Rest of the World

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guildfordbat wrote:Siddle 26-11-47-2
Holland 26-1-112-1

The contrast says a lot.

In his book, Pietersen (think we can mention him again now) gives a lot of praise to the nagging accuracy of Siddle. I can well understand that but memories of Siddle bowling to him increasingly seem as if they belong to an earlier era. Sadly, that's the case and why Siddle hasn't had more of the ball here.

Siddles had near a reasonable limit for a seamer to bowl over two days if they expect him to walk tomorrow. Given his age and injury history hes done really well to get through the workload he has (albeit less than Starc who really has put a shift in).

Regarding the spinners that really does go back to the point raised earlier regarding not selecting spinners just for the sake of it; if you dont have players good enough they shouldnt be in the team full stop. Im reminded of the mess England got in with sub par spinners ... they ended up with 5 options in one game and still Dawson bowling over 40 overs in an innings. But equally we have seen the Windies get absolutley turniped trying to play only one proper spinner in India. When it comes down to it of youre players are rubbish it doesnt really matter who you select.
Someone might still be muttering about Maxwell but I dont see where in this isde he wouldve significantly improved either the bowling or batting resources to the point of being a real point of difference.
Although their strike rate has been poor the 3 test class bowlers have been the ones to keep Aus in with a sniff of that draw.

Siddle very much playing the Anderson/Abbas role here - in fact I expect Abbas to cause the Aussies issues with his line and length bowling.

467/7.

22 overs left. Assuming the last 3 wickets don't fold quickly, do you guys see a declaration in this session?

I would be looking to declare. Maybe give Australia around 9 overs tonight. Pakistan won't (certainly shouldn't lose) with the first innings runs they have now and Australia's opening bats will be pretty dog tired after almost 2 days in the hot field.

guildfordbat wrote:467/7.

22 overs left. Assuming the last 3 wickets don't fold quickly, do you guys see a declaration in this session?

I would be looking to declare. Maybe give Australia around 9 overs tonight. Pakistan won't (certainly shouldn't lose) with the first innings runs they have now and Australia's opening bats will be pretty dog tired after almost 2 days in the hot field.

Definitely Guildford - have a swing of the bat for another 10 overs, try get another 40-50 runs if you can, then declare and have a dart tonight. Actually despite the Aussies getting a few wickets, this has probably been a good session for Pakistan as it's moving the game on.

Helped by two run-outs a bit of a collapse by Pakistan.

Pakistan 482 all out. Australia can be pretty happy with the bowling efforts. Starc, Siddle, Lyon and latterly Labuschagne where good. Holland was awful and Mitchell Marsh was a non event. Head was selected as he supposedly offers something wuth the ball, yet didn't bowl one over. Going forward maybe Neser for Holland

And Maxwell is more worthy than either Khawaja or Head

LondonTiger wrote:Helped by two run-outs a bit of a collapse by Pakistan.

Yeah, and all out now for 482. However, I don't think Pakistan will be particularly upset. 13 overs tonight to bowl at Australia and enough runs to surely guarantee at least a draw.

As might have been expected, good effort by Starc (he sure deserved his wicket at the end), Siddle and Lyon but the lack of a quality 4th bowler did for them.

guildfordbat wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Pak has not gotten away with the game because of their very slow scoring rate........50 runs short and 1 wicket too many of being in control

and have given a window to Aus for a daw
Aud have to bowl & keep them tight....and stretch them will into the 3rd session  to restrict them to 475ish
and then at out 5 sessions.....for whatever number of runs they can get
Pak also has 4 frontline bowlers only

I appreciate there's no guarantee that Australia will take wickets tomorrow but I reckon they'll now be mighty disappointed if they see Pakistan racking up around 475.

They do end up 480 a.o......and that's only par for the patta-pitch...and i dunno the light condition, but 8 overs or so given only given the time
Aus need to bat 5 sessions and the game is a draw

Wow I completely missed that collpase! It does seem that trying to score quickly is a bad idea. As others have said though with so much time used 50 runs less than Pakistan mightve wanted makes little difference, although the morale boost for Aus and energy saved for their bowlers certainly is a thing. The two run outs suggest Pakistan really did just look at it as job done. Great figures for Siddle in the end whos shown excellent discipline and application.

Persoanly I have much less faith than KPF in this being a draw, Austalias batting line up is awful and lacks anyone whos a real stick around grind it out batsman.

Terrible test so far. Unless there's some action over the next three days, this will actually be worse than the India vs Windies Test, which would rate about 98% on the pointlessness scale

VTR wrote:Terrible test so far. Unless there's some action over the next three days, this will actually be worse than the India vs Windies Test, which would rate about 98% on the pointlessness scale

Hi VTR - as always a game of opinions but not a terrible test so far for me. I've particularly relished the fight shown by the main trio of Australian bowlers to prevent Pakistan getting totally away and the resistance of Khawaja and Surrey's Finch in not caving during the final hour.

A win is almost certainly out of Australian reach now but they could still save the game. Like goose, I don't regard that as a formality for them at all but I'm looking forward to seeing how day 3 unfolds. Just over 250 more to avoid the follow on - that has to be the visitors' aim for tomorrow.

I see where you are coming from. To expand a bit more, I was thinking along the lines of there being arguably only 5 genuine wickets over two days, at a torpid run rate. The end might justify the means but this match desperately needs to come to life tomorrow

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has broken his neck in a surfing accident. Whilst he was a player but he always seemed pretty miserable but his commentary is top notch. Wishing the big unit a speedy recovery.

Was not able to watch any play yesterday but was pleased to see the way the Australians stuck to their task in trying conditions and at least managed to keep Pakistan honest ...and a little short of 500. Couple of run outs suggest the home side might have been a bit careless ?
Could easily have lost a couple of wickets in the short session but Finch and Khawaja made it to stumps which is at least a start. In fact you might say that from looking at 200/0 returning from tea on day one , Australia has done rather well !

Not predicting results though. From vision on day one and reports since I suspect this pitch will start to do a bit for the spinners as the game advances ; so the big priority for Australia is to bat through day three , hopefully with a few wickets in hand. That should mean avoiding the follow on ; and they could then try to get as close as possible to the 482 and leave Pakistan with an awkward call on the mix of time/runs they set for the fourth innings.

Of course getting up to even 282 is by no means certain : one wicket might easily bring a complete collapse. We will see ; but I reckon a Pakistan win is just a shade more likely than a draw at this stage. Ask me again at lunch

Do I have to start eating some humble pie for the derision I heaped on the Aussie batting lineup? 135-0 as I write this with both openers past the half century.

This pitch is awful into day 3 and still nothing happening. It's so flat that someone hopeless against spin like Khawaja is making it look easy

Such a flat flat pitch, nothing in it for anyone, and its going by 500 plays 600 type test match

Usually, pitches in Dubai tend to begin to detonate halfway through day 4 and by day 5 the game is really motoring along. Hopefully that happens here...otherwise, yeah, not good.

Well I had been about to post that the Australian batsmen seemed to be in complete command when I looked away for two minutes...and missed the wicket. Rather out of the blue...

A pretty handy debut effort from Finch. Australia still well placed at , now , 154/1 ; but I'm not consigning this to "certain draw" just yet . Batting on the last day may not be so easy so I think the tourists will want to get as close as they can to the Pakistani total - and a couple of wickets could well make that task harder than it looks right at the moment.
Still no doubt Paine and Langer will be quietly pleased by the way things have gone so far ; I think most people would say the Australian display has been at the high end of expectations...

alfie wrote:Well I had been about to post that the Australian batsmen seemed to be in complete command when I looked away for two minutes...and missed the wicket.  Rather out of the blue...

A pretty handy debut effort from Finch. Australia still well placed at , now , 154/1 ; but I'm not consigning this to "certain draw" just yet . Batting on the last day may not be so easy so I think the tourists will want to get as close as they can to the Pakistani total - and a couple of wickets could well make that task harder than it looks right at the moment.
Still no doubt Paine and Langer will be quietly pleased by the way things have gone so far ; I think most people would say the Australian display has been at the high end of expectations...

Fully with you there, Alfie.

It could fizzle out into a complete bore draw but atm there's life in this game, for me anyway. Although Finch's performance wasn't of ''Killing Eve'' quality, a pretty handy debut effort from the Surrey man as you say.

Hi guildford...

Might not have killed Eve but I have apparently jinxed S Marsh by once again leaving the TV for a few seconds

Bit of pressure now as M Marsh is to be followed by two debs...this could still go wrong ...as Olly says , these games can move quickly over the last couple of days.

Finch didn't actually surprise me all that much ; he is a very decent player , not just a one day thumper. The one that does surprise me is Khawaja...

Hi guildford...

Might not have killed Eve but I have apparently jinxed S Marsh by once again leaving the TV for a few seconds

Bit of pressure now as M Marsh is to be followed by two debs...this could still go wrong ...as Olly says , these games can move quickly over the last couple of days.

Finch didn't actually surprise me all that much ; he is a very decent player , not just a one day thumper. The one that does surprise me is Khawaja...

Khawaja goes, and then Yasir drops a pretty simple caught and bowled chance off Mitch Marsh. Things beginning to happen...

Well well ...one stone falls and next thing you have an avalanche...

Khawaja departing and now Head not getting off to a good start to his Test career - though he's hardly the first to debut with a duck. He was too hard handed pushing at that...Good catch , by the way

The third newcomer ...oops ! Gone already . Oh dear...

This is hilarious

Heard of "one wicket brings two " etc...but five ?

From cruising at 140/0 to staring the follow on in the face ...all in the space of an hour or so...and Yasir hasn't taken a wicket.

Up to the captain and vice now...

LondonTiger wrote:Do I have to start eating some humble pie for the derision I heaped on the Aussie batting lineup? 135-0 as I write this with both openers past the half century.

Collapsing fast, the humble pie will have to stay on the warming plate for now

Also this is exactly the script Dubai tests follow - in fact, this is actually happening a little sooner than usual.

And this is what test cricket is - different conditions, in different places. In England you'll get overcast green tops where the test lasts 3 days, in Dubai the tests tend to go long and there is almost a phoney war in the first three days. All part of what makes test cricket the best format of the game for me

Classic sub continent collapse. Pakistan currently 1/4 in running if you want free money. Should be 1/25.

Sure the Aussies don't need Glenn Maxwell. He doesn't have the lineage or elite mateship needed

Not so sure this is the game moving on due to conditions changing, more a batting line up that did look weak on paper being dismantled, after a start that was surprisingly good

Very much in agreement with you there , Olly. Nothing like drastically varying conditions to add to the intrigue of the five day game...

(Which is why I never join the chorus of complaint by - losing - touring teams supporters about home sides preparing pitches to suit themselves : for one thing it is often more an accident of local soil and weather conditions than an actual evil scheme ; and in any case what would be the point of going out of one's way to prepare pitches to suit the opponents ? Surely home advantage is a reasonable thing to exist ? )

Anyway : back to the match. Australia really up against it now with half the side out and a tail that doesn't look all that strong. They'll be very disappointed that their position unravelled so quickly : certainly the ball did a lot more in that session ; and the difficulties in starting one's innings against a sharply turning ball as opposed to easing into it have been once again underlined ...but that both middle order newbies fell so meekly gives cause for concern...

If either of these two fall soon after tea this innings may well be over this evening.

7 wickets down and now just the bowlers left. 5 wickets for the 33 yo debutant

Would Pakistan enforce the follow on?

Bilal Asif currently enjoying a test match bowling average of 5!

Doubt Pakistan would enforce the follow-on. They'd want to give their bowlers a bit of a rest and let the wicket deteriorate further.

LondonTiger wrote:7 wickets down and now just the bowlers left. 5 wickets for the 33 yo debutant

Would Pakistan enforce the follow on?

I've been wondering about that. As the pitch will doubtless get harder to bat on you'd think they may prefer to have Australia batting last...but if they shoot them out for 200 it might be they would prefer to send them straight back in while their morale is shot ?
Maybe depends how his bowlers are feeling : they may be more used to these conditions but that doesn't mean they don't get tired...

Blimey! Went out an hour and a half ago with only the Surrey man back in the hutch. Return now to see they're 7 down. Always thought 2 or 3 could fall rapidly but this is really stretching things!

Tiger - get the last 3 soon and I would enforce the follow on. Pakistan will have bowled for less than a day and have the foot on the throat. Keep pushing on it would be my call although I accept it's not often the current way.

Duty281 wrote:Bilal Asif currently enjoying a test match bowling average of 5!

Doubt Pakistan would enforce the follow-on. They'd want to give their bowlers a bit of a rest and let the wicket deteriorate further.

I think it's a real 50/50 call Duty re: follow on if they get the chance - to be honest either way, they should still win the match from this position!

At least dinner is taken care of for Australia : Starc collecting the third duck of the innings

Three for Abbas : damn good bowling with no help from the pitch

Lop-sided looking scorecard...

guildfordbat wrote:Blimey! Went out an hour and a half ago with only the Surrey man back in the hutch. Return now to see they're 7 down. Always thought 2 or 3 could fall rapidly but this is really stretching things!

Tiger - get the last 3 soon and I would enforce the follow on. Pakistan will have bowled for less than a day and have the foot on the throat. Keep pushing on it would be my call although I accept it's not often the current way.

I had a feeling you'd be in favour of enforcing the follow on , guildford

As you say it's not perhaps the "modern" way. Bit like winning the toss and batting...or , thinking about it : and then batting. Loss of the rest day and better pitch covering have rather eroded the old standards...

What would Australia least like ? To be sent back in after losing 8 for 50 plus whatever the last two can gather...or dragged back into the field for another few sessions in the heat ? Not sure it's a clear cut choice , to be honest. But I suspect Pakistan will probably opt to bat for a couple of sessions and try to get them back in some time between lunch and tea tomorrow.

Is the ICC turning their eyes at illegal bowling actions again? This Bilal Asif is clearly a chucker, his action is almost as ridiculous as previous Pakistani chucker Saeed Ajmal.

It's ridiculous these sort of cheats can play at the highest level. Not meaning to sound bitter but due to ICC's incompetence England lost series in Middle East because Ajmal was allowed to throw it

All ten falling for 60 after an opening stand of 142... Great debut six wicket haul for Bilal Magnificent support from Abbas.

Pakistan to bat again...no surprises there. They will want to time the declaration right but should really have plenty of time to finish this. Australia ...back to the drawing board.

Nathaniel Jacobs wrote:Is the ICC turning their eyes at illegal bowling actions again? This Bilal Asif is clearly a chucker, his action is almost as ridiculous as previous Pakistani chucker Saeed Ajmal.

It's ridiculous these sort of cheats can play at the highest level. Not meaning to sound bitter but due to ICC's incompetence England lost series in Middle East because Ajmal was allowed to throw it

Asif's action was cleared by the ICC in 2015 when he was originally called upto the Pakistan squad, so your remarks of cheats are yet again well wide of the mark

alfie wrote:

guildfordbat wrote:Blimey! Went out an hour and a half ago with only the Surrey man back in the hutch. Return now to see they're 7 down. Always thought 2 or 3 could fall rapidly but this is really stretching things!

Tiger - get the last 3 soon and I would enforce the follow on. Pakistan will have bowled for less than a day and have the foot on the throat. Keep pushing on it would be my call although I accept it's not often the current way.

I had a feeling you'd be in favour of enforcing the follow on , guildford

As you say it's not perhaps the "modern" way.  Bit like winning the toss and batting...or , thinking about it : and then batting.  Loss of the rest day and better pitch covering have rather eroded the old standards...

What would Australia least like ?  To be sent back in after losing 8 for 50 plus whatever the last two can gather...or dragged back into the field for another few sessions in the heat ?  Not sure it's a clear cut choice , to be honest.  But I suspect Pakistan will probably opt to bat for a couple of sessions and try to get them back in some time between lunch and tea tomorrow.

Alfie - well, I don't like to disappoint.

I actually accept the decision could have gone either way. Shouldn't make a difference at this stage.

Have to feel for Starc and Siddle in particular...after bowling for a couple of days they were entitled to expect a full day of rest at least !

When is the second game ? Perhaps the notion of totally wearing out the Aussie bowlers was a factor in the choice to bat again... It may well be tough for either or both of those seamers to come up again in a few short days : Starc has had injury issues ; and Siddle is ...well , no spring chicken.

Reckon the spinners will bowl a lot of overs this innings...

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

Nathaniel Jacobs wrote:Is the ICC turning their eyes at illegal bowling actions again? This Bilal Asif is clearly a chucker, his action is almost as ridiculous as previous Pakistani chucker Saeed Ajmal.

It's ridiculous these sort of cheats can play at the highest level. Not meaning to sound bitter but due to ICC's incompetence England lost series in Middle East because Ajmal was allowed to throw it

Asif's action was cleared by the ICC in 2015 when he was originally called upto the Pakistan squad, so your remarks of cheats are yet again well wide of the mark  

Tested in 2015, which means as he's been playing in Pakistan, where the majority of domestic matches aren't televised, his action hasn't subsequently been checked again.

He's a chucker.

alfie wrote:Have to feel for Starc and Siddle in particular...after bowling for a couple of days they were entitled to expect a full day of rest at least !

When is the second game ? Perhaps the notion of totally wearing out the Aussie bowlers was a factor in the choice to bat again... It may well be tough for either or both of those seamers to come up again in a few short days : Starc has had injury issues ; and Siddle is ...well , no spring chicken.  

Reckon the spinners will bowl a lot of overs this innings...

Next game starts on the 16th October - so there should be a couple of days rest between tests, but not a massive gap...

Must admit i was suspicious of Bilal's action...if he has been tested then fair enough....also funny because his doosra actually looks legit, but the off-break looks dodgy, but like i said if been tested then fair enough.... good for OZ to get 3 wickets...but with Pak effecetively 320 odd for 3, then the game has already gone from them you would think

His arm looks to be bent when he bowls, but I cannot see any obvious straightening in his action (based on a Youtube clip of hi swickets)

No issue with Pakistan batting again, its sensible management of their players.
the pitch is only going to get more difficult to bat on as the game progresses too. With the rate things have moved on unless they decide to hang around needlesly (and at the rate they are losing wickets that may not even be an option) time isnt a factor in the game.

Chucker or not Asif now has test figures of 11/ 132 ...not bad for a part time bowler.

Zim chasing 161 against SA in first t20, and in trouble at 40-4