Key events
24th over: Pakistan 86-4 (Saud 15, Rizwan 4) “This Test is one of those rare examples of the sequel being better than the original,” says Mike Jakeman. “For all the plaudits given to Brook and Root for their endurance and concentration in Multan 1, as a spectacle this is so much better.”
23rd over: Pakistan 82-4 (Saud 13, Rizwan 2) Stokes must be slightly tempted to go back to Carse, who has harassed Rizwan in this series, but two spinners feels like the right approach for now.
Saud reverse sweeps adroitly for a single, then Rizwan saunters down the pitch to drive the fourth and final run of Leach’s over.
“Surviving these early morning shifts, my beamish boy?” whispers Robert Smith. There is only love in my generous heart but I’m gonna have to gainsay this: ‘I’ve never batted on a 12th-day pitch but I can’t imagine it’s much fun.’ This sent me immediately down a much-loved imaginative path – Apocalyptic Cricket. Cricket defiantly played while the world ends around it – Wisden’s Last Hurrah as the meteor makes landfall or the nukes finally sweep us off the tablecloth of the planet (I ranted about it in this first para in these hallowed pages some years ago.
“Not sure why but it has always seemed to me that actual Armageddon would almost certainly be accompanied by a bunch of truculent cricket tragics somewhere giving it their last. It might need a sporting declaration or a bit of a slog but there’s be something fitting about it, a valedictory touch.
“A 12th-day pitch would be invidious, flagrant and a risk to life and limb but it would also definitely be fun.”
You’ve now got me imagining Armageddon in the Long Room at Lord’s. There isn’t enough gin in the world.
22nd over: Pakistan 78-4 (Saud 11, Rizwan 0) Bashir enquires for LBW and/or a catch at slip when Rizwan is beaten by a fine delivery from round the wicket. I don’t think there was an inside edge and it was too high for the LBW. Lovely bowling though.
Rizwan is a key man because he plays spin really well and he won’t just hang around. If he bats for an hour, Pakistan probably win.
21st over: Pakistan 77-4 (Saud 10, Rizwan 0) That was a precious cameo from Kamran, 26 from 39 balls with five fours. It also showed his team-mates that you can play shots on this pitch, and you’d expect the relentlessly positive Mohammad Rizwan to follow his lead.
WICKET! Pakistan 77-4 (Kamran LBW b Leach 26)
At the end of the previous over Kamran walked down the pitch with a huge smile on his face. He’s waited so long for a chance in Test cricket and is relishing every minute. Amid the ruins of a largely miserable 2024, Pakistan may have found a player or two.
He smashes another sweep for four, this time off Leach, and then cuts the next ball to the fence to take the lead past 150. Pakistan hit only four boundaries in the first 18 overs; Kamran has doubled that total in the last three. His calculated aggression is giving England a headache.
Correction: it was giving England a headache. Leach has the last word with a ball that skids on to beat Kamran’s defensive push and hit him in front. He reviews a little indulgently, hoping he got outside the line. He did not.
20th over: Pakistan 67-3 (Kamran 18, Saud 9) Saud edges Bashir just – and I mean just – short of Pope at gully. When he takes a single, Kamran slog-sweeps high over midwicket for another boundary. This is terrific batting, intelligent, skilful and courageous. He’s always scanning the field, working out the safest scoring options.
“If they started playing entire Test series on the same pitch, which has its merits in terms of sustainability etc, can you just imagine the state of the Hollies Stand by day 25 of the Ashes?” says Phil Russell.
Hang on, are we playing all five Tests back to back as well? It’s one way to solve the scheduling problem I suppose.
19th over: Pakistan 60-3 (Kamran 14, Saud 8) Stokes continues to tinker, bringing Leach back in place of Bashir. The impressive Kamran, who looks like he’s batting on a different pitch, sweeps firmly for four. Pakistan lead by 135.
“That’s an excellent tune for Duckett,” says Ollie Glick. “Wondered if you knew (as I found out this year) that Freak Like Me is a direct cover of the Adina Howard song of 1995? Who knew!”
So you watch those old Top of the Pops repeats on BBC Four as well? I’m the same as you, I had no idea till I saw it on there.
India bowled out for 46 by New Zealand
Yep. India chose to bat in helpful seam-bowling conditions and were skittled by Matt Henry (5 for 15) and William O’Rourke (4 for 22). It’s their lowest ever total at home.
18th over: Pakistan 56-3 (Kamran 10, Saud 8) Carse continues. Nasser Hussain reckons it’s because of the arrival of Shakeel, who is much more comfortable against spin.
The tactic so nearly works when Shakeel edges through Root at first slip for four runs. He top-edged a cut stroke that flashed past Root’s left shoulder before he could react. An almost impossible chance.
“One of the great things about England cricket at the moment is that the powers-that-be have decided that the team permits players to not have perfect hours as long as they can provide instances of brilliance,” says Mark Slater. “For far too long fast bowlers were dropped in favour of medium pacers who kept it straight and just short of a length – now you have ones who can go at five or six an over a spell and just concentrate on getting a snorter defended to gully. Should be the same for spinners. I think Shoaib Bashir will get to be an economic bowler, if he persists, because batsmen will become wary of that wicket-taking delivery that can happen any moment. Personally, I would love it if he is the bowler to rip through the Pakistani batsmen today.”
In 20 years’ time Rob Key will be recognised as one of the important people in English cricket history, discuss.
17th over: Pakistan 50-3 (Kamran 10, Saud 2) Bashir resumes after taking the first three wickets before lunch. It looks Pakistan are going to be positive, which has to be the best approach on a dodgy pitch, and they take three singles from the over. The last ball is a beauty which spits at Kamran from well wide of off stump. He does well to drop it short of the man at short leg.
“They really pressed fast forward at tea yesterday, eh,” says Guy Hornsby. “It doesn’t seem totally out of the question that this game could be over by the close. I guess even a runway turns on day 8, Rob. Still, it’s been great to see Bashir adjust his line after watching the Pakistan bowlers. With his height he’s going to create real problems. And he’s still ridiculously young. But I can’t see England chasing more than about 190. But my god it’ll be exhilarating, like a slap in the face at 4am (when we’re 106 all out).”
In 12.2 overs.
16th over: Pakistan 47-3 (Kamran 9, Saud 0) Carse hits the pitch really hard, which would make a nightmare to face on an uneven pitch, so you can understand why Stokes has had a look. But it might also be a chance for Pakistan to counter-attack.
Kamran drives in the air and just short of cover, where the diving Stokes does well to save at least two runs. There’s nothing anyone can do when Kamran pulls smoothly behind square for four. Carse may not be given a second over; he didn’t do much wrong but nor did the pitch.
“Game nicely poised with Pakistan ahead on points, I’d say,” writes Dave Clark. “The second Test is a more even contest between bat and ball. A third Test on the same strip would be one for the bowlers, which begs the question, why not play an entire series on the same strip? Just toss up once before the first Test, then alternate. I can see no downside.”
Four days of lost revenue? I’ve never batted on an 12th-day pitch but I can’t imagine it’s much fun.
The first over of the afternoon session will be bowled by… Brydon Carse. Interesting.
“I was leaning towards a Pakistan win,” says Phil Withall. “However, having just checked the India-New Zealand score (India 46 for 9) I feel anything is possible and nothing makes sense anymore. Long live Test cricket!”
India won the toss as well. I suppose they had to bat first after picking three spinners and only two quicks, although Bumrah and Shami might have routed New Zealand on their own. Very Old Trafford 1999.
“The Ciderabad Duo of Leach and Bashir looking very much at home on this ‘Taultan’ surface,” says Brian Withington. “Nasser seems to be genuinely loving the spectacle, too. For my part I can’t wait to see how England might tackle a chase of say 250 or so – I suspect Duckett’s inside edge could use a brush attachment for all the sweeping he’s likely to be attempting.”
If Duckett sweeps an improbable matchwinning hundred, he should release a Sugababes cover.
Let me lay it on the line
I got a little sweepiness inside
And you know Pakistan
Has gotta deal with it
I don’t care what they say
I’m not about to play nobody’s way
Cause it’s all about the slog in me
Mm-hmmI wanna sweep in the morning
Sweep in the evening…
Anyone? No?
“Could this runchase be made for Bazball?” wonders David Howell. “The clear indication from this session is that the pitch has made it to the point of unavoidable wickets being basically a given…” says And, by implication, perhaps the logic in even the least time-constrained chase is to hit out before you get out. It’s like how Tyson Fury beat Deontay Wilder twice; instead of spending the whole contest dodging the devastating blow, try and land it yourself.
“If that is the logic Stokes et al. bring to the fourth innings, it’s going to be one heck of a ride.”
I agree; they’ll absolutely love this challenge. England certainly won’t die wondering. They might die sweeping but that will be the key shot. Ben Duckett’s innings feels really important because he could scramble Pakistan’s brains very quickly.
What do we think? I’d have it maybe 70/30 in Pakistan’s favour at the moment.
Something to read during the lunch break
Lunch: Pakistan lead by 118
15th over: Pakistan 43-3 (Kamran 5) Those three wickets have kept them in the hunt for another absurd victory. And while they’ll probably need a mad masterpiece to compare with Ollie Pope’s 196 at Hyderabad if they are to win, the batters will be up for the challenge.
WICKET! Pakistan 43-3 (Saim c Pope b Bashir 22)
Shoaib Bashir strikes with the last ball before lunch! Saim Ayub, who battled so hard to survive, pushed forward defensively and edged to Pope in the gully. Another really nice bit of bowling from Bashir. His control is far from perfect but he has bowled several jaffas and has figures of 3 for 27.
14th over: Pakistan 37-2 (Saim 17, Kamran 4) Leach changes ends to replace Bashir (6-0-21-2), and his first ball is a stunning delivery that bets Kamran all ends up. It curved onto middle stump before snapping past the outside edge.
“Absolutely unplayable” says Mike Atherton on Sky. Kamran smiles at the inherent futility of existence impossibility of playing a ball like that.
Leach beats Kamran again with the last ball of an excellent maiden.
13th over: Pakistan 37-2 (Saim 17, Kamran 4) Nope, Root is going to continue. He goes around the wicket to the right-handed Kamran with two men at short midwicket. A leg-bye and three single from the over.
It’s been hard work but Pakistan have increased their lead to 112. England won’t want to chase anything more than 113 200.
12th over: Pakistan 33-2 (Saim 15, Kamran 3) Bashir turns another terrific delivery past Saim’s outside edge. His control is far from perfect but when he lands it right he looks such a threat.
The first-innings centurion Kamran Ghulam gets off the mark with a really good reverse sweep for three. That’s good batting, in both intent and execution.
11th over: Pakistan 28-2 (Saim 13, Kamran 0) Saim skids back to back cut Root for three, his best attacking shot to date. Root was probably brought on because there were two left-handers at the crease, and though he looks threatening it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Leach back on for an over before lunch.
10th over: Pakistan 25-2 (Saim 10, Kamran 0)
WICKET! Pakistan 25-2 (Shan c Pope b Bashir 11)
Beautifully bowled by Shoaib Bashir. Shan closed the face on a delivery that straightened sharply to take the edge, and Ollie Pope did the rest in the gully. Bashir growls in celebration; he’s doubled his wicket tally for the series in half an hour.
9th over: Pakistan 22-1 (Saim 9, Shan 9) Twenty minutes to lunch. England would love to take another wicket or two before then.
Joe Root, who can be lethal on dodgy pitches, replaces Jack Leach and beats the groping Saim with a quicker, wider delivery. Then he gets some extravagant turn and bounce from back of a length to Shan, who offers no stroke.
All told, that’s a pretty threatening first over.
8th over: Pakistan 21-1 (Saim 8, Shan 9) Shan cracks Bashir through extra cover for a couple, a nice shot and a sign that he is going to bat runs rather than time.
Yes, that’s a fair assumption: he charges the next ball and wallops it over mid-on for the first boundary of the innings.
Bashir responds with a snorter that beats the outside edge. England go up confidently for caught behind but then don’t review. Replays show it missed the bat by a distance and probably brushed the thigh.
7th over: Pakistan 15-1 (Saim 8, Shan 3) Saim gloves a sweep over the head of Smith for a couple of runs. That’s twice he’s done that already.
In other news, India are 34 for 6 (S-I-X) in the first Test aginst New Zealand. They chose to bat in helpful bowling conditions and have been picked apart by Matt Henry and William O’Rourke.
6th over: Pakistan 10-1 (Saim 5, Shan 1) Pakistan have had the third-innings blues so often that, even though they are objectively well on top in this game, they must be starting to fear another fiasco.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Shan Masood, who has been very positive against Bashir in particular, tries to counter-attack or just survive until lunch.
WICKET! Pakistan 9-1 (Shafique c Smith b Bashir 4)
He’s gone! There was the slightest murmur on UltraEdge as the ball passed the inside edge and, after a bit of consideration, the third umpire decides that is sufficient evidence to give Shafique out.
A big moment for England and especially Bashir. It was also a brilliant catch from Jamie Smith, the kind Ben Foakes would be proud to call his own.
England review for caught behind Shafique pushes at a big-spinning delivery from Bashir, with Jamie Smith taking the ball superbly down the leg side. Did he glove it?
5th over: Pakistan 9-0 (Shafique 4, Saim 5) A full toss from Leach is clipped nicely for three by Shafique, then Saim looks suspiciously at the pitch after defending on the back foot. There’s still plenty happening for the spinners.
4th over: Pakistan 6-0 (Shafique 1, Saim 5) Bashir’s radar is slightly awry. When he gets it right he’s a huge threat, as demonstrated when Saim misses a violent slog-sweep at a delivery that bursts from the surface. A pair of singles take Pakistan’s lead to 81.
