And here’s your match report …
Updated
Goodbye and good night/morning/afternoon
Phew. That was all a bit breathless at the end there. Well played Australia, who now face a straight shootout with the hosts India on Sunday to see who joins the Kiwis in the last four from this group. That will be an absolute belter. Not much at stake, eh. I reckon, at long last, the Australians might just have found their best team.
The win was built on magnificent batting at the death from Smith and King Shane of Watson (who was smiling that lovely smile at the end there) and the bowling of Adam Zampa and James Faulkner, who ended up with 5-27, the best bowling figures by an Aussie in T20. Four of those came in the last two overs.
Pakistan, though, are out. And is that the end of Afridi? I hope not. It probably won’t be, if we’re honest...
Thank you so much for joining me. There have been some spectacular Watto Poems. Much appreciated. See you all soon!
Updated
Australia win by 21 runs. Pakistan are out.
20th over: Pakistan 172-8 (Malik 40, Sami 4)
Malik averts The Finisher’s hat-trick ball with a nudge to leg before Mohammad Sami absolutely hammers his first ball to leg for four that Warner, somehow, nearly catches. They scramble a single then two off the last three but it does not matter. PAKISTAN ARE OUT OF THE WORLD T20.
Wicket! Wahab c Hazlewood b Faulkner 0 (Pakistan 164-8 - target 194)
Another slower ball, another top edge, another wicket. Wahab skies to Hazlewood at third man. And Faulkner has a fivefer AND a hat-trick ball.
Wicket! Sarfaraz c Khawaja b Faulkner 2 (Pakistan 164-7 - target 194)
Mmm. Another slower ball from Faulkner and Sarfaraz tries to switch hit for four. But he gets a top edge and is caught by Uzzie at point. All over, red rover.
19th over: Pakistan 164-6 (Malik 37, Sarfaraz 2) - target 194
NCN again for the penultimate over. Like Faulkner, he’s varying his pace plenty. And for the first four balls, they can’t get more than singles. But off the fifth, Malik stands tall and boshes it over long on for a massive six. Huge. And he plays the last - a full toss - with an angled bat and it runs away through point for four! 30 from the last over. They couldn’t, could they?
Mighty Watto poem from Dean Kinsella here - ALL CAPTIALISED!
WITH CHISELLED JAW
AND SHOULDERS SO BRAW
HE WAS HYPED TO THE SKY
BY THE AUSSIES.
BUT WITH BAT AND WITH BALL
HE ACHEIVED F**K ALL
SO SHANE WILL GO HOME
TO HIS MOSSIES.
Updated
18th over: Pakistan 150-6 (Malik 25, Sarfaraz 0) - target 194
Malik takes two then one from the last two of the over.
The equation is 44 from the last two. Big. Ask.
Wicket! Imad Wasim c Coulter-Nile b Faulkner 0 (Pakistan 147-6 - target 194)
Wasim - in ahead of Sarfaraz for some reason - has a massive swing at his first ball, gets a top edge and is caught by NCN running in from midwicket.
Pakistan need 47 from 14...
Wicket! Latif b Faulkner 46 (Pakistan 147-5 - target 194)
James “The Finisher” Faulkner is back to do the finishing. He’s going round the wicket and bowling everything out the back of the hand. Singles off the first two, and then the third bowls Latif! He tries to hoick to leg but completely misses and that, you would think, will be that.
Pakistan need 47 from 15...
17th over: Pakistan 145-3 (Latif 45, Malik 21) - Target 194
King Shane of Watson returns. Three fine full deliveries limit Pakistan to two singles and a two off the first three. But then, inexplicably, the Sweet Prince drops short and Malik has a huge heave and top edge goes over keeps for four. He returns to a full length and again and, funnily enough, they can’t score boundaries. 10 from the over.
They need 49 from 18.
Damn straight.
Australia: 16 overs, 135-4.
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) March 25, 2016
Pakistan: 16 overs, 135-4.
Now just need Watto to bat for Pakistan. #WT20
16th over: Pakistan 135-3 (Latif 43, Malik 13) - Target 194
More Zampa. Latif gets one to long-on, before Malik absolutely nails it straight down the ground for six. Shot. great comeback from Zampa though, with just three more singles from the remaining four balls.
THE EQUATION IS 59 FROM 24. AUSTRALIA ALSO HAD 135-4 AFTER 16. FUN FACT, THAT.
It seems we have a truce between Richard Woods and Ian Johnson. Ian has finished Richard’s poem! “My pleasure, Ian my old friend,” says Richard.
“Hindsight it is a wonderful they say
Watto’s reminded each time that he plays
Never rush to a T
When the ball hits your knee
As reviewing for you rarely pays”
Updated
15th over: Pakistan 125-4 (Latif 41, Malik 5) - Target 194
Latif, I feel, is the key man now. He’s set and has sped up lots in the last few overs. He sends the returning Hazlewood to deep cover for two, then carves him to the same region for a beautifully timed four. He’s off strike with a single, the Malik angles two nicely through point. Singles are traded to end the over.
THE EQUATION IS 69 FROM 30 BALLS.
Zia’s been in touch and has some thoughts on Pakistan’s malaise: “I think years of no meaningful domestic cricket have caught up with Pakistan. They are now miles behind the other good teams. Unless something changes soon, these may be the dying throes of Pakistan cricket.”
It’s a depressing assessment, but may not be totally wrong, sadly.
Updated
13th over: Pakistan 114-4 (Latif 33, Malik 2) - Target 194
So, four balls left of the over. And there’s a single from each one. None of them were that exciting so I’m not going to go into unnecessary details.
Robert Wolf Peterson writes: “Afternoon Will, I have a Watto poem for you, all the way from Bali!” Lovely stuff!
Ah Watto, I guess we all knew it,
Your decision, how must we construe it?
We all assume this’ll
Be your last dismissal,
But will you decide to review it?
Updated
Wicket! Afridi b Zampa 14! (Pakistan 110-4, Target 194)
This game it is a’moving. Zampa’s back and he’s drilled miles over his head for a wonderful six by Afridi. Huge. But he’s gone next ball! He gets greedy, skips down and tries to slog to cow but misses and is easily stumped by Nevill. Pakistan need 84 from 40 and are propping up the bar in the last chance saloon. Malik in.
12th over: Pakistan 104-3 (Latif 31, Afridi 8) - Target 194
NCN is back. Sorry, I can’t be bothered to type his whole name. Although typing that I’ve already used way more characters. Should have just typed Nathan Coulter-Nile. Latif climbs into his first delivery with a meaty slog that goes to cow for four. The next is driven down the ground for one which Warner is all over. NCN is digging it into Afridi, who ducks the first, then top edges the second. How has that landed safe? Ludicrous. They run one. Latif swipes four more to cow, then takes a single to finish the over.
John Davis here, writes, “In the spirit of Bad Shane Watson Poems:
Shane Watson:
You often bowled a dot, son,
But your pad, son,
Often made the bowler glad, son.
Love it. Love it.
11th over: Pakistan 94-3 (Latif 22, Afridi 7) - Target 194
Very good over for Australia this. Maxwell swaps end and somehow finds four dot balls to Latif first up, including some fine fielding off his own bowling. Latif scrambles a single top point, and as soon as Afridi is on strike, he nails SIX over long-on. Shot, and much needed for Pakistan.
Ian Johnson has been in touch again. And he’s waving the white flag at Richard Woods. “I need some help with this limerick,” he writes. “It’s getting late here. Perhaps Richard will take this olive branch and finish it off for me?”
Hindsight, it is wonderful they say
Watto’s reminded each time that he plays
Never rush to a T
When the ball hits your knee
<but now I can't think what to say>
Will you help, Richard?
11th over: Pakistan 87-3 (Latif 21, Afridi 1) - Target 194
The man who calls himself Boom Boom is in. He defends his first, and then he and Latif take a single each down the ground. Zampa’s two overs have cost just 12.
Updated
Akmal b Zampa 32 (Pakistan 85-3 - Target 194)
As Zampa swaps end, the require run rate rocks up to 11.5. Realising this, Akmal winds up and hits big to leg. Maxwell is running in from cow corner to take the catch but it lands just short! And slips through for four. They take two next ball, the second being an overthrow. He goes for the big shot again and Akmal is bowled! Pretty standard straight leggie, he’s missed it and been castled!
Updated
10th over: Pakistan 79-2 (Latif 20, Akmal 26) - Target 194
Interesting. Zampa off, Maxwell on. They might fancy a bit of Glenn, the Pakistan lads. But it’s all quite gentle stuff. A Latif nudge to leg, an Akmal edge to third man, another Latif nudge for leg. All for one. Then Akmal does the nudging to leg, Latif the pushing down the ground, and Akmal more nudging to leg. Again, all singles. Six from the over, and I reckon Steve Smith will be mighty pleased with that.
9th over: Pakistan 73-2 (Latif 17, Akmal 23) - Target 194
Watto has been taken off. Probably for the best *dries tears*. Faulkner has swapped ends and is replacing him. Latif takes a single to backward square, then Akmal hoicks to leg and it looks like it’s going for four, but Khawaja - not Australia’s best fielder - cuts it off (I think he didn’t) and they run two. A single gives Latif the strike and he absolutely bludgeons Faulkner over cow for six. Massive. A bye and a dot ends the over.
I like the direction Watto poems is going. People are literally sending in their worst ones. Paul Turp writes, “Here’s a bad poem.” I disagree, I think it’s excellent:
Bowled Shane!
They often said,
It was never to you,
But Warne instead.
Your bowling: not exactly sh**e,
But grumpy, heavy, frazzled, tight,
I hope you never lose that frown,
Which spoke: ‘They think I’m just this clown’.
8th over: Pakistan 62-2 (Latif 10, Akmal 20) - Target 194
Time for some spin! Adam Zampa’s on. Akmal and Latif just trade really chilled singles from the first two, seemingly unbothered by who is bowling. Akmal cuts the third to backward point for no run, then nudges past the diving Zampa for one. Latif does the same next ball, and a dot ends a decent first over from A-Zamps.
Stats time!
Australia has already bowled more than half the dot balls that Pakistan did.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) March 25, 2016
7th over: Pakistan 58-2 (Latif 8, Akmal 18) - Target 194
WATTO’S ON. WATTO IS ON. SHANE WATSON IS BOWLING. I’m excited. In the great man lumbers, like a chiselled tugboat. The first is a dot, of course it is. Akmal defends to cover. Oh my, he doesn’t defend the rest of the over! Akmal just wallops a length ball over square leg for six, then hoicks to cow for two and skips down the track to dismissively send it to midwicket for four! The fifth is maybe the best - a beautiful uppish drive down the ground for four. What a shot. There’s a single off the last to make it 17 from the over :-(
Updated
6th over: Pakistan 41-1 (Latif 8, Akmal 1) - Target 194
Three balls left of the over and Umar Akmal is waddling to the middle. Commentary buzz terms: compact, stocky. He gets a single through the covers and then Latif plays out two dots.
Ersel Awan thinks he has the worst Watto poem of 2016. I reckon it’s decent:
Watson,
You deserved a lot son
You could hit
Despite being a little shit
You tried
And now can leave with pride
Updated
Wicket! Sharjeel b Faulkner 30 (Pakistan 40-2, Target 194)
Faulkner on for the last over of the powerplay, and he’s immediately dispatched behind square on the legside for four. Shot. But two balls later he plays on! Trying to do the same thing but this one’s a bit fuller! Very enjoyable innings from Sharjeel - 30 from 19.
Updated
5th over: Pakistan 36-1 (Sharjeel 26, Latif 8) - Target 194
Good from Hazlewood, who starts with a pair of dots to Latif. But that’s a great response, with a front foot pull down the ground (Sharjeel has to take evasive action) for four. Then there’s a swiped two, which Finch cuts off tidily on the fence. Not so good fifth ball, as Latif swings uglily and misses. The last one hits him on the inner thigh pad. Or groin, really. Four dots from Hazlewood. Good stuff.
MASSIVE WATTO NEWS FROM IAN JOHNSON: In an attempt to banish Matilda I’ve gone for James Reyne,” he writes, “so an ode to Watto, to the tune of ‘Reckless’:
“Ball strikes the pads it’s plumb again
Watto should be on his way
Stands his ground, says it’s missing
While the Howzat cheering, cuts the air around the play
Umpire thinks a bit, then fingers him
(In the air I mean, not the other way)
The Aussies slow mo “not todaaaaay’
Not a very Happy, way to start the day
He don’t like
Out LBW
He don’t like
Out LBW
So .....
Put down your arrrrmms
Don’t be so reckless
Put down your arrrrmms
Don’t be so reckless
Watch the replay on the te-elleeeee
Delivery good, let’s roll the tape
Watto prays, please let it slide down leg
But leg stump’s too far away
Did it clip the bails? Or pitch outside?
Not this time Watto, no pad bat glove in the way
He don’t like
Out LBW”
Amazing.
Updated
4th over: Pakistan 30-1 (Sharjeel 26, Latif 2) - Target 194
NCN takes the catch and he’s having another bowl. Latif takes a single to square leg, before Sharjeel has some fun. There’s a tickled two to short fine where Hazlewood does well, then a magnificent pull in front of square for four. He then middles it to backward point for none, and the wears one in a painful spot, before a nice pull for two is fielded well with some tag team stuff on the midwicket fence and they get two.
John Starbuck in touch with our shortest Watto poem yet:
“Watto
Wotcher
What a
Catcher”
Updated
3rd over: Pakistan 21-1 (Sharjeel 18, Latif 1) - Target 194
Latif gets off the mark first ball with a push to leg for one.
Classy Watto poem from Raymond Reardon:
It was a cricketer of Australia,
That trawled the southern sea,
In a smack of 4 tons and 24 fifty,
And the Aussies pride was he.
And the bouncers were high to windward,
And the bouncers were high to lee,
And he said that he only lost his wicket,
To only bloody L B.
Wicket! Shehzad c Coulter-Nile b Hazlewood 1 (Pakistan 20-1, Target 194)
More Hazlewood. Shehzad hits straight to point for none, then sends a short ball to backward square to get off the mark. Oh, that’s a magnificent pull for four from Sharjeel! Shot. And he follows it up with a similar one that is fielded well by Maxwell and they get one! But then Shehzad plays a silly swipe, and it goes straight up in the air and is caught by NCN strolling in from mid-off. Rubbish shot, that.
2nd over: Pakistan 14-0 (Sharjeel 13, Shehzad 0) - Target 194
Boo Steve Smith. He’s not opening from the other end with Watto, who is standing at Smith looking handsome. Instead it’s Nathan Coulter-Nile, who is cut for four by Sharjeel second ball, beating third man running round. After a play and miss, Sharjeel plays the same shot and gets the same result. Only took three balls for comms to announce that Coulter-Nile bowls a heavy ball, btw. Have a drink for that everyone. The fifth ball also goes for four! It’s fuller and straighter and just nailed down the ground over the bowler’s head! Plays and misses to the last.
Updated
1st over: Pakistan 2-0 (Sharjeel 1, Shehzad 0) - Target 194
Australia aiming wide of off against the left-handed Sharjeel, who leaves the first. The second is a wide and the third (or second again, really) much straighter and well defended. He’s off the mark with a guide to third man for one. Shehzad tries to cut his first ball but finds just fresh air and, again, Hazlewood goes straighter, and it’s defended back to him. Not a very hittable length, I’d say. The last of the over sees another swish and miss outside off.
The first Watto poem of the innings comes from John Davis, and it’s very tidy:
“There once was an Aussie called Shane
Who, feeling his powers start to wane,
Announced he’d retire -
Making poets perspire-
Ah, DRS - you must take the blame.”
Pakistan need 194 to win....
...and we’re off. Sharjeel and Shehzad head out to face Hazlewood, bowling for the first time this tournament.
I reckon Australia are very well placed here. Earlier this week the Kiwis got 180 against Pakistan at this ground and it was more than enough. The 74 Watto and Smith put on there has probably been a game-clinching partnership. They’ll be out again in a moment, with Pakistan looking to stay alive in the competition.
Btw, we have a nice little feud developing in my inbox between Richard Johnson and Ian Woods. Here’s Ian’s latest retort to Richard: “Ian Johnson really needed to consider the number of syllables in his name…” he writes, before giving another poem.
“Poor Ian Johnson, Poor Ian Johnson,
Can’t get the Watto song out of his head,
And for all the innumerable other songs he tries to sing
This b**ger keeps waltzing back there instead.”
This was the shot I got really excited about, when Smith was outside the tramlines and still hit it to leg (for four).
Stick of rhubarb Geoffrey... https://t.co/hX8u1GDJjl
— simon hughes (@theanalyst) March 25, 2016
Updated
Steve Morgan in Devon has been in touch again and my does he know the way to my heart. Because if there’s one man I love more than Shane Watson, it’s Hugh Laurie (anyone watching the Night Manager, btw? Serious TV, that).
“Hugh Laurie,” he writes, “was often asked who his favourite cricketer was. His replies show a great appreciation of the skills of Shane Watson:
Mag-blooming-nificent.
That's the innings break, folks. Pakistan need 194 to win!
20th over: Australia 193-4 (Smith 61, Watson 44)
Amir’s dropped his bundle a bit at the start of this over. He bowls a legside wide to Watto and they scamper a single to the keeper. But then he finds two dots to Smith, before they scamper a legbye. Smith struggling to get it away there, strangely. Watto doesn’t struggle, of course he doesn’t! His first boundary is a bit rank, a miscued swat going over the keeper and short third man for four, but the next is magnificent! Six! Don’t bowl there to the great man. Swatted over cow for a fat six. Leg bye off the last ball makes it 194 to win. Cracking fightback from Oz, and brilliant from these two. Watto striking at a cool 209.5.
Join me in a few mins when Watto will be bowling. I just need to pop to the bathroom. Excuse me.
19th over: Australia 179-4 (Smith 61, Watson 34)
Wahab back for the penultimate over, and things get funky first ball. Smith steps across his stumps and Wahab angles it real wide of off - Smith somehow sends it to leg for one. So Watto-Wahab resumes. Lovely. A big whoosh is missed and I think a couple of words are exchanged. Then Wahab goes full and wide and Watto does what Watto does and just flays it over cover for four. He digs out a full one and they run two, then takes a single to long-on.
Outrageous last ball! So Smith goes across his stumps again, LITERALLY OUTSIDE THE TRAM LINES. Wahab follows him. Why not just bowl at the stumps? And Smith hits it to leg, still, and gets an absurd four. Ridiculous, wtfing shot. The wrists on Smith, though.
Ian Johnson has been in touch about Waltzing Matilda. “I hold Richard bloody Woods responsible for the days I can now look forward to, singing that bloody song in my head!
So here’s my take on it:
I love me OBO
I love me OBO
I love me OBO but not to this song
For it sticks in me head and I’ll not forgive Old Woodsy Boy
P*** off and sing by ya billabong”
Lovely.
Updated
18th over: Australia 167-4 (Smith 56, Watson 27)
After that two, Smith takes a single to leg to get King Shane of Watson back on strike, and what does he do? He absolutely nails it over cover for six. That is outrageously good. I love him. I literally love him. He chills out with a single to deep cover, then Smith flays a cut behind point for four. Shot. That brings up Sami’s half-century and there’s a single to long-off to end his spell. Not a pretty one.
It’s Ross Young’s turn to do a Watto poem. This one is excellent.
“Watson. I think he
Thought the stumps would move for him.
Wrong, Shane. Leg before.
Stumps untouched. The blond
Mane shaking. The ball on line.
The finger raised: out.
What if Shane Watson
Didn’t fall short? What if he
Achieved all he could?”
Smith 50!
Steve Smith brings up his 50 with a wristy nudge to leg for two off the first ball of Sami’s over. Top knock this. Comes off 35 balls.
17th over: Australia 152-4 (Smith 28, Watson 20)
Strange innings this. Australia well placed but doesn’t really feel like they have actually got going. Amir is back. Smith bunts a single to long-on, then Watson takes one to cow. Oh dear, Khalid Latif. Amir is right to give him the full teapot: Smith skews a drive to deep point, where Latif just lets it through his hands for four. Should have been two. Smith takes a single to leg to move to 48, then Watson HITS A SIX. I REPEAT, WATSON HITS A SIX. It just looks so easy. What a man. It’s just nailed over long-on. And then there’s four more, a drive that is edged behind square on the off side and beats that man Latif. 17 from the over. Aussies on the move. WATTO DOING HIS THING.
I’m so happy, because I basically have enough Watto business for a poem every over. Gareth Wilson’s our man this time:
“Big, blonde, injured Shane
Has decided to retire
Will he review it?”
16th over: Australia 135-4 (Smith 42, Watson 9)
WAHAB V WATSON KLAXON. They actually met in the Pakistan Super League last month, but this is proper now. Boom. Uneventful first ball, as Watto just guides it down to third man and they don’t even seem to get eye contact. Maybe they want their match fees?! There’s a dot then a single from Smith, before Wahab digs it in and Watson pulls for four behind square! He takes a single to fine leg to get off strike and Smith misses a pull off the last but they take a leg bye.
Beautiful and pithy Watto poem from Andrew Millington:
“Though not the greatest Shane,
He was a good ’un, all the same.”
Updated
15th over: Australia 127-4 (Smith 42, Watson 3)
Afridi to Watson is a lovely match up. There are two dots as the King settles, then a meaty swipe to long-on for one. Smith plays the same shot with the same outcome. Another dot for Watto, then a cut for one to end a good over from Afridi.
Richard Woods with another Watto poem!
“Removing Shane Watson
Removing Shane Watson
You’ll come removing Shane Watson with me
And he groaned as the DRS said lbw
Once more denying Shane Watson reprieve”
14th over: Australia 124-4 (Smith 41, Watson 1)
King Shane of Watson starts with a single to long-off before Smith - who is playing beautifully - smashes four through the offside.
Wicket! Maxwell 30 c Shehzad b Imad Wasim (Australia 119-4, 13.4 overs)
Blooming heck, the 50 partnership is up as Smith drives through the covers for a lovely four. Then there’s two behind square and a single to long-on before MAXWELL HOLES OUT! That’s straight down long-on’s throat.
WATTO TIME!!!
Another Watto haiku! Phil Makepeace - AKA Notwar - now:
“Elementary
My dear Watto, with your pads
As big as your heart”
Updated
13th over: Australia 112-3 (Smith 30, Maxwell 30)
Sami breaks the spin cycle. He starts badly again, with a wide down the legside. Then he bowls wildly outside off stump and Smith flays an edge to third man for four. A single is followed by some defence (yes, defence) from Maxwell, then another blooming wide. That’s better - Maxwell can only angle to backward point, no run. But then Sami shoves it in halfway down and Maxwell rocks back and pulls for four, splitting the men in the deep! Last ball of the over is ludicrously good from Maxwell, a drive over wide long-off for a massive six. Ludicrous stroke and 17 from the over. Wasim Akram reminds us on comms that he played with Sami. Sami is old.
Alastair Connor writes from Lyon. “In keeping with the T20,”he says, “I thought a short-format pome would be best for the all-rounder:
Shane Watson
Plays some magnificent shots an’
Takes wickets for his team
By bowling on the seam”
Lovely stuff - up with this sort of thing.
Updated
12th over: Australia 95-3 (Smith 25, Maxwell 20)
I was hoping this over might be one for me to catch my breath after uncontrolled Watto poetry joy. But no, the first ball is a right mess. From round the wicket, Imad angles his left-arm orthodox in at Smith’s pads, and he skips down and there’s an appeal for leg before. No dice. But the ball squirts off to point and Maxwell should have been run out! Direct hit and he’s gone, for mine. The following five balls chill the hell out a bit and there’s just five singles from the over. The only hairy moment is when Imad appeals for leg before as Maxwell gets the reverse out again. But it’s not out.
11th over: Australia 90-3 (Smith 22, Maxwell 18)
Afridi continues and Maxwell gets out his reverse sweep! He gets a top edge and it goes over the keeper for four. They then trade singles before Maxwell slog sweeps to cow for a magnificent low four that nearly carried all the way for six! 13 from the over. Big one for Australia. Smith above his T20i average now.
Kev McMahon on the Watto poetry decks:
He never did know
That he could be given out!
Perplexed, was our Shane.
10th over: Australia 77-3 (Smith 20, Maxwell 7)
So, we reach the halfway stage with a seven-run over from Imad. The first is a dot, then Smith pushes to midwicket for two. Maxwell gets a two later in the over, but otherwise it’s a set of fairly non-descript singles.
John Starbuck the latest with a magnificent Watto poem. I’m concentrating way more on these than on the cricket, I’m afraid:
So, farewell then, Watto.
You were a bloody good bloke
And always gave us a laugh.
But please,Don’t become a pundit
A la Warney
That would befar too carney.
Updated
9th over: Australia 70-3 (Smith 16, Maxwell 4)
More Afridi. Always fun. Maxwell drives to cover for none, then to deep cover for one. They then take a single each, before Smith skips down and sends it to wide long-on for two, which is saved well. There’s a single to backward square to end the over.
More Watto poems! A haiku from Clinton Arnold:
Sweet Watto departs,
No legend, but quite handy,
Competent all round
I’m having the time of my life reading these. Keep ‘em coming.
8th over: Australia 64-3 (Smith 12, Maxwell 2)
Still no Watto. Maxwell’s away with a single, then Smith sweeps fine for four. A couple of singles end the over.
More importantly, Richard Woods has sent in a Watto poem!
“A clever young fellow called Shane,
Had a wonderful cricketing brain.
But a dodgy front pad,
For the poor little lad,
Was his downfall again and again.”
Lovely.
Wicket! Finch b Imad Wasim 15 (Australia 57-3, 7.2 overs)
“Another one bites the dust,” says Rameez Raja with glee! Imad Wasim is on and Finch plays and misses at his first, which is outside off. The next is flat and grips a bit and he is bowled trying to cut! He’s misjudged that. All of Australia’s top three have been bowled!
Updated
7th over: Australia 57-2 (Finch 15, Smith 7)
The powerplay’s over, so it’s time for some spin. Afridi. Whoop. Five singles - 3 for Finch, 2 for Smith - from the over, with the nudge down the ground profitable. No scares for the Aussies.
Hard to argue:
All-run four. Australia have won the World Twenty20. Congratulations to Steve Smith and the lads.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) March 25, 2016
6th over: Australia 52-2 (Finch 12, Smith 5)
Steve Smith’s in at 4. Still no Watto. Boo. He and Finch trade singles then Smith defends a dot. Oh dear, Pakistan, that is poor. Smith pushes nicely to leg and sets off at a furious pace. Looks like it might be a tight three, but they run four! Sami has been very lazy there. The last ball quirts off Smith’s bum/pad and runs away to fine leg for four leg-byes.
In Guardian towers, they are currently letting off the fire alarm.
Wicket! Warner b Wahab Riaz 9 (Australia 42-2, 5.1 overs)
Oh wow! Serious pace from Wahab. That’s shorter and Warner looks to turn it to leg, but gets in a tangle and the top of middle is smashed.
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5th over: Australia 42-1 (Finch 11, Warner 9)
Righto, Sami has swapped ends. Finch chops the first one into the ground and it squirts over backward point for four runs. There’s a dot punched to mid-off, then a single to mid-on, before Davey Warner absolutely nails a cut through point for four more. A dot, then a single to mid-off ends then over and there was 10 from it. Good start from the Aussies.
I’ve received a quite spectacular email from Steve Morgan in lovely Devon. On Watto’s retirement, he writes: “I think it was William Shakespeare who, foreseeing this sad day 417 years ago (and the discovery of Australia 7 years later), wrote the immortal words:
This was the noblest Australian of them all.
All the conspirators save only he
Did that they did in envy of great Clarke.
He only in a general honest thought
And common good bowling to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mixed in him that Warne might stand up
And say to all the world, “This was a batsman.”
According to his virtue let us use him,
With all respect and rites of retirement.
Within my tent his front pad tonight shall lie
Most like a soldier, honorably.
So call the fielders to rest, and let’s away
To part the glories of this sad day.
PLEASE SEND IN YOUR WATTO POEMS. ANY FORMAT ALLOWED, BUT THAT REALLY IS A LOVELY LITTLE SONNET.
4th over: Australia 32-1 (Finch 6, Warner 4)
Warner’s in. A promotion for the reformed one. He digs out a fine yorker first ball then slashes a cut behind point for four. Shot.
Wicket! Khawaja b Wahab Riaz 21 (Australia 28-1, 3.4 overs)
It’s time for a wee bit of Wahab. Which sounds uncomfortable. Not for Uzzie though, who, after a Finch single, just rocks back and magically pulls a short ball over the man on the square leg fence for a quite magnificent six! Shot! Perhaps Wahab is uncomfortable for Uzzie; the next one is a slower ball that wraps him on the pad and is accompanied by a humungous appeal that Marais Erasmus is having none of it. Sliding down. The last is quicker, straighter and even fuller, Uzzie backs off and is bowled!
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3rd over: Australia 21-0 (Khawaja 16, Finch 4)
So, more Mo Amir. Finch pulls to mid-on’s right for one, then Uzzie has a massive swish and misses. He drops one into the covers for a single. There’s a dot then a punch through the covers for three (some question about whether Umar Akmal kept it in) before Uzzie plays out a dot, the third of the over. Good from Amir.
Confirmation that the crowd is a bit average again.
@willis_macp Yeah, re your last update, probably almost exactly half-full here.
— Phil Makepeace (@AlteredCourse) March 25, 2016
2nd over: Australia 16-0 (Khawaja 14, Finch 1)
Mohammad Sami from t’other end. Cricinfo claim he’s 35 but he must be older than that?! Star Sports say he’s still right arm fast, which sounds equally erroneous. Anyway, his first ball is rank, short and down the legside, and Khawaja just pulls him to fine leg for four with the minimum of fuss. There’s a dot and then a rank wide, which causes Rameez Raja to sigh. Another dot next, middled to cover, then a single to square leg. Khawaja’s given Finch a couple of balls. He only wants one though, scampering a single to the man at mid-on. Khawaja cracks the last of the over through the covers, and literally through Shoaib Malik at cover, by the looks of things. Poor fielding. Four. And 11 from the over.
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1st over: Australia 5-0 (Khawaja 5, Finch 0)
The crowd are fairly noisy, or at least noising above their weight because it only looks about half full there in Mohali. Koala leaves Amir’s first ball, then plays and misses at the next two with ugly prods outside off. He doesn’t really do ugly, Uzzie. amir getting movement away from him, and I’d shove a second gripper in. There’s a leading edge on the fourth as he squared up and it pings off and runs away through extra cover for four! Finally he lays proper bat on ball to the fifth as Amir strays to leg, and it’s flicked/punched/carressed hard to fine leg for one. Finch on strike. It’s angled across him and he leaves it. Anti-climax or what?
They are cricketing!
Amir to open the bowling against Koala. Finch lurking at the non-strikers.
Finch and Usman Khawaja (Koala, anyone) are walking to the middle. Cricket literally moments away.
This is a very good point. Very bold from Australia. Mitchless and Marshless.
Australia is Mitchless for this game. Dangerous tactic. #WT20
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) March 25, 2016
People are singing at the moment.
What do I want to see? I want to see some of this! I was in Adelaide for Wahab v Watto last year and I’ve genuinely never been as enthralled by a passage of cricket. Wonderful stuff. Up with this sort of thing!
Here be the teams:
Australia: Khawaja, Finch, Warner, Smith, King Shane of Watson, Maxwell, Faulkner, Nevill, Zampa, Coulter-Nile, Hazlewood
Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami
Don’t think we are far off some cricket, folks.
Preamble
Good day friends of the OBO! It’s Good Friday and that means lots of you won’t be working, but that ain’t stopping the OBO. This game - Australia v Pakistan - should be a belter. For Pakistan, it’s win (and win pretty well, I think) or bust, and Australia will be hanging on by their fingernails should they lose. Their game against India on Sunday would become a quasi-quarter-final, which sounds quite nice, doesn’t it?!
They are doing a toss! Steve Smith has won it! Shahid Afridi, rather bitchily, says that it doesn’t even matter who won the toss. So there. Smith’s made two changes to his team - by popular demand Aaron Finch returns for Mitch Marsh - looks like Finch will open and Watto might drop down into the middle order, and Josh Hazlewood has come in for The Duke Hastings. For Pakistan, Wahab Riaz is back for the rested Mohammad Irfan. Afridi says he’ll decided whether to retire “in front of his country”, which sounds an ordeal.
Now I have to say, OBOers, my world was rocked yesterday. Shane Watson, sweet Watto, announced that this will be his last international competition. The news surprised LITERALLY NOBODY but it hit me blooming hard, I have to say. THIS, THEORETICALLY, COULD BE WATTO’S PENULTIMATE GAME IN INTERNATIONAL CRICKET. There is no emoji that portrays quite how sad I am about this.
I’m not sad in a bantery, “ooohhhh look at his front pad, watch him do another funny review” way. I think those banters are very wide of the mark. I’m sad because I genuinely think Watto is a brilliant cricketer (if I was building a T20 team he would be one of the first names on it) and a lovely, misunderstood bloke.
Watto has also been the subject of some super writing. Here’s Aaron Timms on Watto. Read it and weep:
Anyway, send me your thoughts! Especially if they are about Watto (but don’t be nasty, you can probably tell how fragile I’m feeling about this)! I’m available at will.macpherson.freelance@theguardian.com. And send pithier thoughts to @willis_macp. Come at me, world.
Will should be joining you shortly but in the meantime, here’s the latest on the retirement of Australian all-rounder Shane Watson.
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