The fourth day of the first Test in Rawalpindi was one of missed opportunity for Australia's batters, as a number fell short of personal milestones in comfortable batting conditions.
Marnus Labuschagne (90), Steve Smith (78) and Cameron Green (48) all let chances to make big totals go begging as a horribly docile pitch has the match destined for a draw.
Australia closed play at 7-449, still 27 runs behind Pakistan and in its first innings with only a day to play.
It would take a remarkable turn of events for either team to force a result from here, as there have been no signs of life at all from a pitch that remains as flat as it was on day one.
There was a delayed start to day four due to a wet outfield caused by overnight storms, but when play resumed it followed a familiar pattern.
Only the arrival of the second new ball brought any excitement, and the wicket of Labuschagne who played a loose shot to a wide delivery from Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Travis Head was disappointed to fall for just eight, caught behind off the spin bowling of Nauman Ali.
Smith and Green then set about their own partnership, operating in cruise control until Nauman moved his line well outside their leg stumps.
Attempted sweep shots to balls wide of the leg stump brought both of their downfalls, Green top-edging to short fine leg and Smith gloving one to the keeper.
Alex Carey was the other batter to fall before stumps, bowled by a Naseem Shah beauty that took the top of his off stump for 19.
Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc saw out the rest of the day with relative ease and will return on day five, seemingly with little to play for.
Look back at how the action unfolded in our live blog.
Live updates
By Dean Bilton
BAD LIGHT! THAT'S STUMPS! Australia 7-449 (Starc 12*, Cummins 4*) trails Pakistan by 27 runs
Well there you go, another day in the books. The story of which will probably be the many missed opportunities by the Australian batters as Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Cameron Green all threw away chances to make big hundreds.
But personal milestones aside, there isn't a whole lot of jeopardy in this match right now. It seems for all intents and purposes that this is heading for a draw, barring something completely ridiculous tomorrow. It's not been the most thrilling Test in truth, which is a shame because the occasion deserved more.
But who knows! Funny things happen in cricket, so maybe tomorrow will end up being one we talk about forever. Either way, I'll be back here on the blog to bring it to you. See you then!
By Dean Bilton
137th over - Babar Azam is bowling
So Pat Cummins had one ball to face from Naseem there, and defended it well. No doubt some short stuff will be heading his way over these next four overs.
Or not! Looks like the umpires have told Pakistan it's spin or nothing for the next four overs. Starc on strike now. He drives for a single.
FOUR! Well that was easy. Cummins punches off the back foot through the covers for four.
Solid from Cummins. Five from the over.
By Dean Bilton
BOWLED HIM! CAREY IS SKITTLED!
Now that's a delivery! Probably the ball of the Test, it has squared Carey up and rattled into the very top of his off stump. Fantastic ball from Naseem Shah and Carey will stride on back to the rooms.
By Dean Bilton
136th over - Naseem will try again
FOUR! Starc stands tall and opens the face on that one, guiding it down to third for four runs.
Rizwan is cooked here. He's being forced to hurl himself at some wild bowling, and is now writhing on the ground in pain, waving his hand around. Something is seriously wrong, and he may not be able to see out the day.
Nice cover drive there from Carey for two.
By Dean Bilton
135th over - Shaheen continues
Starc's left hand is definitely a little sore, but he will keep batting. Carey on strike for now.
A wild full toss down the leg side there, deflected by the keeper to fine leg for a bye. That sort of day.
Poor old Rizwan behind the stumps has got some sore hands, and he seems to be getting peppered on the same spots. Another delay.
Not sure what's going on with Rizwan. Every ball he takes is bringing about a very dramatic reaction. Might have a hot spot on one of his hands that's taking a battering.
Starc bunts to point for a single.
That's your over. Five to come.
By Dean Bilton
134th over - Naseem Shah in the attack now too
Quicks from both ends to finish up the day.
Starc glances with the angle to fine leg for one.
One more from Carey there as he flicks an attempted yorker to fine leg.
Just those two off the over. Six to come.
By Dean Bilton
133rd over - Shaheen steaming in
There's a buzz in the crowd all of a sudden now that Shaheen has the ball.
Starc is fighting hard here. Short leg is in the game, so Starc is doing well to keep these rising balls away.
That last one has copped Starc on the hand though, and he's asking for a bit of attention.
Next one might have hit it too. Away to fine leg for one it goes.
Just the one from the over, well handled by Starc and Carey.
By Dean Bilton
132nd over - Sajid continues
Carey on strike and defending.
Aaaand that's a maiden. Nicely bowled.
By Dean Bilton
131st over - Shaheen Shah Afridi for one more burst tonight
He'll be eyeing off the Australian tail for sure.
BIG LBW SHOUT! Great yorker smacks Starc on the pad! Not out given.... but we have a review. Think it's missing leg personally.
Yep, DRS shows it missing leg. Play on.
Nicely played by Starc there through midwicket, he'll take two more.
A fantastic over from Shaheen. Good short ones, dangerous yorkers, it had the lot. But Starc survives. Nine to come.
By Dean Bilton
130th over - Sajid bowling
So by my count we have 11 more overs to bowl tonight. The light seems fine so we'll manage that.
SHOT! Pretty stuff from Carey. Read the full length early and drove it smartly through the covers for four.
Just the boundary off the over, another one down.
By Dean Bilton
129th over - Nauman in to Carey
An orthodox sweep from Carey that time, out to deep square for one.
Starc is taking guard on off stump, with the leg stump basically visible behind his pads. But Nauman will not deviate from his line.
He has a pop at the leg stump with his last ball, but sends it too far down. Just the one from the over.
By Dean Bilton
128th over - Sajid will bowl it
Starc defends from the back foot, even though it's full and darting in at the stumps.
So any thought of Starc's promotion meaning imminent fireworks seems to be misplaced. He sees out a comfy maiden.
By Dean Bilton
127th over - Nauman again
Starc drives to cover for one.
Another Carey reverse for one out to point.
Starc clips to the leg side for one more as the over comes to an end.
By Dean Bilton
126th over - More from Sajid
So Mitchell Starc has come to the middle, not Pat Cummins as listed. He's at the non-striker's end now having seen out one final ball from Nauman to end the last over.
Carey defends out a maiden.
By Dean Bilton
HE'S OUT! SMITH IS OUT! ANOTHER FOR NAUMAN!
I can't believe this. The Aussies are just throwing them away. So similar to the Green dismissal, it's about three feet outside the leg stump and never threatening the wickets. Smith attempted a standing sweep, trying to hit it very fine, but can only get a feather of glove on it through to the keeper.
Free runs are being thrown away out there.
By Dean Bilton
125th over - Nauman to continue
Carey not at the races just yet.
Looks like he's going to reverse sweep just about everything. Another one out to deep point for one.
It's contagious. Smith tries the reverse sweep too, but can't make contact.
Then he tries the orthodox sweep, but it's too far down the leg side for him to make contact with.
By Dean Bilton
124th over - Here's Sajid again
Smith on strike, defending away for now.
FOUR! There we go! Some tidy footwork from Smith to get to the pitch, and then a nice flash of the blade. Four more through the covers.
Over bowled, just the boundary from it.
By Dean Bilton
Must say, I'm happy I made the decision to just read the blog for this test, instead of finding somewhere to watch it (I don't currently have a TV), as it seems like this isn't really going anywhere but an uninspired draw
-Sean
It's times like this I must apologise for what must be some uninspired blogging at times. Hard to get the juices flowing for a game that, as you say, is only heading in one direction.
By Dean Bilton
123rd over - Nauman to Smith now
Gets one to spin sharply across the vice captain. It deflects off his thigh and away safely.
Now Smith advances and glances to midwicket for one.
FOUR! Another reverse sweep from Carey, but more convincing this time. It finds the rope at point.
The subsitute fielder has just ripped his pants trying to prevent that boundary, so that's something.
IN THE AIR! FOUR! Another reverse sweep, this time edged between the hands of first slip. Very fortunate there for Carey.
And that'll be drinks.
