“It’s in the balance at the minute. If we can get a couple of quick ones we’re right in there,” says James Taylor, who’s pretty much spot on - a couple of quick wickets in the morning are surely essential if England are to draw this series. We’ll be back for more tomorrow. Bye!
STUMPS: Pakistan lead by 74 with seven wickets remaining
An excellent day for Pakistan, with Hafeez’s near-century hauling them into a position of uncertain superiority. He batted brilliantly, and though some might criticise the way he pretty deliberately decided to run out Azhar Ali rather than risk his own wicket he was the one who looked most worth saving. Some fine bowling from England’s seamers, with minimal reward, and the tourists will need to start tomorrow in style.
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53rd over: Pakistan 146-3 (Hafeez 97, Rahat Ali 0)
There’s a big lbw appeal here, and Moeen wants his captain to review it, but he’s turned down, England perhaps thinking that it wasn’t worth risking a review on a nightwatchman (HawkEye says umpire’s call on impact, so it’s just as well). Then the last ball flicks off bat and pad into the air, but wide of the man at silly mid-off. Pakistan end the day with a lead of 74.
52nd over: Pakistan 146-3 (Hafeez 97, Rahat Ali 0)
The day’s penultimate over. Hafeez, whose first innings of the series ended on 98, sees it out without scoring, and is troubled by a couple of googlies. At the end, with one over to play, the umpires call for the light meter, but will allow one more over so long as it’s slow. Moeen Ali will bowl it.
51st over: Pakistan 146-3 (Hafeez 97, Rahat Ali 0)
Younis flicks the first delivery off his ankle and very fine for four, his final scoring stroke. Rahat Ali comes in after the wicket, and pops his first ball into the air, but just wide of short leg.
WICKET! Younis Khan lbw b Broad 14 (Pakistan 146-3)
The ball would have knocked the top of off stump pretty hard, so though HawkEye marks it yellow for umpire’s call, it suggests the umpire made the right one.
Epic celebrappeal from Stuart Broad there
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) November 3, 2015
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REVIEW! Is Younis Khan lbw here?
The umpire, after quite a bit of thought, decides it is. The batsmen, after quite a bit of discussion, decide to review.
50th over: Pakistan 142-2 (Hafeez 97, Younis Khan 10)
Anderson’s spell ends at nine overs, with Rashid replacing him. Hafeez adds another few runs to his tally and is single-handedly taking this match by the neck and dragging it away from England. After 50 overs of their first innings, Pakistan were 116-4. England were 110-3.
49th over: Pakistan 138-2 (Hafeez 94, Younis Khan 9)
Broad’s first ball is sent through the covers by Hafeez, and the batsmen run three before it’s chased down. Younis remains in clinging-on-gamely mode, and slams his bat down onto a yorker, before finally slashing at a delivery that isn’t as wide as he wanted it to be, and clearly was a bit more bouncy, and missing it completely.
48th over: Pakistan 135-2 (Hafeez 91, Younis Khan 9)
A ninth over from Anderson, and it’s a long one, featuring as it does a couple of singles, a four clobbered past point by an increasingly regal-looking Hafeez, a run-up aborted because Younis isn’t ready, and another run-up aborted because Younis still isn’t ready. There are, in theory, five overs remaining - can Anderson be expected to bowl any more of them?
We're in the 48th over of Pakistan's innings, and only Mohammed Hafeez has hit a boundary, The problem for England is that he's hit a few
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) November 3, 2015
12, to be precise, three of them sixes.
47th over: Pakistan 129-2 (Hafeez 86, Younis Khan 8)
Nice bowling from Broad, but time and fatigue is catching up with England’s seamers now, and the wickets aren’t falling. Still, a bit of inswing, a bit of away swing, and two singles.
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46th over: Pakistan 127-2 (Hafeez 85, Younis Khan 7)
Anderson, encouraged by a bit of swing and a squirming Younis, keeps going, the eighth over of this spell. And he gets another edge, the ball flying low and wide of first slip, where Cook gets a hand to it but can’t stop it. They take a single, and Hafeez smacks the next past point for four.
45th over: Pakistan 121-2 (Hafeez 80, Younis Khan 6)
Another edge from Hafeez, and another boundary. This time Broad’s the bowler. Every other over is being followed by drinks at the moment, nobody in any hurry.
Highest % of series runs in one inns (min 6 inns, 250 runs): 84.48% A Cook (294/348) E v I 2011 83.90% Shoaib Malik (245/292) P v E 2015
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) November 3, 2015
44th over: Pakistan 117-2 (Hafeez 76, Younis Khan 6)
Ooof! Anderson bowls wide of off stump to Younis, who’s clearly expecting an inswinger but wary of an outswinger and pushes his bat at it in extraordinarily awkward style. Inevitably it goes perfectly straight, and misses everything. Then it happens again. Pig-ugly batsmanship from the 9071-run man.
Anderson is turning Younis inside out, who is trying to play in as ungainly a manner as any top flight batsman ever.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) November 3, 2015
43rd over: Pakistan 116-2 (Hafeez 75, Younis Khan 6)
Broad bowls, and Younis nudges it down the leg side. Anderson runs from slip, reaches the ball and fires it immediately towards the bowler - who is looking the other way, and turns round just in time to realise it’s about to hit him in the leg, and not quite in time to get out of the way. It’s a single for Younis, and a bit of a giggle for the rest of us. Ten overs remain.
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42nd over: Pakistan 114-2 (Hafeez 74, Younis Khan 5)
A little away swing from Anderson, Hafeez drives and gets a thick edge, well past the slips and away for four. In answer to Billy Mills, incidentally, Pakistan already lead by 42 and though England’s eventual target may be achievable - and it may even be achieved - there’s no way now that it won’t be enough to induce considerable anxiety.
41st over: Pakistan 110-2 (Hafeez 70, Younis Khan 5)
Younis reads Rashid like a comic, and pushes wide of mid off for a couple, and then gets a couple more through third man.
@Simon_Burnton How big a chase can England manage? Anything over 50 and I'm nervous.
— Billy Mills (@BmillsBilly) November 3, 2015
40th over: Pakistan 106-2 (Hafeez 70, Younis Khan 1)
Anderson welcomes Younis Khan with a tasty inswinging yorker. I don’t know what happened to the ball when Hafeez deposited it into the stands a few minutes ago, but it’s suddenly started to hoop around a bit. At the moment it looks like as good a six as England have ever conceded.
Proper wicket follows for the magnificent Anderson,who has Shoaib lbw first ball. Double hundred in first Test and bog all since.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) November 3, 2015
WICKET! Malik lbw b Anderson 0 (Pakistan 105-2)
That’s utter cluelessness from Shoaib Malik who simply watched Anderson’s inswinger - and there’s quite serious swing here - as it careered into his pad, his bat nowhere.
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39th over: Pakistan 105-1 (Hafeez 70, Malik 0)
England had a fair old go at messing up that run-out, throwing the ball around the field for a bit before finally returning it to Rashid at the bowler’s end, but the batsmen were so emphatically muddled it didn’t matter. Hafeez carts the next ball through midwicket for four.
WICKET! Ali run out 34 (Pakistan 101-1)
Ali drives to mid off, calls for a run, changes his mind, stops, starts to go back, sees Hafeez arrive at his end, and is helpless as the bails come off at the other end. A beautiful opening partnership ends in chaos.
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38th over: Pakistan 101-0 (Hafeez 66, Ali 34)
The camera finds Stokes on the balcony, fast asnooze. Jordan is sitting in front of him, still unaccountably unused. Anderson, who conceded eight runs from his first 52 deliveries of the innings, concedes 10 from his next two, with Mohammad Hafeez lashing No53 over midwicket and into the stands, and working No54 off his pads to the long leg boundary.
Breaking news: Pakistan have beaten England 2-0 in their three-match Test series.
— Rob Smyth (@100ashesquotes) November 3, 2015
37th over: Pakistan 90-0 (Hafeez 56, Ali 33)
I’m not sure this really is the bunsen that it appeared at times this morning. It looks pretty flat at the moment, although one suspects it won’t when Yasir Shah’s bowling.
36th over: Pakistan 88-0 (Hafeez 55, Ali 32)
Anderson’s getting some movement, but there has been little by way of even near-things, but for that very early successful Pakistan review that gave Hafeez a reprieve.
Anderson and Broad combined match figures 43.1-24-41-6
— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket) November 3, 2015
35th over: Pakistan 86-0 (Hafeez 53, Ali 30)
Rashid replaces Patel, and almost immediately troubles Hafeez with a googly that the batsman only just manages to divert from its stump-bound trajectory. Four runs from the over, all singles.
34th over: Pakistan 82-0 (Hafeez 52, Ali 29)
Ali plays out another maiden from Anderson (his fifth in seven overs) - he’s now faced 101 balls, just two fewer than his opening partner, though he’s 23 behind in run-scoring terms.
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33rd over: Pakistan 82-0 (Hafeez 52, Ali 29)
Hafeez turns the ball to short leg, who stops it with a foot and throws it backhand into the stumps. Good fielding, but Hafeez wasn’t really thinking of a run. He certainly is a couple of balls later, cutting square for four and bringing up his half-century.
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32nd over: Pakistan 76-0 (Hafeez 46, Ali 29)
Anderson returns, and Azhar Ali leaves everything that looks to be passing outside off and defends anything that looks to be hitting the stumps - against seamers Pakistan are concentrating entirely on circumspection.
31st over: Pakistan 76-0 (Hafeez 46, Ali 29)
In the final session yesterday England put themselves in a position to go on and win this match. In the final session today it could be whisked away from them. It’s been two-thirds-and-also-another-bit of a fine day for Pakistan, in short.
30th over: Pakistan 75-0 (Hafeez 46, Ali 28)
A bit of reverse action here from Broad, who bowls another maiden. Pakistan continue to make hay against spin (10 runs off the last three overs) before applying brakes against seam (one run off the last three overs).
29th over: Pakistan 75-0 (Hafeez 46, Ali 28)
Patel bowls, and his first delivery is powered past extra cover by Hafeez, bringing the scores level, before a sweep flies in the air, but safely past the fielder at square leg, for three. Here’s Selve’s summary of the match situation, though he omits the fact that England have one batsman who can’t swing a bat.
Pakistan reach parity without loss so now we have a one innings a side match with England having to bat last on a bunsen.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) November 3, 2015
28th over: Pakistan 68-0 (Hafeez 39, Ali 28)
Broad’s fourth maiden in six overs. If you’d like a little extra reading, this week’s Spin is out. Sign up for it here, or read a bit of it here:
27th over: Pakistan 68-0 (Hafeez 39, Ali 28)
Patel continues, and the batsmen snaffle a single each. Pakistan are just the four runs behind now, a single stroke from parity.
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26th over: Pakistan 66-0 (Hafeez 38, Ali 27)
Another disciplined over from Broad, one run from it. “When you’re playing Pakistan on a turning track, is it better to play one, two, or three spinners who are not up to it?” asks Jim Lambourn. “Surely we need Broad and Anderson bowling: perhaps they could have a go at spinners?” Stokes’ injury has left England a spinner heavy, but then they weren’t to know that.
25th over: Pakistan 65-0 (Hafeez 37, Ali 27)
Hafeez has 37, Ali has 27, Pakistan trail by 7.
All 5 wickets by Pakistan spinners today: 51mph+ Balls by Adil Rashid at 51mph+ today: 1 out of 24 #PAKvENG #CricViz
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) November 3, 2015
24th over: Pakistan 61-0 (Hafeez 36, Ali 24)
Stuart Broad bowls, and Mohammad Hafeez scores a couple through cover, that’s more runs off one delivery than off his other 23 this innings put together. This would have made me well narked. It’s Mohammad Rizwan, delivering some drinks and, while he’s at it, asking for a slap.
Just the 12th man (M Rizwan) trolling Root and Anderson. #sledging #PAKvENG #cricingif pic.twitter.com/ykpXct0xN2
— Cricingif (@cricingif) November 3, 2015
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23rd over: Pakistan 59-0 (Hafeez 34, Ali 24)
As the session gets under way, Mike Atherton on Sky wonders why Liam Plunkett is on the field as England’s 12th man, when Chris Jordan is a notably brilliant close fielder, especially to spin. Other than the fact that Jordan is having some food, which presumably he might have had sooner, there seems no logical explanation. Anyway, Patel bowls, one run is scored.
Hello! Well, it’s been two-thirds of an excellent day for Pakistan, who now trail by 14 with all second-innings wickets in hand. Moeen’s going at five an over, Samit Patel at 3.8 - this in a match where the average run rate has been around 2.5. To keep the pressure on, England need to make a breakthrough in the first half-hour or so of this session, you’d have thought. Action imminent. All emails to me here from now on, please.
22nd over: Pakistan 58-0 (Hafeez 33, Ali 24) Rashid bowls the last over of the tea. Bairstow goes up for LBW when Hafeez pushes around the googly. It was pitched too straight and was missing leg stump, though it was nicely bowled by Rashid.
Next ball there’s an appeal for the stumping next ball. Did Azhar Ali lift his back leg? Bairstow was waiting for Azhar to move his back foot before removing the bails, but he just kept his toe on the ground. That was not unlike Alec Stewart’s stumping of Brian Lara on this ground in 1997 (below).
There are plenty who feel such dismissals are against the spirit of the game, but he’s not out so there’s no scope for outrage here. There might be some scope for misery this evening, however, as Pakistan have taken control of this match. They trail by 14, and Simon Burnton will be here after tea. Thanks for your emails, see you for the South Africa series!
21st over: Pakistan 56-0 (Hafeez 33, Ali 23) Samit Patel comes on for Moeen Ali (5-0-25-0), who looks low on confidence with the ball. Moeen averaged 28 in his first year of Test cricket, but in 2015 that has risen to 45. Patel is milked absent-mindedly for a couple, taking Pakistan to within 16 of Peter Drury’s favourite word.
20th over: Pakistan 54-0 (Hafeez 32, Ali 22) Rashid beats Hafeez with a gorgeous legspinner. England thought there might have been an outside edge; the umpire Chris Gaffaney disagreed. That’s not a great name for an umpire, is it? Cheap headlines if he makes a howler and all that. I suppose it would be worse if he was called Daley Blind.
“If Lord Selvey is right – and who are we to disagree? – that Dan Vettori was the best no.8 in world cricket, then surely it follows that he must also have been the best no.11, which is where he batted in his first Test,” says Matt Hill. “Case closed.”
19th over: Pakistan 50-0 (Hafeez 29, Ali 21) Moeen Ali decides to try his luck round the wicket. For all of two balls. Hafeez charges his second delivery and humps it straight down the ground for another emphatic six, whereupon Moeen switches back over the wicket. Lovely batting, and it brings up an intimidatingly authoritative fifty partnership.
@100ashesquotes I've no recollection of ever seeing Bob Willis put bat on ball, but he must've done. England were always all out in the 80s
— Tom Davies (@tomdaviesE17) November 3, 2015
18th over: Pakistan 44-0 (Hafeez 23, Ali 21) The first Rashid full toss goes unpunished, with Azhar clunking it to mid off. It’s important England keep their nerve and don’t get desperate – although it hasn’t really happened in this game so far, there is always scope for wickets to fall in clusters on a pitch like this.
17th over: Pakistan 44-0 (Hafeez 23, Ali 21) It’s just not happening for England’s spinners at the moment. The turn is far less menacing in the absence of its partners in crime, pace and bounce, so Pakistan are able to work the ball around pretty easily.
“Sobers started at No9 I think,” says Mike Selvey. “In summer, when mo was batting at No8, had discussion about best number eight and it was Dan Vettori by a distance.” What about the best ever tail? This South African side has to be right up there, though I reckon England trump them here.
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16th over: Pakistan 41-0 (Hafeez 22, Ali 19) Adil Rashid is going to replace Samit Patel. England really, really, really need him to bowl well – before, during and hopefully after Misbah’s inevitable assault on him. His fifth ball is too short and is pulled for a single by Hafeez; England have a deep midwicket as protection for just that delivery. Three singles from the over. England lead by 31.
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15th over: Pakistan 38-0 (Hafeez 21, Ali 17) This is starting to look a little ominous for England. The spinners are not being taken apart but they are being milked with minimal risk. And when the first really bad ball comes it is put away by Hafeez, who skips back in his crease to late cut a short one from Moeen for the first four of the innings. The spinners are going at four an over; Broad and Anderson went at less than one an over.
14th over: Pakistan 31-0 (Hafeez 15, Ali 16) Pakistan’s batsmen are putting pressure on England’s spinners with ones and twos rather than big shots, for the time being at least. It’s accomplished, calm batting. And although England’s spinners have done little wrong, Pakistan have eaten up almost half the first-innings deficit of 72.
“Not sure if he ever batted 11 in Tests,” says Sean Clayton, “but I think Imran Khan started his Worcs career as a specialist bowler batting at 11. Not quite a Mullally/Martin-esque bunny...” Yes, not quite. I think the lowest he batted in Tests was No9. He didn’t stay there for long. In fact in his last 10 years of Test cricket – 10 years, man! – he averaged 50 with the bat and 19 with the ball.
13th over: Pakistan 28-0 (Hafeez 15, Ali 13) Azhar is beaten as he gropes awkwardly at a kicking delivery from Moeen. England’s spinners have done pretty well so far; the key is to keep their nerve and not try too hard if wickets do not come straight away.
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12th over: Pakistan 23-0 (Hafeez 12, Ali 11) Azhar dances down the track to Patel and is struck on the pads. England go up for LBW but those appeals are never given, not when a batsman is that far down – even though Hawkeye shows it was hitting middle halfway up. As Beefy says on Sky, if you trust ball-tracking, who cares how far down the pitch they are? I suspect that umpiring norm will change over time, in the same way that getting a big stride no longer grants immunity against LBW.
11th over: Pakistan 20-0 (Hafeez 12, Ali 6) Moeen replaces Anderson (5-3-5-0) – and Hafeez is dropped second ball by Bairstow. Well, sort of. It was a very thick edge off the back foot, and as such Bairstow had pretty much no chance; the ball him him on the thigh and dropped safely to the ground. Alan Knott might have taken it, but I’m not sure about any other keepers.
Three from Moeen’s over, and the tempo has changed as we expected – the seamers went for six runs from eight overs, the spinners have conceded 14 from three so far.
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10th over: Pakistan 17-0 (Hafeez 11, Ali 6) After 9.5 overs boundaryless overs, Hafeez saunters down the track to lift Patel gently, almost effortlessly over long off for six. That’s a pretty decisive statement of intent, and things should liven up from here. Pakistan are going to try to score some runs and everything!
“Wilfred began as a number 11 and ended up opening” says Selve. “He averaged 44 at No11.” Apparently only three players have batted in all 11 positions in Tests: Sid Gregory, Rhodes and Vinoo Mankad.
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9th over: Pakistan 8-0 (Hafeez 5, Ali 3) Groundhog over from Anderson, a maiden. Pakistan seem content to block their way through Anderson and Broad’s spells, which is fair enough given the inaccurate nature of England’s spinners. If England had Swann and Monty it might be different.
Rizwan being cheeky/funny and @englandcricket players being an ass always. Staring at him! Especially Root! #pakveng pic.twitter.com/in87s6ACfa
— Angry Pakistani (@AngryPakistan) November 3, 2015
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8th over: Pakistan 8-0 (Hafeez 5, Ali 3) Broad (3-2-1-0) is replaced by Samit Rohit Patel. He goes around the wicket to Azhar – with Anderson, not Jordan, at slip rather surprisingly – and is driven for a quick single to mid off. Hafeez skips down to drive another through the covers. A decent start from Patel.
Jimmy and Broad bowling so dry its ridiculous. Which spinner will release the pressure? I'm with Adil. @palfreyman1414 @100ashesquotes
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) November 3, 2015
Whichever one comes on first? Actually, Samit has the capacity to bowl accurately, and should be better for such a long bowl on Sunday.
7th over: Pakistan 6-0 (Hafeez 4, Ali 2) Hafeez breaks the sequence of dot balls with a punch through mid off for a couple.
@100ashesquotes Surely if hotspot and/or real time snicko isn't available you shouldn't be allowed to review caught behinds.
— Adrian Foster (@adyfoster) November 3, 2015
I know what you mean, but it makes sense to review them in case there is daylight between bat and ball or a clear outside edge.
6th over: Pakistan 4-0 (Hafeez 2, Ali 2) Broad goes wide on the crease to slide one past Azhar Ali’s outside edge. This has been another excellent start from Anderson and Broad. They are not so much bowling dry as bowling Sahara: in this match they have conceded 34 runs from 34.1 overs.
“Phil Edmonds has got to be a shout for the best Test No11, Rob,” says Darren Beach. “Batted at 11 against India in 1986 at Lord’s – three first-class hundreds, Test average of 17-odd against only the tough countries, and generally regarded as a posh-dilettante, wasted all-rounder and batting talent.”
5th over: Pakistan 4-0 (Hafeez 2, Ali 2) While England were waiting for the decision, there was some immaculate trolling from the Pakistan 12th man, Mohammad Rizwan I think. He came on with a drink for the batsmen, and starting signalling an overturned review to the England fielders, all the while wearing the jauntiest of smiles. Great stuff, though I’m not sure Joe Root in particular was impressed.
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REVIEW! Pakistan 4-1 (Hafeez not out 2)
Yes, Hafeez is given not out. I’m not sure about that. I suspect it’s the right and wrong decision – right because on balance I reckon he missed it, wrong because the evidence might not have been clear enough. There was one angle, from short mid on, that suggested a possible deviation. That said, the general consensus in the Sky box is that it was clearly not out. Anyway, it’s done. Look, let’s just move on, okay? Just leave it.
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I’m pretty sure Hafeez missed that, but can you be certain enough to overturn the decision? That said, there was some kind of noise. This is a really tricky decision. A different replay suggests a possible deviation, but the camera behind the wicket suggests he missed it. Hmm. I don’t think there’s enough evidence to overturn it, but I think it will be overturned.
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REVIEW! Hafeez c Bairstow b Anderson 2 Hafeez is given out caught behind but reviews the decision instantly.
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4th over: Pakistan 4-0 (Hafeez 2, Ali 2) Bumble is discussing whether Ian Bell might bowl some medium pace in the absence of Ben Stokes. He took his only Test wicket against Pakistan – Mohammad Yousuf – but has not bowled in a Test since the 2006-07 Ashes. A quiet over from Broad, with Hafeez flicking the last ball for a single. The new ball is behaving impeccably, as it has all series.
“Re. the best no. 11s, this brings back fond memories of the last few Ashes series,” says David Hopkins. “Monty Panesar at Cardiff anyone? Not to mention Glenn McGrath at Old Trafford. And Michael Kasprowicz was only denied by a well placed outfielder (and arguably the lack of a third umpire) from topping the lot.” Er, Shaun Tait at Trent Bridge?
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3rd over: Pakistan 3-0 (Hafeez 1, Ali 2) Azhar Ali leaves a ball from Anderson that just bounces over the stumps. I think he left it on line, but he got away with it only on length. He does the same again next ball; this time it hits the pad and England go up in vain for LBW. Too high, I suspect, and Alastair Cook has little interest in a review. Yes, Hawkeye shows it was missing.
“If Moeen and Rashid serve up the same stuff as they did in the first innings I don’t think Cook should be afraid to turn to Root for a few overs,” says Sam Martin. “He seems to have that wicket taking knack some part-time bowlers possess.” Yep, agreed.
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2nd over: Pakistan 3-0 (Hafeez 1, Ali 2) Stuart Broad’s first ball is a gorgeous off-cutter that beats Hafeez’s inside edge. That’s about all.
“Fairly sure Sydney Barnes batted at 11 too,” says Christopher Dale, “as well as opening.” I think you’ve merged two Sid Barneses into one. Here’s the people-loving English bowler, and here’s the Aussie batsman.
1st over: Pakistan 3-0 (Hafeez 1, Ali 2) The one advantage of Ben Stokes’ injury is that England can use Chris Jordan as a substitute fielder, and he will surely be at slip for the spinners. He’s at third slip for Jimmy Anderson, who has beautiful series figures of 82-29-151-11 and will bowl the first over. Hafeez takes a quick single to get off the mark; Azhar Ali, on a pair, does likewise with a drive through extra-cover for two.
As Selve said below, England’s spinners need to bowl far better in the second innings. There is a chance for one of them to be a hero – but to achieve that they must not try to be a hero. Don’t attempt to bowl magic balls, just let the pitch do the work.
Pakistan spinners average 2.5 runs per over, Eng 3.8. That needs to change from Eng , esp as a seamer down.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) November 3, 2015
Join the debate! “There is always a lot of talk about the worst ever No11 batsman in Test cricket – Martin, McGrath, Tufnell, Morrison, Walsh etc – but I wonder who is the best ever?” says Steven Pye. “I know Ashton Agar enjoyed himself at Trent Bridge, yet he probably needs a longer qualification period than that one innings. Any ideas?”
Graeme Smith batted No11, but that was with a broken hand so doesn’t really count. Do you count players demoted on a sticky dog? I think Warwick Armstrong batted No11 once. But if you’re talking about someone who batted there a few times, I’d go for Wilfred Rhodes.
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A pessimist is never disappointed So, England lead by 72. They led by 70 at Abu Dhabi in 2011-12, and look how that turned out!
Eng all out 306, lead of 72. Batting last, Im not sure that will be enough. Spinners need to earn corn and back up seamers.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) November 3, 2015
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WICKET! England 306 all out (Stokes b Malik 0)
That would probably have done for a fit Ben Stokes. It was another fine delivery, turning from middle stump to the hit the top of off as Stokes fiddled defensively. Malik ends with four for 33 from 9.5 overs, and England lead by 72.
@100ashesquotes "But if Paul Terry can bat with one arm...' Some might say that he couldn't bat with two arms...
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) November 3, 2015
The man’s got 38 first-class hundreds! (And Paul Terry got a few as well, honk honk.)
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126th over: England 305-9 (Broad 12, Stokes 0) In fact Stokes will have to face Wahab Riaz, which is a sensible bowling change from Misbah-ul-Haq. Wahab will surely pepper Stokes with short stuff here. Stokes defends a couple of length balls; then the bouncer comes; Stokes can’t get his hands up high enough so wears it on his chest and then glares at Wahab. “He’ll have a long memory, Ben Stokes,” chuckles Mike Atherton on Sky. Stokes’s pitch map to Wahab when the sides meet again next summer will be interesting. That was the only really short ball in a surprisingly polite over from Wahab. Stokes turns down a run to fine leg off the final delivery, so it’s a maiden.
“Batting with a dodgy shoulder is no fun at all,” says Harvey Lock. “I bowled against a guy who had a suspect shoulder and I was kind enough to serve up a very medium-pace half-volley. His instinct got the better of him and his eyes lit up and he lofted me back over my head for six and immediately retired hurt having popped his shoulder out in the process.”
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125th over: England 305-9 (Broad 12, Stokes 0) Broad drags Malik round the corner for four to bring up the 300, and then clatters the final delivery through the covers for two. No idea why they took a second, as it means Stokes will have to face Yasir Shah.
“There may be the only comment ever worth reading on the YouTubes below that Malcolm Marshall link,” says Adam Hirst. “‘Batting with one hand is like playing tennis isn’t it?’ Whoever said that the internet was rubbish…”
124th over: England 297-9 (Broad 4, Stokes 0) Broad will have a swing here, as he should. He sweeps Yasir straight onto the body of Azhar at short leg, with the ball landing safely. Broad pushes a single off the fifth ball, so Stokes has one delivery to survive. Which he does, with a comfortable-looking defensive stroke. England lead by 63.
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123rd over: England 296-9 (Broad 3, Stokes 0) That was the last ball of the over, so Stokes won’t have to face for now.
“If Stokes does have an AC joint injury they shouldn’t let him bat,” says Niall Mullen. “It would really really knack or they’d have to inject it and risk making it much worse. Unless, of course, he Malcolm Marshalls it.” And then takes seven-for in the second innings like Marshall.
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WICKET! England 296-9 (Anderson b Malik 7)
Anderson muscles a sweep for four off Shoaib Malik but is bowled two balls later, pushing defensively down the wrong line. Malik now has three for 24, and here comes Ben Stokes at No11.
122nd over: England 290-8 (Broad 2, Anderson 2) Jimmy Anderson is the new batsman, though Ben Stokes is padded up. Here’s Ali Martin’s update on Stokes’s condition.
“This song just came on and, well, it suggests Ben Stokes should probably get a new pair of shoes,” says David Green. “Which is not particularly relevant. But it might also go on to suggest that his problems may extend further around his body if he is not careful. So the universe says – don’t let Stokes bat.”
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WICKET! England 287-8 (Patel b Yasir 42)
Samit Patel has gone to an unplayable delivery from Yasir Shah. It dipped onto leg stump and turned sharply to hit the off bail. That was gorgeous legspin bowling, and it probably needed something like that to get rid of Samit Patel. He played masterfully for his 42, but his departure leaves England in a bit of bother. They lead by 53.
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121st over: England 285-7 (Patel 41, Broad 0) There are two balls of the 121st over remaining, with Malik bowling to the new batsman Broad. He ignores the first and defends the second. Next!
“We may need every run we can scratch out here, so I wonder if Stokes will come out to bat, especially if we get into a situation where Patel is the last man in,” says Steven Pye. “I can definitely see a scenario where Stokes is needed in the fourth innings. Probably with three wickets left, 27 runs to win, and me with no finger nails yet again. But if Paul Terry can bat with one arm, then I’m sure Stokes will if needed.” Yeah, I think he’ll bat in both innings, even if it means just blocking and wincing.
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Stokes has had a gentle hit on the outfield during the lunch interval. Not sure he'll be able to swing much #pakveng
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) November 3, 2015
Enough is enough is enough But what is enough? You’d imagine England would like a lead of 100, human nature being what it is, though even that might not be sufficient. Test cricket is at its best when nobody has a clue who is winning, and that’s the case here.
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Some lunchtime plugs
Benaud in Wisden, edited by some eejit, is published tomorrow and contains great writing from Tim de Lisle, Gideon Haigh, Jack Fingleton, Jonathan Agnew and others.
Kevin Pietersen On Cricket, ghostwritten by the OBO’s Daniel Harris, has already been published, and is dead, dead good.
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Lunch: England 285-7 (Patel 41*)
The fall of the wicket means that lunch will be taken straight away. England’s lead is 51 – useful, though not necessarily adequate. See you in half an hour for the afternoon session.
WICKET! England 285-7 (Rashid c Azhar Ali b Malik 8)
This is a brilliant catch at short leg. Rashid pushed defensively in front of his pads with stiff wrists at a nothing delivery from Malik, bowling around the wicket. It flew off the inside edge to the right of short leg, where Azhar Ali swooped to take an outstanding catch. That is so good.
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120th over: England 285-6 (Patel 41, Rashid 8) England are 63 for two from 28 overs this morning. Most of those runs have come from the bat of Samit Rohit Patel, who has played extremely well. Nearly time for lunch or, in the case of those of us who were up at 4am, a zesty power shower in the Guardian basement.
119th over: England 284-6 (Patel 41, Rashid 7) Misbah turns to the part-time offspin of Shoaib Malik in an attempt to make something happen. He goes around the wicket, with a leg slip and short leg... and I’m boring myself. Two from a quiet over.
“Morning Rob, morning everyone,” hics Guy Hornsby. “So, I’m learning why no one ever goes drinking on a Monday. It must have been the euphoria of England’s fightback that caught me out yesterday, but now my head feels like it’s full of sawdust and old socks. Samit Patel is my only hope. Oh God, I’ve just jinxed the bloody shooting match haven’t I?” That’s the least of your worries. Hungover Self Loathing and Existential Anxiety is on the London Express and will be with you around midday.
118th over: England 282-6 (Patel 40, Rashid 6) Yasir Shah replaces Zulfiqar Babar, who gets a break after 105 minutes of finger-flicking. Rashid offers no stroke to a ball that pitches on middle and off and turns just past the off stump. Same again next ball. It’s immaculate judgement, probably. England lead by 48, and there are 12 minutes to lunch.
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117th over: England 280-6 (Patel 38, Rashid 6) Rashid hasn’t got many runs – six from 40 balls after a maiden from Wahab – but he has looked comfortable at the crease. It’s just not easy to find runs, which shows how well Samit is playing.
England scripting a feelgood teen drama this innings where those bullied for being too short or too fat eventually become prom kings.
— Pavilion Opinions (@pavilionopinion) November 3, 2015
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116th over: England 280-6 (Patel 38, Rashid 6)
I'm not a doctor but I would take an educated guess that a 'Collar bone joint injury' as described by Eng is this https://t.co/T9oM6pfTrb
— Dean Wilson (@CricketMirror) November 3, 2015
115th over: England 279-6 (Patel 37, Rashid 6) A bit of width from Wahab allows Patel to time a couple more through extra cover. The lead is 45 now.
114th over: England 276-6 (Patel 34, Rashid 6) Zulfiqar is bowler a jaffa per over at the moment. This one curves seductively onto middle and leg and then growls past Rashid’s forward defensive. A maiden.
113th over: England 276-6 (Patel 34, Rashid 6) A harmless leg-side short ball from Wahab is helped on its way for four by Patel, which makes this the highest Test score of his five-match career. It has been a terrific counter-attack. It might turn out to be match-winning, or even career-changing: after South Africa, England play against all four Asian countries in 2016, so accomplished players of spin – and useful second or third spinners – will be in demand. He is beaten trying to hook the final delivery, a clever bouncer from Wahab that is both quicker and higher.
“Wahab is bowling way slower than he bowled in Abu Dhabi and Dubai,” says Krishnan Patel. “Has all the workload finally caught up to him or is he carrying some sort of injury? Or is it a strategic slowing down of pace? Whatever it is, he doesn’t look as menacing as before.”
I’d imagine it’s the workload, though I missed the first two Tests so couldn’t be sure.
112th over: England 271-6 (Patel 30, Rashid 6) If you’re just waking up, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is you’re going to die some day; the good news is that England have recovered well after losing James Taylor and Jonny Bairstow in the first hour. Samit Patel is playing splendidly, and the lead is currently a handy 37. If they can sexdecuple that lead, they will be in a fine position. Doubling it would be a start: they almost lose Rashid, beaten by another undeniable jaffa from Zulfiqar. There was an appeal for caught behind but it beat the bat comfortably.
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111th over: England 268-6 (Patel 28, Rashid 5) Misbah-ul-Haq takes off Yasir Shah and invites Wahab Riaz to raise hell with the ageing ball. That’s a good move given how well Patel in particular has been playing the spinners. Nothing of even vague interest happens in his first over. England have played with calm authority since losing the two overnight batsmen.
110th over: England 267-6 (Patel 27, Rashid 5) That is a wonderful shot from Patel, who skips down the track and drives Zulfiqar inside-out over extra cover for four. He has raced to 27 from 41 balls, which is almost a breakneck speed on this surface.
109th over: England 262-6 (Patel 22, Rashid 5) A full toss from Yasir is whipped impatiently for four by Rashid, his first boundary. England’s lead is now 28. <Banter>Declare!</Banter>
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MI6 speaks
.@benstokes38 has collar bone joint injury. He will not bowl/field but may bat if circumstances dictate #PAKvENG pic.twitter.com/Ojio4bWepc
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 3, 2015
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108th over: England 257-6 (Patel 21, Rashid 1) Too short from Zulfiqar, and Patel cuts him crisply for four more. He is playing beautifully, and his current strike rate of 55 is the fastest of any batsman in the match.
Samit showing why he was our best player of spin in ODi in India a few years back.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) November 3, 2015
107th over: England 252-6 (Patel 16, Rashid 1) Yasir continues to Patel, who is looking for runs at every opportunity. There aren’t actually that many opportunities, but his intent is impressive and selfless. One from the over, and time for drinks.
Meanwhile, it seems Ben Stokes has shoulder-ligament-damage-like symptoms.
No Stokes news yet. Boycott on TMS: "Have they told us what Stokes's injury is? We've got more chance of getting information out of MI6."
— Chris Stocks (@StocksC_cricket) November 3, 2015
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106th over: England 251-6 (Patel 15, Rashid 1) “Come to think of it,” says John Starbuck, “a batting pair is more threatening if they’re both verbs – Barber and Boycott: the sinister command.” Who could forget that famous New Zealand pair, Cease and Desist?
105th over: England 251-6 (Patel 15, Rashid 1) Misbah kicks England while they’re down, introducing Yasir Shah for Rahat Ali. Rashid works him into the leg side to get off the mark, and then Patel is beaten by another absolute jaffa. It pitched outside leg and beat both the outside edge and the off stump. What are you supposed to do about that? Wait for the bad ball, I suppose: the next one is too full and Patel crashed a lovely drive to the extra-cover boundary. He has started really well.
@100ashesquotes Introducing: Special collapsible England - for portability and ease of storage.
— Ravi Nair (@palfreyman1414) November 3, 2015
104th over: England 245-6 (Patel 10, Rashid 0) Who’s winning? Pakistan, I’d say. Actually, we’re all winning, because this is a brilliant Test match. Adil Rashid is the new batsman.
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WICKET! England 245-6 (Bairstow b Zulfiqar 43)
Wonderful bowling from Zulfiqar Babar! He beat Bairstow with a vicious delivery that roared off the pitch and then, two balls later, slipped in an arm ball that skidded through to hit the stumps. Bairstow was totally duped by that. It was classical left-arm spin bowling, and the end of a determined innings of 43 from 117 balls.
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103rd over: England 243-5 (Bairstow 43, Patel 10) A big inside edge saves Patel from being plumb LBW to Rahat, who has moved around the wicket. The next ball is short, wide and flashed sweetly through point for four by Patel. He looks in the mood to counter-attack.
102nd over: England 237-5 (Bairstow 42, Patel 6) On Sky, Bumble says there is a “whisper” that Ben Stokes will bat. YEAH NEIL WATERFIELD TALK NAH. In other news, Bairstow comes down the track to Zulfiqar, is beaten in the flight and has to abort his attacking stroke. This is a fascinating struggle, with every run a precious thing.
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101st over: England 236-5 (Bairstow 41, Patel 6) Patel gets off the mark by pulling Rahat confidently for four, and then he drives through extra cover to put England in the lead. In real terms that was another boundary; on this outfield it was worth two.
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100th over: England 229-5 (Bairstow 40, Patel 0) Zulfiqar gets some sharp turn to Patel, ripping a jaffa past the outside edge. That beat the bat by a long way, and he does it again later in the over. As Mike Atherton says, this is the key to batting here – survive the first 20 balls and go from there. An excellent maiden from Zulfiqar. England have scored seven runs from eight overs this morning.
“Excellent match situation for England – Taylor-made (sorry) for Stokes and Buttler to take the game away from Pakistan,” says Dave Adams. “What?!? Oh...”
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99th over: England 229-5 (Bairstow 40, Patel 0) With Taylor gone, the hopes, fears and naked terror of a nation are transferred to Jonny Bairstow. This has been one of his better Test innings, because he has been so far out of his comfort zone. You would think he would be in his comfort zone against Rahat, but he is beaten trying to flick-pull a short one that comes back through the gate. Rahat is bowling really well; the next ball takes the inside edge before thudding into the pad. Rahat’s figures are the sort Curtly Ambrose used to rustle up: 20-12-35-2.
@100ashesquotes Well this is it, isn't it? Taylor gone: Lo all our pomp of yesterday, is one with Nineveh and Tyre.
— Ravi Nair (@palfreyman1414) November 3, 2015
98th over: England 229-5 (Bairstow 40, Patel 0) Patel is a beautiful player of spin, though he never really got going in his first four Tests. His highest score is 33. This is a chance to play an innings of substance.
“Morning, Rob,” says John Starbuck. “Taylor and Bairstow – sounds like the old firm doesn’t it? It may not always work, but there’s something reassuring about a mellifluous batting pair, much more so than a bowling duo.” So what’s the most mellifluous batting pair of all? Have Messrs Cellar and Door ever batted together?
97th over: England 228-5 (Bairstow 39, Patel 0) The new batsman is Samit Patel, to the disgust of Neil Waterfield. “I am somewhat disappointed that we haven’t seen Ben Stokes padded up and ready for action given his hard-man reputation,” writes Neil. “A few years ago I wandered down to watch the midweek cricket team which I normally played for, but couldn’t having dislocated my shoulder the week before (a combination accident involving football and dancing on/falling off a bar in Strasbourg).
“As normal we were struggling for numbers and had only managed to pull together a team of nine players, so I duly took my place at first slip. Needless to say, before too long the ball sailed straight to me where I took a straightforward catch. I was so happy that, forgetting my injury, I hurled the ball skywards after completing the catch, virtually dislocating my shoulder again, eliciting howls of agony from myself and merriment from my team mates.”
WICKET! England 228-5 (Taylor c Sarfraz b Rahat 76)
There will be no maiden Test century for James Taylor – he has fallen to Rahat Ali. Rahat has bowled well this morning, trying to tempt Taylor outside off stump. He ignored a number of deliveries but was eventually drawn into a push away from his body, and Sarfraz took another fine catch to his right. That dismissal is a reminder that, for all Taylor’s brilliance against spin, South Africa away will be a major challenge. For now, however, we should celebrate a thoroughly admirable innings of 76. And when you’ve done that, get behind the sofa, because this is about to get hairy.
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96th over: England 228-4 (Taylor 76, Bairstow 39) A messy sweep from Bairstow prompts a polite LBW appeal from Zulfiqar, though in fact it came off his glove before nutmegging the keeper Sarfraz. Then there’s a bigger appeal for LBW when Taylor plays outside the line of an arm ball; it also hit him outside the line.
95th over: England 226-4 (Taylor 75, Bairstow 38) Taylor mistimes a pull off Rahat and is hit on the thigh, prompting a strangled LBW shout. Taylor then picks a couple of leg-byes. His ability to collect and steal ones and twos is so impressive – he has hit only six fours in his 75, and against Australia in September he scored 101 from 114 balls despite hitting only five fours.
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94th over: England 224-4 (Taylor 75, Bairstow 38) It’ll be Zulfiqar Babar from the other end. Anyone reading? If so, what are you doing you fool? Back to bed with you! Bairstow steals the first run of the day, and then Taylor sweeps another. This has been such an impressive innings, both technically and mentally.
93rd over: England 222-4 (Taylor 74, Bairstow 37) The left-arm seamer Rahat Ali opens the bowling to James Taylor, who is beaten as he stretches for a wide yorker. A maiden.
There are conflicting opinions over what this pitch is going to do – according to Bumble on Sky, many local journalists think it will flatten out to such an extent that the match will be a draw. When it comes to pitches, William Goldman was right: nobody knows anything.
Ben Stokes is at the ground, though there has been no confirmation whether he will bat or not. You would think it’s unlikely, though not impossible: if anyone in the England side is going to do a Graeme Smith and come out to bat in the face of all medical advice, it’s Stokes.
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Preamble
Morning. It’s the stock question of the non-sport fan: who’s winning? In most sports the answer is clear, usually in a dinky scorebox to the top left of the screen, but cricket is a bit more complicated than that. Due to a combination of the scoring system, changing pitch conditions and the your-turn-my-turn structure of the game, we often have no idea who is in control. Even Mark Corrigan doesn’t think he knows who’s winning.
It’s one of cricket’s greatest charms that you can watch a match for three days and still not be certain who is in the ascendancy. Like a great film or book, it makes you do some of the work yourself. You have to use your judgement; to gather all your experience of watching England batting collapses cricket and assessing pitches in order to make a decisive call as to who is on top. And if that doesn’t work, you can just listen to what Nasser says on Sky and pass his opinion off as your own in the pub.
This Test is a good example of cricket’s often inscrutable nature. To an outsider, England would seem to be in control – they resume on 222 for four, 12 runs behind Pakistan, thanks primarily to James Taylor’s heartwarming 74 not out. Yet the situation is a still precarious: Ben Stokes’s injury, a pitch that could develop into a vile turner, the memory of a collapse on the third morning of the last Test, the potential terror of a run-chase to draw the series and the fact that England are, well, England mean that it would unwise to start celebrating a 1-1 series draw just yet. (But, crikey, what a wonderful draw it would be.)
A first-innings lead of 100 instinctively feels like a reasonable comfort blanket. Look at it, it’s got three figures! Those with memories of Multan 2005, the Adelaide before Adelaide, would prefer a lead of, say, 700. Today, then, is a pretty crucial day in the series. By the end of it, we might even have a clear idea who’s winning.
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