Jeor Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 Well, we knew this Test was going to be a tricky one for Australia but 0/199 after 2 sessions from Pakistan is pretty amazing. That has to be one of the best opening partnerships Pakistan has had in recent times. Given the pitch looks like it will take a lot of turn as the match goes on, a big opening partnership on the first day was the worst thing Australia could have conceded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 This is on a channel I’ve never heard of, Star Gold on Sky channel 729, for anyone in the UK who’s interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 3/255 makes for pretty ugly reading for the Aussies but it could have been much worse. Getting 3 wickets in that last session for a much slower 50 runs will give them hope that it is still possible to get something out of this match. If Australia can bat well this might head towards a draw; depends on whether the pitch gets more treacherous or whether it stays docile and lifeless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted October 7, 2018 Author Share Posted October 7, 2018 Not the best pitch for test cricket (to put it mildly). I think 3-250 is about par, with a draw favourite at this stage. ETA: An impressive bit of selection to recall Hafeez for this test. At 37, he was probably unlikely to play another test for Pakistan. But 3,500 runs at about 40 lends some useful experience to an otherwise youngish lineup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Winged Shadow Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Aussie bowlers are getting battered. Can't see them winning from here. Considering Aussie's fragile batting lineup, I am not very confident that they will be able to salvage a draw here :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 It really depends on how Pakistan bowl. If the pitch is as lifeless as it seems, Australia should be able to grind out a draw without too many problems, especially as long as they can avoid the follow-on. But if the Pakistani attack is on song, then it will get interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Winged Shadow Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 21 minutes ago, Jeor said: It really depends on how Pakistan bowl. If the pitch is as lifeless as it seems, Australia should be able to grind out a draw without too many problems, especially as long as they can avoid the follow-on. But if the Pakistani attack is on song, then it will get interesting. Don't think this batting lineup can grind anything. Shaun Marsh is probably the only one who has the mindset. The rest are all relatively flakey. It's not like the aussie batters have good defensive techniques, so I expect they will fall while trying to defend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted October 8, 2018 Author Share Posted October 8, 2018 Oh ye of little faith TWS! I'm with Jeor, I think this will likely be a comfortable draw. Shah will have to bowl out of his skin for a Pakistan win to be in play. Credit to Sohail for a great maiden ton - Pakistan don't exactly have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to batting, so that was a crucial knock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Winged Shadow Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 2 hours ago, Paxter said: Oh ye of little faith TWS! I'm with Jeor, I think this will likely be a comfortable draw. Shah will have to bowl out of his skin for a Pakistan win to be in play. Credit to Sohail for a great maiden ton - Pakistan don't exactly have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to batting, so that was a crucial knock. No way. His average self is way better than anything Aussies are used to. I expect he will slice through the Aussies like butter today as they try, in vain, to play defensive shot against spin (which they are so awful at because they push at the ball so much, zero soft hands.....). The only chance Aussies have is a Pakistan collapse, which isn't out of the question either despite playing well first innings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted October 9, 2018 Author Share Posted October 9, 2018 5 hours ago, The Winged Shadow said: No way. His average self is way better than anything Aussies are used to. I expect he will slice through the Aussies like butter today as they try, in vain, to play defensive shot against spin (which they are so awful at because they push at the ball so much, zero soft hands.....). The only chance Aussies have is a Pakistan collapse, which isn't out of the question either despite playing well first innings. Haha very harsh. I think at 0-63 they are looking fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Winged Shadow Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 How shit is the pitch that even Aussie batters are doing well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Evidently the pitch is now some hellish surface after a massive Australian collapse. TWS is proved right after all and me and Pax will have to eat humble pie... Though I will point out that at 0/142 Australia really should have been in prime position for a draw. At now 9/202 they've essentially lost 9/60 - pathetic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted October 9, 2018 Author Share Posted October 9, 2018 Yeah ignore my posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Make that 10/60 lost all in one session. There can't have been many times an Australian side has lost all 10 wickets in one session on only the third day of a Test match. Khawaja and Finch would have thought they could have settled down for a nice day or two's rest after their innings but they're going to be out again (whether on the field or to bat) basically within one session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted October 9, 2018 Author Share Posted October 9, 2018 45 minutes ago, Jeor said: Make that 10/60 lost all in one session. There can't have been many times an Australian side has lost all 10 wickets in one session on only the third day of a Test match. Khawaja and Finch would have thought they could have settled down for a nice day or two's rest after their innings but they're going to be out again (whether on the field or to bat) basically within one session. I feel more sorry for the bowlers...Lyon bowled over fifty overs in the first two days and doesn’t even get a full day’s respite on Day 3! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 1 minute ago, Paxter said: I feel more sorry for the bowlers...Lyon bowled over fifty overs in the first two days and doesn’t even get a full day’s respite on Day 3! True that...Lyon back to bowling again. He'll be bowling for four consecutive days with only two full sessions' worth of rest. And probably close to 80 overs in the match over 3.5 days. His arm will need a long ice bath after the match. It's criminal how the Australian batting lineup played considering the openers had set such a good platform and the pitch is not crazy. And they allowed a debutant to get 6 wickets. In fact, if you consider Abbas and Bilal together, all 10 wickets were taken by two people who have a combined experience of 8 Test matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Winged Shadow Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 What is really shocking to me is how well Pakistan is batting. I kind of expected Aussies to suck. But wasn't expecting such a strong batting performance from Pakistan (they always bowl pretty well, so no surprise there). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Winged Shadow Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Heh, there is the Pakistan we all know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Doesn't really matter they're ahead by so many runs already. In actual fact losing wickets probably helps them; otherwise they might be tempted to bat too long and make a conservative declaration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted October 10, 2018 Author Share Posted October 10, 2018 Just a quick note on Australia's batting: TWS was criticising their defensive technique against spin, but it was actually aggression that cost them in that first innings collapse. Pakistan made a deliberate approach to sit on Lyon, Siddle and Starc in the first innings to deny them any wicket-taking opportunities. They wisely saved their attacking cricket for Holland and M Marsh. In contrast, the likes of Finch, Khawaja, Head and S Marsh all fell trying to attack Pakistan's best bowlers on Day 3. The Shaun Marsh and Head shots were particularly bad (left handers trying to cover drive an off-spinner out of the rough). Old instincts to attack die hard. Or in other words: where was Australia's Haris Sohail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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