- Pakistan 126-2 in reply to Australia’s first innings of 538-8 at the SCG
- Azhar Ali and Younus Khan start rescue mission after early wickets
A day for Australia, no doubt, though Pakistan’s current pair fought back well through that wicketless last session. Australia started at 365 for 3, with Renshaw and Handscomb at the crease. The former fell 16 short of a possible double hundred that would have made him one of the youngest to record the feat, but that was the only wicket to fall before lunch. The latter went on to make his second Test century before late-cutting his own stumps for 110.
It was one of those rare cases where third umpire adjudication is required to decide whether someone is bowled. Eventually the footage showed there was slight contact between bat and stump. “I probably would have been alright if it wasn’t for Spidercam,” Handscomb says ruefully on ABC radio. “I heard something but I didn’t feel it on the bat. Looked around and there’s a bail on the ground, which isn’t ideal.”
Related: Sydney Test: Azhar and Younus fight back after Australia pile on the runs
41st over: Pakistan 126-2 (Azhar 58, Younus 64)
Last over of the day. Hazlewood again. I think Smith has missed a trick here, his fast bowler is far from at his best. But perhaps there’s no other obvious candidate, if Starc is tired and O’Keefe hasn’t produced much danger. Hazlewood bowls too straight, and Azhar goes twice through square leg, once for a couple of runs, then again, hard and perfectly middled, in the air but safely into a large open field for four. Nice way to see off the second-last ball of the day.
40th over: Pakistan 120-2 (Azhar 52, Younus 64)
Drop! So nearly a late wicket, out of nothing, against the run of play. That would have filled the Australians with encouragement tonight, but Warner is going the wrong way at leg slip. Azhar saw Lyon’s line going down leg and glanced it away. Warner saw the shape of the shot and leaned to his left. It came much finer to his right, and by the time he saw that, hsi weight was too far the wrong way. He straightened his crouching right leg, threw his hand out, but could only palm it into the grass. Azhar is suitably unfazed to work a single to midwicket a few balls later.
39th over: Pakistan 118-2 (Azhar 51, Younus 63)
By now Azhar is prepared to milk Hazlewood. And he does it well, a couple through midwicket from the straighter ball, thenopening the face outside off to drive three more runs and raise a fifty from 110 balls. Younus produces a similar shot for the same number of runs, and the over costs eight.
38th over: Pakistan 110-2 (Azhar 46, Younus 60)
A couple more overs to go. Lyon to Younus, who works three runs through fine leg. Azhar blunts one to the leg side. Simon Katich on ABC radio is talking about playing for Croatia in the Mediterranean Premier League. Now that would be a dream for all cricket-loving humans. A Mighty Ducks story with a difference. Here in this game, the Australian bowlers look very ready for the day to be done. There’s no sense of late-session menace.
37th over: Pakistan 106-2 (Azhar 45, Younus 57)
Josh Hazlewood looks tired with only a couple of voers remaining. his pace is down, he just plonking the ball ont the spot. Luckily Azhar is still in a defensive frame of mind, and he’s content just to face it out. ABC Grandstand statistician Ric Finlay says that if Azhar gets to 76, he’ll be the first Pakistani to make 400 in a Test series in Australia.
36th over: Pakistan 106-2 (Azhar 45, Younus 57)
Lyon back. Younus greets his third ball with a perfectly placed sweep. There are two men out but neither can stop it. Nailed that one, he’s up and running now, and has raced past Azhar’s score. But the lights are coming on and the clouds are growing gloomy.
35th over: Pakistan 102-2 (Azhar 45, Younus 53)
Crack. Starc went very full, and Younus utterly nailed that. It went straight at Usman Khawaja in the covers, but on the bounce, and at such speed that it flew through the fieldsman’s grasp and away for four. Then another, fifth ball, this one not so full, but Younus strode forward and met it on the up, whacking it away straighter through wide mid-off, before driving a single from the last ball.
34th over: Pakistan 93-2 (Azhar 45, Younus 44)
Another 90-second Steve O’Keefe over, forgive my brevity, but the only result is a Younus single from the final ball. He’s sneaking up behind Azhar Ali like a pantomime villain.
33rd over: Pakistan 92-2 (Azhar 45, Younus 43)
Remember how I was just praising Younus Khan’s maturity, sense, insight, restraint, responsibility and general statesmanlike wisdom against Australia’s most dangerous bowler? Well, he starts this over with the foulest widest slog you can imagine, going for some trash metres outside off without a hint of footwork. Misses it. Thankfully spares himself more strike by getting a single to point, and allows Azhar to play the Murtaugh to Younus’ Riggs when it comes to defusing the over.
32nd over: Pakistan 91-2 (Azhar 45, Younus 42)
Azhar is playing everything to leg, Younus everything through covers. The single comes via the first method, then a couple of runs from the latter. O’Keefe the bowler as Younus drives one more single to raise his 1000th run against Australia.
Some chick just punched a guy on Kiss Cam. #AUSvPAK
31st over: Pakistan 87-2 (Azhar 44, Younus 39)
Starc coming hard in this over, and Younus recognises it. Gets behind the line of the ball and keeps it out. Ducks one. Sensible to know when to survive - that shot in Starc’s last over could easily have gone awry. Maiden.
30th over: Pakistan 86-2 (Azhar 44, Younus 39)
Identical over: O’Keefe around the wicket, Younus sweeps, Azhar mops up. Just the single. The TV heads are talking about India. Shots fired.
Warne just said Mark Waugh was a great player of spin, but just not against India (av 33) or Sri Lanka (24). Smashed Peter Such though.
29th over: Pakistan 86-2 (Azhar 44, Younus 38)
Must be fun times when Hilton and Joel Paris bowl together for Western Australia. Anyway, he’s off now, and the slightly more threatening form of Mitchell Starc comes back. Younus gets a couple of good balls, then reaches out and cracks the square drive away for four, then glances one.
Younis crunches a square drive to move to 37 with Pakistan now trailing by 453 runs #AUSvPAKpic.twitter.com/wUZzRf4uei
28th over: Pakistan 81-2 (Azhar 44, Younus 33)
O’Keefe slows up the scoring, Younus happy to wait four balls for one that looks right, thensweeping a single.
27th over: Pakistan 80-2 (Azhar 44, Younus 32)
“Hey baby, ooh, ahh, I wanna know will you be my girl,” sings a portion of the crowd made up of people who you can only hope don’t have girls, for the respective sakes of those girls.
Serious question: when did David Warner last hit the stumps with a throw? Is it just me, or does he just not hit them very often?
26th over: Pakistan 74-2 (Azhar 38, Younus 32)
More darts from O’Keefe: Younus sweeps one and Azhar flicks one, and we make it to drinks.
Watching O'Keefe bowl, you really realize why commentators encourage Lyon to slow it down #AUSvPAK
25th over: Pakistan 72-2 (Azhar 37, Younus 31)
Younus flicks a single from Cartwright’s first ball as though he’s so disgusted that he can’t bear to face any more. Azhar is happy to: three shots straight to the field, before he finally breaks through. Warner can’t magically appear to save a half-tracker from being belted through square for four.
24th over: Pakistan 67-2 (Azhar 33, Younus 30)
Steve O’Keefe. At last. The stocky left-arm spinner. He starts in his natural manner, around the wicket at leg stump, but moves across to an off-side line after Azhar turns over the strike with a glance. Younus drives a run to mid-off and darts with the shot for another single.
Younis looks solid. Would love to see him get a 50 #AUSvPAK
23rd over: Pakistan 65-2 (Azhar 32, Younus 29)
Another plinky-plonky over from Cartwright, mostly on the leg stump. Azhar bluts a couple, then flicks one. Younus goes under a very slow bouncer. At that speed it was almost embarrassing. Not in the league.
22nd over: Pakistan 64-2 (Azhar 31, Younus 29)
The old one-two punch. Azhar tucks the single square against Lyon, Younish produces another smooth off-drive for four. He’s starting to look really good, Younus. What a difference it would make for Pakistan if one of their leading lights could go past 50 and think about what’s next.
21st over: Pakistan 59-2 (Azhar 30, Younus 25)
Hilton Cartwright. The hotel wagon-builder. The name on at least several people’s lips after a few runs earlier today. Going to have his first bowl now, sensible move by Smith to help ease the debutant into the game early, let his nerves dissipate. Bowls his first ball in Tests down leg, then straightens up. Slow, about 120 kmh. Azhar produces a lovely, back-foot punch, and Warner spares Cartwright from conceding a boundary in his first over by producing a 100-metre sprint and then possibly hte most perect diving save I’ve ever seen. Was lvitating over the ball and flicked it back about an inch from the rope before zooming several more metres and crashing into the fence. Commitment? Yeah, he was married to that save.
Tonight's match against the @StarsBBL is officially SOLD OUT!#ThunderNation#BBL06pic.twitter.com/Hk3QoCMw2a
20th over: Pakistan 56-2 (Azhar 27, Younus 25)
“He came in like a wreeeeeckkking ball,” Miley Cyrus might have sung of Nathan ‘Nathan’ Lyon’s bowling speed. Actually maybe a cannonball would be better. More darts at Azhar, who finds a run via a mis-hit. Last ball though, Younus utterly demolishes a cover drive, against the spin, when Lyon slows it up a bit. That settles the question, doesn’t it? (Nope.)
19th over: Pakistan 51-2 (Azhar 26, Younus 21)
Younus looks in control, in his own weird way. His technique at the best of times does have the appearance of a lobster learning to rollerblade, but when the rest of his game is working then it can be devastatingly, eternally, benumbingly effective. He’s crabbing about to Hazlewood, but covering the line when he needs to defend, and twice goes to the fat side of the ground via the cover drive for doubles. Raises Paistan’s 50. Looks a lovely batting pitch on day two.
18th over: Pakistan 47-2 (Azhar 26, Younus 17)
Lyon still going fast, Younus still waiting back and working his square as he did a billion times in the UAE in November 2014. Made a double and two other centuries in four innings. Two triple-century makers together at the crease right now, in fact.
17th over: Pakistan 46-2 (Azhar 26, Younus 16)
Hazlewood back for his 7th over, and Azhar creams an on-drive but Steve O’Keefe denies him the runs. Azhar should stick to those straight -bat shots though: he tries to pull Hazlewood and isntead gets a bottom edge past his leg stump through to the keeper. Reverts to his strenghts and drives two runs through cover.
Imagine what the Barmy Army must be thinking at home. They're going to beat the Australian equivalent by an innings. #Ashes
16th over: Pakistan 44-2 (Azhar 24, Younus 16)
That’s a better shot! Azhar Ali gets low to Lyon and nails the sweep shot, hard through backward square for four. Lovely stuff. Then a far less orthodox boundary as Younus drives back to the bowler, Lyon picks up in his follow-through and hurls at the stumps. Misses them. Misses Wade.Misses the point. Misses out on a tidier over. Four down through long stop, where as Alison Mitchell observes on ABC radio, “a child in the stands wryly unfuls a Nice Garry banner.”
15th over: Pakistan 34-2 (Azhar 19, Younus 11)
Curious approach from Azhar today. Normally he’s Pakistanman, gobbling up dots for fun. But he’s played a few erratic shots today, as though he’s sick of his teammates relying on his stability. Four dots from Hazlewood carefully negotiated, then Azhar wipes a hook shot at a short ball and top edges it for two runs.
14th over: Pakistan 32-2 (Azhar 17, Younus 11)
Lyon is bowling fast, something he’s been criticised for many times before, but he’s keeping Younus scoreless. A maiden to the spinner. O’Keefe hasn’t been seen since his single exploratory over before lunch.
13th over: Pakistan 32-2 (Azhar 17, Younus 11)
Starc loses his rag - he’s angry when Younus pulls away, then realises that the towel in the waistband of his trousers has fallen out during his approach to the wicket. Azhar has already glanced two runs and nudged one, then Younus goes the other side of the wicket for another single to Warner. Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah.
12th over: Pakistan 28-2 (Azhar 14, Younus 10)
Nice, Garry? How long before we get sick of that catchphrase. No doubt some of us already are. But the roar echoes around the ground as Lyon comes on for his first trundle of the game. The Pakistanis don’t mind, working three singles immediately to the leg side. Comfort zone.
11th over: Pakistan 25-2 (Azhar 12, Younus 9)
Nearly a run out. But Warner so rarely hits the stumps. I know he did to get Rahat Ali in the first innings in Brisbane, but he has a lot of shots for very little contact, given he’s otherwise such a good fieldsman. Younus has been ducking and weaving against Starc, then Azhar tries to bolt down for a single. Younus sends him back, and Azhar was stranded, metres out, but Warner missed from short range by a couple of metres. Could probably even have thrown to the bowler. Two balls later, Younus glides Starc away for four. Looked good superficially, that shot, but still dicey I reckon. All Younus’ weight was on his back foot there, hit front one was lifting, he was off balance, but he reached outside the line of his off stump and made enough contact. I don’t think that was very controlled, even though it ran smoothly away through backward point.
10th over: Pakistan 21-2 (Azhar 12, Younus 5)
Weird old shot from Azhar. After defending a couple of full balls from Hazlewood, he gets a slightly shorter ball outside off and plays a kind of bottom-hand force. Uncontrolled, could have gone anywhere. Didn’t, luckily. A maiden.
9th over: Pakistan 21-2 (Azhar 12, Younus 5)
Not great signs for Younus against Starc early. Over the wicket, left-arm inswing, Starc has the veteran batsman falling over to keep a full ball out, then jumping to defend a short one. Either of those methods are liable to lead to dismissal, missing the full ball or fending the short one to hand. Twice Younus makes contact with the fuller ball and scores two runs square, but it still feels dicey to me.
8th over: Pakistan 17-2 (Azhar 12, Younus 1)
Hazlewood to commence after tea, and in a rare moment he doesn’t find his perfect line immediately. One to Younus is down leg, one is wide of off, another is full and driven for a single. YK, a dodgy starter in this series, is allowed off the mark. Azhar Ali, the obdurate rock on which Pakistan’s batting is now built, lets the rest of the over run off him like rain.
Seriously though, the fact that Handscomb still hasn’t been out in Tests for a score lower than 54 is absurd. If he keeps that up through the India series, he’ll raise Lazarus from the dead.
Let me know your favourite bit of the Test if you like. The contest may not be there as we’d like, but we’ll find some fun in it yet.
Best part of today for me: The Ballad of Peter Handscomb. Nothing better than totally premature talk about batting averages. Adam Voges in our hearts forever. I couldn’t work out how to post this photo because I’m smart, but here’s the Twitter version.
Poor Peter Handscomb. He flew too close to the sun (average 119.66), now it ends in the waves. pic.twitter.com/i754w8GdhY
Wheel wheel wheel. That’s all the Pakistan bowlers could do this morning, while runs stacked up for fun. Then as so often in Test cricket, one team having a merry bat-a-thon is followed by another that can’t string a score together. Thanks Russell, the teller of truth, for that introduction and for taking us through the last two sessions. Geoff with you until stumps. Send me a mail thing or a tweet thing, why not.
7th over: Pakistan 16-2 (Azhar 12, Younus 0)
That is tea on day two. I’m not sure what Nathan Lyon is to make of it but Steve O’Keefe was honoured with the final over of the session in the form of a speculative burst of spin. Azhar was facing and dealt with it well enough, defending his way through to the break. That over down, Pakistan now assess an awful day of cricket that has seen them hammered from pillar to post in the field, then lose two quick wickets in the seven overs available before tea. It doesn’t get much worse. Geoff Lemon will be here soon to take you through until tea. Give him a warm welcome.
6th over: Pakistan 16-2 (Azhar 12, Younus 0)
You can’t keep Azhar Ali down. Now the in-form opener leans into a straight one from Josh Hazlewood and rolls his wrists over a perfectly-timed drive through mid-on, which races away to the fence. If Pakistan are to get close to Australia’s declared first innings total of 538 he might need get 400 of them.
5th over: Pakistan 11-2 (Azhar 7, Younus 0)
Poor Azhar knows a thing or two about playing a lone hand and gets going again after the chaos of Hazlewood’s over to pick up a couple of twos. As all that’s happening, my colleague Pádraig Collins informs me there’s a Twitter account for communist cats. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.
2013/14 was the last time Sharjeel Khan made a first class hundred.
4th over: Pakistan 6-2 (Azhar 2, Younus 0)
I know we drone on endlessly about Mitchell Starc but Josh Hazlewood is Australia’s most valuable Test paceman right now; both strike bowler and master of containment. He’s got four slips in place as Younus takes strike here and the Pakistan veteran gets a big stride in first up to play his forward defence. An over ago Pakistan looked good to reach tea without loss. Now they’re in dire straits.
Babar goes for a fourth ball duck! This is a shambles for Pakistan now. Hazlewood strikes again, nagging away outside the off stump of the new man Babar before angling in a yorker and trapping him plumb in front. He has two wickets in the over!
Sharjeel goes! Of course. One delivery after I say nothing is happening, Josh Hazlewood tempts the debutant forward but not so far that he’s emphatically planting his front foot and playing the shot with conviction. Instead he’s in no man’s land, shuffling a bit before fencing at it and sending a thick edge through to the safe hands of Renshaw. Pakistan have lost an early wicket in a disastrous start to this reply.
3rd over: Pakistan 6-0 (Azhar 2, Sharjeel 4)
There’s a sensational TV replay now of Sharjeel Khan receiving his Pakistan cap at the start of the game – initially it didn’t fit on his head. The japes! Hopefully it’s stretched a little now. Starc continues on to Azhar but he’s finding this SCG surface as lifeless as every bowler who came before him. It’s a maiden, but Pakistan look comfortable enough to see this through the 15 minutes we’ll play before tea.
2nd over: Pakistan 6-0 (Azhar 2, Sharjeel 4)
Bang! A superb start from Sharjeel, who leans into a full one from Josh Hazlewood and drives it straight and splendidly to pick up four runs down the ground. That’s the only damage for the over and Bob Hawke continues his now-annual rite of wowing the nation with his staying power. How mad will Blanche be when he gets home?
Bob Hawke introduced by @jimmaxcricket on @abcgrandstand . "Thanks maaaate." How are you? "Ohh, not bad for an old bloke." Superb. #AUSvPAK
1st over: Pakistan 2-0 (Azhar 2, Sharjeel 0)
Mitch Starc takes the new Kookaburra and sets off with three slips and a gully in place for Azhar, who has been a shining light with the bat on this tour. Will he be a bit worn out from his bowling? He’s immediately off the mark by clipping two to deep square leg when Starc strays onto his legs.
Special moment in the commentary box between two special men. Bob Hawke with Jim Maxwell live on your local ABC. #ausvpak#cricket#pinktestpic.twitter.com/fm8kAZhJeh
That Australian innings in one quick post
A Warner hare act, a Renshaw tortoise act (his team-mates are now calling him “turtle”, apparently) and a Handscomb finishing job. Pakistan? Pretty hopeless save for Wahab and a luckless, wounded Yasir. They’ve got a decent old mountain to climb in this reply, and Azhar Ali now strides to the middle with Sharjeel Khan, whose physique gives us all hope that we could be playing international cricket. Let’s do this.
Starc c sub (Rizwan) b Azhar Ali 12 (Australia declare at 538-8
Australia’s innings ends in appropriately shambolic fashion as Starc skies another attempted six into the deep and Wahab collides with the sub-fielder Rizwan as he moves around to hold a most unusual catch. Wahab is hurt, what’s more. Even when Pakistan are doing things right they’re doing it wrong. But their pain is over in a bowling sense because Steve Smith has called his men in. We’ll have a ten minute changeover then half an hour of bowling before tea.
Azhar Ali finally has a wicket! And I can barely believe it, but Babar Azam has held a catch to get it after Wade skies an attempted slog over cow corner. Miracles never cease to amaze.
134th over: Australia 530-6 (Wade 28, Starc 9)
Wahab is looking for the yorker to remove Starc, but Waqar Younis is bemoaning the “waste” of energy when he’s off target. Waqar Younis arguing against yorkers? Now I really have heard everything, but it’s a decent segue to my favourite ever YouTube clip.
133rd over: Australia 527-6 (Wade 27, Starc 7)
Starc does indeed pick up where he left off at the MCG, clubbing Azhar for a six over long-on. I think I’ve seen this episode before.
132th over: Australia 516-6 (Wade 23, Starc o)
Mitch Starc wanders to the crease now, perhaps hoping to replicate his superb slogging from Melbourne, but almost gets castled by a Wahab yorker first up. Superb bowling. Also, and not to labour the point, but it turns out Bob Hawke did actually skol his beer earlier. What kind of nation are we to be urging an 87-year-old man to do that on a regular basis?
What the?? Peter Handscomb is gone in truly strange circumstances when he steps back and punches Wahab through point for a single but in doing so, dislodges his own bails with the downstroke of his shot. I almost tipped that before. He does get very close to his stumps and perhaps with the fatigue setting in from this brilliant knock, he’s just that fraction sloppier in his movement and pays the price. Just reward for Wahab. He’s bowled better today than he did for two wicket yesterday, and now gets something back for his efforts.
131st over: Australia 511-5 (Handscomb 109, Wade 19)
Does Misbah wish he did retire after Melbourne? Conceding a quick 50-odd to Matthew Wade might do the job. That’s the remaining interest here, but should such runs shore up Wade’s spot for India? I’m really not sure his keeping is up to the required standard, but happy to hear from those who think otherwise.
130th over: Australia 504-5 (Handscomb 106, Wade 15)
Australia are past 500 now as the field spreads and Peter Handscomb sets himself for party time. In the commentary box, Waqar Younis is trying to find new ways of describing the unrelenting indignities unfolding for his countrymen. It’s quite an ask to be honest. He’d probably do a better job of it himself, and he’s nudging his half-century.
129th over: Australia 498-5 (Handscomb 101, Wade 14)
Handscomb gets his ton! What a start to his Test career in these first four games; two half-centuries, two hundreds. He spins around and waves his bat to the crowd after flicking Azhar to mid-wicket and scampering through for a quick one. It’s taken him 195 deliveries and featured nine fours, but I’ll tell you something else: if Pakistan had a man in close on the off side he would have been a goner earlier in the over. As it stands he’s hit three figures again and memories of Adam Voges’ Bradmanesque statistical feats are beginning to fade. From the penultimate delivery of the over he gets fortunate again, skying one to the leg side but smiling as it falls between two fieldsmen. He hasn’t otherwise relied on luck.
128th over: Australia 493-5 (Handscomb 99, Wade 11)
Wahab is back for another burst and Handscomb glides him down to third man to move within a single run of his century. Wade then moves into double figures for the first time since his recall, cheekily walking at Wahab and lathering him through mid-wicket with an insouciant flick of the wrists. Wahab glares at him like he’s just defaced the member’s stand with a can of spray paint.
127th over: Australia 488-5 (Handscomb 98, Wade 7)
Azhar continues with diminishing returns, clubbed through point by Matthew Wade to concede another boundary as the keeper tries to get Handscomb on strike. There’s two more to leg and as all that happens I’m presented with proof that dolphins do indeed play basketball. Related: I’m having one of those self-aware moments where you realise what you actually do for a living.
126th over: Australia 482-5 (Handscomb 98, Wade 1)
Oof. Handscomb takes a huge swing at Imran now but almost gets and edge through to Sarfraz. In the stands, his Mum is watching through her fingers. Michael Clarke says Handscomb reminds him of Stuart Law, but he’s different in one key way; Law’s highest score in Test cricket was an undefeated 54, Handscomb’s lowest completed innings in Tests so far is 54. He drives two to move to 98 and cuts late in pursuit of his ton, but Yasir makes a sharp stop. Final delivery of the over: play and a miss! He’s fishing with another drive but swipes unsuccessfully. Tension.
125th over: Australia 480-5 (Handscomb 96, Wade 1)
I’ve no idea why but Azhar Ali continues to Handscomb, who cuts hard through cover to pick up a single and move closer to his ton. Matthew Wade, on the other hand, is on a bit of a hiding to nothing here. His top score in four innings since he was recalled for his supposedly superior batting is nine. Not great. He turns one to square leg to get off the mark.
124th over: Australia 477-5 (Handscomb 94, Wade 0)
Imran continues with a dot ball to the new man Matthew Wade, and Robert McLiam Wilson arrives with a nomination for the tall leggies club: “Chris Schofield, the two-Test wicketless wonder. A big unit.” Great call. Well, not by the England selectors but a cult hero nonetheless. Reader Damien Clarke, meanwhile, is calling bullshit on Bob’s Animalia riff from before: “Dolphins like basketball? You’d think they’d avoid any sport with a net involved.”
Imran strikes! Finally he gets reward, angling one in through the gate as Cartwright gets a little loose with his forward prod. It was a decent enough knock from the debutant, though he was granted two lives before that irreversible downfall. Imran’s worked it out; you’ve got to get the job done yourself if you want a wicket today.
123rd over: Australia 476-4 (Handscomb 93, Cartwright 37)
Ian Chappell and I appear to be on the same wavelength at least with regards to that Kumble thing a few overs back; Nine are now playing a split screen of the Indian great next to Azhar Ali and the similarities are remarkable. It’s a funny thing that has happened in this generation of cricket, actually; David Warner’s part-time leg-spin is nothing other than a direct impersonation of Shane Warne’s action. Right on cue, Warne says Warner should be working on his tweakers, saying they show promise. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I guess.
122nd over: Australia 475-4 (Handscomb 92, Cartwright 37)
Clang! Peter Handscomb is into the 90s now as Imran gives him some width to clatter a square drive through point for four, and he glides a single down to third man to hand Cartwright the strike. He sees off the rest of the over as Pakistan continue to look utterly bereft of energy and ideas. Once both of these batsmen are past their respective milestones this could get real ugly.
121st over: Australia 470-4 (Handscomb 87, Cartwright 37)
I’m so down about this Pakistan approach that the sight of Azhar Ali’s medicore leggies has me thinking of something brighter; who are your favourite tall leg-spinners? Anil Kumble is the obvious one I guess. Dare we mention Danish Kaneria? Anything to take our focus off this rubbish as Cartwright belts Azhar for four more.
120th over: Australia 464-4 (Handscomb 87, Cartwright 31)
As Peter Handscomb gets one from another Pakistan misfield, Robert McLiam Wilson arrives in full Attenborough mode with his next email. “Silly boy. There’s nothing communist about cats,” he says. “We all know that dogs are sweet-natured and credulous Fabians, and that dolphins are nature’s democrats. Cats are are grasping and sadistic plenipotentiaries of same nameless and wicked Empire. You can tell by the sports they like. Dogs like football, dolphins like basketball and cats like actual snooker (the only animal I ever knew who watched cricket was the pet rat of a boy I knew at school). I think that says it all really.”
119th over: Australia 460-4 (Handscomb 85, Cartwright 29)
Blimey this is just rubbish from Pakistan. Azhar Ali is given the ball after the break and duly spews forth a full toss, allowing Cartwright to get moving with a boundary first up. Cartwright still doesn’t look like a guy you’d want facing decent spin, but he’s handling the part-timer OK. Still, I reckon Ken Sutcliffe would make runs against Azhar.
118th over: Australia 456-4 (Handscomb 85, Cartwright 25)
We’re under way in the second session with Imran Khan bowling and his team-mates still in lunch mode; Amir fires in an off-balance throw from the deep, which nobody greets half-way, then it trickles past a feckless Sarfraz, who missed a stumping earlier. Speaking of jokes, Nick Jewlachow arrives with one now. “My cat is a communist,” he says. “I asked him who he thought was the greatest leader of the 20th century. He said Mao.” I hope this session significantly improves on that.
Slow over rates
Pakistan have been tardy again, and Matt Harris is not happy. “What, if anything, do you think should be done about the slow over rates in test cricket?” he now asks. “Pakistan used the full extra half hour last night and were still two overs short, and only got through 29 in that session. Given they’ve only taken four wickets, and there have been no lengthy reviews that I can recall, that seems pretty bad. Of course they’re not alone in this regard. Do you think harsher penalties are warranted?”
The male model from Mudgee says goodbye
This will mean little to anybody outside Australia (though 12th Man listeners might twig), but the lunch break has seen a teary farewell for Channel Nine Wide World of Sports presenter Ken Sutcliffe, who has called stumps on a long career on the small screen. If you were an Australian child in the late 80s and early 90s, he was almost impossible to miss next to big Max Walker. Go well, Kenny.
The Younus drop
Robert McLiam Wilson has a question about my unnecessarily florid description. “I have a serious question. Russell, why oh why were the cats communist? And how could you tell?” Well Bob, it’s a trick really. I firmly believe that all cats are communists.
A record that might tumble today
Let’s be honest, it’s plausible.
Australia have never scored 600 in successive Test innings...
117th over: Australia 454-4 (Handscomb 83, Cartwright 25)
And that is lunch on day two, which bar the loss of Matt Renshaw for 184, has been utterly dominated by the Australians. Peter Handscomb is working his way towards a second Test century for the series, while Hilton Cartwright has lived a charmed existence; Sarfraz missed a stumping chance when he danced down the track and Yonus Khan dropped him last over. He’s undefeated on 25 and his side is 454-4.
116th over: Australia 453-4 (Handscomb 82, Cartwright 25)
Azhar Ali’s on now with his leggies. All tour I’ve been describing them as impressive, but let’s be honest, he hasn’t taken a wicket yet and won’t if the fielding continues to be as bad as Younus Khan’s drop at slip here. Blimey. It was a thick edge from Cartwright and Younus reacted to it so late you’d think it was an invitation to a friend’s Fringe festival show about communist cats or something. He gets a hand on it in the end, but it’s a woeful attempt. A communist cat might actually have done better with it.
115th over: Australia 450-4 (Handscomb 80, Cartwright 24)
Poor Hilton Cartwright. This morning Bill Lawry was telling Matt Renshaw’s knockers they didn’t know anything about cricket, now he’s theorising that Australia’s No6 should be getting a wriggle on. Moments later he does just that, unshackling himself and unfurling a lovely cover drive to pick up four off his nemesis Yasir. One other thing I like about Cartwright: his entirely white gloves. No logos at all. More important kit updates as they’re at hand. We’re five minutes from lunch on day two at the SCG and Australia are in control of this game.
114th over: Australia 443-4 (Handscomb 77, Cartwright 20)
He’s waited a little while for a loose one but Handscomb pounces when he sees it, rocking back to Amir and pulling through mid-wicket for a boundary when the paceman approaches from very wide on the crease. Handscomb again looks very good for a century.
@rustyjacko harmisonious? Kind of an antonym to parsimonious.
113th over: Australia 438-4 (Handscomb 72, Cartwright 20)
Another early single to Handscomb, another epic struggle for Cartwright against Yasir. If you were being very harsh on a guy who is 59 deliveries deep in his maiden Test innings, you’d say the all-rounder is hardly inspiring confidence for the upcoming Indian tour. There’s barely anything in this pitch and he’s making the previously downtrodden Yasir look like Abdul Qadir on a bunsen burner. But...he’s still in.
112th over: Australia 437-4 (Handscomb 71, Cartwright 20)
An anonymous emailer appears now with some David Warner memorabilia news. “Yesterday I joked about the Steven Smith 50 Test commemorative cricket bat, and wondered if they are planning a David Warner century before lunch commemorative bat. Turns out not to be a joke at all.”
111th over: Australia 436-4 (Handscomb 70, Cartwright 20)
An early single to Handscomb gives Yasir a better look at Cartwright and the results are far more encouraging as he works him over a bit before sending a raging turner past the outside edge of the Western Australian. That, unfortunately, translates to a missed stumping. Cartwright was well down the track and for the second time in as many days, Sarfraz Ahmed does not even get glove on a clear stumping chance off Yasir. With that the partnership is now worth 50 and the Australians are laughing.
110th over: Australia 431-4 (Handscomb 68, Cartwright 20)
I’ve corrected it now, but thank you to fellow bat nerd Anthony Reynolds for putting me straight; Hilton Cartwright is using a Bradbury, not a Newbery. The latter were the shoulderless ones used by Lance Cairns. Easy mistake to make, right? Both very good berries either way.
109th over: Australia 431-4 (Handscomb 68, Cartwright 20)
Yasir has a man back on the fence at deep square leg in anticipation of Peter Handscomb’s sweep, so the Australian this time hammers it towards cow to pick up four more. Yasir keeps plugging away but this is almost cruel now.
108th over: Australia 425-4 (Handscomb 63, Cartwright 19)
“The sun’s over the yard arm in New Zealand,” says Ian Chappell as his employers pan to vision of Bob Hawke enjoying a beer in the stands. What a stayer our former Prime Minister is, and a genuine cricket fan to boot. Still, it’s not a patch on his effort this very day two years ago:
107th over: Australia 423-4 (Handscomb 63, Cartwright 17)
Poor beleagured Yasir keeps ploughing on, though his job is as futile as the bloke painting the local harbour bridge, knowing that by the time he gets to the end he’ll have to start again. On song in favourable conditions, he’d be providing Hilton Cartwright with a nightmare initiation, but here the Western Australian easily works a single to pave the way for another Handscomb slog-sweep to the fence. This one almost clears it, in fact.
106th over: Australia 418-4 (Handscomb 59, Cartwright 16)
OK, OK. Wahab is putting in a decent old shift here and sends one screaming past Peter Handscomb’s outside edge to start this over. He’s peppering the right-hander with bouncers in this over and genuinely putting the Test in this Test cricket. A wide is his only concession in this over and he makes it count, spraying it towards first slip at a Harmisonesque angle.
105th over: Australia 417-4 (Handscomb 59, Cartwright 16)
Harking back to that email from Matt Harris earlier, another subtle reason why Pakistan have struggled on this tour has been their woeful fielding. That phenomenon continues in this Yasir over as Azhar Ali does the old ‘Harbour Bridge’ over a Hilton Cartwright cover drive to cost his side four runs. Oh dear. I’m afraid they’ve taken their lead from captain Misbah in this regard. He’s been the worst of the lot. He’s probably turned Yasir Shah disappointment GIFs into a cottage industry.
104th over: Australia 413-4 (Handscomb 59, Cartwright 12)
Any bat nerds reading this will be happy to know that Hilton Cartwright is using a Brudbury blade in his maiden Test innings – there’s a brand you don’t often see at the highest level. Normal people: yes, it’s just a cricket bat like all the others, only with different stickers. While we’re talking innovation, Peter Handscomb is wearing a GPS vest under his shirt today. Imagine Dennis Lillee being asked to put one of those on. It would have made it a little harder to intimidate batsmen with all that chest hair, at the very least.
103rd over: Australia 412-4 (Handscomb 59, Cartwright 11)
Now Warnie is theorising that Wahab’s economy rate in this Test equates to confirmation of how well he’s bowled; am I the only one who thinks he actually wasn’t that great by his own standards? Harsh, perhaps. Speaking of harsh, Handscomb is giving Yasir some treatment now, dropping to one knee and slog-sweeping him to the fence after the bowler cut off a forceful drive the ball prior. Hilton Cartwright, meanwhile, is doing a decent job at handing his senior partner the strike.
102nd over: Australia 407-4 (Handscomb 55, Cartwright 10)
Wahab is testing Handscomb out with some bumpers now. The Victorian is a fascinating technical study at the best of times, but he’s camped right back close to his stumps for the short stuff. A player of lesser self-confidence would be wary of trading on them, he’s so near the timber. But Handscomb knows exactly what he’s doing, so a Wahab’s pace and bounce is countered well.
101st over: Australia 406-4 (Handscomb 55, Cartwright 9)
Yasir keeps hobbling his way through the early stages of this spell but Shane Warne is perplexed, theorising that the leggie is bowling towards some green patches, rather than the cracks and footmarks at the other end. Change of ends, or has Wahab pulled rank?
100th over: Australia 403-4 (Handscomb 54, Cartwright 7)
Wahab Riaz comes into the attack now and it’s a slightly scratchy over as he attempts to work his way into a rhythm. At the end of it he’s got 2-65 from 20 overs, but didn’t set the world on fire yesterday. Maybe today is the day he finally produces a fiery spell to remind Australians of the working over he gave Shane Watson during the 2015 Cricket World Cup. Otherwise, this session and the Test itself could really slide away from the tourists.
99th over: Australia 401-4 (Handscomb 53, Cartwright 6)
Yasir comes on for his first bowl now and he’s still hobbling about between deliveries, but maintains his bouncy, athletic delivery stride when he’s actually bowling. But how long will he last with his physical limitations? We’ll soon see. Handscomb works him to leg for a single and a short leg immediately comes in to crowd the debutant, Cartwright. Again he’s very neat and tidy in defence, getting in a long stride to smother the spinner with his forward defence.
98th over: Australia 400-4 (Handscomb 52, Cartwright 6)
We get a better look at Hilton Cartwright’s defensive technique now as Imran continues to angle them in towards his middle stump. Cartwright is a very correct and tidy batsman who, despite his height, crouches low at the crease with his bum sticking out – a little like Ian Healy used to. It’s all fairly sound, but my issue with it is how low he ends up in his defensive shots, which are unlikely to be forced away for runs as his blade is angled diagonally to the ground as he presses downward. It’s all very tight and technically sound though.
97th over: Australia 400-4 (Handscomb 52, Cartwright 6)
Australia pass the 400 mark now, so Michael Clarke starts pondering how long it will take to bowl Pakistan out twice, and thus when Australia should declare. Given they’re currently racking up runs on a pitch that resembles the Sydney airport tarmac, I’d probably wait off for a bit, though weather could also play a role.
96th over: Australia 398-4 (Handscomb 50, Cartwright 6)
This is better from Imran, who ties up Peter Handscomb as the Victorian looks for the run that will bring him his third Test fifty to go with his century at Brisbane. Off the final delivery of the over the right-hander finally clips to leg and raises his bat. He’s still to be dismissed in Tests for anything under his current mark. It took him 109 deliveries and only featured four boundaries, but he’s well set for a big one.
95th over: Australia 397-4 (Handscomb 49, Cartwright 6)
Debutant Hilton Cartwright appears now and starts at the non-striker’s end, as Renshaw departed from the final delivery of Imran’s over. Perhaps that’s the best spot to get a feel for Amir, who Handscomb twice pulls to leg. Cartwright, if you’re wondering, is playing just his 17th first-class game today, only a few more than Matt Renshaw. He faces up to the fourth ball of the over having taken his time to mark centre and limber up. He’s straight off the mark, driving a half-volley through cover to pick up a boundary! What a start, and what a kind offering from Amir. There’s also two more through mid-wicket. How easy is this Test cricket stuff?
Renshaw departs! What a knock it was. He was hoping for a double-century here but after demolishing Imran through cover for another boundary he’s a little loose with a dab outside off stump and chops on for 184. That innings spread across 293 deliveries, feature 20 boundaries and made him an absolute lock for the upcoming tour of India. The 20-year-old has emphatically announced himself as a batsman of genuine quality.
93rd over: Australia 380-3 (Renshaw 178, Handscomb 44)
Hmm, Yasir is on the field but judging by a fielding effort he’s just put in down in the deep, he’ll really struggle with his athletic bowling action today. He’s throwing the ball in underarm, a sight not witnessed regularly in international ranks since the retirement of Courtney Walsh.
92nd over: Australia 377-3 (Renshaw 176, Handscomb 43)
This is better from Imran, who draws a low edge from Renshaw but it falls short of the cordon. Meanwhile, replays of Yasir’s warm-up routine from earlier in the morning reveal he’s in dreadful shape after that fielding mishap yesterday. It was his hamstring that troubled him after a dive at the boundary, and though he bowled without noticeable discomfort later in the day, it appears to have stiffened up overnight and he’s hobbling about like an old man.
91st over: Australia 374-3 (Renshaw 175, Handscomb 41)
The only thing missing from the start of this Amir over is the Benny Hill music. Handcomb drives down the pitch and it’s missed by not only Amir, but a bumbling Misbah coming around from mid-on; he makes a hash of a regulation stop then nearly decapitates a team-mate who has followed him out for a relay throw. It being early in the day, there are laughs all round. Otherwise, there’s not much energy about this Pakistan start.
90th over: Australia 372-3 (Renshaw 174, Handscomb 40)
Imran Khan steps up with his first over and will hope his day starts a little better than yesterday, when David Warner treated him like a cheap rental car on his way to that blistering hundred. Renshaw pounces immediately, driving square to pick up two. “He was slow clapped by people in Adelaide who don’t understand the game,” Bill Lawry says moments before the young Queenslander lathers a drive to the extra cover boundary. Brilliantly spiky from the veteran commentator. He knows an opening batsman when he sees one.
89th over: Australia 366-3 (Renshaw 168, Handscomb 40)
Hello all and welcome to day two of the Sydney Test. Apologies for the lack of updates so far. Russell Jackson here to take you through the opening session, which is under way now with Mohammad Amir’s first over. Day one hero Matt Renshaw gets started for the day by turning a single to leg as Amir winds himself up for another big effort. He was luckless yesterday, but knows a wicket here will bring nervy debutant Hilton Cartwright to the crease. The sun is out in full force at the SCG and I think we’re set for another big day for the batsmen.
Russell will be with you shortly but in the meantime, check out the report from day one, which was dominated by David Warner and Matt Renshaw.
Related: Australia in command of SCG Test after Warner and Renshaw centuries
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