Australia v Pakistan 2023-24: First Test – Day 2: With concrete

 

(Stadtler and Waldorf) Citrus Bob Utber and fellow Almanacker Peter Baulderstone catch up on Day 2.

 

PERTH DAY 2

 

It is going to be an interesting day both on and off the field for yours truly.  Firstly, how will Mitch Marsh perform?  Will his resurgence as a top class batter continue at home, and personally I am meeting with West Australia’s answer to Piers Morgan, Alan Jones et al the one and only Peter Baulderstone.

 

How both ‘The Bison’ and I handle our respective situations will be intriguing.

 

The Bison has started the day well and he certainly looks imperious when he stands tall at the wicket. Trying to recall the last Australian batter who stood out like this I can only think of Matthew Hayden. He is Tony Locket with a cricket bat.

 

Carey is playing his part also and whilst some would say his position is not that secure another goood score should cement it for this season . Correct Rulebook?

 

Love how the umpires are standing over the batters while they do running repairs like new gloves, wiping their face etc.  Pity they would not say “no, you have to use the same gloves for the session!”. It would be interesting to have a stop-watch on time-wasting during any session of a Test match.

 

Carey and Marsh continued to dominate the game. On form they are the best six and seven in batting order in world cricket. As usual a wicket falls after a statement like that as Carey is caught behind from a rather lazy stroke.

 

There are plenty of runs in this wicket and there are still some big hitters to come. Starc in particular is a lovely striker of the ball but departs with 12 to his name.  Cummins has always impressed me with the bat but rarely takes control.  This could be his day.

 

Meanwhile The Bison is making chaff out of the bowling and a century beckons.

 

The century still beckons. Everyone cut their lunch short as they raced back to their seats to see Marsh reach his century. 90 not out at lunch in a very fine innings it seemed ineventable.

 

 Not so, first ball after the break clean bowled middle stump playing a nothing shot.

 

Message from Peter B “should have stayed at home!”.

 

Spent the session sitting with Peter B who regailed me with the trials and tribulations of sport or should I say cricket and football.

 

The wonderful thing about being part of JTH’s Almanac family is that you meet some great people and people like Peter Baulderstone. The sense of pride in being part of a universe that essentially is sport and our various interpretations of the games we play and watch is something write from the heart.

 

It was a fun afternoon of prognostications about the future and the memories of the past.

 

Our foray into politics and cricket was about Imran Khan and his rise and fall. PB doubted that the great former cricket champion would be out of the slammer in 5 years.  He is still very popular with the cricket lovers in his country but has fallen foul of the military.

 

Meanwhile Australia lost the rest of their castles and Pakistan were untroubled before the tea break.

 

Must mention the work of Pakistani paceman Aamer Jamal who finished with 6/111 in a lion hearted display and he was well supported by Afridi who kept the batters guessing from the other end.

 

Watching closely the body language of Mitch Marsh in the field and it looks like he has been playing ‘THAT’ shot over and over again.  He will rue that rash moment for the rest of his life in his home state.

 

Solid display by the openers for Pakistan who have withstood some fiery bowling fom the Australian trio and beguiling spin from the renewed Lyon.

 

No tricks with the wicket at the end of day 2.  It will take some great bowling to turn this game around for an Australian victory.  Meanwhile there has been a bid of G & D by the visitors both with the ball and the bat.

 

The late dismissal of captain Shah has helped the Australian cause to a degree but a draw seems likely at the end of day two.

 

Australia 487 and Pakistan 2/132

 

 

You can read Bob’s Day 1 report Here

 

 

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