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Lunch: Pakistan 64-0 (290 runs back)
This is undoubtedly Pakistan’s session. They claimed five English wickets for 79 runs and then scored in 4.26 overs without losing one of their own.
Rizwan was aggressive but Shafique’s control stood out for the hosts. They are way behind and England will still be considered favourites, but we have a game in hand.
Leach opened the bowling and found drift and turn but little consistency as try balls were too often followed by failure. Wood thought he had a breakthrough when he hit Rizwan on the pads from a sliding ball, but a slight tickle of the bat saved the batter on review.
I’d say it’s time for breakfast. Hope you find something tasty in the fridge. I’ll see you soon.
15th over: Pakistan 64-0 (Shafiq 34, Rizwan 28) Wood’s over ends the session. Shafique adds a six to the total and knocks a six off the required target by handling the bouncer. Catches the top edge of it and flicks it over very fine leg. No chance for the fielder down there. Surprisingly, Wood doesn’t knock out another bumper, but instead keeps it full or back of length. Shafiq doesn’t mind that and gets past it well, even though it’s well north of 90 mph.
14th over: Pakistan 57-0 (Shafiq 28, Rizwan 27) Leach starts with a gem. Drift and spin again as it edges Shafique past the outside edge. Unfortunately for England, their main spinner can’t string a whole over together and he gets too full from the last ball. This allows Shafiq to drop low and sweep with confidence, knowing he can smother the spin ball. He turns his wrists and hits them hard towards backward square leg for four.
I wonder what Jimmy is thinking
Assuming Anderson wins this inning, he will be the 5th man (or lower).
The last time he went this low in Tests was 16 years ago in a 4th innings that didn’t go well for England: 4th inns v Australia, Adelaide 2006.
— Mark Puttick (@GryllidaeC) December 11, 2022
13th over: Pakistan 53-0 (Shafiq 24, Rizwan 27) Mark Wood into the attack. It’s a good move from Stokes as the extra pace can be a bit much on a rough surface. So it turns out that a dug-in short doesn’t go up as expected and crashes into Rizwan’s pad as he looks to turn it behind square with a horizontal bat. The ref’s finger is up, but Rizwan reviews. He knows he hit it. If he hadn’t, he would be on the loose as we speak. Wood loses his line with his last ball and Rizwan frees his hands by hitting it deep third for two on the front foot.
Not outside! Clear inner edge. Rizvan survives.
That stayed low and crashed into Rizwan’s pad. Only the edge will save him. Otherwise it is vertical.
Updated at 06.54 GMT
12th over: Pakistan 51-0 (Shafiq 24, Rizwan 25) Wonderful from Leach. Flight, drift, sharp turn and bounce. That narrowly misses Shafiq’s outside edge. If he can beat six of those who once were, he will surely take five-for. Unfortunately for Leach, his follow up ball is down the leg side and a tickle sees it go for two on the inside edge. This brings the opening stand to 50 partnerships.
11th over: Pakistan 47-0 (Shafiq 21, Rizwan 24) England need to be patient here. They have enough time and run to the bank to bide their time. But this scorched-earth review is a sign that they’re getting a little nervous. It always looked like it was being pitched outside Shafiq’s leg stump and replays showed it wasn’t even hitting the wicket. Root looked confident, but perhaps more hopeful after Shafiq led the shot. That delivery went for two legs and Shafiq tucked a single to deep backward square. Some lift at the top for Root. Patience guys. Just stick with it.
10th over: Pakistan 43-0 (Shafiq 20, Rizwan 23) Leach again. They show replays of a corker of a ball that dropped Shafique in the first innings. This one got to his feet and cut off the top. There is nothing like that here. Leach is too short and Rizwan manages to get back and hit a couple to deep point and then hit a single off the back foot to deep cover. Shafiq follows for three balls as Leach finds some turn from it.
👀
Brilliant from Harry…..Brooke gets another century. I stick to cricket.
— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) December 11, 2022
9th over: Pakistan 40-0 (Shafique 20, Rizwan 20) Root continues and goes through his over with a mostly flat trajectory. It’s hard to see him providing the breakthrough bowling like this, but you never know. There is a bit of a turn for the former captain but he is too close to leg stump to trouble the batsmen who collect three singles between them.
8th over: Pakistan 37-0 (Shafiq 19, Rizwan 18) Better from Leach. His first ball is short and wide and is reduced behind square for four by Shafiq, but he sorts things out and even beats the outside edge two balls later. It drifted and spun around the door and past Shafiq’s dangling blade. More than that and he will be in business.
Here’s a good question from John Starbuck:
“What are the odds that Jimmy won’t go bowling until after lunch?” More Stokes thinking outside the box.’
Reverse swing will be a factor. Maybe saving it for later? On the other hand, a new ball is a new ball and it will only start moving backwards after a while, as I thought. If I were in charge, I’d give Anderson one or two just to see if anything might have happened.
7th over: Pakistan 33-0 (Shafique 15, Rizwan 18) Joe Root replaces Ollie Robinson. There is an appeal for lbw after Rizwan is hit on the pad while sweeping but the ball clearly goes over the top. Rizwan sweeps again and hammers it back from the square for four. He then takes two with a slap across the front leg covers and rounds off Root’s first set with a back leg chop behind square for another four. Rizwan takes the fight to England.
6th over: Pakistan 23-0 (Shafique 15, Rizwan 8) Leach starts the over by beating Rizwan in the air. The Pakistan batsman races down the pitch but doesn’t get to it, so he has to go for a hard hit. He catches enough of it to flick three over Jimmy Anderson’s head.
Shafiq then shows how to do it. He gets to Leach, too, but he’s in complete control of a lofted drive that’s devoid of any booming club, but lined up full of timing. What a stroke of cricket that is. Arguably the best in the game and effortlessly reaches a mighty six.
Shafiq closes the innings with a pinch to the mid-wicket fence. A lot of time in that too. Great batting.
5th over: Pakistan 10-0 (Shafiq 5, Rizwan 5) Robinson continues to clog around the top of the off. It will not be easy for the tailors who will have to be patient. Rizwan gets three from over with a hip push for two and then a final point. Robinson bowls one to Shafiq and manages to flick it over his head, but only after the shot goes low to duck under him.
Kevin Tong, beautiful!
“Hey Daniel. Greetings from Singapore!! Just to let you know that I fell in love with cricket BECAUSE of The Guardian’s OBO, so please keep up the good work! Not sure if it is available in every country but where I am, Pakistan Cricket Board is streaming the entire test match on their Youtube channel with the official commentary. This can help those looking for the TMS connection abroad! Cheers!!
Sincerely yours,
Kevin
Ps Here is today’s link if it helps anyone”
You are good with Kev. Thanks for the help.
4th over: Pakistan 7-0 (Shafique 5, Rizwan 2) Two slips, short leg forward and short extra cover for Leach, who is at work, toiling around the off-line. He will be asked to bowl a lot of overs here. That’s sorted. Deserves two runs from Shafique’s blade as he inside edges a couple towards mid-off. Robinson’s dive and miss means they go back for the second.
What is this for a cracking stat (which steals from Cricinfo’s live stream).
In the last 75 years, only two England spinners have opened the bowling in both innings of a men’s Test apart from Jack Leach in that game.
Gareth Batty vs Bangladesh Chattogram 2016
Tony Greig v West Indies, Port of Spain 1974
3rd over: Pakistan 5-0 (Shafique 3, Rizwan 2) It’s a sure sign that this pitch is dead and dying as Robinson has three catchers in front of the wicket – one straight outside off, one at cover and another at short midwicket – to go along with short leg and just one slip. He bowls wicket to wicket which is the right tactic as one can keep low. Nobody does and Shafique gets away from the shot at a clip at deep square until Rizwan can’t find a gap, pushing forward towards the offside.
2nd over: Pakistan 4-0 (Shafiq 2, Rizwan 2) It’s Jack Leach with the new ball and it’s a great start from my fellow bald man. His third ball is a ripper that takes Shafiq’s outside edge and balloons over slip, just beyond Joe Root’s reach. Rizwan, a surprising opener himself, tries to sweep but misses with a powerful swing of the blade. He is off target after skipping down the pitch and hitting it over midwicket for a couple.
1st over: Pakistan 1-0 (Shafiq 1, Rizwan 0) Olly Robinson picks us up for this fourth and final innings. He is on the money except for one ball which allows Abdullah Shafique to take one out towards long leg. Mohammad Rizwan is the other opener and he is content to throw the ball towards the covers with soft hands.
England complete 275, Pakistan require 355 to win
It turned out to be quite a good morning for Pakistan. As they started the day, Brooke and Stokes were in belligerent mood and a target north of 400 was on the cards. Brook got his ton and Stokes equaled Brendon McCullum’s record for most sixes in Test cricket, but Abrar then dismissed the captain and some…
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