Third Test Cricket Report - Australia v Pakistan @ SCG

[QF WP]

and another:

72.4 O'Keefe to Asad Shafiq, OUT, given this time. And Shafiq fails to review. Not sure what it was given for. Flat delivery on middle and leg, Shafiq gets forward and inside-edges one into his pad. The ball deflects to Handscomb's gloves, which in turn ricochets towards Smith's right at first slip. He dives away and takes a stunning catch. That was full and straight too, so not sure if it was given lbw because umpire Ravi's finger was up rather quickly. Definitely out so doesn't really matter

Asad Shafiq c Smith b O'Keefe 4 (18b 0x4 0x6) SR: 22.22

Younis on 99 and Pakis are 5/197

 

[QF WP]

Younis, one of the few shining lights in Pakistan cricket at the moment:

73.3 Lyon to Younis Khan, FOUR, swept powerfully in the gap at deep square leg to get four and his hundred. One of the few players to make a Test hundred against all Test-playing nations. Takes off his helmet, soaks the applause in, nothing over-exuberant. Fantastic innings this from the experienced man. Lots of work still to be done

 

[snabbu]

Younis, one of the few shining lights in Pakistan cricket at the moment:

Absolutely. A well deserved ton.

 

[QF WP]

So 80 overs is up and Parkistan are 5/230. Decision time for Steve Smith...

The new ball has been immediately taken. How much damage can Australia do? Starc has the ball. Three slips and a gully.
.
.
80.3
Starc to Younis Khan, FOUR, edged but in the gap at fourth slip. There is no fourth slip. Full outside off, Younis pokes with his feet rooted in the crease. The ball flies past Khawaja's right at third slip

in other (brighter) news for the Pakistani's:

"Younis hits his 34th ton, equals the great Sunil Gavaskar. He now has almost 10,000 runs at an average of 53; good enough to be now called Pakistan's all time greatest Test batsman, ahead of Inzi, Zaheer Abbas, Mohd. Yousuf, Hanif Mohd. and Javed Miandad?" Maybe put that safety net of 'one of?'

"Younis only 99 away from the elite 10000 club. "

"Centuries in different countries : Younis 11, Dravid 10 (none in UAE), Mohammad Yousuf 10 (none in SA), Sangakkara 10 (none in WI), Jayawardene 10 (none in SA)"

but in concerning news for the Aussies:

76.2
O'Keefe to Sarfraz Ahmed, no run, hammered straight to short leg. Hits Renshaw on the helmet and deflects to short fine leg. Hit on the helmet second time this Test, and two hard blows too. Test cricket ain't that easy after all


A new helmet being asked for, the smart way to go about it. Good technique at short leg, offered the helmet to wear the blow, not his unprotected neck or grille. Bowed down to the shot almost, a lot like how Amla does it.
Alex: "Hard not to be a fan of Renshaw. Gets absolutely clocked in the head twice in the space of three days and you still can't wipe the grin off his face!!"

Renshaw is making his way off the field, walks off rather slowly. (at the end of the 78th over)

Doctor Peter Brukner: "Matthew (Renshaw) complained of a headache. He came off the ground to rest and is having an ongoing assessment of his condition."

 

[QF WP]

So the 13th man is on...as Wade and Renshaw are both off the ground. Very unusual set of circumstances...but can somebody tell me who is on??

Having said that, another wicket:

82.3Starc to Sarfraz Ahmed, OUT, 146 kph, straight to Bird at gully. Superb reflex catch. Excellent bowling. Bowls this full outside off, the ball moves away just enough. Sarfraz with all his positive intent can't put out the drive. Punches at the ball, but ends up too early through the stroke. A thick outside edge is taken at gully at shoulder height, Bird bends and takes a reverse-cupped catch in front of his face

Sarfraz Ahmed c sub (JM Bird) b Starc 18 (24b 2x4 0x6) SR: 75.00

Pakistan now 6/239 and 100 away from avoiding the follow-on. Good, because I think Smith should do exactly what he did last Test. Get us back in, score some quick runs late today and up to Tea tomorrow, then give his bowlers at least 4 sessions to get their batsmen out.

 

[RB]

Couple of very confident catches by Bird. Also a good deflected take by Smith but it seemed he was appealing for the LBW at the time!

 

[QF WP]

Looks like Younis may end up being left by his team-mates:

85.5 Lyon to Mohammad Amir, OUT, gone! Amir hits the ball straight to mid-off. Some flight outside off from Lyon, Amir clears his front leg and chips his wicket away. Was a bit of a nothing shot in the end. Seemed like he wanted to go after the ball when he saw flight, but then thought about bailing out and playing along the ground. Eventually, did neither and Warner takes a dolly

Mohammad Amir c Warner b Lyon 4 (12b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

7/244

 

[QF WP]

Looks like another delayed start due to poor weather in SYD: 128 km Sydney (Terrey Hills) Radar Loop

9.45am Brydon Coverdale confirms we will not be starting on time today. The scheduled start time was 10 am, now certain to be pushed back for a while with some steady rain.

Cricinfo news:

9.42am Some bad news from Sydney where Osman tells me it was raining quite hard about half an hour ago. He says it's unlikely we'll start on time. More updates as and when I get them.

Till then, Melinda Farrell brings this update on the two Matthews from team doctor Peter Brukner:

"Matthew Wade suffered nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea on Thursday and returned to the hotel to rest. We administered medication and after a night's rest he is feeling much better and will take part in play on Friday.

"Matthew Renshaw was struck on the helmet fielding close-in on Thursday afternoon and came off complaining of a headache. He rested in the dressing room and then, when we returned to the hotel, we performed concussion tests and his cognitive, balance, co-ordination and reaction times were all within normal limits. However, on Friday morning he was still symptomatic and so we have taken the decision to withdraw him from the match as he is suffering from concussion. "We will continue to monitor him over the coming days and work with him to produce a gradual return to play."

So he is likely to not play any form of cricket for a while (the next week?), whilst they assess his condition...and this means Bird will be 11th man now, but as I understand it, he won't be allowed to bowl, but not sure if that allows him to bat (not that he should be needed)

 

[QF WP]

Somehow I missed a wicket yesterday in the penultimate over:

93.1 Lyon to Wahab Riaz, OUT, bowled through a massive gap between bat and pad. Flat delivery outside off, the key to that delivery was the length. He dragged that length back allowing the ball to spin. It spun. It spun a lot. Wahab gets forward to defend but leaves a humongous gap which the ball is sucked into. Clatters into middle and leg stump.

Wahab Riaz b Lyon 8 (19b 0x4 1x6) SR: 42.10

'twas 8/264

 

[QF WP]

In other world cricket news: Alastair Cook is expected to meet with Andrew Strauss to discuss his captaincy future.

I think Steve Smith can relate to the current English woes, having been on a 5 match losing streak before the current Test series...

 

[docjames]

Interested in a vox pop of who should be on the tour to India?

Any thoughts from the AFF cricket "experts"?

Personally i think they should take a couple of extra young (leg) spinners (if nothing else, to give them experience of being on tour to India with a view to match play next time). Also reduces load and provides net bowling options, and you never know, one of them might be a chance to play depending on how the series goes.

 

[RB]

Interested in a vox pop of who should be on the tour to India?

Any thoughts from the AFF cricket "experts"?

Personally i think they should take a couple of extra young (leg) spinners (if nothing else, to give them experience of being on tour to India with a view to match play next time). Also reduces load and provides net bowling options, and you never know, one of them might be a chance to play depending on how the series goes.

No expert here but it seems all teams are struggling to win overseas at the moment. Maybe taking youngsters just for the experience is worthwhile but there seems to be a lot more 2nd eleven tours these days that get very little coverage. It was interesting to see the stats on TV yesterday arvo re visiting spinners averages in Aust-made Lyon's overall figures look excellent.
I am not a fan of T20 as a guide to future test players but the Big Bash certainly lets you see some newcomers that may make it in the future-seems to be a few that can get it up into the mid 140km mark & a few that can turn a ball but they are cannon fodder for a batsmens game!
Nic Maddison is now playing with no confidence after his premature selection so that may also be a lesson for selectors to consider?

 

[QF WP]

Been in meetings so missed seeing the update on the weather (it's raining in BNE today in sympathy):

12.23pm Lunch will be taken at 12.30pm, and play will start immediately after, at 1.10pm, if the umpires are happy with the state of the outfield. Tea will be taken at 3.40pm. Play can go on till 6pm, with 30 minutes extra to get the overs in. 68 overs are scheduled.

11.52am There will be another pitch inspection at 12.15pm. It's all cleared up at an awkward time with lunch looming. The umpires may decide to take an early lunch after their next inspection and start at 1.00pm. Two long sessions then, if there is no more rain. But that's just me spending my morning wrapped in speculation.

Ewan: "Can I ask, why wouldn't they be taking the lunch break now and then be ready to go at 12.30pm?" I really don't know. All I can think of is that cricket is not just for the cricketers. Fans, spectators, logistics personnel, broadcasting personnel, ESPNcricinfo journalists and commentators: all their lives are affected by a too-early lunch.

11.20am The umpires will conduct a pitch inspection at 11.45am


11.10am The rain has stopped. The covers are being taken off. Doesn't look terrible overhead either. We could have play imminently, just depends on how long it takes to get the ground dry.

Seems that Ewan had the same question as you did yesterday moa999. I liked the response

 

[QF WP]

Hardly an expert here as well, but an avid supporter (and prior player, but only to school level). I'd like to see the basis of the team they have now in the touring squad, but with Wade bracketed with Handscomb (would we need to take a replacement specialist keeper?) and adding Chris Lynn as he's had some experience in the sub-continent (albeit T20 only). Just would love him to transfer his 20/20 domestic form to the longer versions of the game

Interested in a vox pop of who should be on the tour to India?

Any thoughts from the AFF cricket "experts"?

Personally i think they should take a couple of extra young (leg) spinners (if nothing else, to give them experience of being on tour to India with a view to match play next time). Also reduces load and provides net bowling options, and you never know, one of them might be a chance to play depending on how the series goes.

 

[QF WP]

Good to see play has finally commenced for the day, but Starc not happy. Boy he gave that last ball in his over a rip:

96.6Starc to Yasir Shah, no run, 149.9 kph, yorker outside off. Yasir can't make contact with his attempted guide off the front foot


96.5
Starc to Yasir Shah, no run, 148 kph, full and wide outside off, Yasir misses his booming drive


Around the wicket

96.4

Starc to Younis Khan, 1 run, edged and dropped. 144 kph, close to off. The ball moves away late, takes a thick outside edge and carries low to Wade's right. He dives but can't cling on. Should have been taken that. Bounces off the webbing. Starc not happy

 

[QF WP]

Younis continues on his merry way to 150:

99.5
Lyon to Younis Khan, SIX, huuuuuge! Gets to the pitch of the ball, and hammers his lofted drive way over long-on. Didn't even bother looking at the ball. Gets to 150 too. Amazing timing

 

[QF WP]

Pakistan makes it to 300 with Younis in full flight...

109.1 O'Keefe to Younis Khan, FOUR, plonks in the outfield and trickles away for four more. Younis gets to the ball, not quite to the pitch, lofted over mid-off for four.

109.6
O'Keefe to Younis Khan, SIX, six more! Who's Munro? Flat delivery outside off, Younis gets to the pitch and muscle his six over cover with just a clean swing of his bat. Got the ball through the line. Played with the spin.

but the partnership is finally broken:

110.1Hazlewood to Yasir Shah, OUT, edged and taken this time. Full and wide outside off, the ball coming back in. Yasir pokes at something he doesn't need to and pays the price. Throws his head back because he knows he's disappointed his batting partner. Yasir gets forward, wafts, and a thick edge is gratefully, gleefully accepted by Smith at second slip, taking the catch in front of his body, hands pointed down

Yasir Shah c Smith b Hazlewood 10 (41b 1x4 0x6) SR: 24.39

and the final wicket falls 2 balls later:

110.3Hazlewood to Imran Khan, OUT, cleaned 'im up. Gone. Imran is bowled.

Imran Khan b Hazlewood 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

All out for 315. Younis 175* (great for his averages), Hazlewood 4/55, Lyon 3/115 and debutant O'Keefe gets his maiden Test wicket.


meanwhile over the ditch in a T20 Intl match, Munro (NZ) is taking apart Bangladesh after a very shaky start: NZ 150/3 (14.2 ov, TC Bruce 35*, C Munro 95*, Mustafizur Rahman 0/19) | Live Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

15.6
Mashrafe Mortaza to Munro, 1 run, there it is. Munro brings up a century off 52 balls

but 4 balls later is out:

16.4Rubel Hossain to Munro, OUT, Munro shows his ace early. He backs a long way outside the leg stump. The bowler follows him with a very full ball. Munro swings and only sends an outside edge behind to Nurul

C Munro c †Nurul Hasan b Rubel Hossain 101 (54b 7x4 7x6) SR: 187.03

 

[moa999]

And Oz to bat... Quick fire Warner hundred perhaps

Also takes Younis to 9964 test runs.
Only 12 above him on that list

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/wi/content/records/223646.html



First ball dispatched by Warner for 4

 

[QF WP]

Sensible decision by Smith, we're only ahead by 223:

Doesn't look like Australia has enforced the follow-on. Their top four batsmen were charging off the field. Their quicks will get a bit of rest as a result. Not sure I'd have batted again considering the weather. But well, I'm not playing Test cricket for a reason.

I think some lusty blows from the top order (ala Munro over the ditch) might assist in getting a result...

 

[QF WP]

Nice way to start the innings:

0.1 Imran Khan to Warner, FOUR, what a start. Back of a length on middle, Warner stands tall and hammers his swat over midwicket. Easy