Australia v Pakistan – Gabba, Day 2: Worser and worser, or worserer?

GABBA NIGHT 2

The Australian batsmen would have slept well last night with only three wickets down and 288 runs on the board.

All the talk this morning has been about the success of the pool.  Bit late! The Almanac had it covered two minutes after play finished yesterday.  Other than the pool the other interesting fact from the day’s play was that nearly 6,000 people took advantage of the cheaper rate for the last session.  A great idea, but not new.   Remember when the gates where always open after tea in all matches?   Nothing is really new.  Did the Romans do it Rulebook to give the Christians a chance?

Smith and Handscomb continue to look assured as the Pakistani bowlers attacked with great reassurance.  Interesting opening session by both teams.

Oh dear!  What a terrible effort by Amir as Smith hit out from Yasir’s first ball.  Not for the first time he has made a complete balls-up of what should have been an easy catch. SPD’s third life.

Fortunately for the visitors Smith does not last too much longer when he flashed at one from Wahab through to the keeper. A wonderful 130 and Australia 4/323.

Nic Maddinson enters the arena. Of all the newcomers, he is the most vulnerable. Dropped! One can understand how he is feeling knowing that Renshaw and Handscomb are safe for the series as well as the Indian tour.

Well his position is in trouble now as he flashes from Wahab and Sarfraz takes a comfortable catch. Maddinson (1) and Australia 5/334.

The Croweaters will be baying now!  Travis Head, Travis Head. He can bowl as well.  Will definitely in the 12 for Melbourne Rule.

Wade, who was included for his batting played a terrible shot on 7 from Amir and was well taken by Azhar at third slip.  Australia 6/342

Starc (10) slashes and few times and then burns.  7/354 and Handscomb seems stranded at the other end.  Sith would not be happy with what is happening out there.  4 wickets for 31 runs.

Interesting to see three helmets behind the keeper at the moment. Don’t think I have ever seen that before.  Does it mean that if a ball cannons of the first, on to the second and then the third that the batsman is given 15 runs?

Peter Handscomb drives Yasir for six trying to break the shackles and he does it beautifully. Now on 97. The nerves have gone and he square drives Amir for four to bring up his maiden century.  Well played young man.  10 fours and one six.  He has been the rock this morning.

At the break Australia 7/377 Handscomb 103 and Hazlewood 8. Amir and Wahab 3 wickets each.

Wickets fell quickly after the break  with Hazlewood(8) and Handscomb (105) falling at the same score 9/380.

Lyon and Bird are entertaining the crowd with some fine shots.  The animals are roaring and squacking as the runs keep coming.  Is this the first time that two animals have batted for their country at the same time?  This has none gone viral – thanks Adam C and Alison M. (Well perhaps not viral)

The Bird has to continue removing his helmet. Has he ever worn it for so long?

The runs are flowing this is serious stuff for the visitors. The fifty partnership is awaiting.  It doesn’t happen as Lyon (29) is out caught by Shafiq from Yasir,s bowling.  All out 429 with Bird not out 19.

A good score that will be hard for Pakistan to achieve with the weather looking a bit threatening at the moment. If the cloud cover continues they could be in trouble.

The fifty minutes to tea should prove very, very interesting

Disaster – the pool has been closed. Yesterday’s euphoria has become today’s dishwater.

WHOOPS – it is open again.  They must take a wee break at tea time or when the team’s change over.

Starc and Hazlewood are fast and furious and it isn’t long before Azhar (5) gets a good one from Starc and Khawaja takes a fine catch at third slip.  Pakistan 1/6

This great cricket we are seeing now as the two young tyros Aslam (21) and Azam (22) are being worked over by Starc and Hazlewood but they are fighting hard.  They are looking competent and know doubt are the future of Pakistani cricket. Both small of stature they are withstanding the barrage although Babar gets struck on the head when he takes his eyes of a ball from Hazlewood.

Pakistan 1/20 at tea.

Having dinner with some colleagues when I posed the question “when was the last day of ordinary test cricket that you have seen in Australia?”. A question that gave the answer that I was hoping for. None could recall in the last four series what we could say was a bad day.  In all the matches there was the common thread that both sides (whoever the opposition might be) have played attacking cricket. Which is how we like it.

Lyon, who bowled one spinning over before tea continues in the attack with two slips in place but the youngsters are keeping him at bay.

Not many runs are flowing from the bat but they are still there and trying to extinguish the fiery Australian attack.

All of a sudden it is happening as Azam (19) plays a poor shot from Hazlewood into the safe hands of SPD.  Pakistan 2/43.  Oops 3/43 as Younis Khan tickles his first ball through to Wade. The old fella Misbah plays it like a veteran.

Mean time Sami Aslam plays with complete composure at the other end although more runs from his bat would help his side. Don’t get me wrong he is still doing a great job.

For the second time Sami Aslam has been hit on the head (helmet) when he has taken his eyes of the ball. Tough cookie this young man as he does not seem to flinch.  Hazlewood continues to bowl beautifully for his team.

Bird is bowling a wonderful spell and he get Misbah (4) after Renshaw takes a fine catch at first slip. Catches win matches and the Aussies have not put one down so far.  Pakistan 4/48

Another fine catch, this time Khawaja. Starc makes Shafiq (2) play and Ussie does the rest. The visitors are now 5/54 and in all sorts of trouble.  Mind you if you look at their scores in New Zealand they were not much better.

 

In fact it gets worser (a good word) as Sami Aslam (22) flicks at Bird and Wade does the rest .  At 6/56 the visitors could be batting again tonight if they keep this up.  A fine performance by Jackson Bird who has kept up the pressure with his accuracy.

Poolside there are still at least ten flippers in. The glory of yesterday has passed both in and out of the pool. In fact it could be a white wash.

Another good crowd 23,344 would keep Queensland Cricket happy.  Will be interesting to see how many turn up tomorrow with the visitors playing so poorly at the moment.  You can extend that as Wahab (1) hit the ball straight back to Hazlewood.  7/66.

Worser becomes worser as Yasir (1) directs a Starc lifter direct to Khawaja for his third catch and Pakistan have collapsed to 8/67.  The Australian trio have bowled magnificently tonight.

At last Pakistan are showing some fight as Amir and Ahmed are defying the bowlers. The first missed chance as Wade misses a stumping from Lyon.  If Handscomb and Renshaw are safe then Wade and Maddinson did their respective chances no good.  There a to many people knocking on the door.

Ahmed (31) and Amir (8) withstand the attack and go to bed with the score at 8/97.  A long way to go for the visitors and a victory is out of the question.

The Australian trio of Mitchell Starc (3), Josh Hazlewood (3) and Jackson Bird (2) where superb. When Bird and Hazlewood where working in tandem they tied the batsmen right down and took five wickets.

Can’t forget the Australian catching in he slips with Khawaja (3), Smith and Renshaw just showing catches win matches.

Day/night three tomorrow should see Australia take complete control and perhaps end the day before you could say “I need a swim”.

 

 

About Bob Utber

At 84 years of age Citrus Bob is doing what he has always done since growing up on a small farm at Lang Lang. Talking, watching and writing sport and in recent years writing books. He lives in Mildura with his very considerate wife (Jenny) and a groodle named 'Chloe on Flinders' and can be found at Deakin 27 every day.

Comments

  1. Mark Duffett says

    Sith would not be happy with what is happening out there? For mine, I find Wade’s lack of runs (and gloving reliability)…disturbing.

  2. Good to see Citrus Bob writing under the nom de plume of JTH. It is indeed an honour.
    I feel humbleden (was that the name of the town where the first match was played?)

  3. Fixed.

  4. Interesting here on day three, that the pair batting when Australia declared were the two most recent Victorian wicket keepers. Nice piece of symmetry.

    Glen!

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