Oz tour of Pakistan, March 4 - April 5

[Arthur Crabtree]

My big question (having not had TV access on day three) is how the devil did Pakistan contrive to get bowled out for 150 on this track ????!

Mercurial?

[Durhamfootman]

I did wonder if a set Babar and a set Rizwan might have a dart at this late on, but they seem completely content to bat out for the draw. Perhaps they have no faith in their lower order batting, or perhaps they think getting out of the big hole they fell into might be reward enough

[Durhamfootman]

all of a sudden, from nowhere, the game takes another twist with 12 overs remaining

[Durhamfootman]

and one brings two

Lyon on a hat trick....... from nowhere

[Arthur Crabtree]

Don't go back to Drawsville.

Aussies can't complain they didn't have enough overs to win. And Usman dropped Rizwan a few overs from the end...

[mikesiva]

Babar 196 and Rizwan 100* draw the match in an exciting finish.

[bigfluffylemon]

There was a bit of life at the end, and 30 wickets in 5 days is obviously an awful lot better than 14, but apart from Pakistan somehow getting taken apart on this featherbed, this was another match with 4 and a bit days of dour batting with brief flurries of interest, and now we have a test series 0-0 after two. On the bright side, we have a decider, but this series has so far not been a good advertisement for test cricket returning to Pakistan, or the game as a whole. Which is a real shame. So far, all the series has achieved is massaging some batting averages.

My big question (having not had TV access on day three) is how the devil did Pakistan contrive to get bowled out for 150 on this track ????!

Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

[sussexpob]

As stated with the England series in the Caribbean, we are coming out a period of Covid losses and no crowds, it would appear that wickets are being produced to be flat enough to guarantee 5 days of ticket sales. Which in fairness, is producing terrible series but might be required for the game as a whole if cash strapped boards cant stay afloat.

[alfie]

Blimey ! Lively start to the Third Test : Australia batting after winning what was thought to be a good toss : But Warner and Labuschagne both gone in Shaheen Afridi's second over !

8/2 after three...

[GarlicJam]

Blimey ! Lively start to the Third Test : Australia batting after winning what was thought to be a good toss : But Warner and Labuschagne both gone in Shaheen Afridi's second over !

8/2 after three...

that's just when I logged onto Cricinfo. A bit of a surprise.

They've moved it along to 26 with no further loss.

[alfie]

Repair job in progress...

But big moments in Nauman's first over : both batsmen dropped in successive balls ! Khawaja edged through the hands of slip for three...next ball Smith hit one straight back to the bowler and grassed again. Was travelling ; but the spinner would have hoped to take that.

Wonder how much those misses will end up costing ? 44/2 off 16.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Khawaja's having a run glut that seems to happen to returning Aussie batters, or late life picks like Adam Voges and Michael Hussey.

Vogesesque?

[GarlicJam]

Some good Pakistan bowling have Australia (currently) all but all out, and still well short of 400. Which I thought would be considered a pass mark - any more is a bonus, any less a disadvantage.

[mikesiva]

Australia 391 all out

Khawaja 91
Smith 59
Green 79
Carey 67

Naseem 4-58
Shaheen 4-79

[bigfluffylemon]

Hard to call at this point. Pakistan aren't in a bad position, but runs on the board are runs on the board.

At least it's not a nailed on bore draw at this point. It could become so by the end of today.