That’s enough from us at Perth stadium. Time to head down to the banks of the Swan and watch the afternoon drift by. Australia go 1-0 up in the series, Melbourne will be the next Test to come on Boxing Day. Could be a spicy pitch given what we’ve seen from ex-Perth curator Matt Page in recent years. An entertaining Test wraps up quickly on evening four. Thanks for your company, and thanks to Angus Fontaine and JP Howcroft for sharing the OBO duties with me across the four days. See you again for Melbourne.
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“All over the world, in all conditions across a decade,” says Pat Cummins of Nathan Lyon. “That’s huge. He’s been sitting on the sidelines for six months with his injury, so great to see him back.”
Paraphrasing Shan Masood, because it’s hard to hear the PA at the ground, he says that competing in Australia is tough, and his team didn’t score quickly enough in the first innings, leaving 60 or 70 runs out there that might have made a difference reducing the lead, and they they bowled a number of good deliveries but the bowling wasn’t disciplined enough around those. Fair observations. They took 15 wickets but you need 20 to be competitive, he says.
Mitch Marsh a popular pick for player of the match for his two half-centuries and an important wicket, getting Babar Azam in the first innings when Pakistan were holding firm. Took a catch as well in the second.
“It’s very important for me to contribute with the ball,” he says. “Babar is a class player so it was a great feeling.”
Attendance today was 9244, pretty thin for a Sunday and it certainly looked sparse in this huge arena. Total attendance for the four days of the match was 59,125.
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Australia win by 360 runs
A slightly bigger thrashing than the one that India’s women dished out to England yesterday, Australia win by one run for every degree in a circle. Fitting for a well rounded victory. Huge score first, Warner century, Marsh nearly made on of his own. Comprehensive bowling performance in the second innings, wickets shared around. Solid third innings to recover after a bad start, another contribution from Marsh and an important one for Khawaja. Then Lyon reaching his milestone as part of another group performance against a team that had had enough.
These four bowlers complete their 24th Test together with another win.
WICKET! Shahzad c Warner b Hazlewood 0, Pakistan 89-10
Two in two to end it! Khurram Shahzad is on a hiding to nothing. Pokes at a ball rising outside off, edged to first slip, as straightforward as they come. It’s all over here in Perth.
WICKET! Shakeel lbw Hazlewood 24, Pakistan 89-9
Reaches that 22 but not much further. Another ball keeping low, this time from a shorter length – Shakeel is shaping to tuck behind square but ends up trying to jam the bat down instead. He’s on his toes but it hits him halfway up the pad, and a review doesn’t save him, smashing leg stump.
30th over: Pakistan 89-8 (Shakeel 24, Shaheen 3) A nudge for Shakeel, a steer for Shaheen, singles. Shakeel makes it look easy, working Lyon off his toe for a run through midwicket. Can Shaheen resist slogging him? Does so, for one ball, opens the face neatly but can’t beat backward point.
29th over: Pakistan 86-8 (Shakeel 22, Shaheen 2) Lyon is sent out to field at deep third, purely so he can get a cheer from the spectators closer to the boundary. A nice touch. But arise in joy across Pakistan, too – there is 22 for Saud Shakeel! Drops Hazlewood to cover for a single.
Shaheen Shah Afridi ain’t sticking around – he plays two mighty slogs across the line to Hazlewood short balls, one miscued over cover for two, the next missing. Dodges and defends a couple of bouncers in between times.
28th over: Pakistan 83-8 (Shakeel 21, Shaheen 0) Lyon with 2-15 from his 7 overs now. Pakistan near the end, still an hour and a half in the session.
WICKET! Aamer Jamal b Lyon 4, Pakistan 83-8
He had to wait a while for 500, but no time at all for 501. That’s a pair of Levi’s for Lyon. Aamer Jamal gets a fortuitous four runs first ball, an inside edge as the ball rips back sharply and goes over the stumps past the keeper, but is gone third ball as the ball barely gets above grass-blade height, crawling into the base of middle stump from a length. Trying batting against that.
WICKET! Faheem Ashraf lbw Lyon 5, Pakistan 79-6
Pleading, pleading is Lyon, down on one knee after driving the ball into Faheem’s pad! But Umpire Illingworth stays cool. The appeal was so entire that they have to review, they must. The ball smashes pad in front of middle and leg stump as the batter kneels towards the ball, straightening somewhat from around the wicket. Two questions: straightening enough? And is there too much bounce, hitting the knee roll? It looks like it’s heading for the top left corner if you will, the leg bail. Yellow light?
Three reds!
Something of an anticlimax, but at least Lyon’s teammates are gathered all around him already, and he is engulfed in their collective embrace.
500 Test wickets for Nathan Lyon. The third Australian to get there after Warne and McGrath. Some achievement.
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27th over: Pakistan 79-6 (Shakeel 21, Faheem 5) Josh Hazlewood on for a burst, immediately up at Shakeel’s glove. Australia decide to bring in Head to short leg, taking out third slip in the process as Khawaja goes to deep bacward square. There’s a fine leg too, for the hook. Hazlewood does go the bouncer, Shakeel flaps and misses down the leg side. Blocks out a length ball to close. He’s still on 21. The tension of Can Saud Shakeel Make 22 builds!
26th over: Pakistan 79-6 (Shakeel 21, Faheem 5) Restrained appeal from Carey, walking at the umpire after the ball passes Faheem’s edge. The Australians end up using a review for it but there’s no contact. Then Faheem glances two runs past leg slip. Four catchers now: silly mid off, slip, leg slip, short leg. No wickets though.
25th over: Pakistan 77-6 (Shakeel 21, Faheem 3) Starc with a complete short-ball barrage now. Just one run from the over, a bye as the ball dips on Carey.
24th over: Pakistan 76-6 (Shakeel 21, Faheem 3) Lyon is back. Boxing Day be damned. And nearly gets Faheem! Round the corner, almost takes glove but goes off the pad for an extra. Two left-handers for Lyon to work at. Saud Shakeel cuts him fine for four! He’s up to 21…
23rd over: Pakistan 71-6 (Shakeel 17, Faheem 3) Nicely done from Shakeel, after a couple of singles he ends the Starc over by working a ball off his pads out behind square for four. Nice timing.
22nd over: Pakistan 65-6 (Shakeel 12, Faheem 2) Last batting pair for Pakistan. Are the Australians saving Nathan Lyon’s 500th for Boxing Day? Just the one over after tea, then Starc replaced him. Cummins now from the Langer End. Faheem Ashraf pulls him for two. Pakistan 385 runs behind with four wickets in hand.
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WICKET! Agha Salman run out Head/Labuschagne 5, Pakistan 63-6
Oh, that is poor. Shakeel starts the over looking comfortable enough, taking a run to point. Starc gets too short without the right line and Salman is able to cut two, then drop a run to short midwicket. Then Shakeel dinks a little pull shot round the corner. Takes two steps down then sees Head swooping in. Might have made it if he kept sprinting, but he turns back. By then Salman is halfway down and has to make the turn himself. Nowhere near it as Labuschagne takes the throw and then the bails at the non-striker’s end. Baked.
22nd over: Pakistan 63-6 (Shakeel 12, Faheem 0)
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20th over: Pakistan 57-5 (Shakeel 11, Salman 0) Saud Shakeel’s lowest score in Test cricket so far is 22. So today we’re playing a game called Can Saud Shakeel Make 22?
He’s halfway there as he pulls Cummins for a single to reach 11. Cummins bowls a belter to Salman that beats the edge.
19th over: Pakistan 56-5 (Shakeel 10, Salman 0) Agha Salman to the middle, proper player, not out in the first innings, but a mountain to climb.
WICKET! Sarfaraz c Marsh b Starc 4, Pakistan 56-5
There goes another. Unsociable bounce again, the batter is just trying to defend, pushes at it and gets an edge high up near the shoulder of the bat, it loops to Marsh in the gully who takes it low to the ground. Simple. Maybe smushed some glove in there as well, like Babar’s dismissal, because Sarfaraz is shaking his fingers too as he walks off.
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18th over: Pakistan 56-4 (Shakeel 10, Sarfaraz 4) Here we go after tea, and it’s Lyon to continue. Skips off the surface at Sarfaraz, hits him on the elbow outside off stump. He responds with a cover drive for three.
Tea - Pakistan 53 for 4, trailing by 396
They’re under the big psychological 400-run barrier, hey? That’s one spin on it. Pakistan though are up against it here. Six wickets in hand, two of them with genuine batting credentials. Two and a half hours to go today, and the umpires could extend that by another half hour if the batting team were eight or nine wickets down. Australia a chance for a four-day win, Pakistan just have to bat and bat and bat.
17th over: Pakistan 53-4 (Shakeel 10, Sarfaraz 1) Pakistan’s keeper taking strike now, Sarfaraz Ahmed. Mohammed Rizwan is here too, saw him doing some keeping drills in the nets after the first day. Wonder how much leeway Safi gets without making a score here? Cummins to him with quality again, beats the outside edge. Rides the bounce round the corner to get his first run. Shakeel plays a nice shot, back foot punch fine of the gully fielder for four.
16th over: Pakistan 48-4 (Shakeel 6, Sarfaraz 0) Real trouble for Pakistan now, good chance of losing today. Shakeel blocks one, advances to the next and has to stab it away like Imam did at one stage before his dismissal in the first innings. Shakeel played a nice cut shot off Lyon in the first innings, blocks out an over here.
WICKET! Babar c Carey b Cummins 14, Pakistan 48-4
15th over: Pakistan 48-4 (Shakeel 6) What an eventful over.
A little choreographed comedy to start, as a plastic bag blowing across the ground evades Labuschagne at mid off, teases Lyon in a chase from backward point, shimmies around Khawaja who advances from third slip, and finally is claimed by Smith at second. The champion bat raises both hands above his head to cheers from the crowd. It’s the little things.
Nothing funny in Cummins’ next delivery, which explodes off the pitch over Babar’s turning front shoulder, flying away for four byes. Babar still gets forward to defend the next one. A real test of nerve now. Pushes an angled bat at the fifth ball, down into the ground. But the sixth is another brute. Fuller length, outside off, but it lifts sharply. Takes glove rather than outside edge, such is the kick, and through to the wicketkeeper. Babar walks off wringing his hand. That was n-a-s-t-y.
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14th over: Pakistan 44-3 (Babar 14, Shakeel 6) Finds a run through square leg, Babar, playing with soft hands over the ball to smother the spin of Lyon. Saud Shakeel blocks out a few, the last of them with his pad, but Umpire Dick Illingworth says not out. On the back thigh but probably angled down leg, maybe going over.
13th over: Pakistan 43-3 (Babar 13, Shakeel 6) Tough batting out there. One keeps low from Cummins, Babar crabs it out. The next zips through past the edge from a similar length. Four slips and a gully, short leg – six attacking positions. Just mid off, mid on and fine leg in the conventional spots. Babar edges along the ground to third slip, where it bursts through Khawaja’s hands, but Smith is quickly back to field and deny them a run, Babar having to hustle back to make his ground. Leading edge to cover does get him a run because Labuschagne fumbles as he comes across from mid off.
12th over: Pakistan 42-3 (Babar 12, Shakeel 6) Here comes Nathan Lyon! A warm reception as he warms up, with wicket #500 in his sights. Babar Azam would make a nice inclusion on the tape. The former Pakistan captain defends nicely on the front foot, getting well forward to the first three balls before following through with the shot to drive a single to cover. Three around the bat for him, just the two for the left-handed Shakeel, slip and a short leg but no leg slip. Blocks to short cover, the double-hatted Warner in the way.
11th over: Pakistan 41-3 (Babar 11, Shakeel 6) Cummins on for his first over of the day. Hits a nice line and length from the get go, cuts one back in to Babar for a loud lbw appeal, but sliding down. A leg bye from that, after a couple of runs from a Babar steer.
10th over: Pakistan 38-3 (Babar 9, Shakeel 6) Four slips for Josh Hazlewood, in a sharp stagger for the left-handed Shakeel. Huge gap at cover, inviting the shot that brought down Shan Masood. Alex Malcolm of Cricinfo is next to me in the press box, he exploded at that dismissal – should have some interesting analysis later on why Shan clearly hasn’t sought any local advice on how to bat in Perth. It can be a different game here. Shakeel ducks and leaves, then the fifth ball he climbs into it! Pulls it cleanly along the ground for four.
9th over: Pakistan 34-3 (Babar 9, Shakeel 2) Lovely from Babar. Sees width from Starc, reaches for it and drives behind square, placing it to the rope. He made a breakthrough ton in Brisbane four years ago that really kicked his Test career into high gear, Pakistan desperately need something from his peak here. Goes again from the fifth ball of the over, more a swish of the wrists as he drives behind point!
8th over: Pakistan 26-3 (Babar 1, Shakeel 2) No control over the hook shot from Shakeel, it lands safely in front of the fine leg fielder for one. Hooking the ball with Hazlewood’s bounce on this track will be tough. Babar gets going with a pushed drive to mid on, a tumbling stop from Cummins keeps him to one run.
7th over: Pakistan 24-3 (Babar 0, Shakeel 1) Joel Wilson gets another one right – that’s six decisions upheld for him, and only the Khawaja one overturned. Saud Shakeel has never made a Test duck and doesn’t start in his 15th innings, clipping a run first ball. The last of the over goes off Babar’s thigh guard for four extras.
WICKET! Imam-ul-Haq lbw Starc 10, Pakistan 19-3
Another one bites the dust. Imam reviews after Starc comes over the wicket, a bit of swing away after the ball angles in at the pads, beats the inside edge and smashes him in front of middle and off, hitting middle. I’m not sure what Imam thought was wrong with that decision. Three reds.
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Thanks JP. We start with a review from Starc’s bowling…
6th over: Pakistan 17-2 (Imam 8, Babar 0) Quality seam bowling from Hazlewood to induce the edge, shifting his line a couple of millimetres tighter after Masood’s first poor shot to turn the second effort into a wicket. For good measure he beats Babar Azam’s outside edge before the over ends.
And that’s all from me for the day. It’s over to Geoff Lemon to see if Pakistan can drag this match into a fifth day.
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WICKET! Masood c Carey b Hazlewood 2 (Pakistan 17-2)
Hazlewood continues and he invites Masood to waft airily outside off stump, a shot the Pakistan skipper needs to put back in his locker for at least a day. Deary me. He doesn’t – and he goes next ball. Awful awful batting from the senior figure in the Pakistan team looking to bat for time to rescue a draw.
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5th over: Pakistan 17-1 (Imam 8, Masood 2) Starc is at his most threatening when he targets the stumps, looking to make the ball swing, but it is a strategy that can leak runs. Seven arrive from the first two deliveries of his third over with an over-pitched delivery punched for three, followed by four leg-byes. After that initial burst Australia haven’t applied consistent pressure on a surface that should do most of the work for them.
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4th over: Pakistan 9-1 (Imam 5, Masood 2) Three slips, a gully, a short leg, and a leg gully all wait for Hazlewood to bowl but they’re not called into action with Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood handling a moderate over with ease. Maybe the skipper should bring himself on earlier than usual and take advantage of the new ball?
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3rd over: Pakistan 6-1 (Imam 4, Masood 0) Starc continues to find that hint of swing, which is away from the left-handed Imam-ul-Haq, but his length is a fraction short for most of the over, allowing the Pakistan opener to leave on length. The final delivery is too straight and Imam clips it away neatly for three.
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2nd over: Pakistan 3-1 (Imam 1, Masood 0) If Starc was in any way concerned about MCG specialist Scott Boland’s presence selecting the ball alongside coach Andrew McDonald, he responded in the best possible way with a superb opening over. Hazlewood isn’t as threatening with the new ball, but he still whistles one past a timid Masood defensive stroke, to the delight of the Australians behind the wicket.
Mitch Starc becomes just the fifth player to take 200 Test wickets in Australia 🙌 #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/wrV69gZMbh
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 17, 2023
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WICKET! Shafique c Carey b Starc 2 (Pakistan 2-1)
Starc begins promisingly, getting out to lift off a length and jam into Shafique’s midriff. Then there’s some appreciable swing into the right-hander from over the wicket. Can the big quick find the right line and length to maximise it? Yes he can! The final delivery of the over is beautiful, swinging back onto a good length and seaming away from the right-handed opener’s forward defensive. The regulation edge is pouched by Alex Carey. Superb bowling and Australia are already one tenth of their way to victory.
1st over: Pakistan 2-1 (Imam 0)
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Ok, the players are back out in no time. Mitchell Starc has the ball, Abdullah Shafique is taking guard.
Australia Declare at 233-5 (Lead of 449)
And with Khawaja’s dismissal Pat Cummins declares. Mitch Marsh is unbeaten on 63.
Pakistan require 450 to win. Australia have four and a half sessions to take ten wickets.
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WICKET! Khawaja c Azam b Afridi 90 (Australia 233-5)
Brilliant from Khawaja. After so often stepping to leg and playing behind square on the off-side, he steps to off and hooks Afridi behind square on the leg-side for four. Then he perishes! Line and length from Afridi and the Australian opener slashes a catch straight down the throat of Babar Azam at third.
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63rd over: Australia 229-4 (Khawaja 86, Marsh 63) Crunch! The next half-hour or so is a race between this Australian pair to reach their centuries before the declaration and Marsh enters the 60s with a fearsome pull for four that makes Shahzad look like a net bowler. The Pakistan seamer proves he is much more than that by getting one to seam back into Khawaja and beat the bat on the inside edge. The lead climbs to 445 – more than enough.
62nd over: Australia 221-4 (Khawaja 83, Marsh 58) Marsh continues his liking of Afridi, pulling a short delivery that didn’t get up through midwicket for four. But he then almost perishes to the fast bowler’s two-card trick by top-edging a much quicker, must faster delivery, only to watch it land short of the flat-footed square-leg sweeper. Strike rotated, Khawaja leans to leg and glides a boundary through gully for the umpteenth time today. As if to prove he’s not a one-trick pony he then flails a hook at Afridi, nicking a skinny edge for four down to fine-leg. It would appear we’re only a milestone or two away from the declaration.
61st over: Australia 208-4 (Khawaja 75, Marsh 53) Two huge strokes of luck for Khawaja, first nicking Shahzad on the half-volley to the wicket-keeper, then flaying an inside edge just past his leg stump. Strike rotated, Marsh then wears his second bouncer on the side of his head for the innings. Time for a delay and helmet number three. The interruption doesn’t faze Khawaja who leans to the legside and glides yet another boundary through gully. 100 partnership up for this pair, from 114 balls. They have allowed Pat Cummins to control the next day and a half.
They’re going to run out of Size MMarsh helmets. #AUSvPAK
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) December 17, 2023
60th over: Australia 198-4 (Khawaja 69, Marsh 52) Here we go! Marsh gave himself an over to get his eye in, which means he’s ready to belt Shaheen Shah Afridi for two imposing cover drive boundaries – one from over the wicket, one from around – each with majestic timing. He doesn’t have give the ball a meaty thump, even when it’s a technically excellent stroke.
59th over: Australia 188-4 (Khawaja 68, Marsh 43) Play begins after lunch with Marsh presenting a textbook forward defence, followed by a wry smile, no doubt remembering his dismissal at this stage of day two. Khurram Shahzad is the bowler and he continues his excellent match by restricting Marsh to just a single from the over.
The afternoon session is imminent. Usman Khawaja and Mitch Marsh are on their way to the middle, surely with a remit of getting themselves back in and then teeing off for quick pre-declaration runs.
Lunch on Day Four: Australia 186-4 (Lead by 402 runs)
That was a curious session of cricket, full of incident and momentum shifts, helped along by a pitch demonstrating inconsistent bounce.
Pakistan started brightly with Steve Smith out LBW early, closely followed by the counterattacking Travis Head. Usman Khawaja looked to be the next to follow but a seemingly plumb LBW was proven not out on review.
Khawaja made the most of his good fortune and dug in to bat through the session, finding runs behind square despite suffering a nasty blow to his forearm. At the other end Marsh should have been out on 23 but he was dropped horribly by Shan Masood, and has gone on to play the role of front-foot enforcer.
With the lead now in excess of 400, the only question remaining is when Pat Cummins will declare. There are 64 overs still to be bowled today, and you’d reckon the Australian skipper would want to be in the field for at least 40 of them.
We’ll find out after the interval.
58th over: Australia 186-4 (Khawaja 68, Marsh 42) Khawaja whips Afridi away for a couple before Marsh bullies a length delivery wide of mid-on for a muscular four. That stroke brings up the 400 run lead and puts an exclamation mark on a session that ends in Australia’s favour, the product of this partnership wrestling the ascendancy out of Pakistan’s grasp.
57th over: Australia 178-4 (Khawaja 65, Marsh 37) This pair have weathered the early storm and are now picking up runs comfortably. Marsh is doing so assertively, either advancing at the bowler or playing off the front foot, forcing Ashraf to question his length. He profits from this approach by guiding a not unreasonable delivery cutely through the gully for four.
56th over: Australia 172-4 (Khawaja 64, Marsh 33) With ten minutes to go until lunch Masood returns to his strikeman Afridi. But the big paceman hasn’t been paying attention and offers Khawaja room outside his off stump to angle yet another four behind square on the off side. The follow-up is a different case entirely, lifting from just short of a length and flying through to the keeper. That keeps Khawaja pinned to his crease for the next couple of deliveries, both on a length, the first beating the outside edge, the second almost sneaking an LBW on the inside.
55th over: Australia 165-4 (Khawaja 60, Marsh 31) Khawaja continues to prosper behind square, angling Ashraf wide of gully for an easy four. Marsh meanwhile reaches the 30s with a couple behind point, executed with his trademark heavy hands.
54rd over: Australia 158-4 (Khawaja 55, Marsh 29) After a very positive morning the intensity is ebbing out of this Pakistan performance as we near lunch. I’m sure this effect has been magnified by the skipper’s awful dropped catch, but with Ashraf at one end and Salman at the other, there is little for Australia’s set pair to worry about.
53rd over: Australia 157-4 (Khawaja 54, Marsh 29) Australia continue to tick along, working Ashraf around with ease. Marsh, in his tiny helmet, is looking to enforce, while Khawaja, with his bruised forearm, is happy to deflect behind square.
Unlikely it’ll make the final edit of the next Amazon doco, but Khawaja’s 50 one of the gutsiest of his career. #AUSvPAK
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) December 17, 2023
52nd over: Australia 151-4 (Khawaja 52, Marsh 25) Lovely from Khawaja, taking a big step towards Salman’s flighted delivery outside off stump and lapping a delicate four through fine-leg. Oooh, that’s not so lovely, but a thick-edged drive beats the solitary slip and runs away for four more – this time through third – to bring up the opener’s half-century.
51st over: Australia 141-4 (Khawaja 44, Marsh 25) There’s a change in the attack with Faheem Ashraf replacing Aamer Jamal. And he should have a wicket second ball BUT SHAN MASOOD DROPS A SITTER at mid-off. It was hit firmly, at shoulder height, and it clunked in and out of the skipper’s hard hands. He had more than enough time to pouch that.
50th over: Australia 139-4 (Khawaja 44, Marsh 23) Marsh’s replacement helmet is clearly a couple of sizes too small, but it’s not a factor this over as he is safely at the non-striker’s end while Khawaja dabs away Salman’s latest offering.
49th over: Australia 139-4 (Khawaja 44, Marsh 23) Jamal loses his line and length for an over allowing Australia to keep the scoreboard moving, but just as I start to type that Mitch Marsh is looking imposing, he fails to connect with a pull and is fortunate to see the ball ricochet off the side of his helmet and down to fine-leg for four leg-byes. There’ll be another delay – in a morning already full of them – for a change of lid.
Love it when you see something at Test level that is straight out of grade/gully cricket. The Pakistani fielders were still in position for a left-hander after Travis Head got out & Mitch Marsh walked in before one of them went, “Rightie hai (it’s a right-hander)” #AusvPak
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 17, 2023
48th over: Australia 131-4 (Khawaja 43, Marsh 21) Pakistan are probably missing a trick keeping their spinner on with the pitch misbehaving like this and Khawaja still reeling from his injury, but Salman remains in the attack, and is milked for three easy singles.
47th over: Australia 128-4 (Khawaja 42, Marsh 19) From the other end Jamal continues to charge in from around the wicket to Khawaja, looking for that spot that caused the ball to shoot low. He can’t locate it this over, but he still manages to cause the batter some discomfort with a shorter ball that doesn’t get up and cannons into his right elbow. There’s immediate discomfort and on come the physios. That looked nasty in real time, and on replay you see Khawaja doesn’t use an arm guard. The team doctor administers some painkillers as the TV camera zooms in on a golf ball sized lump. This is quickly becoming a treacherous pitch.
46th over: Australia 126-4 (Khawaja 41, Marsh 18) Mitch Marsh is in the mood this morning. He smacks his second six of the day, coming down the track and depositing Agha Salman into the sight-screen. Salman, on after drinks, in place of Afridi, almost exacts his revenge, beating Marsh’s outside edge later in the over.
45th over: Australia 120-4 (Khawaja 41, Marsh 12) Bosh! Jamal is only fractionally short but Marsh is onto it in a flash and pulls behind square-leg for an effortless six. That is frightening power.
Time for a drink. The first hour has gone Pakistan’s way, but the deterioration in the surface only favours Australia’s hopes for forcing victory.
44th over: Australia 112-4 (Khawaja 40, Marsh 5) A much needed boundary for Australia with Marsh guiding a defensive stroke wide of gully for four.
Team update on Marnus Labuschagne: "An x-ray taken last night did not demonstrate any visible fracture. Marnus was able to bat unhindered in the nets this morning" #AUSvPAK https://t.co/Le8i28C7ul
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2023
43rd over: Australia 108-4 (Khawaja 40, Marsh 1) Head did his best to impose himself on the contest but never looked in. He tried to force a shot through the covers but this pitch is becoming difficult to time the ball on. Marsh was then fortunate not to glove his first ball, and Khawaja was both unlucky to get a mollygrubber then fortunate to get the DRS call after a delivery that looked plumb in real time. It’s been Pakistan’s morning so far, but it all must feed into Australia’s confidence at taking ten wickets over the next couple of days to wrap up this Test.
Review! Khawaja not out!
It’s not two in two – but it is two in four! From around the wicket Jamal hits a decent length and the ball shoots low underneath Khawaja’s defensive stroke and hits him plumb in front. Joel Wilson raises the finger. With an air of desperation Khawaja reviews – and it’s a good job he did – because ball tracking indicates he was struck fractionally outside the line of off stump!
Hits Khawaja *just* outside the line #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/Zx8fvWkVNc
— Daniel Brettig 🏏 (@danbrettig) December 17, 2023
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Not out!
That was a decent appeal, but reviews indicate the ball clipped Marsh’s right forearm, a couple of inches away from his glove strap, but, crucially, not the glove itself.
Review!
Have Pakistan got two in two? Jamal is adamant Mitch Marsh has gloved down the legside.
WICKET! Head c Ul-Haq b Jamal 14 (Australia 107-4)
Shahzad makes way for Aamer Jamal and he slaps his third delivery straight to cover. Live by the sword, die by the sword.
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42nd over: Australia 107-3 (Khawaja 40, Head 14) Head gets away with one, crouching to duck an Afridi bouncer but leaving his bat raised like a periscope. The ball clips it on the way through and fortunately for Australia ricochets safely to square leg. Afridi has bowled well this morning but is perhaps trying a little too hard to send down the wicket-ball every delivery instead of focussing on the application of pressure.
“If a 12 year-old carried on like Smith does I would hope his coach would have a word,” emails Ross McGillivray. “But what can authorities do to Smith anyway? Fine a multi-millionaire a few grand? As as for Labuschagne’s funereal walk-offs, just as bad.”
41st over: Australia 104-3 (Khawaja 39, Head 13) Travis Head is out there doing Travis Head things, keeping the score moving, launching his bat at anything in his half of the pitch, teasing Pakistan with an under-edge to fine-leg. Shahzad holds his nerve though and after the strike is rotated keeps pushing the ball up to Khawaja, beating the bat against both attacking and defensive shots.
“I know you think Smith is a grump who always feels hard done by, but that’s not how I see it,” emails Dan Hagan. “Every time he gets out I feel he’s grumpy at himself, for his shot selection or execution, not the umpires. It’s all about the impossibly high standards he has for himself.” I can see that reading Dan – and I am sure that is a factor in his annoyance – but I am unpersuaded. To me, he has grown used to registering his displeasure without censure and seems almost unaware now of his behaviour.
40th over: Australia 101-3 (Khawaja 39, Head 10) Excellent cricket. Afridi cuts Head in half with one that jags in off the seam from back of a length. Head responds by rocking back and bludgeoning a flat-batted drive wide of mid-on for a boundary.
One of the funnier bits of weirdness in cricket is players getting mad at being given out lbw to balls that are hitting. #AusvPak
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) December 17, 2023
39th over: Australia 96-3 (Khawaja 39, Head 5) Shahzad finally concedes runs as both left-handers work him both sides of the wicket to keep the scoreboard moving.
“Does Steve Smith push the envelope a little?” asks veteran broadcaster Tim Lane to former umpire Simon Taufel. Taufel offers no stroke, opting only to reinforce the accuracy of Joel Wilson’s decision and the application of DRS.
38th over: Australia 92-3 (Khawaja 36, Head 4) Khawaja interrupts a long run of scoreless deliveries by nudging Afridi away for a single. Channel 7’s experts are getting frustrated with Australia’s lack of intent. Fortunately for them Travis Head is now at the crease, and he thumps his second ball past the bowler with a superb straight drive. Glorious shot.
One day I'd like to see Steve Smith dismissed and walk off, nodding in acceptance. 'Yes, a great decision. Well adjudicated, my fine man. I admire your keen judgement and savvy application of the Laws of the game. I acknowledge your finger and accept its ruling.' #AUSvPAK
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) December 17, 2023
37th over: Australia 87-3 (Khawaja 35, Head 0) Two maidens in a row from Shahzad, and the wicket of Smith to boot. Excellent start from Pakistan.
WICKET! Smith LBW Shahzad 45 (Australia 87-3)
What does DRS say? Pitching in line, hitting in line, and clipping the bails, according to Hawk Eye. Smith has to go. But, in now typical fashion, Smith shakes his head as if the world has wronged him, and trudges off at a snail’s pace, holding the bat by the blade with a look of fury in his eye. It’s high time the Australian hierarchy did something about this. Great bowling, Shahzad joining the dots into a wicket. Smith only has himself to blame.
Updated
REVIEW! Smith LBW Shahzad
Shahzad continues to probe at Smith, almost inducing a play-on, then finding some seam movement back into the right-hander, smacking into the front pad and getting Joel Wilson to raise his finger! Smith reviews…
36th over: Australia 87-2 (Khawaja 35, Smith 45) Salman’s opening over proves to be just a mechanism to allow Shaheen Shah Afridi to change ends. The big left-armer comes on and hits a reasonable line and length, if a touch short and wide to Khawaja. The batter is happy to see off a maiden.
35th over: Australia 87-2 (Khawaja 35, Smith 45) That’s more like it, from the impressive Khurram Shahzad. His first delivery is on a perfect line and length to Smith with some springy seam movement sending the ball wobbling past the outside edge of a failed cover drive. The rest of the over is on the money, forcing Smith to defend from the crease or leave.
Quartet watch: Cummins/Hazlewood/Lyon/Starc now up to 381 combined wickets, 35 short of the top combo, with 90 potential wickets remaining this summer...
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) December 17, 2023
34th over: Australia 87-2 (Khawaja 35, Smith 45) Pakistan have come out all guns blazing! Kidding. For reasons best known to Shan Masood, Agha Salman is invited to lob an over of gentle throw-downs to start the day. Both batters milk easy runs. This already has the making of a sleepy Sunday of going through the motions.
Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja walk slowly from the boundary fence to the middle of Optus Stadium. Pakistan’s fielders trudge even slower in the same direction following a performative huddle. Day four will be under way in no time.
… fine, but not perfect.
Team doc taking a look at it now. Still clearly a bit of concern over it #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/quSKr1OMBn
— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron) December 17, 2023
Looks as though the list of things to discuss today has been reduced by one. Marnus Labuschagne seems fine.
Here’s Marnus Labuschagne facing Lance Morris in the nets now. His finger is surely fine #AusvPak pic.twitter.com/KsIhJB6pfO
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 17, 2023
Missed what happened yesterday? Check out the match report from the end of day three.
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome back for day four of the first Test in Perth. Australia will resume on 84/2, giving them a commanding 300-run lead over Pakistan with six sessions of play remaining.
With the weather set fair (it is Perth, after all) the outlook is straightforward: Australia will bat briskly for a session, consider their options at lunch, and declare during the afternoon after all the reasonably achievable individual milestones have been ticked off; this will set Pakistan the task of surviving around a day-and-a-half on a wearing pitch with ever-widening cracks.
Along the way there will be oodles of declaration speculation, scrutiny over Marnus Labuschagne’s hurt finger and what that means for the Boxing Day Test, Nathan Lyon will reach the 500-wicket career milestone, and Scott Boland’s name will drift like a spectre as we cast ahead to the MCG.
I’ll be around for the opening half of the day before Geoff Lemon takes the reins. While I’m on, feel free to drop me an email: jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com .
