- Pakistan reached 142-4 on day one of the Boxing Day Test
- Rain forced an end to the day’s play after just 50.5 overs
I think that’s about enough from me for today. This blog will be up and running from 9.30am tomorrow, hopefully we’ll catch you then.
What a peculiar day. It hardly feels as though the match has advanced at all, thanks to the rain, Pakistan’s discipline during the opening session, and Jackson Bird’s line and length in the afternoon. In amongst that we’ve had the news of Mark Nicholas’ illness, of which there have been no further updates since 16.00 below.
Still, Australia will return tomorrow the happier of the two sides, especially after losing the toss.
Play will begin at 10am local time tomorrow in the first stage of a bid to make up 28 of the lost 39 overs.
The umpires have pulled up stumps on the first day of the Boxing Day Test.
Andy Roberts in FNQ has pointed out a flaw in my composite Ashes XI (see 16.08) - I’m sure there are plenty, if more of you want to join in.
“How could you have Cook in a composite 11? Perhaps the only opener ever who can’t play a genuine pace delivery. He should think himself fortunate to make a composite 22.”
C9’s intel on the rain is enough for them to cut to a half-hour news broadcast. That will take us through to 5pm and 30-minutes from the close of play. It now seems increasingly unlikely there will be any further action.
In case you were wondering, Channel Nine are going with a crowd pleaser to keep bums on sofas during the rain delay.
Hobart 1999: the only Australia-Pakistan rain delay tape in existence. #AusvPak
Inclement weather continues to interfere with play, now 30 minutes after the evening session was supposed to begin. The bulk of the band of rain has passed over the MCG but there’s still plenty on the radar heading its way so a resumption is unlikely any time soon.
England / Australia XI
Some shameless rain delay filler to help pass the time, prompted by Andrew Benton’s tweet below (15.33).
Rain continues to fall here at the MCG. We will have an update on any resumption of play as soon as it is available. #AusvPak
In case you missed it earlier, Channel Nine anchor Mark Nicholas has been taken to hospital with abdominal pain.
During the tea interval Michael Slater commented:
“Normally Mark Nicholas would be sitting here at this time of the day. Just to let you know, he’s fallen ill with abdominal pains and he’s been taken to hospital for testing. I’m aware it is out there online. So we will keep you up-to-date with the latest news when we receive it. So we wish him well.”
Related: Cricket commentator Mark Nicholas rushed to hospital from Boxing Day Test
Pakistan at the fall of the fourth wicket since Eng (most recent first): 125, 165, 48, 199, 51, 93, 56, 48, 150, NA, 304, 93, NA. #AusvPak
@JPHowcroft Getting much-needed Boxing Day test-following practice in prep for Ashes 2017. There will be a Boxing Day test, won't there?
There sure will Andrew. Right now, who would be favourites?
Related: Maiden Ashes day-night Test confirmed for Adelaide in December 2017
MCG crowd, 2nd session: 61,648
Day 1 crowd v Pak, 2004: 61552
Day 1 crowd v Pak, 2009: 59222#AusvPak
Weather update:
Michael Clarke has spoken to the MCG groundsman and he expects the delay to last around another 30-60 minutes. It’s gone from drizzle to rain in Jolimont but there’s a decent breeze pushing this band of rain across Melbourne.
The latest Mark Nicholas news:
Related: Cricket commentator Mark Nicholas rushed to hospital from Boxing Day Test
The extended tea break gives me plenty of time for my customary whinge. Even allowing for the five or so minutes lost to rain only 50.5 overs were bowled in the two sessions, almost ten overs short of what should be expected - and that’s with Nathan Lyon sending down 11 overs of spin.
Thanks Russell, and with the timing of a Chris Martin cover drive I have arrived as a band of rain sweeps across Melbourne. There was only light drizzle at the MCG in the run to tea but the weather radar is indicating there’s plenty more where that came from, so the interval is likely to last longer than scheduled.
I’ll keep you posted, but don’t gulp down your cuppa unnecessarily.
That appears to be tea on day one at the MCG
And the Pakistan pair were understandably eager to get off the ground. They’re 142-4 at this point after the loss of Sami Aslam (9), Babar Azam (23), Younus Khan (21) and Misbah-ul-Haq (11), though opener Azhar Ali remains on a determined 66. Australia didn’t always bowl brilliantly but at least one bowler was firing at any one time, and all of Jackson Bird, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon has had their moments.
51st over: Pakistan 142-4 (Azhar 66, Shafiq 4)
He didn’t have much of an idea where it was going, but Azhar sends another edge through the vacant third slip region off Bird to pick up four, but well and truly has the upper hand a ball later when he smartly clips a straight one through mid-wicket for the same result as the mizzle still falls across the MCG. With that the umpires call a halt to play, 11 minutes before the scheduled tea break, so that ground staff can lay out the covers. Hopefully it passes.
50th over: Pakistan 134-4 (Azhar 58, Shafiq 4)
The crowd favourite is dispatched with now and we’ll have one more spell from Mitchell Starc, who almost claims an edge when Shafiq dangles his bat outside off for no good reason. Just an update re the Mark Nicholas situation, here is an update from his employer, Channel Nine: “During a break today, Mark Nicholas had some abdominal pains. He has gone to hospital for appropriate checks.” We’ll have more information on that when it’s available.
49th over: Pakistan 130-4 (Azhar 58, Shafiq 0)
Jackson Bird continues with penetration and draws a false stroke from Azhar this time when the Pakistani opener is squared up, sending an edge past second slip and out to the rope at third man. “Due to wet weather, watch your step to stay safe,” the scoreboard says. It might be a message for Azhar.
48th over: Pakistan 126-4 (Azhar 54, Shafiq 0)
The other thing you should know is that light rain is falling at the MCG, though not enough to send the players off at this point. A single to Azhar is the only damage in this Nathan Lyon over.
47th over: Pakistan 125-4 (Azhar 53, Shafiq 0)
Brisbane hero Asad Shafiq saunters to the crease now and he’s got a decent amount of work in front of him as Bird continues Australia’s momentum. The new batsman leaves outside off stump to end the over, which was a good one for the home side. Bird has 2-41 from 14 overs after a middling start and his side is in the box seat on day one.
Bird strikes again! The umpires refer it to make sure, but Nic Maddinson has taken a gem at short leg, diving forward and just managing to get his fingers underneath the ball after Misbah sent an inside edge deflecting off his body towards the man in close. The Pakistan captain is gone!
46th over: Pakistan 121-3 (Azhar 53, Misbah 7)
We’re a little over half an hour from tea now and with that last wicket Australia has slowed things down, and Nathan Lyon musters a maiden here to maintain the pressure. In less pleasant news, Channel Nine commentator Mark Nicholas has been rushed to hospital. More information on that as it’s at hand.
45th over: Pakistan 121-3 (Azhar 53, Misbah 7)
All of a sudden J-Bird is decking them back in to Azhar and causing all sorts of trouble for the batsman. Azhar pinches a single from the final delivery but it’s a testing over from Bird, who is making the ball talk in his last few overs.
44th over: Pakistan 120-3 (Azhar 52, Misbah 7)
Well that’s one way to get off the mark. Misbah is squared up horribly by Lyon at the start of this over, which prompts the arrival of Nic Maddinson at silly point, but soon after the Pakistan skipper gets down the pitch and lofts the spinner over the rope at cow corner. Six! Further punishment awaits Australia when he sweeps the next one straight into the back of Peter Handscomb at short leg. Ouch.
43rd over: Pakistan 111-3 (Azhar 50, Misbah 0)
In all that kerfuffle I missed an update on the Lyon over prior but in it, moments before the wicket, there was a different kind of milestone. It seemed a little longer than 93 deliveries, because he’s worked the ball around and nothing more, but Azhar Ali brought up his half-century with a single off Lyon. It took 189 minutes and featured only one boundary, but it’s been a gem of an innings for his side and it also brings up his 1,000th run for the calendar year. Bird’s over ends up a wicket maiden as Misbah finds his feet.
Bird strikes! Just when I’d written him off, and completely against the mood of the hour, Bird gets a full one through the defences of Younus and strikes. The Pakistan veteran is furious with himself for failing to protect his stumps there and rightly so.
41st over: Pakistan 109-2 (Azhar 49, Younus 20)
Jackson Bird is running into a decent breeze at the moment but he’s also not doing himself many favours bowling half-volleys to Younus Khan, so can have no grievance when he’s duly belted to the fence. Bird’s cranking it up around the 133kmph mark but to give you an idea of this pitch, Matthew Wade is not standing back drastically but still takes the ball around his ankles. It’s just dying off the deck.
40th over: Pakistan 105-2 (Azhar 49, Younus 16)
Azhar and Younus wisely seize some ascendancy here, blocking out the crowd and quietly going about the task of knocking Lyon off his line. Only six runs come from the over but they’re forcing the issue a little and refusing to let Lyon settle into a groove. Smart. With that, drinks are out on the ground and a decent post-lunch consolidation is under way.
39th over: Pakistan 99-2 (Azhar 47, Younus 12)
Right on cue, Jackson Bird produces his best delivery of the day, jagging one back off the seam and almost catching Younus in front. Only height saved him.
38th over: Pakistan 93-2 (Azhar 44, Younus 9)
Now Nathan Lyon is back, joy of joys. His first spell brought 1-21 from five overs and continued his gradual ascent to the status of genuine cult hero, which is odd to say of a man with 220 Test wickets to his name. Now, while Azhar is on strike, the Melbourne crowd greets every delivery as though it’s a hat-trick ball. It’s a bit barmy and a bit brilliant.
37th over: Pakistan 90-2 (Azhar 43, Younus 7)
A feeling I can’t escape this summer is that Jackson Bird seems a far better bowler when he’s out of this XI than when he’s in it. He’s as quick as McGrath, as diligent as Kaspa and as resilient as Andy Bichel, but I can’t escape the feeling that Test batsmen are often pretty happy to be facing him. Harsh? This over costs just a single to Younus. Bird will probably take a hat-trick in his next over, now that I’ve said all this.
36th over: Pakistan 89-2 (Azhar 43, Younus 6)
Another maiden from Hazlewood, who does concede a leg bye but now has 1-15 from 14 typically stingy overs. Azhar Ali? He possibly should have made our Guardian team of the year, I reckon. I can’t complain myself as I did vote for David Warner instead, but he’s been superb all year and no less so today.
35th over: Pakistan 88-2 (Azhar 43, Younus 6)
The levee finally breaks as Azhar goes after Bird, turning four wide of fine leg to start the over then clips three through point – which is met by chants of “SKOL! SKOL! SKOL!” in Bay 13. Younus gets in on the act too, at least with regards to the batting part, picking up three of his own. That was expensive from Bird, who hasn’t exactly inspired me to verse so far. Or Bird-song? Anyway, he’s not bowling very well.
34th over: Pakistan 78-2 (Azhar 36, Younus 3)
Josh Hazlewood starts this over at 130kmph and moves through the gears in a manner that can be traced by the gradually increasing speed of each delivery, which tops out at 138kmph. There’s another single to Azhar but nothing much else on offer for slightly restless fans.
33rd over: Pakistan 77-2 (Azhar 35, Younus 3)
Mitchell Starc’s second spell is done so Jackson Bird returns for another go. Starc has 0-21 from 10 overs but found no fortune on this surface. Azhar seizes upon a straight one first up to turn three runs through mid-wicket, but Bird is a little sharper thereafter and there’s no further damage to the scoreboard.
32nd over: Pakistan 74-2 (Azhar 32, Younus 3)
The lbw drama done with, Younus resets the clock on his innings and and sees off the rest of the Hazlewood over without incident. Unlike in the crowd...
And missing by a long way. The Pakistan portion of the crowd erupts in raucous cheering and Younus quite rightly lives to fight another day. Perhaps not Ian Gould’s finest moment.
Josh Hazlewood strikes! But Pakistan almost immediately call for a review. Was it fading away down leg? Maybe.
31st over: Pakistan 73-2 (Azhar 31, Younus 3)
Is it a little annoying to have to place your bowling marker in the middle of a painted advertising space, as fast bowlers now do? I’d imagine so. Mike Selvey once told me a nice story about walking up and observing the perfect arc of footprints Dennis Lillee left on his approach on a dewy morning when he played for Northamptonshire. Mitchell Starc’s only chance of repeating the feature here is if he treads black paint all over the green portion of his approach. These are the things you don’t get time to ponder in a T20 game.
30th over: Pakistan 72-2 (Azhar 30, Younus 3)
Hazlewood isn’t quite nailing the consistent line and length we saw in the first session but even slightly off the mark, he’s more accurate than most pacemen. Azhar works him to mid-wicket for a single and Younus sees off the rest, leaving the last delivery with a real flourish. Not Trescothick-level leaving, but still approximately as good to watch as most batsmen playing an actual shot.
29th over: Pakistan 71-2 (Azhar 29, Younus 3)
Starc gets a look at Younus now and somewhat predictably tests him out with a couple of short balls, to which the veteran swivels his head out of the way with an ease that belies their venom. I’ll tell you something else for free (and don’t tell me this is a humblebrag because I’ve sat on it for 29 overs): Wasim Akram sat down behind me before the first over of the day, and for at least five minutes I had to steel myself and avoid pestering him about reverse swing. Or this:
Another word from our generous corporate partners. #AUSvPAKpic.twitter.com/Lng2JZdCfO
28th over: Pakistan 71-2 (Azhar 29, Younus 3)
No surprises as Josh Hazlewood pairs with Starc after the break but with somewhat more novelty, he’s worked effortlessly through point by Younus, who gets off the mark with two and then works a single to leg a ball later. It’s actually singles galore in this over, relatively speaking, though one comes from a leg bye. Hazlewood finishes by sending one sailing through the ‘channel’ as though to remind himself of his modus operandi.
No offence, but if Azhar could get out so Younus and Misbah could bat together for a day and a half, that’d be great. Thx. #nooffencebut
27th over: Pakistan 66-2 (Azhar 28, Younus 0)
Younus Khan is the new man at the crease for the tourists as play resumes but it’s Azhar Ali who is tasked with facing Mitchell Starc to start with. Azhar tucks a couple of runs behind square leg to get going and a few balls later Starc unleashes a wild bouncer, which spears away down the leg side and rockets to the fence. Its four byes but only the hardest marker in the world would blame Matthew Wade for that one. He’s not Inspector Gadget.
The MCG crowd
...is a little better than I assumed.
Lunch Time Crowd at MCG: 57,098#AusvPak
Another fastest bowler entry
And this one comes from Phil Withall. “It may just of been a matter of perspective but for me Courtney Walsh bowling in the fourth test of West Indies 1986 tour of England,” he says. “I was watching him from a side on seat at Headingley and don’t think I managed to follow a single delivery. It was an unrelenting barrage of fast bowling from a bowler and a bowling attack of incredible potency.”
Probably not Roy. https://t.co/ewKO5qggkV
The fastest bowler you’ve seen
A contribution now from OBO favourite Robert McLiam Wilson. “Re: the quickest bowler seen. I dunno about in the flesh but there was a Brett Lee in-seamer ball that nabbed Flintoff in the 2005 Ashes (the Oval, I think) that Freddie couldn’t have played if he had had a hundred goes at it and a laser pen pre-marking its trajectory. It was stupidly fast. Lee looked almost embarrassed.”
Apparently this is a thing
Channel nine banging out Faith as we go to lunch! George Michael a renowned cricket fan.
That was most unfortunate for Babar and Pakistan but on the balance of things, you’d say Hazlewood deserved nothing less. He’s got 1-8 from eight high quality overs, while Nathan Lyon nipped out Sami Aslam in his first over and ends the session with 1-21 from five overs. Advantage Australia? Probably. They didn’t nail everything in that session but will be far happier with two wickets than one. I, on the other hand, might buzz off for ten minutes to grab a sandwich. Back soon with more.
Hazlewood strikes from the final delivery of the session! And what fortune for Australia as Babar pushes forward and sends a low edge to Steve Smith at second slip. Replays reveal Smith took it with a Skill-tester still claw action. I’ve no idea how he held it but that he did and Pakistan have suffered a disastrous end to an otherwise steady session.
There was a bit of drama earlier in the over as Azhar backed away from the crease only moments before Hazlewood delivered the ball, apparently due to a blowfly distracting him. That seemed fair enough, but Ian Gould called the batsmen in for a quick lecture regardless and Hazlewood was further chagrined further when Azhar pushed three runs through cover a ball later. But it works out for him, for it puts Babar on strike and the luckless paceman finally gets a deserved wicket.
25th over: Pakistan 57-1 (Azhar 23, Babar 23)
Babar gets moving again, punching Starc through mid-off to pick up three and giving the crowd something to do bar the Mexican wave that now sweeps around the ground. It’s not that boring, surely? Also, the sky has darkened to the extent that the lights are now on before lunch at the MCG. Starc produces an absolute snorter to finish the over; it almost literally glances Babar’s nose.
24th over: Pakistan 53-1 (Azhar 22, Babar 20)
Awkward times here for Azhar as he leaves the periscope up in the act of ducking under a Hazlewood bouncer. He was lucky that no contact with the ball ensued; the bat was just dangling out there as a target. Nine are currently showing footage of Rod Marsh bowling to Sarfraz Nawaz. I have no idea why but approve wholeheartedly, whatever the reason. It’s another maiden for Hazlewood, who again finishes it scratching away at the surface with his foot like an angry cartoon bull.
23rd over: Pakistan 53-1 (Azhar 22, Babar 20)
Babar flirts with danger here, opening the face of his bat and gliding Starc perilously close to the diving man at gully. Handscomb, it looks like. Anyway, he gets four for it so it annoys Starc even more. Starc has 0-14 from six overs as this one ends, but he’s hardly setting the world on fire today.
Bunch of lads with flag capes on pile out of a limo with The Horses playing, "Nice Garry" on their shirts. Welcome to Boxing Day. #AUSvPAKpic.twitter.com/PISG98v656
22nd over: Pakistan 46-1 (Azhar 21, Babar 14)
The weather is turning just a little bit murky now; the wind is swirling about and the clouds blocking out the sun aren’t the soft, white fluffy ones of earlier. Hopefully we avoid rain but this being Melbourne, it’s a possibility. Josh Hazlewood is back now to replace Lyon and reacts as though he’s just seen his car roll off a cliff when his fourth ball strays towards Azhar’s hip and gets turned for a single. Hazlewood genuinely hates conceding runs of any kind, but particularly when he himself is at fault. That single is the only score of the over but Hazlewood gives the impression he’ll lie awake tonight ruing it.
21st over: Pakistan 45-1 (Azhar 20, Babar 14)
Whisper it quietly but with 25 minutes to go until lunch the tourists are working their way through a mini-consolidation period here as Babar immediately finds his feet. Mitchell Starc is still steaming in with plenty of energy but it isn’t translating into chances for now, so he fires down a fairly petulant bouncer that Matthew Wade does well to reel in.
20th over: Pakistan 44-1 (Azhar 19, Babar 14)
Smith persists with the two men in close and himself at slip for Lyon, whose trajectory is perhaps a little flat at the start of this over. Azhar works a single to leg and sets the scene for Babar to skip down the track and hoist Lyon over cow corner for a boundary, then cuts him in front of point to pick up three, the latter to the horror of Mitchell Starc, who hadn’t banked on a long chase in the field as he catches his breath from his bowling efforts. Babar also works a single and it’s a very productive over from him, placing the onus back on the bowler.
19th over: Pakistan 35-1 (Azhar 17, Babar 7)
Mitchell Starc returns now from the member’s end of the ground after a short, sharp, three-over spell earlier. Azhar almost perishes chopping one onto his stumps but picks up one to the groans of the Australian cordon. That’s the only drama of a neat and tidy over from Starc.
18th over: Pakistan 34-1 (Azhar 16, Babar 7)
Azhar works Lyon for two to start the over but has a less convincing moment when he turns one to leg and almost gets snaffled by Peter Handscomb, who had only a fraction of a second to react as the ball glanced his hand and trickled away through his legs. Lucky for Azhar.
17th over: Pakistan 31-1 (Azhar 13, Babar 7)
Bang! Babar gets forward to Jackson Bird and punches a handsome drive through the gap to pick up four runs. It’s pretty tame stuff from the Tasmanian until his penultimate delivery, which rears up off the pitch and flashes past the edge to take everybody by surprise.
16th over: Pakistan 27-1 (Azhar 13, Babar 3)
If he’s not casting a spell over the Pakistani batsmen right now, Nathan Lyon is at least a street busker (Pan pipes? Definitively not breakdancing or flame-swallowing) keeping their attention. There are two more runs for Azhar in this over and a slightly shaky moment between the wickets, but he’s mostly calm against the off-spinner.
15th over: Pakistan 25-1 (Azhar 11, Babar 3)
I’m currently sitting at an elevated position behind Bird as he works his way in – perfect to appraise the slight halt he does a few steps into his approach. Surely a coach attempted to iron that out at some point but the loss of momentum doesn’t seem to bother him too much. Reader Anthony Smyth, meanwhile, is not too happy with the pitch. “Can someone find the curator and shoot him? An hour gone and we already enduring off spin? It’s a day 3 pitch at best. This is just crap.”
14th over: Pakistan 24-1 (Azhar 10, Babar 3)
Nathan Lyon starts after drinks, coming over the wicket to the right-handed Azhar, who has men crowding him in at short leg and silly point as Lyon suddenly seems an irresistable force. After a single to Azhar, Babar gets off the mark in truly unconvincing style when he edges one past a diving Smith at first slip. Time for a second? The crowd would love it. Go on, Smudge.
13th over: Pakistan 19-1 (Azhar 8, Babar 0)
Jackson Bird continues with his dot balls and reader Phil Withall arrives with a far from relaxed first dispatch. He’s going Steve Smith already! “As you seem to be alone this morning I thought I’d ask a question,” says Phil. “Is Steve Smith a captain of limited resources or a captain being hampered by limited resources? I’m tending to lean towards the former of the two.” Well he’s got at his disposal the greatest off-spin bowler the world has ever seen, if you take this MCG crowd as a decent sample of cricket fans. How can he lose?
12th over: Pakistan 18-1 (Azhar 7, Babar 0)
What a turnaround this is for Nathan Lyon. All summer he’s faced calls for his head and didn’t always seem to have the backing of the Australian hierarchy. He would have been replaced if not for an injury to his New South Wales team-mate Steve O’Keefe, but now he’s become an entire nation’s glorious, living meme, inspiring chants and rallying the cricket public behind him.
Pandemonium at the MCG! Lyon strikes and in the seconds preceding his dismissal of Sami Aslam, the MCG crowd had risen as one to cheer the off-spinner. He drifts one down outside off stump, Aslam prods forward and after a deflection past Matthew Wade, Smith takes the easy chance at slip. The crowd is going berserk! They’ve chanted his name, they’ve stamped their feet, and now they high-five each other as Lyon’s team-mates swamp him!
11th over: Pakistan 16-0 (Aslam 8, Azhar 6)
Jackson Bird keeps plugging away in this third over of his but his efforts become something of a sideshow when Nathan Lyon starts warming up and the crowd on nearly the entire southern side of the ground starts a chant of “GAAAAAARRRRRYYYYYY!!!! GAAAAAARRRRRRYYYYY!!!” Bit harsh on Bird. It’s a decent enough over and a maiden. Sure enough, it finishes with Nathan Lyon removing his cap and the crowd goes bananas again.
10th over: Pakistan 16-0 (Aslam 8, Azhar 6)
Josh Hazlewood returns for a fifth over and comes around the wicket to Sami Aslam, forcing him to weave out the way of a bouncer with his fourth delivery. It’s slow going for Pakistan at the moment but both batsmen are applying themselves wonderfully to the task and know there is reward for surviving the early barrage in energy-sapping heat like this.
9th over: Pakistan 16-0 (Aslam 8, Azhar 6)
As Jackson Bird continues, reader John Davis appears with an early topic of conversation. “At the end of the (British) summer I was lucky enough to see the first Sri Lanka-Australia ODI in Colombo,” he says. “I’ve seen a fair few quicks, but Mitchell Starc took my breath away. Even the Malinga fans behind me were pretty impressed. Who was the quickest you’ve ever seen live?”
8th over: Pakistan 15-0 (Aslam 7, Azhar 6)
Hazlewood continues from the southern end so there’s no change of ends for Starc, at least not immediately. The New South Welshman sends down a probing bouncer with his third delivery, one that forces Sami Aslam to duck down like he’s bobbing for apples. Off the final delivery of the over he sets off for a kamikaze single and nearly burns his partner in the process. Hoo boy Azhar was well out of his ground as the underarm throw came in from Nathan Lyon but he misses, so Pakistan survive the over unscathed. You have to put that down as a missed chance for Australia. Lyon was close to the stumps but his throw was far too high.
7th over: Pakistan 14-0 (Aslam 6, Azhar 6)
Hmm, turns out I was optimistic about Starc’s chances of a few more overs. Or perhaps he’s going to change ends. Either way, Jackson Bird appears now for his first over and he’s winding his way in to Sami Aslam. He’s a little fuller than he should be and transgresses with a no ball, though Aslam fails to cash in when he drives straight to mid-on. There follows a throaty lbw shout, which is turned down by umpire Sundaram Ravi. Bird eventually pays for overpitching when Aslam leans into a neat, compact cover drive, which rockets away to the fence. He’s a study of patient application so far.
6th over: Pakistan 8-0 (Aslam 2, Azhar 6)
Josh Hazlewood has been his usual metronomic self this morning, though he’s far too rugged and muscular in his efforts to be called robotic; he just keeps hitting the same line and length over and over, meaning Azhar is content watch and defend. It’s another maiden, and Hazlewood reflexively scratches at the crease again at its conclusion. Crowd watch: the upper tier is mostly empty, save for a thousand or so behind the bowler’s arm on the souther side of the ground.
5th over: Pakistan 8-0 (Aslam 2, Azhar 6)
Starc is right on the money here to Sami Aslam, who still hasn’t scored as the over starts, but relieves the pressure by angling one onto his hip and allowing the harried batsman to turn a couple of welcome runs down to fine leg. Those are the only runs of the over and Starcis flanked by Matthew Wade, Nathan Lyon and another team-mate as he walks back towards his mark, perhaps receiving a pep talk to keep up his current intensity. He’ll have two more overs in this spell, you’d assume.
4th over: Pakistan 6-0 (Aslam 0, Azhar 6)
Hazlewood starts his second over utterly convinced he’s trapped Azhar in front when the right-hander lets the ball clip his front bat as he fails to offer a shot, but Steve Smith decides against a review. Smart, as replays show. It was hitting the the pad outside the line of off stump. Azhar defends stoutly thereafter to see off a maiden.
3rd over: Pakistan 6-0 (Aslam 0, Azhar 6)
Stiff luck here for Starc as he absolutely monsters Azhar with a yorker but somehow, in the act of jamming it out, the batsman manages to get three down to long-on. The outfield is lightning fast and Azhar’s reflexes are just as quick to keep that one out. Starc takes his frustrations out on Sami Aslam, roughing him up a little with a short one and then wandering down the pitch to give him a bit of a spray. Calm down Mitch, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
2nd over: Pakistan 3-0 (Aslam 0, Azhar 3)
Josh Hazlewood tears in from the Southern Stand end now and his fourth ball is worked through mid-wicket as Azhar picks up the first three runs of the Test. The paceman is dripping with sweat already because in addition to the heat, the sun is beating down on the MCG. It’s a tidy enough over by Hazlewood but he ends it muttering and scraping away with his boot at his landing spot.
1st over: Pakistan 0-0 (Aslam 0, Azhar 0)
And we’re under way in the Boxing Day Test as Mitchell Starc steams in from the member’s end of the ground and strays onto Sami Aslam’s hip with his first delivery. Aslam is forward and defending thereafter as Starc gets his line right with a couple of follow-ups. It’s a maiden in the end and Starc’s last lifts appreciably, forcing Matthew Wade to take it awkwardly at head height.
We’re moments from the first ball now
...and it would be remiss of me not to mention the sad passing of George Michael. OK OK, I just want to blast out Freedom! ‘90, I’ll admit. Enjoy.
The anthems are under way
And we’re five minutes from play as a decent applause breaks out across the ground. The crowd is still far from imposing but that’s perhaps due to beefed-up security and bag checks at the gates. Or maybe they’re still packing their leftover ham and turkey.
A little more on the coin toss
The coin was tossed by Faith Thomas, the first Aboriginal woman to be picked in any national sporting team. I spoke with her last week about her life in nursing and the short, wonderful interlude that was her Test cricket career, which began and ended in 1958. She bowled lightning fast off a long run and her technique, she says, was developed “chuckin’ rocks at Galahs”. More on that below.
Related: Aboriginal cricket pioneer Faith Thomas: 'I'm still the fastest woman bowler ever'
Another important update
Brisbane of course had its decadent swimming pool, but Melbourne – the supposed Australian home of hipster cafe culture has...an awkward-looking platform with some picnic tables on it, all plastered with the logos of major bank. It’s like asking Father Christmas for a pair of Air Jordans and receiving some Aerosports. Dismal. Hopefully things improve from here.
An early highlight
...well, it is if the vision matches the text. It appears Glenn Maxwell is reading some kind of public announcement up on the scoreboard regarding the ICC code of conduct. Poor Glenn. I wish his involvement today was a little more extensive. He seems to have nailed his lines regardless. I can’t lip read, but I don’t think he said anything about Matthew Wade’s batting.
In fact it is Sohail Khan who comes in to replace Rahat Ali, and that is the only change named by Misbah after he wins the toss. Steve Smith is soon talking up a “little bit of grass” in the MCG deck but does so with a slight smirk. I think he would have batted. For coin enthusiasts, the 50 cent piece used for the toss featured a portrait of Richie Benaud, who definitely would have batted.
Australia: Warner, Renshaw, Khawaja, Smith, Handscomb, Maddinson, Wade, Starc, Hazlewood, Lyon, Bird.
Pakistan have won the toss and will bat first #AUSvPAKpic.twitter.com/ls56yhW1Bp
Preamble
Hello all and welcome to the Boxing Day Test, coming to you live from the MCG, where I’m currently watching well in excess of 50 people faffing about in the centre of the ground. So far there are more of them out there than in the stands, but we should be looking at the standard bumper day one crowd in Melbourne.
Russell will be here shortly. In the meantime, check out his lovely feature from yesterday on the sad closure of Lachlan Fisher’s cricket bat workshop in Kingsville, a short journey west of the MCG.
Related: Melbourne’s last great independent cricket bat-maker closes up shop | Russell Jackson
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