 (Bairstow 80, Woakes 1) Yasir has a plan here. He’s setting a trap for Bairstow, although I’ll be damned if I can figure out what it is. Jonny Bairstow is, unlike me, a Test batsman though and he gets a single from the last after playing out the over pretty comfortably.
64th over: England 204-6 (Bairstow 79, Woakes 1) Woakes is a good batsman but nowhere near good enough to get an edge on this one from Amir, angled in from round the wicket, on a good length and sharply nipping away from the batsman at decent pace. Maiden.
63rd over: England 204-6 (Bairstow 79, Woakes 1) A lovely shot from Bairstow, driven gracefully down to long-off and past the slowly falling Sohail, gets the first boundary of the session. Yasir is bowling from round the wicket to the right-hander now and Bairstow isn’t particularly interested in playing at many of these. England trail by 10.
62nd over: England 200-6 (Bairstow 75, Woakes 1) Up comes the 200 for England, to much heartier applause than you might expect given where they are in the match, thanks to a cut to backward point for one from Bairstow.
Richard Rodwell, glued to the match in Kuala Lumpur, has a cure for leg pain: “Old ginger – 100 year old Chinese remedy. Boil large handful – chopped roughly – of old ginger in litre of water for 20 mins. Pour contents of pot into foot bath. Immerse feet when able. Remain till water is cold. Ancient Chinese remedy for gout – breaks down lactic acid deposits in feet and sweats them out. Incredible – must try.”
Do I have gout? I am 30 years old.
Updated
61st over: England 199-6 (Bairstow 74, Woakes 1) Woakes – someone who would be nailed on for a combined series XI – is off the mark with a push to cover for one before Bairstow adds two more with a crunching cover drive. He plays that shot a lot but so authoritatively, in complete contrast to a certain man two places above him in the batting order. One more with a push to Amir, dawdling at mid-on.
60th over: England 195-6 (Bairstow 71, Woakes 0) To no one’s great surprise, it’s the luckless Mohammad Amir from the other end. JB crunches a satisfying cover drive straight to the fielder at cover before being beaten by one that nips away from round the wicket. Pakistan’s supporters are in fine voice, as well they might be given the match situation.
59th over: England 195-6 (Bairstow 71, Woakes 0) The good news for England is that the sun is shining bright now. The bad news for England is that Yasir Shah has the ball in his hands. Bairstow retains the strike for the next over with a single turned into the leg-side off the last.
A few of you have suggested I have my legs and feet massaged. Tom Davies has mysteriously left the building.
Ooh, the cricket is about to start again!
“Afternoon Dan.” Afternoon, Simon McMahon. “How about we all just watch Barry from EastEnders singing Something Inside So Strong at the bowls, as featured on a recent Joy of Six. It cures all ailments. The England boys should watch it too, and we might get a decent chase yet.”
The subject of Simon’s email was “Cure”, so you get a choice of musical interludes. Also read that Joy of Six – it’s a corker.
More selection talk.
@TimdeLisle @DanLucas86 Would you not consider giving Broad & Anderson a rest for the Banga series (if it happens)?
— Spike (@spikeharby) August 14, 2016
That’s not a bad shout, actually, although it shouldn’t really be necessary given neither of them plays white ball cricket any more. The other thing is that if that tour doesn’t go ahead then it might be a bit of a baptism of fire for Hameed in India. How’s Sam Robson going? He looked good earlier this season.
“Eggs chopped up in a cup. Obvs,” reckons Kim Thonger. That does sound like the kind of thing the Guardian canteen would do, in fairness.
A personal appeal from your OBOer
If anyone knows a cure for unbearable, near-crippling and inexplicable aching in the legs and feet, please let me know.
Thoughts are already turning towards Bangladesh. Personally I fully agree with this XI for the winter tour, from Tim de Lisle, the first rock critic to edit Wisden and the second to helm the OBO.
Cook, Hameed, Root, Bell, Moeen, Bairstow, Stokes, Woakes, Rashid, Broad, Anderson. If Bell past it, Bairstow 4, Buttler 6+wk @DanLucas86
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) August 14, 2016
Thanks Tom. England only trail by 20, so should at least force Pakistan to bat again. However it’ll be some going if they can get the 200-odd more they probably need to make this a contest.
Never mind that though. My colleague Michael Butler has pointed me in the direction of this interview with Barry “Shaun Williamson” off Eastenders. It is perhaps the most wonderful piece of reading the Guardian has ever published and I urge you to spend the lunch break with it.
Well, that was another pretty enjoyable session of cricket, in which England largely batted with authority and style but such is the match situation that it only takes a couple of decent deliveries, and loose shots, for the team to remain in the mire. Which they are. That wicket of Moeen, who was playing with characteristic panache, is now the main talking point.
One more selectoral conundrum email before I hand over to Dan and go off and eat something, from Phil Thomas: “So Tom vD Grucht, the answer is simple. Given that half of the top order can’t bat, play Moeen as Cooke’s opening partner, take Rashid and Monty to India as frontline spinners, and bring in Borthwick at 3. That way you have 2 main spinners and 3 part-time ones, 4 of whom can bat.”
Chew on that, and some food. Dan will be back for the first hour of the afternoon session and I’ll see you lovely people later.
Lunch: England 194-6, trail by 20
58th over: England 194-6 (Bairstow 70, Woakes 0) I was about to type that England could even be in the lead by lunch before that wicket fell. Bairstow drives a wide and full Amir delivery through the offside for one. The bowler changes angle at the new man, Woakes, coming round the wicket, and five dots ensue. And that’s lunch
Discarded England batsmen (of whom there are so many) news:
As if on cue, comes this email from Tom Bowtell: “Remembering the usefulness of his grit in India in 2012, and noting England’s top order fragility, how many runs does Compton need to make in the last few Championship games this season to get a recall for the winter tours? I reckon 711.” He’ll be gutted if he makes only 708.
Updated
57th over: England 193-6 (Bairstow 69, Woakes 0) Yasir, who’s bowled almost all morning, continues to probe outside Moeen’s off-stump, but the batsman glides one to mid-on for a single. Bairstow adds another before Moeen is bested, Yasir finding a bit of extra bounce and pace, and just enough turn in the rough, to induce an edge behind. For all England’s general perkiness this morning, this feels like the decisive moment of the session.
Updated
Wicket! Moeen c Sarfraz b Yasir 32, England 193-6
Huge moment. Yasir gets the better of Moeen this time, finding the edge. Sarfraz gathers. Moeen walks without a second thought.
Updated
56th over: England 191-5 (Bairstow 68, Mooen 31) Bairstow drives Amir elegantly down the ground for four. An exasperating morning for the bowler continues when Bairstow diverts another one outside off-stump past the slips for another boundary. He’s looked utterly untroubled this morning.
One for other Sunday sufferers:
55th over: England 183-5 (Bairstow 60, Mooen 31) Bairstow rocks back and turns Yasir round the corner for one. The rest of the over is tight enough though, and Moeen is content to see it out.
Sunday mornings coming down:
Updated
54th over: England 182-5 (Bairstow 59, Mooen 31) An eventful over. A big SHOUT for leg before as Amir pins Moeen back, and the batsman survives only due to the vagaries of the DRS rule. It was clipping the bails but the on-field umpire’s initial word is final and it’s not out. Bairstow then slashes and misses, which probably only serves to make Amir and Pakistan, who’ve lost a review on the tightest of margins, grumpier. Bairstow then brings up the 50 partnership with a single. Moeen marks the milestone with an almost nonchalant back-foot drive through extra cover for four.
Review … not out!
Amir has a lbw shout against Moeen, rapping his back leg just above the knee roll, and the batsman is lucky indeed. Ball tracker shows it clipping the bails so it stays with umpire’s call.
Updated
53rd over: England 176-5 (Bairstow 58, Mooen 27) If there’s one thing Moeen has seen a lot of this summer it’s bowlers going down the track to spinners and lofting them into the crowd. Usually, he’s been the victim, but this time he’s the aggressor, whacking Yasir high over long-on for SIX. Though he’s not far off offering the bowler a return catch with a slightly looser shot straight after. A hurried single ensues. Dare one say that England might fancy their own chances here now? This is an enjoyable partnership anyway. It almost always is with these two.
Updated
52nd over: England 169-5 (Bairstow 58, Mooen 20) Sohail is removed from the attack and replaced by Amir – still there are only two slips in for the paceman, and it does feel, in this session although not the match, as if England are kind of ascendant here. They’re certainly comfortable enough (FOR NOW), Bairstow driving assertively for two, so assertively in fact that another slip is removed. England’s mood is lifted further when a hurried two provokes a rash throw from stumps to stumps by wicketkeeper Sarfraz and becomes four more in overthrows. Always does wonders for morale, that.
51st over: England 161-5 (Bairstow 50, Mooen 20) Yasir continues, and Moeen meets an overpitched delivery on the full and paddle-sweeps it deftly to fine leg for two. There are murmurings in the Sky commentary box about Misbah’s defensiveness and the need to attack when there’s runs to be played with a bit. On cue, the Pakistan captain is punished for taking a slip out when Moeen reverse-sweeps through that precise area for four.
50th over: England 155-5 (Bairstow 50, Mooen 14) Moeen unfurls another sweet off-drive off Sohail and this one finds the gap and goes for four. The one time the bowler drops a little short, Moeen swats him to square leg for a single, as you’d expect at only 81mph.
In other Test news, Australia are 101 for 1 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 355. That one might even be a competitive match this time.
Updated
49th over: England 150-5 (Bairstow 50, Mooen 9) There’s a wonderful dead-eyed emotionlessness on Bairstow’s face as he repels Yasir’s best efforts with two defensive drives, before finding the gap and bringing up another fine 50 with the third of them. Moeen adds a single to bring Bairstow back on strike, and he’s denied four when his rasping square cut is brilliantly cut off at backward point.
Updated
48th over: England 148-5 (Bairstow 49, Mooen 8) Moeen’s cover drives are so lovely that even when they don’t result in any runs they get a ripple of applause, as this one straight to mid-off does. A less elegant chop on the offside follows but this one does bring a quick single. Bairstow moves to 49 with a clip to square leg.
Updated
47th over: England 146-5 (Bairstow 48, Mooen 7) Yasir floats one up a little bit more and Bairstow smites it agreeably square on the offside for a single, bringing Moeen on strike, who’s given an examination outside off stump but, hoping to be the second heroic British Mo of the weekend, he’s equal to it, and rounds off the over with a languid clip through midwicket for one.
46th over: England 144-5 (Bairstow 47, Mooen 6) Bairstow plays Sohail confidently enough off both front and back foot without scoring, and he gets his reward when what should have been another good-shot-for-no-run – a crisp drive through extra cover – goes through Misbah’s hands and brings him two. Then, a bit of an alarm – Sohail suddenly gets bounce from nowhere just short of a length and it pings off an unsuspecting Bairstow’s top bat and drops safely at extra cover. One more run follows and that’s drinks.
45th over: England 139-5 (Bairstow 42, Mooen 6) Yasir continues: three singles plus another exaggerated lbw shout at Moeen ensue. But there’s definite turn outside the left-hander’s off stump now.
Or maybe even try Bairstow at 4, Moeen 5 and Stokes, when fit, 6 – those three make a formidable middle order in some form? Variants of this conversation are, I’m sure, taking place all over The Oval right now anyway.
44th over: England 136-5 (Bairstow 40, Mooen 5) Bairstow, still looking unruffled, nudges Sohail off his legs for one. Two more singles follow, with no alarms. This partnership is obviously going to be key now.
Damning stat of the morning:
43rd over: England 133-5 (Bairstow 38, Mooen 4) The roar that greeted that Ballance dismissal suggests there might be a few more Pakistan fans in today than on the previous three days. Bairstow adds a single off Yasir, who then has an initially throaty lbw shout at Moeen, but he was outside the line so the bowler doesn’t pursue it, but suddenly we have turn out of the rough and Moeen is being probed and prodded here. Yasir’s best over so far today.
42nd over: England 132-5 (Bairstow 37, Mooen 4) Sohail Khan gets his first bowl of the morning, and Bairstow turns his first ball off his hips for a single. And then SOHAIL STRIKES – what a series he’s having – inducing the first risky shot of the morning from Ballance who edges a sharp delivery behind, it was just moving away from him slightly and he was punished. Moeen, cheered onto the pitch, is served up a rank legside half-volley to greet him, and duly tucks in, clipping his first ball to the midwicket boundary for four.
Talking of Moeen, here’s Tom vD Gucht: “As much as I love Moeen as a batsman, not to mention the fact that he seems like a thoroughly decent chap to boot, the failures of our top order are leading to a situation in which the runs Ali scores masks the fact that he’s not being especially successful at the job he’s primarily here to do - spin bowling. His heroic bailing-out innings are being relied on to keep us afloat, making him more vital to the team, but perhaps if England managed to string together a better batting line, mayne even promoting Ali on current form, then we’d be able to look elsewhere for a more effective spin bowler without worrying about the extra runs they also need to provide.” Undoubtedly true but Moeen’s best efforts do come at six or seven in the order – last autumn’s experiment of opening with him didn’t really pay off, but then little did on that UAE tour. And yes, the Spin Problem needs to be remedied. A frontline twirler is obviously needed for the Bangladesh and India series.
Wicket! Ballance c Sarfraz b Sohail 17, England 128-5
Sohail comes into the attack and strikes again, slanting one slightly across Ballance, who tries to drive loosely off the back foot and edges a simple catch to the keeper
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41st over: England 127-4 (Ballance 17, Bairstow 37) Yasir Shah returns to the attack, from the other end this time, but he’s a bit too full and, in the absence of notable spin, the England pair deal with it comfortably enough. One run from the over.
“Given the frisson of familiarity that attended the insight given by Zubair Shah’s email concerning the mindset of Welsh Pakistani supporters everywhere,” writes Ian Copestake, “a chant might not be amiss of ‘Are you England in disguise?’”
40th over: England 126-4 (Ballance 17, Bairstow 36) Bairstow’s making it all look pretty easy at the moment, again, and he sends another emphatic cover drive to the ropes for four. Wahab then gets his second and final warning for running on the pitch after Bairstow flicks him square on the legside for a single. He’s inevitably wider on the crease next ball, to Ballance, who clips it slightly on the up to mid-on for no run. A legside clip for two brings up an admirable 50 partnership. Wahab looks to avoid any further transgression by going round the wicket at Ballance – and zinging a bouncer past his ears (almost 90mph), but the left-hander is finding runs easy enough to come by on the legside and two more follow.
39th over: England 117-4 (Ballance 13, Bairstow 31) Amir, over the wicket at Bairstow, isn’t troubling him greatly – he’s had a sort of 6.5 out of 10 series overall, not quite producing the devastating spells his admirers might have hoped for, but it’s early days. A legside single is the only run from the over.
“British OBOers might like to know that Scotland are motoring against UAE in Edinburgh,” tweets Michael Keane, perhaps writing off the interest of non-British OBOers too readily. “Free entry,” he adds, persuasively. They’re 75 for 0 off nine overs.
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38th over: England 116-4 (Ballance 13, Bairstow 31) A leg-bye gives Wahab the chance to deploy his more attacking field against Ballance. The Yorkshire man has been equal to it thus far though and he plays the over out comfortably enough.
37th over: England 115-4 (Ballance 13, Bairstow 31) Amir gives Bairstow too much room outside off-stump and he repeats his boundary of the previous over with another delicious drive before turning one off his legs for one. Ballance hasn’t faced from the Vauxhall End yet this morning until now, remarkably, and from his first one from that end he squirts down to third man easily enough for a single. A late cut from Bairstow brings one more run. There remain no demons in this pitch. England’s overall first-day performance looks weaker and weaker as the game progresses.
36th over: England 108-4 (Ballance 12, Bairstow 25) An early bowling change: Wahab – who when on song is possibly my favourite bowler in the entire world – replaces Yasir. His first over is expensive though. He goes round the wicket at Ballance and forces him to dab one to the vacant short leg area, prompting Misbah to install a fielder there. A no-ball takes England to three figures and a rather forced and reluctant round of applause before Ballance manages to get on top of a tamer short-ish one and clip it to deep square leg for a single. There’s no short leg, and only two slips, in for Bairstow, who takes a scurried single with a legside dab, before Ballance adds a single with a similar shot. The shot of the morning follows – a crunching cover drive for four from Bairstow. One more run follows – England are batting well … so far.
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35th over: England 99-4 (Ballance 10, Bairstow 19) Amir’s not finding much swing – there’s been precious little of that to be had all match after all – and when he drops short Bairstow swipes it out to deep midwicket where it’s fumbled almost to the boundary ropes by Yasir but he manages to cut it off – they run two. A sharper bouncer is astutely ignored by Bairstow. This could be a good little contest.
34th over: England 97-4 (Ballance 10, Bairstow 17) Yasir tests Ballance outside off-stump but Ballance is getting forward to him confidently and sensible, and nudges a straighter one round the corner past the leg-slip for a single. Bairstow adds a single.
Here’s some hopeful-ish statistical precursors for England:
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33rd over: England 95-4 (Ballance 9, Bairstow 16) There’s a little bit of cloud cover, prompting thoughts and talk of swing, and possibly as a result Amir is given the ball first up from the Pavilion End. Bairstow is watchful as the left-armer slants it across him from over the wicket, and it’s an uneventful maiden.
So there you go. Time your Sunday roast for after that.
32nd over: England 95-4 (Ballance 9, Bairstow 16) Yasir starts up from the Vauxhall End, and it’s a bit of a loosener, though there’s enough variety to keep the batsmen on their toes. Bairstow nudges the first ball of the day away on the legside for one. Ballance then gets forward to meet one on the half-volley and crisply drive it through the covers for four. Another single ensues, and Bairstow also adds one more through the offside when Yasir drops slightly short. There’s not huge amounts of spin but Yasir’s looking for the rough outside the left-hander’s off-stump
“Following Mr Starbuck’s query,” writes Michael Hunt, “I thoroughly look forward to the Guardian’s published transcripts of this series under the title ‘Is It Cowardly To Supplicate Any Deity For A Saharan Red Dust Cloud?’” That was the working title for the original book too – shame they lost their nerve really.
Anyway, Jerusalem’s blaring out and the players are on their way out.
It’s going to be an absorbing day here, but don’t forget there’s oodles of important county action going on today too. Graham Hardcastle is watching the Roses match at Old Trafford while also telling us what’s going on elsewhere. Follow it all here:
Supplementary email from Zubair Shah: “Also, my uncle Mehdi passed away last week. A great servant to the game... He named his son, my cousin, after Hanif Mohammad. A mention would do great wonders at the moment...”
Happy to oblige.
“Good afternoon from Riyadh,” writes Zubair Shah, “where I’m currently exiled for work purposes. I’m assuming I’m the only Welsh Pakistani within the city limits and as we are within touching distance of redemption from the mess of 2010 I’ll be keeping back any dust storms from moving your way. I can’t tell you how infuriating it is to be a Pakistan cricket fan most of the time. Even now there’s chance we will mess this up. But when we get it right we are (insert orientalist cliche here) majestic.”
We’ll endeavour to insert no cliches here, but as a vaguely tangential talking point, it’s been notable, and a bit disappointing, to see so few Pakistan supporters at this Test. Time was when you’d be looking a 70-30 home split when a subcontinental team was at The Oval (and there was a time when it’d be nearer 50-50 when West Indies were in town) but now, it’s nowhere near that. There are all sorts of explanations one might proffer – prices, the fact that priority for tickets goes to those who’ve been on mailing lists for yonks, the greater draw of T20 and ODIs – but it’s something to be concerned about, I think.
Anyway, on the subject of Pakistan’s performance, here’s a lovely piece from Mike Selvey about Younis and the art of innings-construction, complete with suggested best ever Pakistan XIs. “Who would not pay to watch that?” he asks. Who indeed?
We’re off the mark early on the email front, John Starbuck dabbing on the offside and scurrying to the non-striker’s end with this:
“Good morning. There’s a fine day in prospect for following Test cricket, less so for England’s prospects. What’s the odds for England securing a draw (I won’t ask about a win) including adverse weather to confound my first sentence? Supposing we were to experience a Saharan red dust cloud, would the umpires bring the players off? Would it be cowardly to supplicate any deity for this?” Yes, yes it would. Surely the Man Upstairs would be more inclined to desire a two-day #digin, were he supporting England.
Preamble
Morning everyone. So, those who seized on England’s stunning triumph at Edgbaston to write off Pakistan might be feeling a little chastened this morning. That Younis Khan? Nah, he and his awkward stance are on the way out – a run machine no longer. Yasir Shah? Nah, he’s been sussed – nothing to fear here. And now here we are…
So perhaps of greater significance is England’s phenomenally poor record in final Tests of series in recent years – one last-Test win in 10, and that against a notably spineless India two years ago, and Pakistan look poised to do what Australia did last year: complete a London Tests clean sweep. As I ambled out of the Oval on Friday after an agreeable day’s cricket that never quite ignited, I consoled myself with the thought that at least we’d get a full day’s OBOing today with all you lovely people. Now, well it’s not looking so likely and this might even be wrapped up before any of today’s football kicks off. That said, Moeen Ali likes a rearguard, Gary Ballance is a battler and Jonny Bairstow’s batted brilliantly all summer, so we might yet get a game of it.
Still, pore though we might over all England’s failings – and in this Test, their tetchiness about decisions – this has been a wonderful series, Pakistan’s overdue return for a Test tour here thoroughly welcome. My man Smyth proffered the view on Thursday that this has been the best series in England since the 2005 Ashes and it’s become even harder to disagree now (though I’d add that last season’s New Zealand tour, had it been extended, might have challenged it). Here’s hoping for an appropriately gripping conclusion.
Tom will be here shortly. In the meantime, Ali Martin had good news yesterday for England’s one-day side.
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