Third Test Cricket Report - Australia v Pakistan @ SCG

[QF WP]

A most unusual dismissal - can't wait to see that on replay when I get home:

131.5 Wahab Riaz to Handscomb, OUT, a wide yorker outside off, some reverse maybe? Moving away late. Guided to deep point. Oh wait, the leg bail is dislodged. The third umpire is being called for. Never seen that before. Handscomb went really deep in the crease, and had to stretch out for that. In trying to get to the ball, his bat swing just grazed the leg stump and the leg bail came off. I actually couldn't see discernible contact, but it was so close it could have just been the air from the bat swing knocking the leg bail off? Either way, it was definitely out and Handscomb is given. End of a superb innings

PSP Handscomb hit wicket b Wahab Riaz 110 (205b 9x4 0x6) SR: 53.65

6/516. Here comes Starc

 

[clazman]

Pakistan were number 1 in the world not that long ago and whitewashed Australia in the UAE recently. In my mind there will always be question marks on the performance of any Pakistani team. Almost pulled off a world record chase in first test and then all out in under 2 sessions on a pitch that yielded close to 1,000 runs with so much time lost to rain.

I have no doubt this is a better Aussie team but we get carried away defeating mediocrity. The test will be in the 4 test series in India in a few months. I don't think we will be good enough.

Take India and Pakistan out of the sub continent and they struggle to win ... home ground for them is a different story

 

[QF WP]

The tail isn't wagging...

134.4 Azhar Ali to Wade, OUT, and another one falls. Flat delivery from Azhar and full. Maybe a touch too full for Wade to be sweeping. Fails to get over the line. Takes a thick leading edge and carries to short fine leg. All eyes were on Azam considering Pakistan's fielding woes, but he settles safely underneath and takes the catch

MS Wade c Babar Azam b Azhar Ali 29 (33b 2x4 0x6) SR: 87.87

I stand corrected as next ball

134.5
Azhar Ali to Starc, SIX, eeks. Flat delivery on off, in Starc's arc and the heave sends the ball way over midwicket

and the following ball:

134.6Azhar Ali to Starc, OUT, what a catch. Lovely take from Mohammad Rizwan. Australia have declared too. Wahab is injured in the process too. That was always Rizwan's catch, not sure what Wahab was doing. It was the full, flat dart on leg. Starc was through his stroke and the ball just lobbed up towards deep midwicket. Wahab, at deep square leg, and Rizwan, from deep midwicket, sprinted in. Rizwan's eyes were always on the ball, Wahab's too. Not sure if there was a call. Rizwan hangs on, while Wahab makes contact with Rizwan and falls over.

MA Starc c sub (Mohammad Rizwan) b Azhar Ali 16 (11b 0x4 2x6) SR: 145.45

8/538. Not a bad score to post and now the Aussie bowlers can get into the top order ...

 

[moa999]

And a declaration

After a slight clash between fielders. Did well to hold the catch.

 

[QF WP]

I actually do some work in the break and miss the fantastic start from Hazlewood in the 4th over:

3.5 Hazlewood to Babar Azam, OUT, given immediately. Beaten for pace. Azam walks off. Australia have two early wickets. Hazlewood goes wide of the crease and bowls one full and straight, the ball seaming back in. Azam plays around his front foot, his bat makes contact with his boot. The ball has its sights set on Azam's front pad. Raps into it flush in front of middle. A saved review because that was plumb
Babar Azam lbw b Hazlewood 0 (4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00


3.1 Hazlewood to Sharjeel Khan, OUT, edged and gone! A poor stroke from Sharjeel. Nice catch from Renshaw too. A good length delivery a set of stumps outside off. Absolutely no need to play, but Sharjeel doesn't leave too many. Has a leaden-footed waft at that. Not nearly wide enough to be cutting. Gets a thick outside edge which carries at chest height to Renshaw, who takes a good reverse-cupped catch.
Sharjeel Khan c Renshaw b Hazlewood 4 (7b 1x4 0x6) SR: 57.14

Was 2/6, now they're up to 2/16 and that's Tea.

 

[JohnK]

Take India and Pakistan out of the sub continent and they struggle to win ... home ground for them is a different story

Agreed. Most teams struggle away from home. In recent times only South Africa have consistently won away from home. That was a great team.

 

[QF WP]

After the hiccup with the first 2 wickets, Parkistan have put together a 50 run partnership so far for the 3rd wicket. Trying to make a game of it...

 

[QF WP]

Now almost a century stand and Younis Khan reaches 50 after 2 lusty 4's in the asm over from Starc:

34.5
Starc to Younis Khan, FOUR, what a way to get to fifty. Pushed wide outside off, Younis strides forward and caresses his drive through cover and mid-off. Fantastic timing. Such a confident front-foot stride

Century stand made with Younis Khan hitting another 4 in the next over...

 

[QF WP]

Azhar makes another 50 - their most successful batsman in the series thus far.

38.3 Hazlewood to Azhar Ali, 3 runs, full and wide outside off, skewed off the outside-half for three past gully to get to yet another fifty. Azhar having a fantastic series

Such a pity with this hot chance being spilt:

39.2 Lyon to Azhar Ali, no run, dropped! Warner not having a great time in the field. He'd not be happy. Extremely tough chance. Actually, a quarter chance. Flat delivery down leg, worked to leg gully. Warner anticipates the other way but the ball is to his right. Hits the palm and bounces out. Had 0.350 seconds from the time the ball left the bat

and the end of the day arrives:

5.46pm The first session that Pakistan has won this Test. Suddenly, things are looking a lot more brighter for the visitors. Australia battled hard and didn't quite capitalise on a few chances that were offered. Still, Pakistan are a long way behind the eight-ball, and will need some gritty batting tomorrow to neutralise Australia's advantage. We'll be back then.

 

[moa999]

A slow start. Covers on and off.. they were about to remove the hessian at 11 but now back on.

At best might get half hour in before lunch I suspect

 

[moa999]

At 12.10. suspect an early lunch will get called

 

[moa999]

All the covers now off.
But no early lunch was called, so 1.10pm for the start.

 

[moa999]

1.40pm start.
Pretty poor to lose another half hour imho

 

[moa999]

And as you could guarantee. At 1.35 the light cover goes back on.
Had they taken an early lunch we would have been playing.

 

[QF WP]

Disappointing that the delays in starting have kept coming...we want some cricket to see if there will be a result.

Thanks for the photos and comments moa999, have to agree about the early lunch - that's a misstep.

Cricinfo hasn't been very forthcoming and I have been in a meeting since 9.30 BNe time (start of play), with someone else who is similarly interested in the result, so we have been checking regularly.

1.38pmAll set then for Sydney's annual pink day. Australia's seamers could not ask for better conditions to bowl in. Oops, just as I say that the covers are coming back on. Just the main cover for now. This band of rain is expected to head away from Sydney around 2.30pm. After that, we should get in plenty of cricket.Fabio Lucano: "@Vaas: Had this exact conversation with a friend on NYE. He reckons in the case of rain for Boxing Day, can it not just be moved to Etihad. I disagreed. I don't think Test cricket should ever not be subject to weather."
vaas: "While the weather does add to the drama of test cricket, surely retractable roofs need to become the norm for cricket stadiums in the future. "
Earl John: "So, it's been a bit of a grey pink day." Literally yes, figuratively no.
1.15pm Good news. We're looking at a 1.40pm start. 68 overs to be played today. Tea will be at 4.10 pm, and we can go till 6.30 pm

 

[moa999]

BRe: Third Test Cricket Report - Australia v Pakistan @ SCG

Covers coming back off again. Only 3rd ump on ground.

And back on again at 2.12. crowd boos. Just as the two main umps had headed down from their rooms.

 

[moa999]

And coming off again at 2.27.
Weather reported to be better for the afternoon.

And play to start 2.45.
Again no reason they need 18 minutes.

 

[moa999]

And sanity prevails.
Brought forward to 2.35pm

 

[QF WP]

Finally we have play and a wicket (146 run partnership is broken):

53.2Lyon to Younis Khan, OUT, A communication breakdown and the partnership is broken. Azhar Ali has to exit. A wicket against the run of play. Lyon tosses it outside off, not much turn. Younis Khan drives the ball to the left of a diving short midwicket and freezes. Some indecision between the two batsmen. Younis is keen on the single, but Azhar isn't. He is ball-watching, then sets off. He is too late. Starc swiftly moves to his right from mid-on, hunts the ball down, and throws it to Handscomb. Nice, flat throw. The part-time keeper does the rest

Azhar Ali run out 71 (159b 7x4 0x6) SR: 44.65

 

[QF WP]

Woo ho, another wicket falls:

65.6Lyon to Misbah-ul-Haq, OUT, oh no. Misbah, what have you done, again? He always wanted to tee off against the spin of Lyon. Flat delivery with a bit of drift, it doesn't stop Misbah. He goes down on one knee and aims for a heave over midwicket, in typical Misbah style. Like he did against Moeen in the England summer, he mis-times one. Hangs in the air for a while. Bird circles around the catch but settles underneath and completes an easy catch.

Misbah-ul-Haq c sub (JM Bird) b Lyon 18 (43b 1x4 0x6) SR: 41.86

4/178