Match report
In summary, then
England taking a wicket with the final ball of the day in Edgbaston Test matches inevitably evokes memories of this, but this was a very different sort of day to That Day in August 2005, but it will at least give them a bit of a lift for tomorrow, when they’ll need to keep Pakistan’s probable first-innings lead down to less than 100. Their batsmen were excellent today – the rookie Aslam batted as if he had played 100 Tests and Azhar Ali was back to his imperious best. England’s attack was flat early on, luckless later, but lacking the zip and variety that has characterised so much of their recent cricket.
In the meantime Jimmy Anderson, who wasn’t at his best but still pounded in, is admitting in his Sky interview that he overstepped the mark in his exchanges with the umpire over running on the wicket and has apologised, while adding the inevitable proviso that his will to win and desire partly explains it. “I want to try and control it but I don’t want to lose that edge that makes me competitive,” he says. Whether he receives more sanction, we shall have to see. Stay on the site for reports, analysis and reaction, and thanks for your company and emails. Bye.
STUMPS: Pakistan 257-3 (Younus 21)
90th over: Pakistan 257-3 (Younus 21) Chris Woakes’s golden summer continues, striking with the last ball of the day. He keeps Azhar on his toes at the start of the over with a demanding short ball that the batsman fends away well off his chest and takes one run. Younus, who’s scrapped and scraped for his runs, adds another single with a legside jab off a shortish delivery, leaving Azhar, who’s looked immovable for hours to see off the over, which he surprisingly fails to do, driving inappropriately and edging to Cook at slip. It ends a magnificent, assured innings and a still-dominant day for Pakistan.
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Wicket! Azhar Ali c Cook b Woakes 139, Pakistan 257-3
Wouldn’t you know it. Woakes strikes with the final ball of the day, inducing a regulation edge from Azhar, who drives loosely and nicks to Cook at slip.
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89th over: Pakistan 255-2 (Azhar 138, Younus 20) Joe Root gets his first bowl of the match, to mix things up a little. It’s not bad stuff but Azhar picks him easily enough and takes a single down to deep square leg. Younus, though, finds him trickier and is properly confounded by an arm ball that jags past his outside edge. Root might have done a job here and there earlier on in the day.
88th over: Pakistan 254-2 (Azhar 137, Younus 20) With three overs remaining today, a bowling change is made. Chris Woakes, who looked sparky enough without reward earlier, replaces Anderson. He finds a decent length and bounce and keeps Younus on the defensive. There are no runs. There are no wickets. There have been no wickets in every over bar one since five past 11 this morning.
87th over: Pakistan 254-2 (Azhar 137, Younus 20) Parts of the crowd are beginning to drift away now, which is one way of trying to hex a wicket I guess. They’re unlikely too, frankly, with Azhar in this form – he punishes a slightly overpitched ball with a gorgeous cover drive for four. “The cautionary tale that day,” says Peter Salmon, resuming his 1975 MCG anecdote, “was that Gary Cosier scored a debut century and had the world at his feet. And so it goes, as Kurt Vonnegut would say.”
86th over: Pakistan 250-2 (Azhar 133, Younus 20) Anderson’s still trying very hard, as ever, but it’s not quite happening, so he pushes the odd one too far down the legside, but is still finding some movement and induces a low edge off Younus that – maddeningly, again – doesn’t quite carry to Cook at slip. That sort of day.
85th over: Pakistan 250-2 (Azhar 133, Younus 20) Younus gets a single off Broad in an otherwise uneventful over as the day continues to drift and meander towards its close. Nasser Hussain in the Sky commentary box points out that only two of the top 22 bowlers in the county championship this season have been spinners, to back up his case that the dearth of spin-bowling variety is the achilles heel of this England set-up. Certainly wouldn’t have minded seeing a bit of Adil Rashid today.
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84th over: Pakistan 249-2 (Azhar 133, Younus 19) Anderson finds some subtle movement off the seam but not enough to trouble the well-set, concrete-set Azhar, who hasn’t looked like getting out since he was dropped just after lunch. It’s a maiden though.
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83rd over: Pakistan 249-2 (Azhar 133, Younus 19) Broad finds some movement, all of it of an inward nature, off the seam at Azhar, who leaves deftly before adding a single with a clip through midwicket. It’s now seven hours since an England bowler took a wicket.
Re spectators, writes Peter Salmon, “I actually started writing this email a few hours ago, but, you know, life. Re spectators - I was 5 when I first went to a match, Aus v WI at the MCG. There was a huge boorish Aussie bloke in front of us who kept swearing. Next to him was a small Scotsman in glasses sitting next to his wife. He asked politely if the Aussie would desist. He said no way mate (approximately). I remember my father (who is English) leaning down and whispering in my ear, watch this. The next time the Aussie swore, the Scotsman took his glasses off, placed them in the top pocket of his white business shirt, stood, and thumped the Aussie once, knocking him out. He then put his glasses back on, resumed his seat, and chatted amiably to his wife about Bernard Julien. I learnt a lot that day.” A heartwarming tale, or a cautionary one. I can’t quite work out.
82nd over: Pakistan 248-2 (Azhar 132, Younus 19) Anderson has the new ball at the City/Birmingham End, and is now very consciously coming in from wider of the crease after his earlier transgressions, which makes his outswingers a little easier to read. There’s nice movement and use of the seam but Azhar has left well all day and leaves well here before scurrying a single off the penultimate ball of the over.
On the subject of the City End, here’s Andrew Benton on an earlier teaser: “Maybe central Birmingham voted Brumexit from the UK and hence the renamed end. Is the other end called the Other End?”
81st over: Pakistan 247-2 (Azhar 131, Younus 19) Stuart Broad returns at the Pavilion End, still initially with the old ball, which has a bit more scuff added to it by a firm square off-drive for four from Younus. It prompts the new ball to be taken, though Broad sends his first ball with it wide down the legside. The subsequent deliveries is a little more on the money, forcing Younus to do his jumpy backward defensive thing, before an inswinger is diverted down to the fine leg boundary for four.
80th over: Pakistan 239-2 (Azhar 131, Younus 11) In an unusual move, James Vince is bowling the last over before the new ball, 75mph medium-paced kind of stuff – not yet of the quality to cement his vulnerable place in the team. Azhar is disinclined to do anything too rash though. He dabs a single square on the legside, and Younus does likewise. Some umbrellas are still up, it should be noted.
I lie. Or rather, they lie. The players are coming back out right now.
Weather news: they’re due back on in 15 minutes’ time. So don’t go away.
Rain stops play
The light drizzle has become a little more persistent; the covers are coming on and the players are coming off, hopefully for not too long.
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79th over: Pakistan 237-2 (Azhar 130, Younus 10) Azhar smites another lovely boundary, his 14th, off Finn, and then tucks him away square on the legside for a single. Finn’s still banging it in at Younus, who’s jumping about on his toes a little but not too troubled.
And it’s beginning to lightly drizzle, prompting some brolly transgressors in the crowd to tempt fate as well as block others’ view.
78th over: Pakistan 232-2 (Azhar 124, Younus 9) Moeen continues and Younus takes a single to bring up the 50 partnership, whichi has rather crept up on us with unseemly haste, and Azhar leans into a drive with leisurely ease to add another one. “Icelandic grunt thing actually from Motherwell in Scotland,” writes Payter Aitch, the first of a likely 894 readers to do so, “From about 3 years ago and apparently they taught the Iceland fans.”
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77th over: Pakistan 230-2 (Azhar 124, Younus 9) Finn may or may not be in pain but he sends an absolute ripper past Azhar’s outside edge – just back of a length, seaming away a fraction, textbook. Azhar retorts with a lovely on-drive to a ball speared towards his pads, which goes for four. A very big hundred indeed looks on for him now.
“re your complaint about the paucity of emails,” writes the normally prolific John Starbuck, “one difficulty is that we haven’t really had a decent riff to fire our imaginations today. Much like the England attack, we aren’t performing because we lack inspiration. The only thing you can do in these conditions is tough it out and hope for the breaks. Even I haven’t been paying attention all day - I had to go out to get a haircut and order a new suit - but I have been catching up all right. It’s what the OBO’s for.” Well I did create a little bit of figurative rough for the spinners to work with by asking about annoying people in cricket crowds – some pickings there, no?
76th over: Pakistan 226-2 (Azhar 120, Younus 9) Azhar and Younus rotate the strike with singles before Azhar pounces on a slightly shorter ball with a confident late cut for four – a fine shot indeed and it was by no means a wide one. A paddle sweep down to Finn at fine leg brings two more. One more completes an expensive over.
People in the crowd are doing that Icelandic thunderclap thing – we’re going to tire of that pretty sharply aren’t we?
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75th over: Pakistan 217-2 (Azhar 112, Younus 8) Finn is persevered with, despite worries over cramp/leg-knack/whatever – he’s following through more than halfway down the pitch in an almost studied rigourous fashion, suggesting he’s still trying to correct his problem a little. Azhar’s clipped single through midwicket is the only run from the over.
74th over: Pakistan 216-2 (Azhar 111, Younus 8) Finn went off then came back on again during that drinks break, though he’s rubbing his upper leg. At the other end, it’s still Mooen, who’s turned round the corner by Younus for a single. Azhar adds another. A tidy enough but unthreatening over.
“Regarding your post at 17.04 that you had received no emails for a while,” write Tom Page, “do you know how many followers you have at any one time? Or indeed on average? I had assumed half the country was also following OBO but maybe it’s just me.” I can’t really comprehend the idea that anyone’s doing anything other than following the OBO to be honest, which is why I get so anxious about periods of email drought. I mean it’s been a slow news year in general after all.
73rd over: Pakistan 213-2 (Azhar 109, Younus 7) Another bowling change, with Finn replacing Broad. There’s a brief gasp of hope when Younus nudges down leg side to a diving Bairstow, who parries onto the ground, but the batsman didn’t hit it and it’s a leg-bye rather than another drop. Azhar tucks another single away on the legside. Finn looks in just a little bit of discomfort there, and he struggled to get much over 80mph in that over. Hmm.
Anyway, it’s the drinks break. And time for an email of great import from Jeremy Peters:
“Hello! You asked for an email, so here it is. We’re sitting in the BrewDog bar (other brands available) in Brum waiting for the close of play . To give context, I am the Trent Bridge chicken from 2014, (search OBI archives, we played India when Robson and Ballance grubbered it on a dead pitch) and the others have now decided to join me in fancy dress. We’re discussing what to bet on tomorrow... We stick down a fiver on a bet that can be fulfilled during the day and the winnings are used to buy chicken from the dubious chicken vendors in the ground... Any ideas? I say a Jimmy five-fer, my colleague (a crusader) is checking the run spread, my other colleague (an egg) a Woakes hat-trick... Thoughts?
The sailor, who can mock ANYTHING is being kept away.”
What about a spread on sober people in non-fancy-dress in the Hollies Stand?
72nd over: Pakistan 211-2 (Azhar 108, Younus 7) With the new ball still eight overs away, Moeen returns to the attack at the City End (when did it start getting called the Birmingham End by the way?). He keeps Azhar honest with some accurate well-pitched deliveries, though you sense anything loose will be clobbered out of the park. There’s nothing of that nature here though – it’s a maiden.
71st over: Pakistan 211-2 (Azhar 108, Younus 7) Azhar flicks Broad round the corner for one. Broad probes at Younus outside off-stump but, however awkward he currently looks, he’s hanging on in there.
70th over: Pakistan 210-2 (Azhar 107, Younus 7) Anderson continues regardless, inevitably slightly wider in his approach to the crease, and concedes four to Azhar when a presentable fullish ball outside off-stump is effortlessly pushed past backward point to the boundary. A leg-bye ensues before Younus is beaten by a tempting outswinger that jags away pleasingly off the seam but doesn’t take the edge. No emails for a while: have you all bunked off work early?
69th over: Pakistan 205-2 (Azhar 103, Younus 7) Angry Anderson got another warning from umpire Oxenford at the end of the previous over – he’s on thin ice here. Broad, meanwhile, isn’t quite managing to make much impact as yet and Younus is beginning to look less jumpy.
68th over: Pakistan 204-2 (Azhar 102, Younus 7) After all the shadow-boxing and phoney war, Anderson gets his first Official Warning for running on the pitch. He probably deserved this one. He also sends down a decent, varied, tight over that features only one run.
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Hundred for Azhar Ali!
67th over: Pakistan 203-2 (Azhar 101, Younus 7) Woakes’s handy seven-over spell is brought to a close and Broad returns at the Pavilion End, and Azhar moves closer to his hundred with a fierce cut shot to gully for one. Younus, still feeling his way in and standing out of his crease, adds an edgy three down to third man, then Azhar brings up his hundred with a nonchalant nudge down to fine leg for four. The now-standard press-up celebration ensues (met by an equally standard sledge from Jimmy Anderson, which takes the form of turning his back on the batsman), and well it might for this has been a fine, possibly match-defining innings. And his first century outside Asia.
That run-out anyway:
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66th over: Pakistan 195-2 (Azhar 94, Younus 4) Cook decides that Moeen should be spared more punishment and brings Anderson back, and the decision looks a good’un when Younus prods tentatively at a teasing outswinger first up. He then shuffles across in that productively inelegant way of his to add a single down to wide third man. Three more singles ensue but England at least look a bit sprightlier now.
65th over: Pakistan 190-2 (Azhar 94, Younus 1) Younus takes advantage of a slightly wide delivery down the legside from Woakes to get off the mark with a clip to square leg. Not for the first time this summer though, Woakes is looking England’s perkiest bowler and finding a little bit of unorthodox movement with the ageing ball, but Azhar Ali’s having a good day, so that even when he edges the last ball of the over, it squirts along the ground past the slips for four.
64th over: Pakistan 185-2 (Azhar 90, Younus 0) Azhar continues to take Moeen on, cracking another off-drive over the infield for four, though the spinner responds with some decent stuff that keeps him on the back foot, and keeps Younus on strike for another trial by Woakes.
63rd over: Pakistan 181-2 (Azhar 86, Younus 0) Azhar hooks and misses at Woakes, prompting hopeful crowd appeals in the hope that he might have gloved it to the keeper, but Woakes looks at least capable of making things happen, which he indirectly does next ball, as Azhar recklessly opts for a quick single, Vince gathers at short extra cover and hits the stumps directly, leaving Aslam miles out of his ground. No review is asked for, so far gone is he. A silly end to an excellent and accomplished innings. Younus Khan comes in and is in bother straight away, as Woakes ends the over with two stunning away-swingers that beat the bat both times.
Wicket! Sami Aslam run out 82, Pakistan 181-2
Azhar opts for a quick single, but Vince is on it in a flash, Aslam’s hopelessly out of his ground and the stumps are thrown down. What a soft way to end a fine partnership.
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62nd over: Pakistan 181-1 (Aslam 82, Azhar 86) Aslam belies his Wall-like performance by getting in on the act against Moeen, on-driving him high and mightily for SIX, though I think this one avoided anyone’s pint glass. Whether this assault makes Mooen England’s likeliest wicket-taker or is part of a more generalised assertion of dominance, we shall find out. Pakistan are emphatically on top now, whatever.
61st over: Pakistan 175-1 (Aslam 76, Azhar 86) Sami takes advantage of a gift from Woakes, short and wide down the legside that he only needs to get a tickle on to send it to the fine leg boundary for four. Effortless. Another single keeps the strike rotating before Woakes sends an absolutely textbook seaming outswinger past a befuddled Azhar’s outside edge – “too good for thee’ lad” stuff. Azhar responds with a crisp straight drive for two. As expensive overs go, it’s a decent one.
Took me a while to get this, but I’d make this a contender, in its own special way, for gag of the day:
60th over: Pakistan 168-1 (Aslam 71, Azhar 84) Azhar reverts to the popular tactic of having a go at Mo – taking one step forward and cracking it straight over his head and into a fan’s pint for SIX. Which might give the ball a bit of sticky grip if it’s smeared in overpriced gassy lager. Moeen comes back well though, ripping one a bit quicker past Azhar’s attempted off-cut, but Bairstow can’t manage the stumping.
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59th over: Pakistan 162-1 (Aslam 71, Azhar 78) Woakes, round the wicket at the left-handed Aslam, finds some zip and bounce out of nowhere and forces the opener back on his heels but he plays it away with assurance. Woakes then digs one even shorter and produces something even rarer – an actual bouncer. When he pitches it up more, Aslam can turn him away square on the legside for a couple. We’ve now gone more than five hours without a wicket.
58th over: Pakistan 160-1 (Aslam 69, Azhar 78) Moeen mixes it up a little but doesn’t really trouble Azhar who plays out a maiden.
“16:06 “assertive defensive prods” Does that go down well in Northern Ireland …?” quips Richard Potter in response to over 56’s commentary, in a rare political gag that nonetheless has to be handled with appropriate sensitivity and will thus be referred to our moderators. Possibly.
57th over: Pakistan 160-1 (Aslam 69, Azhar 78) Woakes resumes, and spears in an attempted yorker at 87mph but Azhar digs it out. An appeal for lbw follows – largely, one suspects, because no England players has had much lung-exercising practice today – but it was drifting down legside, and when Woakes then serves up a wide half-volley Azhar crunches it square on the offside for four. A flicked single ensues.
“I just heard David Gower say ‘keepy-uppy.’” chirps an excited Ant Pease. “Do I win £5?” No, but Gower’s got a few bob and is a gent so I’m sure if you asked him nicely he’d lend it you.
56th over: Pakistan 155-1 (Aslam 69, Azhar 73) Moeen starts us off after tea, and Azhar milks him for a single down to fine leg immediately. Sami Aslam then plays out the over with a string of assertive defensive prods. As he does.
Afternoon again everyone. Well it’s been a while since I last saw an England Test bowling attack look this becalmed – perhaps at Cape Town in early January, but England had 600 on the board behind them and a series lead then. Here, they’re being quietly outmanoeuvred, this Pakistan pair frustrating them with application and intelligence. Proper cricket. Which may or may not be enraging spectators, particularly unfunny ones:
On the earlier subject of spectating-transgressions, here’s Craig in Cumbria on bear-dancing: “It was Durham! Perhaps in London ‘beer’ may be pronounced as ‘bear’ but not by locals at the Riverside. And he kept shouting it ad nauseum. Besides, as a Randy Newman fan the notion of a dancing bear is not impossible - it’s the chicken throwing that was quizzical.”
TEA
55th over: Pakistan 154-1 (Aslam 69, Azhar 72) Good movement into Azhar Ali brings about a stifled appeal – bit of bat involved – and the single to the leg side brings up the 150 score and partnership (the latter from 323 balls). The penultimate ball sits up as Woakes tests out the middle of the pitch, and Azhar blooters it to the man on the square leg fence for one. The session ends with two byes as Bairstow can’t negotiate the movement past the stumps. Good work from Vince prevents the boundary. They’re in need of one of those Trevor Bayliss rockets. I’m off - Tom will join you for the evening session. Cricket well!
I’m calling two things on Sami Aslam, he’s got a bit of Justin Langer about him. And I think his nickname should be Aslam the magic man.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) August 4, 2016
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54th over: Pakistan 149-1 (Aslam 68, Azhar 70) Tempted from Moeen brings Aslam forward, before it spins and bounces away from the left-hander who, to be fair to him, had already left it. Luckier a ball later, though, as Moeen gets one to hold its line into the stumps and Aslam chops down, just outside off stump, and gets the ball very fine to third man for four.
53rd over: Pakistan 144-1 (Aslam 64, Azhar 69) Woakes starts with a full toss but tidies up for the remaining five deliveries. David Hughes in London has a query: “Is Craig in Cumbria (44th over) sure that he didn’t hear ‘Dance like a beer and I’ll throw you some chicken’ - with the drunk spectator having inadvertently transposed beer and chicken. ‘Dance like a chicken and I’ll throw you some beer’ would just about start to make sense.” Only Craig can tell us (or drunk man, if you’re reading).
52nd over: Pakistan 144-1 (Aslam 64, Azhar 69) DROP! The last ball of the over is flighted by Moeen and Azhar Ali skips down to flay it over the bowler’s head. Moeen, to his credit, doesn’t shy away and goes with both hands as Azhar doesn’t quite get the elevation. Unfortunately, he can only parry the ball in the air as it lands a few feet away from mid off.
51st over: Pakistan 142-1 (Aslam 63, Azhar 68) Some encouragement for England: Finn bowls full and the ball just tails in a touch. Azhar Ali, forward, drives off the inside edge and gets a single through square leg.
50th over: Pakistan 139-1 (Aslam 63, Azhar 65) Another good fine sweep from Aslam, who reaches forward to get the ball right on the half-volley. When Moeen corrects and brings his length back, Aslam takes two steps down and hits him high over wide mid on for four. Smart batting and 12 from the over! “It’s just struck me, we’re going to lose this series aren’t we?” Now now, don’t be so defeatist Paddy Sturdee. “Oh well - have really enjoyed seeing Pakistan become good again.” I echo those sentiments greatly. More so, it’s great to see them learning from Old Trafford and England’s effort yesterday.
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49th over: Pakistan 127-1 (Aslam 52, Azhar 64) Finn gets one to rise off a length but Azhar Ali spots it early enough to get onto his toes and work the ball into the leg side for two. Another misfield from Ballance at mid on to Finn: an uppish on drive nearly yorks the fielder, who averts his gaze as the ball lands and concedes two. Another fielding foul-up.
Credit to 20-year-old @therealPCB opener Sami Aslam for a maiden Test half century. PAK 127-1 #InvestecTest https://t.co/9c4mDBnG05
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 4, 2016
48th over: Pakistan 123-1 (Aslam 52, Azhar 60) Moeen Ali into the attack and a paddle sweep around the corner for four brings Sami Aslam a maiden fifty in his third Test – one which has featured more singles than Tinder. “I did wonder if my tale would flush out the culprit,” writes Caroline Cowan. “Apology accepted - and glad to see David has continued to be a cricket lover. I’m off to the Oval next Saturday, so I wasn’t permanently scarred by the experience. Although I try and avoid sitting next to rowdy beer drinkers.”
47th over: Pakistan 117-1 (Aslam 47, Azhar 59) Finn doing well to maintain his pace across this spell: he’s charging in hard. Azhar tries to work him over the top of the slips but fails and nearly shins Root at second slip.
The most obvious sign of old fashioned Test cricket is when everyone around you is complaining that they're bored #ENGvPAK #loveit
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) August 4, 2016
46th over: Pakistan 115-1 (Aslman 46, Azhar 57) A mix of back of a length some fuller deliveries as Woakes looks to entice the drive that isn’t forthcoming. Just solid, UAE style batting from these two.
45th over: Pakistan 113-1 (Aslam 45, Azhar 57) Finn pushing 90mph but still no luck: a push to mid on, where there shouldn’t be a run, brings one as Gary Ballance is unable stop the ball cleanly, getting down to his left. “Tell Caroline I’m sorry,” confesses David Watson. “The shame has lived with me to this day. It’s good to get an apology out at last.”
44th over: Pakistan 110-1 (Aslam 43, Azhar 56) “Durham, West Indies,” starts Craig in Cumbria. “Drunks all around singing Jerusalem all day. Nothing unusual in that. However after tea Gayle was fielding near us and one of the drunks shouted ‘Chris! Dance like a bear and I’ll throw you some chicken!’ As non a sequiter as I’ve ever heard.” Someone throw some chicken at Woakes - he deserves some after a tidy over.
Are Pakistan missing a trick here? Going so slowly, they're not hurting England, just causing a lot of conferences @Vitu_E #ENGvPAK
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) August 4, 2016
43rd over: Pakistan 109-1 (Aslam 42, Azhar 56) Finn sharp and around the wicket but, geez, these two are rotating the strike so well now that pressure does not seem to last more than two deliveries.
@Vitu_E As a negative England supporter, I'm already fearing a repeat of this Edgbaston Test match in 2001: https://t.co/MukXsDPZdZ
— Steve Pye (@1980sSportsBlog) August 4, 2016
42nd over: Pakistan 107-1 (Azhar 55, Aslam 40) Hi all – Vish here back for the hour before tea. What on earth is going on out there? Further untidiness as Bairstow spills a delivery that gently archs away from him.
41st over: Pakistan 104-1 (Aslam 40, Azhar 53) A change. Finn is back on, and Azhar brings up his 50 with a smart back-foot punch through the offside for three – he’s a fine player and has shown it here for properly the first time this series. Aslam then gets FIVE after he nudges a single on the legside. Vince’s return thumps the stumps and ricochets beyond Bairstow, and the in-field for four overthrows Azhar pulls a short ball to deep square leg for a single to complete a slightly odd over.
Re unfunny co-spectators, here’s Caroline Cowan: “My very first test match, 1993, Ashes - final day of the final game at the Oval. England trying to avoid the whitewash. Behind me two young-ish boys (about my age - I was 17 at the time), hot sun, too much beer, vomited all over the girl sitting in front of them and next to me. I avoided the worst of it shall we say. Top that....!”
Meanwhile, Bumble is conducting a conversation via the camera with a headphoned-up Frank Skinner about Mark E Smith – one to file under “sentences that I never thought I’d type”.
And on that bombshell, it’s drinks and time for Vish to step back into the chair. See you all again after tea.
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40th over: Pakistan 95-1 (Aslam 34, Azhar 49) Cook, perhaps surmising that Anderson will be fired up by his exchanges with the umpire at the end of the previous over, persists with his leading bowler. The ball has been assiduously shined and is certainly swinging decently off the first two balls, both of which Azhar leaves. The batsman then dabs wide of the slips for two, again showing deft hands, and moves to 49 by turning an inswinger away square on the legside for a single.
39th over: Pakistan 92-1 (Aslam 34, Azhar 46) A firm drive off Broad brings the methodical Aslam another single before Broad adjusts his field again with the short-leg in for Azhar. There’s not enough bounce or zip though and Azhar can just clip the ball past short-leg for a single to round off the over.
More from Gary Weightman on his one-joke pony T20 finals day chum: “I should have added, he kept it up ALL, yes, ALL day, both semis and the Final, a real barrel of laughs.” So let’s throw this it out there – day-destroyingly unfunny involuntary cricket-watching companions: tell us your worst.
38th over: Pakistan 90-1 (Aslam 34, Azhar 45) Anderson is round the wicket again at Aslam, who plays out four balls before pushing another quick, nay stolen, single through nothing more than dropping his bat on it. Anderson then has a genuine lbw shout against Azhar – the first for a while – with a sharp and encouraging inswinger but it’s deviated too much and is clearly going down legside. Jimmy’s got the hump anyhow with umpire Oxenford, having been talked to for running down the pitch. A bit of a developing theme of this match, that.
It will now.
37th over: Pakistan 89-1 (Aslam 33, Azhar 45) But for now it’s still Broad at the Pavilion End. He puts a short leg in (despite the absence of notable bounce) and has only two slips, and his bluff ball – wide and full outside off stump – is driven crisply for four by Azhar. Broad follows up with a delicious tantalising ball that nips in a little and zips past Azhar’s outside edge. A more interesting over, but still a fruitless one for England.
“Re 31st over,” tweets Gary Weightman on the subject of fans holding up cards, “reminds me of T20 Finals at Hants sitting next to guy showing “0” cards at dot balls, a barrel of laughs he was.” S’pose it might have been funny the first time. I’m easily amused.
36th over: Pakistan 85-1 (Aslam 33, Azhar 41) More good leaving and good defensive prodding from Sami off Anderson, who comes at him round the wicket but can’t tempt him. Change of bowling due soon one suspects.
35th over: Pakistan 85-1 (Aslam 33, Azhar 41) Aslam shows good hands again to deflect a slanting Broad delivery backward of square on the offside for a single. There’s more frustration when Azhar nudges one speared in at his pads down to the fine leg boundary for four leg-byes.
I was about to type that neither a wicket nor even an email has arrived in this session, and curse all your bosses for making you do some work, when on cue comes Krishnan Patel. “Do you think that all touring sides should have a longer schedule with matches against counties in-between the test matches?” he asks. “The Pakistani batsmen seem to have found their mojo and I’m sure the time spent in the middle in the game between test matches helped them adapt and work on their weaknesses. In its own way, this is rather beautiful to watch.” Yes to all that. Test cricket in which the away side is a rabbit trapped in headlights too confounded by, and unused to, the conditions to compete is no real fun.
34th over: Pakistan 80-1 (Aslam 32, Azhar 41) Anderson tries to mix it up a bit: he jags one in sharply off the seam, but Azhar is still free to let it pass under his armpit, and then pitches one up that again the batsman is equal to with a firm defensive drive. He induces a play and miss off another one that keeps low and, again, doesn’t carry, but it’s a much better over, the best since lunch.
33rd over: Pakistan 80-1 (Aslam 32, Azhar 41) Broad continues, finds a rare bit of extra bounce but Azhar plays him well defensively off the back foot. He then finds an edge from one that lacks the same zip, and induces a rare uncertain stroke from the batsman, but it doesn’t carry to Cook at slip – they run one.
32nd over: Pakistan 79-1 (Aslam 32, Azhar 40) Aslam drives Anderson square on the offside for a single and Azhar keeps the strike rotating with a quick single. It’s frustrating for the bowler – who’s already seen a chance go down in this session – and though he’s doing little wrong, the attack as a whole is struggling to build pressure. Botham’s been having a bit of a moan about the pitch becoming more innocuous, but Pakistan are impressing here.
31st over: Pakistan 77-1 (Aslam 31, Azhar 39) I’ve said this before but, at Proper Cricket occasions such as this, they should hand out cards for spectators to hold up saying “good leave”, “No … wait” and “dig in”. They’d be holding them up with relish watching Aslam’s display today, and he treats Broad largely with disdain here, letting the innocuous stuff by calmly and then nudging a single off his pads with a defensive prod.
30th over: Pakistan 76-1 (Aslam 30, Azhar 39) Woakes’s wild return throw from short extra-cover results in a one-run overthrow for Aslam after an offside nudge. Azhar’s looking to get on the front foot against Anderson but is denied runs by a smart stop at midwicket from Moeen. A tight enough over.
29th over: Pakistan 75-1 (Aslam 29, Azhar 39) It’s back to the opening pair as Broad returns from the Pavilion End. He strays wide a fraction to the left-handed Aslam, who turns him fine round the corner for a single. He’s better at the right-handed Azhar, pinning him back in the crease with a straight and true one, but there’s a couple of easy leaves too. This is the highest partnership of the match so far by the way, fact fans.
Meanwhile, here’s an England-capped bowler getting back into the groove:
28th over: Pakistan 74-1 (Aslam 28, Azhar 39) Anderson returns to the attack first up after lunch, bowls one dot ball before we have another interruption due to a cameraman’s presence apparently bothering Azhar Ali by the sightscreen. “He’s been there all game,” thunders Ian Botham in the commentary box. It doesn’t sidetrack the batsman unduly though, and he plays a couple of confident forward-defensives before a wildly edged drive is DROPPED at second slip by Joe Root. It was high-ish and slightly to his left but he should have grasped it. It results in one run for Pakistan rather than one wicket to England, and another Aslam single completes the over.
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In other cricket news, Australia closed on 54 for 2 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 281 in Galle, with David Warner dismissed right at the close. Read all about it here:
Anyway, Vish’s riff on Flintoff to Kallis at Edgbaston in 2008 brought back memories of one of the finer Tests of the noughties – even if it did end in England defeat and the then almost-customary tear-stained England captain’s Edgbaston resignation. An even fonder personal memory of it was Paul Collingwood bringing up a second-innings hundred with a stunning lofted six over long-on, not long after Kevin Pietersen had failed to bring up his own century with a similar shot, and caught on the boundary. But a quick YouTube search turned up nowt. Anyone with more time than I had got a link?
Afternoon everyone. Tom here. I have to admit that, 10 minutes in this morning, I half-anticipated spending my lunchtime blether discussing whether England could enforce a follow-on, with Pakistan 67 for 7 or somesuch, such has been the general potency of England’s attack (against generally vulnerable batting opposition) this summer, but no. Pakistan have frustrated an indifferent England attack since then, with Aslam already vindicating the decision to drop Shan Masood. He’s played with quiet wisdom and authority. Who knows, we might even get a fifth day.
I’m going to go off in search of lunch and hand you over to Tom Davies, who will be here shortly. Before I go, here’s Robin Hazlehurst needs you....
“The cricket team of OBO readers, the OBOccasionals, are playing again, for the fourth year in a row, and anyone is welcome to join in. Warm up match is in Brighton on 14 August and there is a tour to Croatia at the end of September. Cricketing prowess is not a requirement, fortunately. Being friendly and sociable is preferred, but we’re not too fussy. New players very welcome, do get in touch!” If you fancy a game, feel free to drop me (Vish) an email and I’ll pass them on.
LUNCH
27th over: Pakistan 72-1 (Aslam 27, Azhar 38) Aslam uses Woakes’ pace to pinch four through third man – the second time he has ridden the bounce in that direction this morning. And what a morning it has been for him: brought in ahead of Shan Masood, he’s shown excellent judgement and ensured England have been left frustrated by their own ill-disciplined display with ball. All this despite having Pakistan 0-1.
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26th over: Pakistan 68-1 (Aslam 23, Azhar 38) A late cut brings tow to Azhar Ali, who seems to be hogging the strike and the runs at the moment. Moeen’s getting good drift into the right hander when he’s fuller and at the batsman.
25th over: Pakistan 66-1 (Aslam 23, Azhar 36) No Finn, actually, as Woakes changes ends and is picked off for three by Azhar. Alistair Stewart suggests a cricketing redemption: “Mitchell Johnson in (one of) the series that shall not be mentioned?” If you’re that way inclined – i.e. a masochist – here are all 37 of his wickets from that nonexistent tour...
24th over: Pakistan 63-1 (Aslam 23, Azhar 33) Moeen Ali into the attack and, second ball, drops short allowing Azhar Ali to find four through extra cover. Broad, running around from deep point, did well to get to the ball but could only palm into the sponge. Michael Hunt is in disragreement with Mr Goater: “Though I fully understand the setting, opposition and result are apt in this case and indeed in actual terms the only things that mattered, the hooha about that Beckham penalty at the time annoyed me. It was, importantly, a rubbish pen, 6 inches from where the keeper leaned rather than dived the wrong way. The result of a pen is too often used to justify if it was good, which is rubbish when statistically you would back any one of the 11 on the team individually to bury from there. Beckham’s was poor but snuck in. Anyway, sorry about that. Cricket, you say?” I’d also say that Beckham’s penalty record from that point on showed just how poor he was from the spot. But yes - cricket.
23rd over: Pakistan 58-1 (Sami 23, Azhar 28) Much, much better from Finn. Around the wicket to the leftie, he uses the angle to bowl fuller and really attack Aslam. The final delivery kicks up off a length and pings his bottom hand. Enough for one more over, I’d say...
22nd over: Pakistan 56-1 (Aslam 21, Azhar 28) Woakes finishes his fifth over with James Anderson in front of the nonstriker at short mid on. Fields the final ball but nothing else happening, to be honest. “Boycott now prattling on about how Ball should have been picked instead of Finn,” writes Dough Morrison. Must be honest, I’m not listening to TMS. Certainly there was a strong suggestion from many that Ball should be above Finn in the pecking over, but Finn bowled well in the second innings at Lord’s and has been bowling rockets in white ball cricket over the past couple of weeks. “If Finn takes a five for we’ll hear no more about it.” Exactly this.
21st over: Pakistan 53-1 (Aslam 20, Azhar 26) A shot that has been coming for a while, against Finn: Azhar Ali rocks back and helps himself to four, high over point, as Finn is short and wide again. Much better with the comeback delivery – full, straight, quick. That four brought up the fifty partnership from 121 balls. A short ball finishes the over. Azhar just ducks under it.
Steven Finn this morning
— Sim (@SimUKCricket) August 4, 2016
All over the place pic.twitter.com/tJAsSe39a9
20th over: Pakistan 48-1 (Aslam 19, Azhar 22) There it is: bit of width from Chris Woakes and Azhar flays him through point for four. England’s attack just lacking some teeth right now. Speaking of which...
Mark Wood, on his Championship return, has two wickets in his first 11 balls.
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) August 4, 2016
19th over: Pakistan 44-1 (Aslam 19, Azhar 18) Another forgettable maiden to add to the pile in the corner. Just being allowed too much room to leave. “At the risk of sounding obvious,” starts Chris Goater, “the Pearce and Beckham penalties against Spain and Argentina are fantastic English sporting redemptions. For a cricketing example, Ian Botham’s first-ball wicket after his cannabis-related suspension was pretty good, especially since it coined the immortal phrase “Who writes your scripts?”
18th over: Pakistan 44-1 (Aslam 19, Azhar 18) Woakes tries to make something happen with a full ball – pushed down the ground by Aslam for a lovely four – and a bumper – fended over the keeper’s head for one. For OBOers in the Hampshire area, George Browne’s club, the Hampshire Hogs, are having a six-a-side tournament next week. I’ll let him take over: “It’s a great day out, at a stunning ground - there’ll be local beer, locally brewed cocktails, homemade cakes - and lots of fun cricket. And it’s free!” Details in the poster below
17th over: Pakistan 39-1 (Aslam 15, Azhar 18) Is this a positive: Finn’s three overs have conceded just one run. Probably not when you consider he’s bowling a touch wide and too fast. Just seems intent on bowling briskly. “I am Broad, or is it bored, expecting wickets. So I’m amusing myself (only myself I’m sure) thinking: what if he had been named Dol Finn? Then there’s Norfolk Broad, Back Ali etc.” I like where you’re headed with this, Alisdair Gould. Uncon and Tippingthe in the middle order, too.
16th over: Pakistan 39-1 (Aslam 15, Azhar 18) “Wales humiliatingly lost to Fiji and went out of the 2007 RWC at pool stage, sacking their coach in a car park,” writes Kerry Davies. “They came back in their next game to beat England at Twickers for the first time in 20 years, go on to win a Grand Slam and take an incredibly rare Southern Hemisphere scalp.” Now that’s some sound redemption, right there. Aslam again impressive with his judgement. So far, he’s left 55% of deliveries faced. Or, to put it another way – England have no made him play enough.
15th over: Pakistan 37-1 (Aslam 14, Azhar 17) Really good from these two: Finn hits the bat hard, but even when pushed onto the back foot, Aslam has the smarts to push off immediately for a single. A better over – one lifts and nearly catches Azhar’s edge – but still a bit too much width to the right hander. Still, at least it’s not just full and floaty.
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The only wicket England have taken so far...
WATCH: @jimmy9 dismisses Hafeez for 0, caught Ballance at backward point. PAK 0-1: https://t.co/XbFzNuRrnw #ENGvPAK https://t.co/ipUTNPnh1X
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 4, 2016
14th over: Pakistan 35-1 (Aslam 13, 17) Double change it is as Woakes replaces Broad. Immediately, he’s up at 88mph and swinging the ball. Aslam, who has played everything under his eyes, continues to do so to work an inswinger into the leg side for one. Ali manages a three through the same patch of turf as he presses forward to drive through the covers. Crucially, Woakes is attacking the stumps and Aslam, who has judged well, cannot help but nudge at one passing his off stump. Drinks.
13th over: Pakistan 31-1 (Aslam 12, Azhar 14) Quick, short but very wide from Finn. Still, a maiden to challenge Anderson’s innocuous one from earlier. “Surely the greatest sporting redemption is a toss-up between Ben Johnson, emerging from obscurity to win the Olympic 100m title in Seoul in 1988, or Lance Armstrong recovering from serious illness to win seven Tours de France,” suggests Paul Griffin. “You don’t hear much about either these days, which seems a bit disappointing.”
12th over: Pakistan 31-1 (Aslam 12, Azhar 14) Broad decides to go over the wicket to the leftie and tries to pepper him. Fails. Joy - Finn on next over...
11th over: Pakistan 31-1 (Aslam 12, Azhar 14) A few times, Aslam has looked to drop and run into the offside. On most occasions, Azhar Ali has implored him not to. Worth keeping an eye on for the run out but Azhar has been calling loud and early enough to keep his partner honest. He gets one in the end to point before Azhar nabs two for himself.
10th over: Pakistan 28-1 (Aslam 11, Azhar 12) Alex Hales in at short mid on to make Azhar Ali think twice about that work to midwicket. Broad doesn’t give him anything there, as it happens.
9th over: Pakistan 28-1 (Aslam 11, Azhar 12) A maiden to Anderson but one of those “yeah, that’s nice and all but, oh I don’t know” maidens. Definitely time for a change, I think. Woakes from whatever end he usually gets, you’d assume.
8th over: Pakistan 28-1 (Aslam 11, Azhar 12) Bit of a hold-up at the start of this over to ensure the sight screen has turned completely to white. It was here, at Edgbaston, that Flintoff bowled that spell to Kallis, who couldn’t pick up the ball when Flintoff bowled full from wide of the crease. Worth watching again for Kallis’ almighty seething. A play and a miss as Azhar comes forward is better with a nice push off his toes, again through midwicket, for a couple.
7th over: Pakistan 25-1 (Aslam 10, Azhar 10) Nothing much of note from that over, other than one delivery that Azhar Ali seemed to defend with a bat coming from gully.
6th over: Pakistan 21-1 (Sami 10, Azhar 6) Broad seems to have shaken himself up and is coming through the crease with a bit more intent, the ball carrying quick and true to Jonny Bairstow. A few blocks and an attempted single – aborted – see the over out.
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5th over: Pakistan 21-1 (Aslam 10, Azhar 6) A series of out-swingers from Anderson is following by a straight delivery that Azhar Ali works away well through midwicket for four. Well played, that, as he was into it quickly and dropped his wrists to ensure the raced away along the floor, beyond the full-length dive of Steven Finn. Finishes with a pearler, does Jimmy.
Anderson already chipping away at Sami Aslam. The adapted football cliche would be: "Welcome to Test cricket in England."
— Tom Collomosse (@TomCStandard) August 4, 2016
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4th over: Pakistan 17-1 (Aslam 10, Azhar 2) Not too much bounce from Broad, but he is getting the ball to move away from the left-hander from around the wicket. Sami Aslam, though, looks like he appreciates a good leave. A very Cook-like four to him, as he gets on top of the bounce to dab down to third man. Then a very un-Cook-like waft through gully for four. Four slips, one point, no gully.
3rd over: Pakistan 9-1 (Aslam 2, Azhar 2) Positive running from these two - not something we have seen much of from Pakistan’s top order. To those of you listening to TMS – or trying to, anyway – it seems, like Mo Hafeez, they are suffering from some technical difficulties.
50 Test wickets v most different teams:
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) August 4, 2016
9 M Muralitharan
7 A Kumble & J Anderson
6 G McGrath & S Warne
2nd over: Pakistan 7-1 (Aslam 1, Azhar 1) Sami Aslam takes his first run of the series, pushing his first ball into the off side and darting to the other end. Broad was around the wicket to the left-hander and is over to the Azhar Ali, who also dashes to get off the mark.
1st over: Pakistan 0-1 (Sami Aslam 0, Azhar Ali 0) Anderson starts with perhaps the most underserving wicket maiden you’re ever likely to see. Hafeez has had an absolute stinker.
WICKET! Hafeez c Ballance b Anderson 0 (Pakistan 0-1)
Jeepers - what was that?! Anderson just hangs the ball outside off stump and Hafeez guides it low to Gary Ballance at point.
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“A 15-meter diving board... was your school a host of the Red Bull cliff diving championship?” Fair shout. It certainly felt steeper. Don’t try and take my moment away, Bo Roddis. The players are out now...
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In the other Test going on at the moment, Sri Lanka are 217-5 in the 55th over against Australia. Angelo Mathews has just brought up his 25th Test fifty off 59 balls. Considering he’s usually a slow starter who likes to absorb pressure, there’s every chance he turns this into a biggie. Does seem to enjoy playing the Aussies. Kusal Mendis, whizzkid from the previous Test, scored a dainty 86.
On sporting redemption, this top 10 from TSN features a few personal favourites. Worth watching till number one as yer man somehow manages to duff a pop-up catch while wearing a basket on his hand. Comical.
PREAMBLE
Oh to be Sohail Khan. Maybe not right now: stiff, knackered, nursing a lower back that must feel like pounded Philadelphia beef. But for five years, he’s carried around a Test average of 256 and even with shoulders built to job-share with Atlas, it must have been a strain. In the space of a day, he dramatically reduced that load to 56.83 with his first Test five-for. It got me thinking about my greatest turnaround. Initially I dwelled on sport, but there’s nothing that particularly sticks out. I did, up until the age of 18, have an irrational fear of water, to the extent that I wouldn’t dare move away from the corner of the school pool. Shallow, two sides – it was my safe place. Until one day – the last day of school, as it happens – dressed in uniform, I decided to jump off the 5-meter board. That rush was soon followed by an even greater one from 15-meters. There was definitely a great sense of accomplishment that I carried with me up until I realised I still had my wallet and phone in my pocket.
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Vithushan will be here shortly.
Meanwhile, catch up with yesterday’s play in Mike Selvey’s day one report:
All things considered, not least the fragility of their collective minds after suffering virtual dismemberment in the second Test at Old Trafford, it was an excellent day for Pakistan.
Putting England in to bat might have seemed a gamble on the part of Misbah-ul-Haq – although recent history of Tests here would argue otherwise – but it paid dividends. So, too, did the straight exchange of a left-arm paceman Wahab Riaz for a right-armer, Sohail Khan, hitherto a bowler with a single Test wicket in a two‑match career and an absence from the national side of five years.
Sohail bowled with vigour and enthusiasm, hurtling himself willingly into the fray, and finished the day with five for 96 for his pains. There is something rather heartwarming in that. The change of line offered by Sohail might also have had some bearing on the indifference of the England batting, which had become used to an exclusively left-arm Pakistan pace attack.
A number of batsmen played themselves in well enough – Alastair Cook, James Vince, Gary Ballance and Moeen Ali – but only the latter pair progressed beyond a half‑century, with Ballance top-scoring with 70 before finding another unfortunate way to get out to Yasir Shah.
Also check out Vic Marks’s piece on a good day for Sohail Khan:
Obviously a left-hander’s pitch at Edgbaston. Believe that and you can keep putting your faith in a four-leafed clover or an old horseshoe. But the simple fact is that England were kept afloat by their left-handers on an intriguing first day.
There are two better reasons for that: Sohail Khan, the pace bowler of regimental mien, bowled exceptionally at England’s right-handed batsmen on his return to Test cricket after a five‑year absence; he found the outside edge of all of them. But he was nowhere near as effective against the left-handers especially when he opted to bowl around the wicket at them. Secondly, and perhaps even more pertinently, England’s left-handers batted better than their right-handers.
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