Stuart Broad and James Anderson were outstanding as England took the upper hand on a turning pitch in Sharjah
Right, that it from us today. Be sure to stick around on theguardian.com/sport for all the reports and reaction from Sharjah. Thanks as ever for all your emails. Cheerio!
In injury news, Ben Stokes is to be taken to hospital for scans on Monday.
England 4-0. A very fine day for England, then. But with this pitch turning the way it is, this game is very much up for grabs.
2nd over: England 4-0 (Cook 0, Moeen 4) Yasir Shah takes the new ball at the other end. There’s turn there, of course, but Moeen blocks, blocks, blocks and … SMASHES TO COW CORNER FOR FOUR! That was quite a shot. And he blocks out the final two balls of the over and the day.
1st over: England 0-0 (Cook 0, Moeen 0) The left-arm Rahat Ali kicks things off with the ball for Pakistan. Cook is unflappable outside off.
Up on the England balcony, Johnny Bairstow has got himself a nice cup of tea.
The players are back out on the field. Off we go again.
On Sky, Robert Key has just used the phrase “MAN ALIVE!” As if you needed another reason to love him.
That’s a fine effort from England. Anderson and Broad finish with combined figures of 28.1-15-30-6. But it’s not quite job done for the day – they’ll have three or four overs to survive before the close.
The last England seamer to bowler 13 or more overs at 1.00 RPO or less before Broad today was Ian Botham 14-9-11-5 v Aus Birmingham 1981
The No11 pokes an edge to fourth slip, where Moeen Ali holds the ball in the crook of his arm.
85th over: Pakistan 234-9 (Rahat Ali 4, Babar 6) The first boundary Stuart Broad has conceded today, Zulfiqar Babar flicking off the hip to destroy the bowler’s economy rate. A single means Babar has scored as many runs off Broad in three balls as his team mates managed in 12 overs. And Rahat Ali gets in on the act too, driving (well, poking) for a couple down the ground then driving (well, poking) into the covers for a single.
84th over: Pakistan 226-9 (Rahat Ali 1, Babar 1) Perhaps that’s why Misbah barely plays a shot to the seamers. Or perhaps it was just a bit of fatigue, Anyway, that leaves Nos 10 and 11 to fend off the final six overs of the day. And they don’t really give much impression that they can do it. A couple of scrappy singles from the Anderson over.
Misbah goes! And in a fashion so ugly that on first glance I assumed it was Babar who had dangled his bat at a wide one from Anderson. No, it was the Pakistan captain who had perhaps grown frazzled by the clatter of wickets at the other end. It was a tired, tired shot and it ends a hugely important innings for Pakistan, one that will surely prove crucial to the outcome of the match.
83rd over: Pakistan 224-8 (Misbah 71, Babar 0) So Broad’s figures are 12-8-5-2 … and with the chance to get even better.
Broad returns. He and Anderson have combined figures of 25-15-19-3 so far today, with Broad boasting 11-8-4-1. A leg bye and a run are added to the total, then there’s a huge appeal as Yasir Shah is struck high on the pad. It looked a little high and a little leg-side, so England opt not to review once the umpire has delivered his verdict.
From the last ball, though, Broad has his man. Shah pulls top-edgishly and picks out Patel in the deep.
82nd over: Pakistan 222-7 (Misbah 70, Yasir Shah 7) That battering has persuaded Alastair Cook to call for the new ball. With seven wickets down, will Misbah stick to his previous approach against the seamers and shut up his shot shop. Um, yes, in short. A shotless maiden.
81st over: Pakistan 222-7 (Misbah 70, Yasir Shah 7) The new ball is available but England will continue with their spin attack for now. Misbah twice reverse-sweeps and twice finds the boundary, twice taking advantage of big juicy full tosses. As Michael Atherton points out on Sky, England have bowled a shocking number of full bungers today, a particular crime when the pitch is doing so much.
Misbah has changed gears here. Another sweep brings him two more then a huge six straight down the ground. Seventeen – 17! – from the over.
80th over: Pakistan 203-7 (Misbah 53, Yasir Shah 7) Moeen continues and Misbah looks to sweep and sweep often.
79th over: Pakistan 201-7 (Misbah 52, Yasir Shah 5) Yasir Shah will certainly enjoy bowling on this pitch a little later, and he’ll enjoy batting on it too if Patel sends down the sort of rubbish that he offers the new batsman with the final two balls of the over. The first is smacked through the covers for four, the second pulled hard for a single.
This tells you how tricky it might be for the tail. Patel opens Wahab up a touch with a ball pitching on or just outside leg that turns to hit middle, and the batsman is left groping at thin air.
78th over: Pakistan 196-6 (Misbah 52, Wahab 0) England are into the tail then. But first they’re into Misbah, Moeen finding the back pad and yelping an appeal. The umpire says no, England review, and it’s immediately clear that Misbah has gloved the ball into his pad. (The best bit of the slow-motion replays at this ground is the slow-motion audio – we get a collage of noises that sound exactly like a shootout on a Spectrum ZX computer game).
Just as this partnership threatened to turn into a matchwinning effort, Moeen Ali makes the breakthrough. Or, more accurately, Sarfraz makes the breakthrough for him. He skips down the track and looks to heave the ball into the stands at cow corner but he doesn’t get enough on it and sends a steepling catch straight into the hands of Joe Root, who was loitering on the boundary.
77th over: Pakistan 196-5 (Misbah 52, Sarfraz 39) Patel continues, and continues to probe Sarfraz’s defences, the wicketkeeper scurrying a single off the last to pinch the strike.
“Re: 33rd over - had anyone attempted this hiccup remedy on me rest assured he would find himself swiftly murdered,” writes the festival-going hiccuping train-catching Ildikó Connell. “Thanks to Matt for not heeding this advice and also getting me on the Metro in good time!”
76th over: Pakistan 195-5 (Misbah 52, Sarfraz 38) That delay scuppers any chances of an on-time finish to the day’s play, which would’ve been nice if just for novelty value. Misbah brings up his 50 with a little paddle sweep off the returning Moeen Ali. It’s been something of an epic knock – 139 balls for his 52 so far.
75th over: Pakistan 189-5 (Misbah 48, Sarfraz 36) A very painful moment for Ben Stokes and one that, you would assume, is likely to rule him out for the remainder of the Test. Youch. He trudges off with his arm in a makeshift sling made from his shirt. Patel finishes off his over with little fuss.
After the drinks break, we nearly have a sensational catch from Stokes at backward square leg … but the ball pops out and it’s not the only thing. Stokes landed very awkwardly and it looks like his shoulder might have popped out of the joint. He’s writhing in pain on the turf.
74th over: Pakistan 188-5 (Misbah 47, Sarfraz 36) Stokes and Sarfraz continue their dance. The batsman punches through the covers for two. The next stays a little low. The next is a bumper under which Sarfraz ducks. The last is an attempted yorker, dug out by the batsman (although the umpires have a quick look at a half-hearted appeal for a catch; it was a pretty clear bump-ball). Another enjoyable little set-to between batsman and bowler
73rd over: Pakistan 186-5 (Misbah 47, Sarfraz 34) Samit Patel returns to the attack – interesting that Cook has gone to him (this is his 19th over) almost more often that Moeen and Rashid combined (they’ve bowled 10 apiece). Patel drags down a rank half-tracker and Misbah treats it with the disdain it deserves, clumping to cow corner for four.
72nd over: Pakistan 182-5 (Misbah 43, Sarfraz 34) Ben Stokes, who bowled nicely without reward in the afternoon, returns. He tests Sarfraz with a mixture of lengths and speeds, with the batsman clearly desperate to get after him. A maiden that buzzed with anticipation.
71st over: Pakistan 182-5 (Misbah 43, Sarfraz 34) Anderson to Misbah. Block, block, blockblockblock. You have to admire the way the Pakistan captain’s mind works. In many ways he has the perfect Test match temperament, that terrifyingly mix of organisation and patience. You imagine that there’d never be a spoon in the fork section of his cutlery draw. A tickle from the last brings him four to the finest of fine legs.
70th over: Pakistan 178-5 (Misbah 39, Sarfraz 34) Rashid continues.
Misbah chancing arm against Rashid, twice going inside out over offside. Bowler needs to hold his nerve, he is doing OK
69th over: Pakistan 174-5 (Misbah 38, Sarfraz 31) The 50 partnership came up in that last over. These two are beginning to drag the game away from England. Anderson charges in once more, with the wicketkeeper up to the stumps, fielders in a few funky positions and variations on his mind. He sends the last whistling down the leg side, giving Bairstow no chance and the batsmen pick up a bye, the first of the day.
68th over: Pakistan 171-5 (Misbah 38, Sarfraz 30) Rashid continues and Misbah looks to go over the top straight down the ground once more. He gets plenty of elevation but not quite the distance, though the ball lands perfectly safe a yard or two short of the boundary and plops onwards for four. He repeats the trick a few balls later, hitting against the spin and again picking up four rather than six.
67th over: Pakistan 163-5 (Misbah 30, Sarfraz 30) Bairstow stands up to the stumps so here comes the offcutter …
66th over: Pakistan 161-5 (Misbah 29, Sarfraz 29) Sarfraz just gets a top edge onto an attempted sweep – had he missed that he would’ve been gone. Misbah then turns down a second run from the shot with a effortlessly cool you-must-be-joking gesture from one end of the pitch. Tidy enough from Rashid but there’s not the sense of an imminent wicket wicket that there was earlier in the day.
65th over: Pakistan 159-5 (Misbah 28, Sarfraz 28) Misbah drives Broad down the ground for two, in one shot doubling the number of runs the England bowler has conceded in 10 previous overs.
“Standing up in your kitchen will help you less than you think,” writes Robert Wilson MD. “You should either do the Tai Chi Upright Defecation pose or lie on your stomach doing radical Supermans every three minutes. Both are better cricket-watching postures than you might imagine. Trust me, I’m Mr Gym. I’m 176 years old and I’ve never had a moment’s back trouble (though everything else hurts like buggery)“
64th over: Pakistan 156-5 (Misbah 26, Sarfraz 27) A thick outside edge from Sarfraz whistles low past Stokes at slip. It was barely even a half-chance – maybe a fifth-chance at best – but a slip wizard might have grabbed it.
63rd over: Pakistan 152-5 (Misbah 26, Sarfraz 23) Broad once more. And more dots – 47, 48 on the bounce, and then a run at last, Safraz cutting away for a single, the second run has conceded in 9.3 overs today. There’s a red-faced howl of an appeal from the last as an inside-edge cannons into Misbah’s pads.
62nd over: Pakistan 151-5 (Misbah 26, Sarfraz 22) Rashid drops a touch short and is cut away to the point boundary for a couple by Sarfraz. That takes Pakistan to the 150 mark.
Thinking 250 could be a winning score here.
61st over: Pakistan 148-5 (Misbah 26, Sarfraz 19) Stuart Broad, with remarkable figures of 8-7-1-1, gets the ball in his hand after the break. Five more dots at Misbah, that’s 45 consecutive dot balls for Broad … aaaaannd make that 46. So make Broad’s figures 9-8-1-1.
In other news, because we like to keep you up to date with a bit of background colour, due to a bad back this OBO is currently being written while standing up in a kitchen, which might be a first.
Out come the players. This day is still on a knife-edge but England have the opportunity to press home their advantage in this final session.
The winner is 'No'. Thanks to everyone who voted.
For the tea break, apropos of nothing, here’s an ever-so-slightly confused poll that my old local tweeted the other day:
Is it better drinking Kronenbourg from a can or in the pub or not?
Pakistan 148-5. Another intriguing session. England are right in the game. And they’ve have got through 30 overs for the second session in succession. When was the last time that happened?
60th over: Pakistan 148-5 (Misbah 26, Sarfraz 19) Another miscue – this time Sarfraz top-edges a pull wide of mid on – as Rashid continues to find 90 degree-turn. And that’s tea.
59th over: Pakistan 146-5 (Misbah 25, Sarfraz 18) Moeen Ali returns to the fray for a quick twirl before tea. He tempts Misbah into a sweep and a top edge flies … just over the man at short fine leg. Stuart Broad might have been able to grab that but lil’ Joe Root had no chance. Misbah picks up a flaky four as a result.
58th over: Pakistan 140-5 (Misbah 20, Sarfraz 17) Rashid is finding some serious turn out there – he just needs to control it. Three from the over.
57th over: Pakistan 137-5 (Misbah 19, Sarfraz 15) Sarfraz is playing a different game to everyone else – he guides Stokes neatly through backward point for four to move on to 15 from 16 balls.
56th over: Pakistan 133-5 (Misbah 19, Sarfraz 11) Adil Rashid replaces Samit Patel. Misbah, who had played eight scoring shots from his first 69 balls faced, plants his foot down the track from the 70th and heaves Rashid into the stands at long on. Rashid responds with a beauty, ripping a legspinner past the outside edge then turning one prodigiously from outside leg stump.
55th over: Pakistan 126-5 (Misbah 13, Sarfraz 10) Stokes sends down a maiden at Sarfraz. His figures in this spell: 4-3-1-0.
“Yes, Samit Patel did have fitness issues, but he’s played very well for Nottinghamshire for many years now, especially after he learnt to tear himself away from his mum’s cooking,” writes John Starbuck. “That’s probably responsible for more young players’ difficulties than we know.”
54th over: Pakistan 126-5 (Misbah 13, Sarfraz 10) Patel offers Sarfraz a full toss so juicy it could be squeezed into a carton and sold as one of your five-a-day. He thrashes a sweep to the fence. And a slog-sweep two balls later also crashes to the square leg boundary. The eight runs from that over equals the tally from the previous seven.
53rd over: Pakistan 118-5 (Misbah 13, Sarfraz 2) Stokes continues to keep things tight, just one from the over.
“A shout out to Jonny Bairstow for his excellent wicketkeeping in some of the most challenging conditions of world cricket,” writes Krishnan Patel. “Why is Bairstow not regarded a ‘proper’ keeper?” He’s keeping beautifully. I suppose the chief reasons is that he has not always kept for Yorkshire, but I think the days of ‘proper’ keepers might be over. Competence with gloves + oodles of runs will always trump a technically perfect keeper who’s merely half-decent with the bat.
52nd over: Pakistan 117-5 (Misbah 13, Sarfraz 1) Terrific bowling from Samit Patel. The fact that despite his fitness issues – which for some reason always sounds like a euphemism whenever applied to Samit, like you should be using quote marks, “fitness issues” – he’s managed to play cricket for England in all three formats, tells you something about what a superb cricketer he must be.
Sarfraz gets off the mark immediately but Pakistan are becalmed here and in a bit of trouble.
Patel gets his reward for an excellent afternoon spell. A bit of extra bounce is enough to catch the outside edge as Shafiq props forward in defence.
51st over: Pakistan 116-4 (Misbah 13, Shafiq 5) Two maidens in a row from Stokes.
50th over: Pakistan 116-4 (Misbah 13, Shafiq 5) Shafiq sweeps Patel fine for a couple. And the quality of the over is underlined by Shafiq’s ineffectual charge down the track to the last.
Much better from Samit. Making it difficult for batsmen who will get frustrated.
49th over: Pakistan 114-4 (Misbah 13, Shafiq 3) A bowling change then – Ben Stokes (4-0-16-0) returns. His first ball celebrates Dia de Muertos by dying off the pitch. It reaches Bairstow on the umpteenth bounce. He does beat Misbah with one angled in from wide on the crease, the ball this time fizzing past the outside edge. Stokes joins the Maiden Gang.
48th over: Pakistan 114-4 (Misbah 13, Shafiq 3) Shafiq dances down the pitch at Patel but can only drive straight to mid off but the next is a floated full toss that the batsman pummels away for a couple. The problem for England with three spinning all-rounders remains the continual (and regular) risk of a four-ball being thrown in to the mix, though Patel has been better since lunch.
47th over: Pakistan 112-4 (Misbah 13, Shafiq 1) Pakistan score a run off James Anderson! He and Broad had combined for figures of 8-8-0-2 in this session, but Misbah, warming to his task now, tickles to the leg side to end the string of dots. And from the final ball of the over, Shafiq’s 22nd, he finally gets off the mark with a clip to deep square leg.
46th over: Pakistan 110-4 (Misbah 12, Shafiq 0) Hello all and cheers Rob. This OBO lycra is all well and good for the youngsters but a little tight in the gusset for an old stager. And speaking of tight, England have conceded just six runs in the past nine overs. In part that is due to bowling brilliance, in part Pakistan’s slightly obsessive determination not to play a shot against the seamers.
Patel continues to Misbah, who gets out a little paddle sweep and jogs through for two runs. He repeats the shot from the last and three more take the Pakistan captain screaming on to 12 from 46 balls.
45th over: Pakistan 105-4 (Misbah 7, Shafiq 0) Anderson and Broad have bowled eight overs in this session; they have all been maidens. It’s like the last days of Ambrose and Walsh! They have kept England in the game, and the rest of the day’s play should be fascinating. John Ashdown is waiting to be tagged in for that, sporting just an enthuastic grin and sponsored OBO lycra. See you later, bye!
44th over: Pakistan 105-4 (Misbah 7, Shafiq 0) Samit has been more accurate since lunch, though he is not turning it much. Misbah must be itching to go after him, but the match situation is a bit too precarious for that. That means another maiden, the 18th of the day.
43rd over: Pakistan 105-4 (Misbah 7, Shafiq 0) Anderson has a man on the drive for Shafiq, at daft mid off. He slips in the yorker, which Shafiq digs out. It’s not always easy to combine variety and control, but Anderson and Broad have done that exceptionally today and that’s yet another maiden.
Apparently the England players have been telling the Pakistani batsmen what they are doing to do to them with the moving ball in the UK next summer. Misbah just smiled and said: “I may retire.” He is a laconic joy, a regular reminder that the truly cool people have no idea they are cool.
42nd over: Pakistan 105-4 (Misbah 7, Shafiq 0) It’s a golden rule for seamers and spinners: the more helpful the pitch, the less fancy stuff you need to do. But it can be hard to stick to that if you haven’t taken a wicket for a while, and this has been the problem for England’s spinners. Either that or they are simply not capable of bowling accurately. Misbah is still playing carefully, with wickets falling at the other end, and is content to work a poor delivery from Patel for two. He has seven from 35 balls. I’d get Samit off here; he isn’t remotely threatening.
41st over: Pakistan 103-4 (Misbah 5, Shafiq 0) This has been an odd day’s play, with a mixture of excellence and rubbish from batsmen and bowlers, and the contradiction of the seamers taking most of the wickets on a dustbowl. All’s well that begins well for England, though: those two wickets after lunch have brought them right back into the game.
Anderson and Broad now have combined figures of 15-11-7-3. They really are class acts, and they have bowled so well in their two Test tours of the UAE.
A bonus wicket for England, and a big one as well. Jimmy Anderson’s first ball is an accidental full toss, and Younis gets in a tangle as he tries to work it to leg. He plays around his front pad and is pinned in front of middle and leg. He reviewed the decision, probably out of confusion at what had happened as anything, but it was hitting the base of leg stump.
40th over: Pakistan 103-3 (Younis 31, Misbah 5) Patel gets away with another short delivery that Younis can only cut for a single. Misbah flicks a poor delivery to fine leg for two more. Patel has now bowled 11 overs, as many as Moeen and Rashid between them.
39th over: Pakistan 100-3 (Younis 30, Misbah 3) Broad has a strangled shout for LBW against Misbah, who inside-edged another cutter onto the pad. Broad is in Variations Mode, constantly changing his position on the crease and the position of the seam in his hand. Misbah has no ambition beyond survival, knowing this will probably be the last over of Broad’s outstanding spell: 5-5-0-1.
“Guess he was at Pitchfork Paris, a festival I managed to miss despite spending all last week in Paris,” says the OBO’s own Dan Lucas. “Were Beach House and Thom Yorke no good?” Ah I didn’t realise the Thom Yorke Art Project was playing.
38th over: Pakistan 100-3 (Younis 30, Misbah 3) Samit Patel replaces Moeen Ali. This next half hour feels so important. Misbah probably hasn’t faced Patel before, so decides to have a look for a little while before smashing sixes. Just a single from the over.
Outstanding bowling from Broad. Variety, creating pressure. Spinners dont need variety. Just bowl.
37th over: Pakistan 99-3 (Younis 30, Misbah 2) Younis is late deciding to leave a lovely delivery from Broad that moves back and just misses the off stump. Younis could easily have dragged that on as well. Excellent stuff from Broad, who has bowled a spell of 4-4-0-1.
Here’s Tom Van der Gucht: “Sadly, If I followed John Starbuck’s hiccup advice regarding kissing a lady, it would probably only result in giving her a fright, which Matt Bliss said he’s already tried and didn’t work...” Not if you do it slowly, sensually, masterfully.
36th over: Pakistan 99-3 (Younis 30, Misbah 2) Younis is dealing almost exclusively in the sweep when it comes to attacking strokes, and he nails one through square leg for four. Moeen’s response is to come back over the wicket; I’m not sure that’s the best idea.
35th over: Pakistan 92-3 (Younis 24, Misbah 1) Misbah’s tactics in this series have not needed a zoom lens and a piece of A4: he blocks the seamers and biffs the spinners. He’s doing the same here, with Broad looking dangerous and getting a bit of reverse. The result is a maiden; Broad’s figures are 6-5-1-1.
34th over: Pakistan 92-3 (Younis 24, Misbah 1) Younis flicks Moeen onto the boot of Taylor at short leg, but the ball lands safely. Moeen goes back over the wicket for Misbah, who pushes one not too far wide of Stokes at leg slip. This is really interesting stuff. If England get one here they will feel they could be batting by the close; if they don’t, Younis and Misbah might still be batting at the close. A full toss from Moeen is pulled for a couple by Younis. “Catc- shit!” says one of the England players, possibly Moeen, upon realising it’s a full toss.
33rd over: Pakistan 88-3 (Younis 21, Misbah 0) This, it goes without typing, is the big partnership: Younis and Misbah, with 88 Test runs and 13,000 years between them. Broad’s figures are 5-4-1-1. On a turning pitch, the seamers have 2/23 and the spinners 1/63. It’s a risk because it’s a long day, but I would go with Anderson and Broad for half an hour before Misbah gets his eye in.
In other news, good morning John Starbuck! “Re: 16th over,” he says, “the best cure for a lady’s hiccups is to kiss her, slowly, sensually, masterfully – benefit of personal experience.”
Broad could do with improving on a modest Test record overseas: 103 wickets at 36 as against 207 at 27 in England. Make that 104 wickets overseas – he’s got Shoaib Malik caught behind! It was another good delivery, with just a little bit of seam movement. Malik fiddled indecisively outside off stump, his feet in cement, and gave a simple catch to Bairstow.
32nd over: Pakistan 87-2 (Malik 37, Younis 21) In this part of the world Tests are often decided on days four and five. That means you can ease into the game a bit on the first couple of days, certainly as a bowler. Not here: every run is vital in what will be a medium-to-low-scoring game, and England’s spinners need to improve on a poor morning’s work. If Pakistan are, say, 270 for four at the close, this match is over. Moeen Ali starts at the other end, and after five balls he finally moves to around the wicket. That brings both LBW and slip into play. A maiden.
31st over: Pakistan 87-2 (Malik 37, Younis 21) Younis Khan survives a referral from the second ball after lunch. He inside edged a good delivery from Broad – one of the three in a hundred that move off the seam – to the left of Bairstow, who thought he had taken a clean tumbling catch. The umpire gave the ‘soft signal’ of not out, thinking it hadn’t quite carried, and replays confirmed that was the case.
Spinners expecting too much of themselves. By Test standards they are modest. Can do well tho' if don't strain to make things happen.
England need to bowl Pakistan out for Under 300 to have any chance in this game IMO.... Pitc... #PAKvENGhttps://t.co/m1qurKIx9l
England would probably have taken that score when they lost the toss. But having seen how much it is spinning, it already feels like Pakistan are in control – especially as England’s spin triplets are bowling far too many four-balls. But if they tighten up, there are wickets to be had. See you in half an hour for the start of the afternoon session.
30th over: Pakistan 87-2 (Malik 37, Younis 21) A miserable leg-side full toss from Rashid is whapped through midwicket for another boundary by Malik. Are England trying too hard because of the pitch, like fast bowlers who bang it in at Perth? It’s possible, although bad balls are an issue for all these spinners at the best of times. That’s lunch!
29th over: Pakistan 80-2 (Malik 32, Younis 19) More garbage from Samit, I’m afraid, a long hop that Malik savages through midwicket for four. The spinners have conceded seven boundaries in 15 overs; the seamers went for two in 13, and one of those was an edge.
“I’ve just turned on the TV and the first thing I saw was Patel being swept to the fence with troubling ease,” says Dave Adams. “Abandoning the TV now in favour of the OBO. Why does an objectively promising scorecard feel like an inevitable crushing defeat already? Is it just me?” Of course not, it’s the English. But in case there’s a fair bit of logic in the misery – it’s turning a worrying amount already.
28th over: Pakistan 75-2 (Malik 28, Younis 18) Three years ago, England thrashed India on a not dissimilar pitch, but they had Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar (not to mention Kevin Pietersen) then. Anyway, Adil Rashid is coming on to replace Moeen (6-2-22-1). What mysterious magic has Shane Warne taught him? How to bowl a maiden, apparently, because that’s what he starts with.
27th over: Pakistan 75-2 (Malik 28, Younis 18) That’s a beautiful shot from Younis, who flashes a wide half-volley from Patel through extra cover for four. The next ball is a beauty that spits past the outside edge, and the ball after that is a piece of filth that Younis cuts for four more. England’s spinners have bowled too much rubbish so far.
26th over: Pakistan 66-2 (Malik 27, Younis 10) Did I say you could Contactless?
25th over: Pakistan 66-2 (Malik 27, Younis 10) Younis plonks his front foot and sweeps Patel flat and hard for four. This has been fascinating stuff since the spinners came on.
ball is ragging square. work cut out for england already.
24th over: Pakistan 61-2 (Malik 27, Younis 5) The Sky commentators, Beefy and Bumble, think Moeen should go around the wicket to the right-handers, such is the extravagant turn. England’s decision to play three spinners looks the right one so far. On that note, you shouldn’t worry about tomorrow today, right? In that case, whatever you do, don’t bloody think about what Yasir Shah might do on this pitch on days two to five.
23rd over: Pakistan 58-2 (Malik 26, Younis 3) Pakistan have been a bit skittish against the spinners, and Younis plays an unconvincing sweep round the corner for a single off Patel. He almost missed that, and had he done so he would have been plumb. The thing is that there will always be bad balls from these England spinners, so you can just wait for those; Patel shows that with a half-tracker that Malik hustles through midwicket for four.
22nd over: Pakistan 51-2 (Malik 22, Younis 0) Malik scoots down the track to Moeen later in the over, almost trips himself up and ends up allowing the ball to hit his thigh and loop up in the air. The ball is turning abnormally for a day one, session one pitch.
Yes, it was missing leg stump – and by quite a way. Malik took a long time to decide to review it, and almost missed the count, but it was a good decision.
England only need it to be shaving leg stump, as it was given out on the field. I think this might be missing.
Shoaib Malik has been given out LBW, pushing defensively around a full delivery from Moeen Ali that turned sharply. Would it have turned past leg stump? Shoaib thinks so and wants to review it.
21st over: Pakistan 51-2 (Malik 22, Younis 0) A beauty from Samit Patel drifts onto off stump and turns past Younis Khan’s outside edge. The next ball is a carbon copy. Those are authentic jaffas. What England would give to dismiss either Younis or Misbah in single figures today.
20th over: Pakistan 51-2 (Malik 22, Younis 0) Here comes Younis Khan.
Hafeez throws his wicket away. He dismissed Moeen Ali back over his head for four, a shot of almost absent-minded contempt, and then tried to make it consecutive boundaries when Moeen dropped short. Instead the ball was a bit slow to get to him, and he clunked a pull high in the air. Stuart Broad ran in from deep backward square to take a comfortable catch. It was a complacent shot from Hafeez, and that’s a useful bonus wicket for England.
19th over: Pakistan 43-1 (Hafeez 23, Malik 20) The introduction of spin, as expected, has completely changed the mood and the scoring rate. The seamers have conceded 23 from 13 overs; the spinners 20 from six.
18th over: Pakistan 39-1 (Hafeez 22, Malik 17) Hafeez drives Moeen for three more. Runs are coming easily – six from that over – though there is enough turn for Moeen to suggest that such an attacking approach is not without risk.
“Rob, on the subject of best festival bands I’d say Pavement at Minehead Butlins,” says Tom Wellman. “Cricket fans you know...” I imagine that last sentence being spoken in a Major-from-Fawlty-Towers voice.
17th over: Pakistan 33-1 (Hafeez 17, Malik 16) Pakistan are playing Patel respectfully, for the time being, and there’s just a single from the over.
“Morning Rob, morning everybody,” says Guy Hornsby. “Up with the larks today at the folks as I’m off to Welford Road to see the mighty Tigers (thrash) Wasps. I dreampt we won the toss and were 120-0 at lunch. My dreams are just here to torment me, but such is the lot of an England cricket fan. It feels somehow apt to have you back on the OBO for a Test match as potentially stultifying as this.” That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said about me.
Last time an offie, leggie and SLA bowled in a Test inns for England. Lahore 2000 (Giles, Hick, Salisbury) https://t.co/lw0QTFdJ1F
16th over: Pakistan 32-1 (Hafeez 16, Malik 16) Moeen Ali replaces Ben Stokes. I’d have been tempted to get Rashid into the game Before Misbah, though I suppose that applies to all three spinners. And Hafeez is not going to just them bowl, as he demonstrates by sweeping Moeen’s first ball hard for four. He premeditates a lap-sweep later in the over, and Taylor at short leg hares towards leg slip as a result. In fact he runs too far and can only get a fingertip on the ball as he reaches back to his left. Technically that’s a dropped catch, though in reality it was a fine effort.
“Pal safely on the Metro, but her debilitating hiccups have returned,” says Matt Biss. “Does the OBO readership have any suggestions on how to get rid of them, seeing as the stock fright (impossible, as she’s now out of scaring distance) and inverted glass of water (‘a myth’, she insists) methods haven’t worked?” A fifth of vinegar?
15th over: Pakistan 25-1 (Hafeez 10, Malik 15) Malik works Patel through midwicket for two before being beaten by one that turns sharply, if slowly, off the pitch. Jonathan Trott is talking about the unique demands of selection when you need to win the final Test to square the series. It’s so true, and that situation has led to some weird and wonderful England selections down the years – think 1991 and 1994 in particular.
“Can’t the match ref have a look at that coin for the toss? says Jonathan Salisbury. I think they used a new one today. It’s the unique magic of Misbah.
14th over: Pakistan 23-1 (Hafeez 10, Malik 13) I can’t lie to you, there’s nothing happening.
13th over: Pakistan 20-1 (Hafeez 10, Malik 10) Samit Patel comes to replace Jimmy Anderson – and dislocates a finger after two deliveries! That is staggeringly dumb luck. He went down to his left to field a push down the ground, and it caught the little finger on his bowling hand. He is having it taped up, and looks like he’ll be okay to carry on bowling.
With the spinner on, Hafeez immediately looks busier and more purposeful, though the result is the same for now: a maiden. Pakistan have been batting dry, but you would expect the run-rate to increase in the next hour.
12th over: Pakistan 20-1 (Hafeez 10, Malik 10) Malik edges Stokes all along the floor to the third-man boundary. You wouldn’t expect too many slip catches in this game. Now, this is a good stat, which demonstrates Pakistan’s approach in this series: the combined economy rate of England’s seamers is 2.48 runs per over, and for the spinners it’s 4.32.
11th over: Pakistan 16-1 (Hafeez 10, Malik 6) This is a really Pakistan interesting side – not quite atypical, because they have legspin, paint-stripping pace and reverse swing, but certainly more controlled and clinical than those I grew up with in the 1990s. Unusually for a Pakistan team, they are greater than the same of their parts.
Anderson, admirably fit for a 33-year-old fast bowler, carries on into a sixth over. Pakistan are happy to kill time and balls, with Hafeez barely playing a shot during yet another maiden. Anderson’s figures are 6-3-6-1.
10th over: Pakistan 16-1 (Hafeez 10, Malik 6) Pakistan are in no hurry, partly because of the series situation, partly because of the balance of England’s side. They will aim to do the bulk of their run-scoring off England’s spinners. Stokes throws his entire being into an effort bouncer to Malik; it dies off the pitch and loops gently through to Bairstow.
9th over: Pakistan 14-1 (Hafeez 10, Malik 4) Anderson gets one to lift from a length just enough to jam Hafeez’s bottom hand against the bat handle. He is bowling really well, probably as much as anything because he has embraced the hard yakka rather than lamented it. Another maiden/
“Health were particularly good,” says Matt Biss of his festival weekend. “Also enjoyed Battles, John Talabot & Roman Flugel, Ratatat and Laurent ‘Laboratoires’ Garnier. The hiccups have abated.” I’m pleasantly appalled to say I’ve actually heard of a few of those.
8th over: Pakistan 14-1 (Hafeez 10, Malik 4) Ben Stokes replaces Stuart Broad, who has Ted Rogersish figures of 3-2-1-0. Hafeez drives him pleasantly through mid-on for three, and then Malik drives him even more pleasantly through extra cover for the first boundary of the game. The ball has done the cube root of bugger all so far. In fact, that three-out-of-100 estimate might have been optimistic.
“England seamers all bowled very well,” says Mike Selvey of the first two Tests. “Put the brakes on Pakistan who have clambered into the spinners instead.” Which makes this team selection really interesting. I’d probably have gone with Plunkett though it’s hard to foam with outrage when you are on the other side of the world, know nothing about the pitch and haven’t seen the first two Tests.
7th over: Pakistan 7-1 (Hafeez 7, Malik 0) Malik, driven back by all those short balls, pushes indecisively at a good fuller delivery from Anderson and is beaten. Another maiden, the third of the morning.
“Any idea of the number of people in the crowd?” asks Julian Birkby. 54? “I was wondering if there is a conspiracy to deliberately undermine attendance figures by scheduling a Test match for the five working days of the week in a Muslim country?”
6th over: Pakistan 7-1 (Hafeez 7, Malik 0) Broad has only taken two wickets in this series, though he he has at least been economical. That’s another maiden, to Hafeez. Pakistan seem happy to see off the new ball, a sensible approach especially as England only have three seamers today.
5th over: Pakistan 7-1 (Hafeez 7, Malik 0) On Sky, Mike Atherton points out that Ian Bell has been taken out of the slip cordon, which is now Cook, Root and Stokes. Bell is at gully. England clearly fancy Malik with the short ball, after Anderson bounced him out in the second innings of the first Test, and that is the default length at the moment. Malik looks comfortable thus far, though he is still on nought.
4th over: Pakistan 6-1 (Hafeez 6, Malik 0) I missed the first two Tests due to being on holiday. How has Broad bowled? Has he been pitching it up as much as in the summer or bowling more cautiously in view of the flat surfaces? He looks in decent rhythm here and drives Shoaib Malik back into his crease with some decent back-of-a-length deliveries. The full ball is coming, but when it does it’s too wide and Malik ignores it.
3rd over: Pakistan 5-1 (Hafeez 5, Malik 0) England would love to get Misbah in against the new ball. One more wicket is all they need. The new batsman is Shoaib Malik, who has been all feast and famine in this series: 245, 0, 2, 7.
“...The OBO (and Neu! 2, as I can’t get TMS) are my sole companions for the next three hours, aside from my mate who is lying on the sofa hiccupping while asleep unless she snores in a really bizarre fashion,” says Matt Biss. “I have to get said mate on a Eurostar at 9 and have volunteered to ensure her reawakening and safe enshovelment onto a Metro. We’ve just spent the weekend at music festival and you can imagine what that has entailed. I have no point, but it’s nice to feel that someone’s listening.”
Azhar Ali replaced Shan Masood at the top of the order, and he has taken on his role as James Anderson’s walking wicket. That was a good delivery from Anderson, an excellent line and length outside off with a snifter of movement; Azhar felt for it and edged it through to Jonny Bairstow.
2nd over: Pakistan 2-0 (Hafeez 2, Ali 0) Stuart Broad, whose series figures aren’t quite so wonderful (56-18-134-2), will bowl to the returning Azhar Ali. Azhar is usually a No3, a fine one too, but we have seen many times that a move from No3 to No2 isn’t always as comfortable as armchair batsmen think. An outstanding temperament is in Azhar’s favour, and he starts by playing out a maiden from Broad. Decent start from both sides.
@100ashesquotes morning Rob, woken by a lizard scratching my carpet and thought I would tune in. Great to have you on the OBO, bad toss mind
1st over: Pakistan 2-0 (Hafeez 2, Ali 0) James Anderson, whose series figures are pretty wonderful (67-22-134-7), will open the bowling to Mohammad Hafeez. There’s a packed
house slip cordon, and a delay after just one ball because of a hole in the sightscreen. It is eventually filled with – and you’ll like this – emergency toilet roll, and the match can resume.
Hafeez leans pleasantly into the third delivery from Anderson, driving it for a couple, and is then beaten by a nice fifth-stump line. No real swing or seam for Anderson in that over, though.
The key for England is surely to stay in the game for as long as possible, match Pakistan’s first-innings total – be it 550 or 300 – and then hope the pressure of the third innings, which can be so asphyxiating to modern batsmen, will tell.
Sixth toss in a row goes Misbah's way and Pakistan have now won 17 of their last 21 in all formats #flippinggenius
Lose toss does not mean lose game. Too much of it in the mind rather than the pitch .
Pakistan have brought Rahat Ali in for the injured Imran Khan, while Azhar Ali replaces Shan Masood, Jimmy Anderson’s bunny. Misbah, cricket’s answer to Jeffrey Lebowski, says he doesn’t think the pitch will turn enough to play three spinners.
Alastair Cook disagrees, though he says it was a tough decision between Samit Patel and Liam Plunkett, particularly in view of how well the seamers have done in the first two Tests. It’s a brave decision, because it invites criticism should it go wrong. It would have been a more than useful toss to win.
Ach! The rueful look on Alastair Cook’s coupon as the coin landed was priceless. He has an admirably humorous outlook on captaincy these days.
Urgent message Dear higher power, if you have any influence over these things, please let England win the toss.
A video to pass the time Lose yourself in the genius of Pakistan’s first great spinner.
Samit Patel has been preferred to Liam Plunkett, which suggests a bowl of dust in Sharjah. So England will go into the side with spin triplets: Patel, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid. I wonder how Zafir Ansari feels right now.
Samit eng best player of spin in India Odis couple of years back
Match day morning. Weather as usual. Pitch? Who knows but doesn't sound too special. Teams? Bit of a quandary with the bowling therefore.
Morning. Thereis a compelling argument that
I’m far too old to be getting up at 4am on a Sunday
if England draw this series, it would be a greater achievement than winning the Ashes in the summer. It has rarely been harder to succeed away from home in Test cricket, and a par score for this series would probably have been Pakistan 2-0 England.
That is still the likeliest scenario, because that wonderful quadragenarian Misbah-ul-Haq and his motley crew are such formidable opposition in the UAE. But this young England side can be justly pleased with how they have played for 29/30ths of the series (the 30th being that morning session on day three of the second Test) – especially as they lost both tosses and have been over-reliant of a few players. If they can address both of those issues, a feelgood victory is a possibility.
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