Anyway, that’s all from me. Stay on the site for our match report and reaction, and your crack OBO team will be back on Friday to see if England can make a better fist of the second match at Abu Dhabi. Thanks for your emails and tweets, and for your attention. Bye.
Updated
Well, that was all a bit too easy. Pakistan’s ODI stock is not too high at present, whereas England came into this match having rejuvenated and retuned their one-day game in recent months after the World Cup debacle. But you’d never have really guessed it here – England managed only one partnership that caused Pakistan any bother in the field, and while Topley in particular bowled excellently early on in the hosts’ reply, Hafeez’s calm measured brilliance against fairly impotent opposition anchored a comfortable run chase. Younis Khan, who didn’t really contribute on his ODI swansong, is being embraced by emotional team-mates on the outfield – he leaves with his side having plenty of grounds for optimism.
Pakistan win by six wickets!
43.4 overs: Pakistan 217-4 (Hafeez 102, Babar Azam 62), target 217
Woakes continues as nudged singles take Pakistan ever closer to the inevitable. Hafeez, appropriately, seals the win with a dab down towards wide third man for a single. It’s been an emphatic and impressive performance by Pakistan.
What do you give the in-form batsman who (almost) has it all?
43rd over: Pakistan 214-4 (Hafeez 101, Babar Azam 60), target 217
Adil Rashid returns to the attack – this could go either way. Predictably, it goes Pakistan’s: Hafeez brings up his hundred with an uppish clipped two on the legside, thus avoiding the trap he fell into when dismissed for 98 on this ground in the Test series. What a season he’s having – this has been a flawless knock. The field is brought in for Babar after a single brings him on strike. They’re tempting him to go over the top and he duly accepts the invitation – and thumps a straight drive over the ropes for six. Another single follows. Pakistan are nearly there.
42nd over: Pakistan 202-4 (Hafeez 98, Babar Azam 51), target 217
Hafeez’s square cut is not quite cut off in the in-field, enabling him to add another single off Woakes. Babar Azam then brings up his 50 in style, getting right underneath a line and length slower ball and smacking it high, high and handsome straight into the stands for six. An agreeable on-drive for one follows. Hafeez declines the opportunity to bring up his hundred in the same over, playing it out defensively. As he does when he’s on these sorts of scores.
41st over: Pakistan 194-4 (Hafeez 97, Babar Azam 44), target 217
The final power play is signalled by the umpire Raza. “Whatever,” says everyone else, acknowledging that it will make little difference to the outcome now. Babar duly sends an emphatic straight drive past Willey for four first ball. His second delivery is delayed when a piece of cloth – which looks like a hankie – flies out of Willey’s trousers (there’s probably a crude cheap gag of the sort that marred the latter part of England’s innings on here earlier in that). A couple more singles ensue. Twenty-three are needed.
40th over: Pakistan 188-4 (Hafeez 96, Babar Azam 39), target 217
Woakes continues, as does the usual calm pattern of strike rotation and scoreboard-nudging. The bowler doesn’t do anything wrong at all really but he’s got nothing to work with, either from the conditions or the match situation.
39th over: Pakistan 185-4 (Hafeez 95, Babar Azam 37), target 217
Hafeez is closing in on an untroubled ODI century - he pushes Willey off the back foot for a single to bring it nearer. Babar, who’s grown into this innings after starting like a tail-ender, then drives beautifully down the ground but is denied anything more than one by eager fielding. But they’re just ticking these off – ones are all they need, and are all they get in this over – four of them in total. There’s just a smidgeon – a hint, a suggestion, an aroma if you will – of a chance off the final ball of the over, a cutter that loops up off Babar’s bat and just short of a diving Morgan at mid-on.
Updated
38th over: Pakistan 181-4 (Hafeez 93, Babar Azam 35), target 217
Woakes finds Hafeez’s outside edge but it flies past the keeper for four more before a selection of easy singles are taken. Seven come from the over – suddenly my musings a few minutes back on whether 250 might have been competitive seem a bit daft, frankly.
37th over: Pakistan 174-4 (Hafeez 87, Babar Azam 34), target 217
David Willey returns to the attack for his fifth over, round the wicket at Babar who brings up the 50 partnership with an easy drive to long-on for a single. Hafeez adds another before the bowler just strays a fraction to legside, which from the angle Willey’s coming at, only needs to be nudged and it’ll go to the fine leg boundary for four. Emboldened, Babar swings at a slightly shorter delivery and hoiks it away in front of square on the legside for six. Two more follow to complete a damagingly expensive over. Pakistan need 43 off 13.
Updated
36th over: Pakistan 160-4 (Hafeez 86, Babar Azam 21), target 217
Talking of drinks, the rest of the England team owe Reece Topley one for his efforts in keeping them, if not right in this game, at least at its margins, hovering by the door. He’s withdrawn from the attack for now, with Woakes, who wasn’t too wayward earlier and can bowl at the death, replacing him, but he and the team need to find something out of the ordinary now. He tries an off-cutter at Babar Azam which he hacks out on the offside. A back-foot push square on the offside brings Babar a single but it’s a decent over – if England had managed just 30 more with the bat we might have a game here.
35th over: Pakistan 158-4 (Hafeez 85, Babar Azam 20), target 217
Root fancies an appeal for a lbw against Hafeez – it’s full and the batsman misses with his sweep but it’s probably judged to have pitched outside leg, and two leg-byes are taken instead. Again, replays show the bowler is unlucky: it’s pitched in line after all. Hafeez sweeps a two and then adds a single as a fine hundred approaches. Time for a little drinks break.
Updated
34th over: Pakistan 153-4 (Hafeez 82, Babar Azam 19), target 217
Topley, his face glowing bright red with exertion and heat, is hurling himself into this contest like a toddler throwing themselves at the walls of a bouncy castle, spearing one into the top of Hafeez’s pads and even trying a muffled lbw shout, with no real expectation of reward. Three singles follow from what, unfortunately for England, is Topley’s penultimate over.
33rd over: Pakistan 150-4 (Hafeez 80, Babar Azam 18), target 217
Hafeez sweeps Root for one. Babar Azam clips for one. Hafeez flicks away on the legside for one. There are some dot balls. And not much else of note. Hence the short sentences.
32nd over: Pakistan 147-4 (Hafeez 78, Babar Azam 17), target 217
Babar nudges Topley off his hips for one before the bowler launches into a lusty appeal for a caught behind against Hafeez, who looks like he’s tickled this down the legside through to Buttler. But it’s not given and England, deprived of reviews, can do nothing but huff and sigh. There are only three runs from another impressive probing over though. Pakistan aren’t yet running away with this.
31st over: Pakistan 144-4 (Hafeez 76, Babar Azam 16), target 217
Joe Root gets his first bowl, coming round the wicket at the two right-handers, who rotate the strike with nudges and nurdles on the legside – five ones, one of which should have been two but the eagle-eyed umpire Raza spotted that one of them was a short run. I do like it when you see a bit of Sunday afternoon club cricket well spotted by a diligent umpire.
30th over: Pakistan 139-4 (Hafeez 73, Babar Azam 14), target 217
As expected, Topley – England’s best bowler by a distance so far – returns to the attack, from round the wicket this time. He concedes three singles and is reasonably tight and accurate. “Middle Overs Meandering being a passable prog title,” acknowledges Anthony Ferguson, “I always thought Corridor of Uncertainty would be another, possibly performed by Sticky Dog. Caught At Cow Corner would be a great folk title, while Lashed Through the Covers could be for a Pogues’ collection of other people’s songs.” Or other people’s covers of Pogues songs, I guess.
29th over: Pakistan 136-4 (Hafeez 72, Babar Azam 12), target 217
Hafeez and Babar take Moeen for a single each and that’s all. “All very well to say we’ve seen this before,” sighs John Starbuck, “England spinners with a lack of bite abroad – but how else are they to get any kind of top-level experience other than being called on to bowl? Andrew Strauss has mentioned that new spinners are being given some tuition abroad but the best encouragement is for them to see actual England spinners playing international cricket. You wouldn’t imagine they could force their way into the IPL or many other tournaments the way batsmen and seamers/quicks can, because they are going to be crowded out by the vast numbers of sub-continental and Caribbean competition. The only way they will really develop in this country is either playing on somewhat sub-standard pitches or waiting for the ECB to give up county cricket during the full summer, so they end up honing their craft abroad, which means lots of imports to choose from. What would you do?”
Hide in the corner, weeping, mainly. More spin-friendly pitches at home, at a time when county cricket is actually scheduled, might help; but so would some well managed stints playing abroad.
28th over: Pakistan 134-4 (Hafeez 71, Babar Azam 11), target 217
Babar Azam gets off strike straight away with a cut off Rashid for a single, a shot replicated by Hafeez next ball with the same outcome. Azam grubs one down the ground for another single, before Rashid finds some extravagant turn, with a sharp leg-break that befuddles Hafeez, who misses it completely. As does Buttler, and a couple of byes accrue. Then – blam! – Babar Azam settles his nerves in emphatic style by picking Rashid’s attempted wrong’un, meeting it at the pitch and thumping it over long-on for SIX. Rashid may not be back next over now – he’s sent down eight on the trot.
27th over: Pakistan 122-4 (Hafeez 69, Babar Azam 3), target 217
Moeen finds some turn and drift into the right-hander Azam and has a huge appeal after hitting him on the pad but replays show it was going over the top, and England haven’t got any reviews left anyway. A pull on the onside brings the slightly nervous Azam one run, granting Hafeez the strike for the final two balls of the over, the first of which is crisply and delightfully struck through the covers for four.
26th over: Pakistan 117-4 (Hafeez 65, Babar Azam 2), target 217
Rashid continues – the wicket at the other end might have something to do with that – and he manages to keep Babar Azam on strike with some well pitched and flighted deliveries, which also have just enough variation to keep the batsman under pressure. He does score off the final ball of the over though, a slightly mistimed crack to deep point for one. That was possibly Rashid’s best of the seven overs he’s bowled.
Updated
25th over: Pakistan 116-4 (Hafeez 65, Babar Azam 1), target 217
Hafeez takes a single before Malik surrenders his wicket rather needlessly with an ugly flick to mid-on – ending a partnership that looked unperturbed. Babar Azam is off the mark first ball before Hafeez, unruffled by losing his partner, creams a lovely drive through the covers for four. As long as he stays in, you suspect, Pakistan will win comfortably.
Updated
Wicket! Malik c Roy b Moeen 26, Pakistan 111-4
Shoaib tries to work Moeen away on the onside and only pushes it in the air off the back foot to mid-on where Roy takes the catch. Soft.
24th over: Pakistan 110-3 (Hafeez 60, Malik 26), target 217
Morgan persists with Rashid, but he’s not rewarding him with much in the way of close fielders, and no slips. He tosses it up a bit more but is accurate for four balls before conceding a single as Hafeez pushes past mid-off. And finally – maddeningly – he drops too short with the last ball and Malik belts it past mid-on for four.
23rd over: Pakistan 104-3 (Hafeez 58, Malik 20), target 217
Hafeez paddle sweeps Moeen in the air but safely to add a single and Malik adds another from a tight but not particularly menacing over. England’s best hope at present might be to induce some between-wickets farce from Hafeez in the hope of getting a run-out. The PA system is now treating us to a kind of hard-house version of Sweet Child of Mine, which doesn’t really work out for anyone.
22nd over: Pakistan 102-3 (Hafeez 58, Malik 20), target 217
Hafeez finds some rare sharp turn with a ball that pitches outside leg and hits Hafeez on the pads. It’s a much tighter over that yields only one single.
England didn’t bring the existence of the legside boundary ropes to our attention much in their innings, to be fair.
21st over: Pakistan 101-3 (Hafeez 57, Malik 20), target 217
Malik milks Moeen for a single, which is followed by a wide, and then another flicked couple. The hundred arrives when Hafeez gets forward to meet the spin and sweeps it square on the legside for four. Again, the England spinners just can’t find the level of control and pressure needed. We’ve seen this movie before.
20th over: Pakistan 92-3 (Hafeez 52, Malik 17), target 217
Hafeez brings up his 50 in style, rolling back and hammering Rashid over the deep midwicket boundary for six. You drop short like that and you’re asking for a clouting. Another single brings up the 50 partnership. Ian Botham in the commentary box is fulminating about the shortness of the boundaries on that side – there’s loads of spare grass behind them.
Updated
19th over: Pakistan 84-3 (Hafeez 45, Malik 16), target 217
Hafeez pulls Moeen towards deep midwicket for a single, and Malik flicks in the same direction for another. Pakistan aren’t running amok here, but they don’t need to be unless they lose wickets, and they’ve not looked so likely to of late. So every now and then, they can just have a go, as Malik does at the end of the over, with a slogged lofted on-drive for four. Not many emails for a while – don’t tell me you’re all watching a rugby press conference?
Updated
18th over: Pakistan 77-3 (Hafeez 43, Malik 11), target 217
Hafeez adds two with a firm push on the offside and then gets four with a classy late cut that Moeen does really well to catch up with and then really badly to dive straight over and watch the ball run to the ropes. Rashid has a shout after a wrong’un that cuts sharply back into Hafeez but it hit bat first – a splendid ball, mind. One more single follows.
17th over: Pakistan 70-3 (Hafeez 36, Malik 11), target 217
We have spin at both ends, as Moeen Ali gets his first bowl. A fluffed paddle sweep causes confusion among the batsmen as Buttler gets back and rolls at the stumps before Malik makes his ground at the non-striker’s end and no run is taken. Hafeez adds one but it’s all a bit stereotypical middle-overs meandering at the moment. (“Middle overs meandering” would be a presentable prog-rock album title, I reckon).
16th over: Pakistan 69-3 (Hafeez 35, Malik 11), target 217
Rashid has to reassert some control here and he gets his line a bit better at first. Hafeez then pushes him down the ground for one before before Malik drives through the covers for another single. Quiet, workmanlike strike rotation is the order of the day – there’s only three from the over, which is a considerable improvement on Rashid’s previous one.
15th over: Pakistan 66-3 (Hafeez 33, Malik 10), target 217
Woakes continues and Hafeez cuts him down to third man for one. Two more singles keep the strike rotating before Woakes decides to pep things up a bit with a bouncer, but it’s easily ducked under.
14th over: Pakistan 63-3 (Hafeez 31, Malik 9), target 217
Spin for the first time – should we roar an aggressive ‘bring it on!’ or hide behind our desks and watch through our fingers? – in the form of Adil Rashid. Pakistan’s approach looks immediately similar to how it was in the Tests as the first ball is dropped shot and clouted to the wide long-on boundary for four by Hafeez, who adds a single next ball. Shoaib wants to join the party but takes a bit of a risk with a hoik in front of square on the onside that Hales is oh-so-close to plucking out of the air but it just beats him and goes for four. Another couple of singles follow. Matt Arnott’s tweeted attempt to reverse-jinx things (see 11th over) looks a dismal failure thus far – 11 from the over.
13th over: Pakistan 52-3 (Hafeez 25, Malik 4), target 217
Hafeez clips Woakes to midwicket and takes a single from the fielder’s slight fumble before a dab in the same direction also brings Shoaib one. The Pakistan 50 is brought up by a late cut down towards wide third man from Hafeez before Malik punches elegantly through the covers for two.
12th over: Pakistan 47-3 (Hafeez 23, Malik 1), target 217
Topley, who can be delighted with his evening’s work so far, continues, and almost sees another wicket as Hafeez messes up a call for a quick single and his change of mind has Malik scampering back to the non-striker’s end but thankfully for him Rashid’s shy at the stumps misses. There are singles for each batsman but no more – it’s still very much in the balance.
11th over: Pakistan 45-3 (Hafeez 22, Malik 0), target 217
Powerplay session is called, as Woakes continues. Hafeez defensively nudges out two balls before swivelling and pulling a ball that sits up invitingly and it zooms away to the deep midwicket boundary for four. The only scoring shot of the over, mind.
Time for an optimistic pep-talk:
Updated
10th over: Pakistan 41-3 (Hafeez 18, Malik 0), target 217
Morgan keeps Topley in the attack, and he reels off four dot balls bowling to Younis, who’s not quite looking as comfortable as Hafeez. As he proves, when pulling Woakes across the line to Rashid at mid-on, and the catch is taken low and comfortably. And so ends a great player’s ODI career – his imperious recent Test form was never particularly visible in this knock, it must be said, but what a player nonetheless. The ovation he receives on departure, including from England’s players, is deserved. A wicket maiden – game on.
Updated
Wicket! Younis c Rashid b Topley 9, Pakistan 41-3
Younis’s ODI career is over! He pulls Topley to Rashid at mid-on and gets a standing ovation from all in the ground.
Updated
9th over: Pakistan 41-2 (Hafeez 18, Younis 9), target 217
Darn but Hafeez can be a fine batsman to watch – he crisply straight-drives the first ball of Woakes’s spell past the bowler for four, but the bowler’s comeback is good: a dipping yorker into the batsman’s blockhole that Woakes has reviewed, upon seeing his lbw appeal rejected. Technology, however, as well as the on-field umpire, tells us this is an unwise thing to do, as it clearly clunked the toe of Hafeez’s bat. Hafeez works an other yorker away through midwicket for two.
8th over: Pakistan 35-2 (Hafeez 12, Younis 9), target 217
Younis Khan absolutely leathers a square drive on the offside, which Hales manages to parry and prevent four, conceding only one instead. Hafeez takes another flicked single square on the offside to keep the strike rotating before Topley tries a slower ball that Younis works away off his pads for one, and Hafeez does likewise with a similar delievery. From the student disco soundtrack Vish tweeted about earlier, we’re now straying into an ageing-ravers-in-Ibiza vibe for the between-overs music. Don’t give up yer day job.
7th over: Pakistan 31-2 (Hafeez 10, Younis 8), target 217
Hafeez rocks onto the back foot and sumptuously pushes a straight drive past Willey for four. Excellent shot. These two left-armers have found their stride though, and aren’t letting Pakistan get easily away from them at the moment, the trouble being, of course, that even conceding only four an over won’t worry Pakistan too much in the circumstances.
6th over: Pakistan 27-2 (Hafeez 6, Younis 8), target 217
Younis, showing his class and experience, unfurls the shot of the innings so far, crisply straight-driving Topley for four, but in general Pakistan can’t get on top of the tall new-Hampshire-signing. This pitch is bothering me – not what it’s doing or its condition, but its aesthetics, looking as it does like a slab of dropped-in concrete.
5th over: Pakistan 23-2 (Hafeez 6, Younis 4), target 217
Willey is just pitching a fraction too much towards the legside, which makes it easy for Hafeez to just flick him down to the fine leg boundary for four. Taylor then dives smartly at point to prevent four more runs, or indeed any runs. It’s Willey’s most accurate over to date, with just the one scoring shot.
4th over: Pakistan 19-2 (Hafeez 2, Younis 4), target 217
Decent from Topley, who drops one just back of a length that nips back a touch and Bilal can do nothing with but leave; the next one doesn’t bounce as much, hits the top of Bilal’s pads, prompting a rejected appeal and review. It was worth it too – the decision is overturned and Bilal has to go. It was knocking the top of middle and off stumps. So out comes Younis Khan, for his final ODI innings, and Topley discomforts him too, inducing an ugly wide slash and miss at a slanting delivery. It’s good stuff from the bowler, but he’s struggling with his run-up though, twice abandoning at the delivery stride, before Younis gets off the mark with a slightly weird attempted cut at a wide ball which he pulls straight in front of him and it races straight for four. England were 14-3 at this stage.
Updated
Wicket! Bilal lbw b Topley 2, Pakistan 15-2
Now what’s this? Topley opts to review a rejected lbw decision and is vindicated. Hope for England.
3rd over: Pakistan 15-1 (Bilal 2, Hafeez 2), target 217
The left-armer Willey probes outside Bilal’s off-stump, and finds some uneven bounce when the third pretty much grubs along the ground to the keeper upon bouncing. Bilal then cuts backward of square on the offside for one. Hafeez, fresh from his excellent Test series, gets off the mark with a push through the covers for two.
2nd over: Pakistan 12-1 (Bilal 1, Hafeez 0), target 217
Reece Topley takes the ball and what a rollercoaster of an over ensues. He begins with what we might politely call a loosener, slanting it too widely across the right-hander and conceding a wide for his sins. Then – an edge! - but it doesn’t quite carry to Joe Root at second slip, and from whose hands the ball ricochets and a run is conceded. Another wide follows but the comeback ball is again a good’un, which nips back in off the seam and raps Azhar on the pad, prompting a half-hearted appeal but it didn’t quite do enough. Once more though, it’s followed with a wide, down the legside this time. A couple of dot balls steady the ship before – boom! – he pins Azhar leg-before, with an excellently pitched inswinger. Azhar briefly contemplates a review but he’s plumb, and thinks better of it.
Wicket! Azhar lbw b Topley 8, Pakistan 12-1
Topley crowns a topsy-turvy over with a lovely inswinger that traps Azhar in front.
Updated
1st over: Pakistan 8-0 (Azhar 8, Bilal 0), target 217
Pakistan start positively. Azhar is off the mark with a four first ball, clipping Willey nonchalantly off his pads to the midwicket boundary as the ball swung just a little too easily into him. He gets four more with another effortlessly timed shot, this one creamed through extra cover for four as he takes advantage of the new ball onto the bat nicely. “What about England having the same team for a Test and ODI?” wonders Mohammad Zafar, “perhaps the test team may give a better ODI performance than the actual ODI team.” They’d be absolutely knackered for a start.
Afternoon/evening everyone. There might have been a time – an early-season Gillette Cup tie in 1968, for example – when 216 would be a presentable total in a game of one-day cricket. I rather strongly suspect, however, that Abu Dhabi in November 2015 is not such a time. Aside from during the excellent Morgan-Taylor partnership, Pakistan maintained full control throughout that England innings, bowling and fielding excellently. And how can you not love the sight of Pakistan left-arm quicks steaming in, mixing it up and generally keeping batsmen on their toes? Irfan took wickets while Wahab kept it incredibly tight without managing the scalp he deserved. What a player he is to watch – as an aside, for my money, Wahab’s 30-minute fireburst in the World Cup quarter-final was the best passage of play in all cricket this year. Here’s a reminder, to while away the interval:
Anyway, England’s somewhat inexperienced attack – which contains some feisty left-armers of its own – has it all to do here.
Well then. Pakistan are clear favourites, but this is a day-night game, the first match of the series, between two teams that are always capable of the unexpected. It’s far from over, honest. Stick around with Tom Davies, who will be your guide for the second innings. Thanks for all your emails, apart the slew of David Willey jokes in the last half an hour – you’re better than that...
England all out for 216
So England settle on an underwhelming 216, with Eoin Morgan and James Taylor’s 133 partnership crucial to the cause, to say the least. There were cheap wickets, particularly in a dismal start that saw them slump to 14-3, but Pakistan bowled and fielded with a ruthless zeal, making life constantly difficult for England.
WICKET! Woakes run out 33
Topley swings and misses, then charges down the track, and England should pick up a sneaky single – but Sarfraz fields brilliantly, diving and turning to rattle the stumps with a direct hit, a split second before Woakes got back in.
50th over: England 213-9 (Woakes 30, Topley 0) In deep trouble after 3.1 overs, looking good for 250+ after 31 overs, this is probably about what England deserve on balance, and it’s certainly under par. Woakes almost finds the boundary with a flay at a full toss, but takes two – and a single puts Topley back on strike...
49th over: England 213-9 (Woakes 30, Topley 0) Yorker, then a bouncer, then a length ball that darts off the seam, as Irfan welcomes Reece Topley to the game. The No11 at least makes it to the end of the over, and Woakes, who has carved out a 30 he won’t have enjoyed, will be on strike for the final over.
WICKET! Willey b Irfan 13
Willey loses patience after grubbing to 13 from 24, swinging at an arrow-straight Irfan delivery and turning in time to see his off-stump smashed to pieces.
48th over: England 210-8 (Woakes 29, Willey 11) “Wasting time talking... why bother with that, just go straight upstairs” says Beefy, and thankfully, he’s talking about a review, with Wahab claiming Woakes has edged a yorker through to the wicketkeeper. It’s a hopeful review, and an unsuccessful one. Just one boundary in the last 19 overs, as Pakistan keep England pinned back. Willey and Woakes are forced to scurry for a risky double to move the scoreboard on. When Woakes does get something to aim at, he’s denied by more fantastic fielding from Babar Azam. Pakistan have given very little away in the field today.
47th over: England 207-8 (Woakes 21, Willey 9) Anwar Ali comes into the attack, and gets Willey swinging for six, and hitting fresh air, as the ball bounces limply off the track. Anwar also serves up a slow bouncer as the two batsmen continue to be mercilessly tied in knots. Just two from the over.
“Is it Anwar Ali who bowled the ridiculous in-swingers in the U20 world cup a few years ago?” asks Christopher Dale. Yes, it appears Anwar has some form in that department.
46th over: England 205-8 (Woakes 20, Willey 8) Woakes and Willey are upping the ante in increments, running a lot more singles and getting a double off Wahab after a rare mis-step in the Pakistan field. That takes them over 200, and into the zone marked ‘not a total disaster’.
Willey steers a shot to midwicket, where Anwar has a shy at the stumps, but misses with the batsman stranded. There’s another run-out chance, with Wahab kicking the ball towards the stumps – Root won’t like that – but instead turning his ankle and dislodging the bails with his heel. Clownish, in truth.
45th over: England 198-8 (Woakes 20, Willey 8) Irfan to Woakes, who picks up a couple with a patient stroke past third man. Now they’re motoring! The batsman, already England’s third-highest scorer, then plays at an angled delivery and is fortunate not to edge through to Sarfraz. Another two for Woakes with an awkward drive to mid-on, before Willey again gets a firm bat to a full-blooded yorker.
Updated
44th over: England 191-8 (Woakes 15, Willey 6) Yasir back in to Willey, who gets a single, steering a floating delivery to midwicket. Yasir keeps his deliveries full, perhaps not wanting to gift a shot at the fence in pursuit of a wicket. England being suffocated here, but there’s still a few overs to cut loose.
43rd over: England 188-8 (Woakes 14, Willey 4) Some scores England have been on in this innings: 14-3; 146-3; 181-8. Willey is up again, and able to continue, and will be delighted to see Irfan steaming in at him. Pakistan are certainly keeping the heat on the batsmen, who are getting no time to settle, having to chase singles in the scrappiest of fashions. If it’s any consolation, the rest of the innings makes Morgan’s cultured 76 look even better.
42nd over: England 183-8 (Woakes 12, Willey 2) Willey does very well to get his bat to a Wahab yorker that would have rattled the stumps of many more accomplished batsmen. Wahab appeals for lbw, even considering a review, so stunned is he by Willey’s defence. Wahab dishes out more punishment to the new batsman, finishing the over with a bouncer that clubs Willey in the stomach. He tumbles to the turf, clearly in some discomfort, and the physio is heading on.
41st over: England 181-8 (Woakes 11, Willey 1) Don’t despair, England fans (OK, maybe despair a little bit) – David Willey, for a No10, is certainly capable of adding runs to this meagre looking total. He at least adds one, clipping a straight ball behind square leg, before Woakes misreads a cutter that almost clips the stumps. England will do well to see fifty overs out from here.
WICKET! Rashid c sub (Gohar) b Irfan 7
Pakistan are allowed an extra man in the outfield, but that won’t be necessary, as Rashid surrenders his wicket, wafting pitifully to the substitute at mid-on. Not the best.
40th over: England 178-7 (Woakes 10, Rashid 6) Wahab and Irfan, with just the one wicket between them, have four overs each to bowl in the final ten. This looks a nailed-on maiden, with Wahab trying to force the issue on a flat pitch and Woakes unable to find any rhythm, taking one short ball in the stomach. That’s until the final ball, which flicks off Woakes’ pad and flies away for four leg byes. Scrappy stuff.
39th over: England 174-7 (Woakes 10, Rashid 6) Malik closes out a crucial spell, with Woakes going down on one knee to sweep a full delivery awkwardly over his shoulder. Rashid searches for singles, but picks out the fielder at midwicket, then trundles a flighted ball straight back to the bowler. The run rate, unsurprisingly, is going in the wrong direction.
38th over: England 172-7 (Woakes 9, Rashid 5) The lights are on, and Wahab returns to try and shake up this nascent tail-end partnership. Wahab sticks to a full length, but he’s dealt with comfortably by both batsmen, who pick up three singles in the over. He’s still searching for a wicket, but England are approaching the final ten overs with precious little momentum.
37th over: England 169-7 (Woakes 8, Rashid 3) The game is trundling on, with Rashid and Woakes working a few stodgy singles off Malik, while everyone tries to comprehend exactly how Babar Azam caught that.
“I like to spend all day idly procrastinating from work by following the OBO,” says Ben. “This looks worryingly like I’ll have to get back to work within the next half an hour”. I don’t know these England players can look themselves in the mirror.
36th over: England 166-7 (Woakes 7, Rashid 1) Four wickets in the last six overs, three in the first four, and none inbetween. What a curious innings from England, and 250-plus suddenly looks like a pipe dream. Woakes gets motoring with a four, sending a full toss through four, escaping the clutches of superhuman fielders spotted in that vicinity.
WICKET! Moeen c Babar Azam b Yasir 7
What on earth. Moeen goes, and England teeter on the brink – but he didn’t do a whole lot wrong, dismissed brilliantly by Babar Azam, who threw himself to his left to take a phenomenal one-handed catch at midwicket!
Updated
35th over: England 160-6 (Moeen 7, Woakes 2) The spin is starting to work for Pakistan, with Malik taking two key wickets in fading light. 15 overs left – expect Pakistan to stick with this strategy. England are 159-6, with the Morgan-Taylor partnership providing 133 of those runs.
Updated
WICKET! Taylor c Azhar b Malik 60
Taylor runs out of chances, following up the dropped catch, the missed lbw and running out a team-mate by edging to Azhar at midwicket, who dives forward to take a fine catch. An ignominous end to what had been an impressive innings.
34th over: England 157-5 (Taylor 60, Moeen 6) Yasir, who is yet to get in on the wicket-taking action, bowling to Moeen, who skips forward and chips over extra cover for a couple. Bumble and Jonathan Trott are discussing Dubsmash. Trott “doesn’t see the fascination”.
33rd over: England 153-5 (Taylor 59, Moeen 3) Malik traps Taylor, with the ball striking the top of the batsman’s prominent front pad. There’s a meek appeal that’s turned down – and Pakistan opt to review, but are told they’re out of time. Replays show it was heading straight for leg stump, and England have had a lucky escape there...
32nd over: England 150-5 (Taylor 58, Moeen 1) So, a teak-tough partnership bisecting a top-order collapse. It’s so England 2015, but there is still plenty of batting ability in the lower order – starting with Moeen, back in a more comfortable No7 slot after his opening adventures. A single each from this over, as Moeen and Taylor begin picking through the rubble.
Updated
WICKET! Buttler run out 1
Poor Jos Buttler. He’s gone cheaply again, although this wasn’t really his fault – Taylor tried to run a risky single, and the ball was fielded smartly by Azhar, with Sarfraz whipping off the bails before Buttler got to the crease.
Updated
31st over: England 148-4 (Taylor 57, Buttler 1) Just before Morgan’s dismissal, Taylor had a lucky escape, sending a slog miles into the air, before it fell between Azhar Ali’s outstretched hands. It could have been costly, were it not for Malik’s immediate intervention. Let’s hope the next man in isn’t horribly short of confidence, eh?
Updated
WICKET! Morgan b Malik c Sarfraz 75
Malik gets a bit of turn, and Morgan gets the thinnest of edges that flies through to Sarfraz. Out of nowhere, the captain has gone!
30th over: England 146-3 (Morgan 75, Taylor 56) The first close call in quite some time, as Taylor mistimes a cut down the off-side, and swishes at fresh air, almost edging through to Sarfraz. Taylor rotates the strike with a punch into the covers, and Morgan sees out the over in composed fashion.
Updated
29th over: England 143-3 (Morgan 74, Taylor 54) Shot! Taylor, who seems to have enjoyed this knock immensely, reaches his half-century by skipping down the track, swinging and sending a loose Malik ball into the stands.
Tom van der Gucht has worked the Lancaster story into a cricketing riff, doing my job so I don’t have to:
“Lancaster’s tenure reminds me very much of Peter Moores: both good men with an admirable desire, and track record for, nurturing talent and creating a strong team ethos, but found that the methods which worked at a national level were too prescriptive and constricting at an international level and therefore paid the price after dwindling results.”
28th over: England 134-3 (Morgan 73, Taylor 47) England taking a leaf out of their opponents’ book and playing spin with plenty of attacking intent - Morgan continues the theme, getting set for a sweep that gleans three runs. Taylor on strike, and with Yasir working down his off-side, he cuts through the covers for a single. The partnership is up to 120.
27th over: England 130-3 (Morgan 69, Taylor 45) Irfan is given the hook, replaced by Bilal, whose first ball is not the best, and is smacked haughtily through midwicket for four by Morgan, who will take those all day long. Taylor gets in on the action, shuffling his feet and smashing Bilal back down the ground – and all the way for a six! That bowling change didn’t work.
26th over: England 117-3 (Morgan 64, Taylor 39) It’s been a slightly stickier spell for England, with the boundaries drying up as Irfan and Yasir offer a beguiling contrast from either end. Yasir keeps Morgan on the back foot, save for a wonky wallop down the ground that drops short of long-on.
Crowd watch: a much more vocal and visible audience today, with the sun setting and, presumably, fans able to enjoy the cricket with the working day over. A fair few are asleep, mind you.
25th over: England 115-3 (Morgan 63, Taylor 38) Irfan, who may have hoped for better after that lethal first over, keeps Morgan guessing with variations in pace, but coughs up a couple of wides in his pursuit of a breakthrough wicket. England halfway, and looking set to build a target of 250-plus – that might be enough with Pakistan batting under the lights.
24th over: England 112-3 (Morgan 63, Taylor 37) Back comes Yasir Shah, but his first ball is dragged down and lofted over midwicket for a couple by Morgan. Yasir does find a bit of turn, but off a short ball that Morgan can dab away to square leg. Just two from the over. What’s with this Pakistan kit, by the way? It’s an austere shade of forest green – I like my Pakistan one-day kits in a more garish hue, somewhere between lime and hi-vis jacket.
Updated
23rd over: England 110-3 (Morgan 61, Taylor 37) Taylor has taken his runs however he can get them, racing for a single after a tickle into the covers. England keep adding singles, with Irfan unable to get much pace out of the pitch. Morgan flicks a full toss away for one, Taylor edges awkwardly through point... runs are runs, though, as Root and Roy will be happy to tell you, and four more will bring up a century partnership.
Updated
22nd over: England 106-3 (Morgan 59, Taylor 35) Wahab is still gunning for Morgan, but the captain is well and truly settled in now. There’s a bit of a break as Wahab fiddles with the studs on his shoes. I was hoping for a padded-up Joe Root to come out of the pavilion to remonstrate with him, but no dice. Wahab tries the slower ball, then a fuller ball, but Morgan stands firm. Just a wide from the over.
21st over: England 105-3 (Morgan 59, Taylor 35) Another canny couple of singles bring up triple figures – an eminently respectable recovery after falling to 18-3. Taylor is finding a bit of silk to go with the steel, driving through the covers for another four to close the over.
A student union is missing a DJ if the tunes blaring out at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium are anything to go by. #PakvEng
— Vithushan (@Vitu_E) November 11, 2015
Updated
20th over: England 98-3 (Morgan 57, Taylor 30) Taylor, who has scurried tirelessly in support of the more elegant Morgan, gets in on the fence-finding with a sweet drive for four off a wide Wahab delivery – that’s just his second boundary so far.
19th over: England 92-3 (Morgan 56, Taylor 25) Morgan, now wedged awkwardly between Graeme Hick and Alan Lamb on the all-time ODI runs list, picks up a tenth boundary with a late chop behind point, as the partnership edges beyond 75.
18th over: England 87-3 (Morgan 52, Taylor 24) Wahab bustles through another threatening over, with just one run taken from it, Taylor tucking the ball off his hip and running a quick single, summing up his innings nicely.
“People don’t understand comedy” sighs Robert Wilson. “They don’t know hard it is, how much absolute commitment it takes. Great comedy requires flawless structure and total economy. The first few overs of this innings were near-perfection (the brilliant bathos of the Hales dismissal!). I’m awed by the standard. And now this humourless and philistine pair look set to ruin it.”
They softened us up with a few early one-liners, but they’re setting us up for some darker, more satirical stuff, I’ll wager.
17th over: England 86-3 (Morgan 52, Taylor 23) Bilal Asif, the off-spinner whose curious action has been freshly cleared, allowing him to return to the team, comes into the attack. Taylor takes a quick single first ball – almost too quick, as it’s tossed back at the stumps with Morgan chasing, but flies wide. Morgan brings up his fifty with a delivery that sits up nicely, and is blasted beyond midwicket. He’s looked in excellent nick on his return.
16th over: England 79-3 (Morgan 47, Taylor 21) With England coping comfortably with the spin, so it’s time for Wahab to try and break this partnership. The seamer, who summoned reverse swing from this flat track in the first Test, has Morgan on his heels throughout the over, but the hustling Taylor picks up a couple of runs to keep things moving.
In non-cricket news – rugby union, to be precise – Stuart Lancaster has left his post as England’s head coach with immediate effect. More on that here.
15th over: England 76-3 (Morgan 46, Taylor 19) Morgan is still finding the gaps at will, and cracks Malik through point for another four – his eighth boundary, as he edges towards a crucial half-century. Drinks time!
“As well as being Armistice Day in Europe and Singles Day in China, today is also Corduroy Appreciation Day, when devotees wear whatever such garments they have” purrs John Starbuck. “I urge OBO readers to get into some wardrobe action to help matters run more smoothly. We need every chance we can get.”
If November 11th seems a curious choice to celebrate corduroy, it’s because the date – 11/11 – most closely resembles the fine fabric.
Updated
14th over: England 69-3 (Morgan 41, Taylor 17) Morgan has played some imperious stuff so far, and the opening shot of the over – a contemptuous swat through the off side for four – is the pick of the punch. The captain gets forward on the next ball and drives in the same direction – but Wahab saves the boundary with a bit of acrobatic fielding. Whisper it, but England can almost see daylight from the almighty hole they dug for themselves.
13th over: England 61-3 (Morgan 34, Taylor 16) Malik to Taylor, who repeats his scoop shot trick, and can’t resist a wry smile at his own audacity. Morgan, still scoring at a run a ball, nabs a single with a prod towards midwicket.
12th over: England 57-3 (Morgan 33, Taylor 13) After losing three wickets in a shade over three overs, these two have certainly settled things down. They keep the scoreboard ticking over, both aiming towards backward point to pick up quick singles. Could Pakistan regret not throwing Wahab Riaz in when England were teetering on the brink?
11th over: England 52-3 (Morgan 32, Taylor 9) There are now just four fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle, and the upshot is an over where England run for six in the over – the highlight a cheeky flick over Sarfraz for two from Taylor. Pakistan respond by handing Yasir Shah the ball...
Nick Clark isn’t happy: “It’s my birthday, I’ve needed to get up at 6.30 to spend an hour and half on tube for a bloody training course despite having booked the day as holiday, and now I’ve looked at the cricket score. It’s not going quite as planned...” Happy birthday, Nick.
Updated
10th over: England 46-3 (Morgan 30, Taylor 5) Morgan is finding his groove, stepping out of the crease and sending Anwar’s first ball back over the bowler’s head for a one-bounce four. His tactic seems to be to exercise patience, and pick up boundaries rather than grub for singles. It’s working for him, and he notches another four with a tidy cover drive. Just as he’s starting to look impressive, he edges a short ball perilously close to his stumps. It’s the England way.
9th over: England 37-3 (Morgan 21, Taylor 5) Malik, who has retired from the Test team, takes the ball and will bowl to Morgan from the north end. Morgan gets a fourth boundary with a sweep past backward square, and bunkers down for the rest of the over, adding just a single with a punch past mid-off. 21 in 21 balls for Morgan, while the doughty Taylor has five from 17.
8th over: England 32-3 (Morgan 16, Taylor 5) Oof! Anwar continues – Wahab and Yasir haven’t bowled a ball yet, by the way – and almost takes care of Morgan, the captain flaying off his pads, just beyond a diving Malik at midwicket! It would have been an exceptional catch, but it was too close for comfort. It runs away for four. There is certainly a bit more life in this pitch than in the Test match, when it had all the fizz and ferocity of an old mattress.
7th over: England 27-3 (Morgan 12, Taylor 5) Irfan attempts to fire a bouncer at Morgan, but it pops apologetically up off the service, and Morgan is able to swish it wide of short leg for a couple of runs. An ugly full toss from Irfan closes the over, which is allowed by the umpires despite passing Taylor at around nipple height.
6th over: England 24-3 (Morgan 9, Taylor 5) Taylor has brought a sense of calm to the crease that, quite frankly, was urgently needed. After straight-batting his way through the over, he whips the final delivery through midwicket for four, his first boundary of the innings.
5th over: England 19-3 (Morgan 8, Taylor 1) Irfan bowls to Taylor, who is around 18 inches shorter than the seamer, just in case England didn’t feel intimidated enough. Irfan gets overexcited, picking up a warning for running down the track. Taylor handles Irfan’s heat with aplomb, defending before aiming a drive past mid-on – but Bilal does well to field it. A maiden.
“Finally we get a good start in this tour. I mean, OK, we lost the toss again, but 3 down, nothing on the board, our bowlers tearing in…. hang on, sorry, what? England are in? Does anyone have any gin?” weeps Guy Hornsby.
4th over: England 19-3 (Morgan 8, Taylor 1) A second wicket for Ali, though it didn’t take anything too special to dislodge Hales from the crease, as the opener edged thoughtlessly into the slips. Morgan adds a more composed boundary, cracking a decent delivery through cover point for four.
WICKET! Hales c Younis b Anwar 10
A terrific tactical ploy from England here, lulling Pakistan into a false sense of security. To be fair, Pakistan’s bowlers have been deadly thus far, and Anwar finds an outside edge. It flies to slip, and the retiring Younis gathers it at the second attempt.
Updated
3rd over: England 14-2 (Hales 10, Morgan 4) Irfan to Hales, with Morgan at the other end, probably not relishing facing the big man any time soon. It’s a low bounce that almost has Hales in trouble, with a nervous edge just falling short of the slips. Hales takes three with a nice stroke through midwicket, and now Morgan will face up to Irfan, with a short leg in place. The first is a full ball that Morgan adjusts to dab away, the second is a snorter that Morgan flaps at, with a glove edging the ball over Sarfraz and away for a fortunate four.
Updated
2nd over: England 7-2 (Hales 7, Morgan 0) Eoin Morgan sees out the final ball of the over, making a welcome return to the crease after that blow to the head he suffered against Australia. He’s got a major spot of ship steadying to do here.
WICKET! Root lbw b Anwar 0
The review confirms what we all suspected, as although the ball was darting towards the edge of leg stump, it remains umpire’s call. Joe Root joins Jason Roy back in the pavilion without a run to his name.
2nd over: England 7-1 (Hales 7, Root 0) Hales gets off the mark with a tasty drive straight back past new bowler Anwar that runs away for four. Hales picks up three with a clip to backward square. Root on strike, and Anwar looks to have trapped him lbw! The ball juts back in past the inside edge, and catches Root square on the pad, but Root will review.
Updated
1st over: England 0-1 (Hales 0, Root 0) A wicket maiden for Irfan, and the lofty seamer caught Jason Roy completely cold there. Joe Root is the man in at the crease, seeing out a ferocious opening over in cagey fashion.
WICKET! Roy b Irfan 0
Irfan opens the bowling, and with his second ball, he dispenses with Jason Roy, who is castled by a full delivery that moves back in and crashes into the stumps. A fine start for England.
It’s Armistice Day, and both teams observe a minute’s silence out on the pitch. Play begins in five minutes.
England and Pakistan mark #ArmisticeDay by observing a silence before today's ODI #LestWeForget pic.twitter.com/dMHLsAZjTH
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 11, 2015
Updated
A couple more chunks of cricketing news, before we get this show on the road. First up, England’s women’s side have named their new head coach – it’s Mark Robinson, the current Sussex coach, who will replace Paul Shaw.
And – banter alert! – Mitchell Marsh and Peter Siddle poked fun at a sleeping Darren Lehmann on the Australian team’s flight to Perth, and are now sweating over making the team for the second Test.
The teams
Pakistan: Azhar (c), Bilal, Hafeez, Younis, Malik, Babar Azam, Sarfraz (wk), Anwar, Wahab, Yasir, Irfan.
England: Morgan (c), Roy, Hales, Root, Taylor, Buttler (wk), Moeen, Woakes, Rashid, Willey, Topley.
Coin toss
England win the toss, and will bat first. Eoin Morgan says he expects ODIs to be “a different challenge” – one that will be taken on by the same team who lined up against Hong Kong in the warm-up. Azhar Ali plans to win the match for the departing Younis Khan, but accepts that batting first hands England a slight advantage. Official team news to follow shortly...
Breaking news...
Pakistan’s Younis Khan will retire from one-day internationals after today’s match. That’s right, not after the series – Khan will play the opener, then call it a day. The 37-year-old is set to make his first (and, it would seem, last) appearance since the World Cup, having been recalled to the one-day team for this series.
“Today I am retiring from ODI cricket after deliberation with my family, wife, and close friends” Khan said in a statement released earlier today.
More on this story here.
Preamble
Hello. Watching England play cricket is rarely plain sailing, but 2015 has been particularly hard on the nerves. This four match, limited overs series with Pakistan offers a chance for the one-day side to inject some optimism after a dispiriting Test series defeat. In a year that’s seen an Ashes triumph and World Cup humiliation, that statement alone offers an indication of England’s constant unpredictability.
It’s not just blind faith that gives England supporters hope against the opponents that outfoxed them over fifteen hard days in the Gulf. Pakistan are second in the Test rankings, but only eighth in the limited-overs standings, and are somehow even more inconsistent than their opponents in this format, having spent the summer muddling through series against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. England can ill afford to be too bullish, with captain Eoin Morgan and vice-captain Jos Buttler gingerly returning to the crease for very different reasons.
Perhaps history can be our barometer. The last time England lost a series to Pakistan, in 2012, they went on to whitewash them in the one-day follow-up. If that makes you think this will be a breeze for the nominal tourists, you haven’t been paying attention. Beyond empty seats and pitches a little on the flat side, there’s precious little certainty to cling to as two reliably unreliable sides renew acquaintances.
We can’t call it, so we may as well just enjoy it. Play gets under way at 11am GMT.
