Pakistan v England: second Test, day three – live | Pakistan v England 2022
Key events
Please go find a replay of that if you haven’t seen it yet. Truly one of the great deliveries of our time.
That’s just about Ryan Harris at the Waca from Jimmy – what a freak show. Play forever. #PAKvENG
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) December 11, 2022
16th over: Pakistan 66-1 (Shafique 34, Babar 0) Rizwan couldn’t believe he’d just been bowled. He stood there for some time, incredulous that a ball angling in towards his leg stump could have taken the top of off. He’d collected two runs earlier in the over but he’ll now wish he settled for just one as he’d have been at the other end watching Shafique try to deal with that unplayable ball. Just marvellous from Anderson.
WICKET! Rizwan b Anderson 30 (Pakistan 66-1)
Jaffa! Peach! A beauty! A ripper! Any other suggestions to describe that ball? Save your breath. None of them will come close. Given the context of the game, given the context of the pitch they’re playing on, that is as good a delivery as you’ll ever see. He’s only five balls into his first over of the innings and Jimmy Anderson produces a gem. Angled in towards the right hander, just enough seam off the deck, it squared Rizwan and knocked the top of off stump. What a ball. What a player. What a legend.
“Daniel, Rosy-fingered Dawn peeping over the horizon, even after breakfast. At last.”
That’s lovely John Starbuck. Thank you. Yup, some rays peeping in through the window and the cries of my 2 year old to greet the dawn.
And Jimmy’s got the ball in his hands as the players make their way to the middle.
Lunch: Pakistan 64-0 (290 runs behind)
That is undoubtedly Pakistan’s session. They snaffled five English wickets for 79 runs and then score at 4.26 an over without losing one of their own.
Rizwan has been aggressive but it has been Shafique’s control that has stood out for the hosts. They’re a long way behind and England will still fancy themselves as favourites, but we’ve got a game on our hands.
Leach opened the bowling and found drift and turn but little consistency as probing balls were all too often followed up by a dud. Wood thought he had the breakthrough when he clattered Rizwan on the pads from a skidding shirt ball but a small tickle of the bat saved the batter on review.
I’d say that’s breakfast time. Hope you find something tasty in the fridge. See you soon.
15th over: Pakistan 64-0 (Shafique 34, Rizwan 28) Wood’s over brings the session to a close. Shafique adds six to the total and knocks six off the required target by taking on the bouncer. It catches his top edge and flies over a very fine leg. No chance for the fielder down there. Surprisingly Wood doesn’t bowl another bumper and instead keeps it full or back of a length. Shafique doesn’t mind that and gets behind it well even though it’s well north of 90mph.
14th over: Pakistan 57-0 (Shafique 28, Rizwan 27) Leach starts with a gem. Drift and turn again as it beats Shafique past the outside edge. Unfortunately for England their primary spinner can’t string an entire over together and he gets too full from the final ball. That allows Shafique to get low and sweep with confidence, knowing he can smother the turning ball. He rolls his wrists and strikes it firmly towards backward square leg for four.
Wonder what Jimmy is thinking
Assuming that Anderson bowls in this innings, he will be as the 5th bowler (or lower).
That last time he bowled that low in Tests was 16 years ago in a 4th inns that didn’t go well for England: 4th inns v Australia, Adelaide 2006
— Mark Puttick (@GryllidaeC) December 11, 2022
13th over: Pakistan 53-0 (Shafique 24, Rizwan 27) Mark Wood into the attack. That’s a good move from Stokes as the extra pace could be a handful on an uneven surface. So it proves as one dug in short doesn’t climb as expected and thuds into Rizwan’s pad as he looks to swivel it behind square with a horizontal bat. Up goes the umpire’s finger but Rizwan reviews. He knows he’s hit it. If he hadn’t done so he’d be unpadding as we speak. Wood loses his line with his final ball and Rizwan frees his arms by slapping it to deep third for two on the front foot.
Not out! Clear inside edge. Rizwan survives.
That kept low and thudded into Rizwan’s pad. Only an edge will save him. Otherwise he’s plumb.
12th over: Pakistan 51-0 (Shafique 24, Rizwan 25) Lovely from Leach. Flight, drift, sharp turn and bounce. That narrowly misses Shafique’s outside edge. If he can bowl six of those ever over he’ll collect a five-for for sure. Unfortunately for Leach, his follow up ball is down the leg side and a tickle sees it go for two off the inside edge. That brings up the 50 partnership for the opening stand.
11th over: Pakistan 47-0 (Shafique 21, Rizwan 24) England need to be patient here. They have enough time and runs in the bank to bide their time. But that burned review is a sign that they’re starting to get a little antsy. It always looked like it was pitching outside of Shafique’s leg stump and the replays show it wasn;t even hitting the wickets. Root looked confident, but perhaps more in hope after Shafique brought out the sweep. That delivery went for two leg-byes and Shafique collected a single towards deep backward square. Some lift in the over for Root. Patience fellas. Just stick with it.
10th over: Pakistan 43-0 (Shafique 20, Rizwan 23) Leach again. They’re showing replays of a corker of a ball that bowled Shafique in the first innings. That one pitched on leg and clipped the top of off. There’s nothing like that here. Leach is a little too short and Rizwan is able to get back and punch a two towards deep point and then slap a single off the back foot to deep cover. Shafique is watchful for three balls as Leach finds a bit of turn away from him.
👀
Brilliant from Harry….. Brook gets another century. I’m sticking to cricket.
— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) December 11, 2022
9th over: Pakistan 40-0 (Shafique 20, Rizwan 20) Root continues and zips through his over with a mostly flat trajectory. Hard to see him provide the breakthrough bowling like that, but you never know. There is some turn for the former skipper but he’s too close to leg stump to trouble the batters who collect three singles between them.
8th over: Pakistan 37-0 (Shafique 19, Rizwan 18) Better from Leach. His first ball is short and wide and is cut behind square for four by Shafique, but he tidies things up and even beats the outside edge two balls later. That drifted and turned from around the wicket and moved past Shafique’s dangling blade. More of that and he’ll be in business.
Here’s a good question from John Starbuck:
“What are the chances that Jimmy doesn’t get to bowl until after lunch? More Stokes’s thinking outside the box.”
Reverse swing will be a factor. Perhaps he’s saving him for later? Then again, a new ball is a new ball, and it’ll only start reversing after some time I’d have thought. If I was in charge I’d have given Anderson one or two, just to see if something might’ve happened.
7th over: Pakistan 33-0 (Shafique 15, Rizwan 18) Joe Root replaces Ollie Robinson. There’s an appeal for lbw after Rizwan is hit on the pad while sweeping, but the ball is clearly going over the top. Rizwan sweeps again and nails it backward of square for four. He then takes two with a slap through the covers off the front foot and rounds out Root’s first set with a back foot cut behind square for four more. Rizwan is taking 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 batter charges down the pitch but doesn’t get to it so has to launch into a heaved drive. He catches enough of it to get three over Jimmy Anderson’s head.
Shafique then shows how to do it. He comes down to Leach as well but he’s fully in control of a lofted on drive that is devoid of any flourishing bat but stacked full of timing. What a cricket shot that is. Maybe the best of the match and it sails effortlessly for a might six.
Shafique closes out the over with a clip to the midwicket fence. Loads of timing in that as well. Great batting.
5th over: Pakistan 10-0 (Shafique 5, Rizwan 5) Robinson keeps plugging away around the top of off. It won’t be easy for the seamers who will have to be patient. Rizwan gets three from the over with a nudge off his hips worth two and then a single past point. Robinson digs one in to Shafique and manages to get it over his head, but only after the batter stoops low to duck underneath it.
Kevin Tong, you beauty!
“Hey Daniel. Greetings from Singapore!! Just to let you know, I fell in love with cricket BECAUSE of The Guardian’s OBO, so please keep up the great work! I’m not sure whether it’s available in every country, but where I am the Pakistan Cricket Board is streaming the entire Test match on its Youtube channel with the official commentary. This might help those looking for the overseas TMS link! Cheers!!
Yours sincerely,
Kevin
P.s. Here’s today’s link if it helps anybody”
You’re a good ‘un Kev. Thanks for helping out.
4th over: Pakistan 7-0 (Shafique 5, Rizwan 2) Two slips, a forward short leg and a short extra cover for Leach who is in to his work, toiling away around the off stump. He’ll be asked to bowl a lot of overs here. This is a tidy one. Worth two runs from Shafique’s blade as he inside-edges a couple towards mid-on. Robinson’s dive and miss means they get back for the second.
How’s this for a cracking stat (which I’m stealing from Cricinfo’s live feed).
In the last 75 years, only two England spinners have opened the bowling in both innings of a men’s Test, other than Jack Leach in this game.
Gareth Batty v 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 a three catchers in front of the wickets – one straight on the off side, one in the covers and another at short midwicket – to go along with a short leg and just one slip. He’s bowling wicket to wicket which is the right tactic as one might keep low. None do and Shafique gets off strike with a clip to deep square while Rizwan can’t find a gap pushing forward towards the off side.
2nd over: Pakistan 4-0 (Shafique 2, Rizwan 2) It’s Jack Leach with the new ball and that is a great start from my fellow baldy. His third ball is a ripper that takes the outside edge of Shafique and balloons over slip, just out of Joe Root’s reach. Rizwan, a surprise opener himself, tries to sweep but misses with a hefty swipe of the blade. He is off the mark after skipping down the pitch and swatting it through midwicket for a couple.
1st over: Pakistan 1-0 (Shafique 1, Rizwan 0) Ollie Robinson gets us underway for this fourth and final innings. He’s on the money, except for one ball that allows Abdullah Shafique to clip a single out towards long leg. Mohammad Rizwan is the other opener and he’s content with bunting the ball towards the covers with soft hands.
England all out for 275, Pakistan require 355 to win
That turned out to be a pretty good morning for Pakistan. When they started the day, Brook and Stokes were in a belligerent mood and a target north of 400 was on the cards. Brook got his ton and Stokes equalled Brendon McCullum’s record for most sixes in Test cricket but then Abrar dismissed the skipper and some sharp fielding helped bundle out the rest.
Abrar ends his debut match with figures if 11-234. A quite remarkable introduction to what is supposed to be the toughest format in the game.
England have plenty of runs to play with and will back themselves of wrapping the series up (they might even do it today).
But with a seam heavy attack perhaps Pakistan have a shot. All 20 English wickets fell to spin and that might give the home side some hope that the tourists are a little imbalanced.
I’m off to grab my second cuppa of the morning. Speak in a few.
WICKET! Anderson lbw Zahid 4 (England 275 all-out)
Oh Jimmy! Never change. First ball reverse sweep for four. Second ball poked back to the bowler. Third ball he misses the conventional sweep and is struck dead in front and has to trudge off. He reviews, but only because there’s one in the bank.
England are all out – with all 10 20 wickets falling to spin – and have a lead of 354.
Vish knows
WICKET! Brook c Shakeel b Zahid 108 (England 271-9)
And that is that. Brook, sensing that he might soon run out of partners, launches into a leg side hack but gets underneath it and skies it out towards Shakeel in the deep. It’s a tricky catch made simple and Brook has to trudge off. What a knock. What a player. Whisper it quietly but this kid is special. Actually, tell your friends and family members. Bombard them round the Christmas table. Be annoying over the holidays with the amount of love you give Harry Brook. He deserves it.
64th over: England 271-8 (Brook 108, Leach 0) Abrar is a lovely bowler, isn’t he? There’s an appeal for an edge but it seems to have missed everything. Leach looks bemused and a little sheepish that he didn’t pick the googly. Don’t worry, Jack. Better batters than you have had the same struggles against this youngster. Brook takes a single. He seems content for the time being to keep it simple. Will he let loose soon?
You just had to show off with your sun and blue skies, didn’t you Phil?
63rd over: England 270-8 (Brook 107, Leach 0) A top first over from Mahmood who kicks off with a wicket maiden. Wood looked uncomfortable throughout that set. Swishing and missing once, prodding later on. It was a poke that did it, along with a neat grab by the Pakistan captain in the slips. Jack Leach comes to the crease. Will be bring out the switch-hit again? Oh please oh please oh please…
WICKET! Wood c Babar b Mahmood 6 (England 270-8)
Smart cricket from Pakistan and their skipper who makes the bowling change and gets the instant reward. Zahid Mahmood comes on and his leg spin immediately troubles Wood. He’s on the back foot to the fifth ball and pokes at it with trepidation. A thickish edge just about carries to Babar who holds on well.
