Stumps - Australia 346 for 5, Marsh 15, Carey 14
That’s it for the day, with six overs left unbowled despite the extra half hour. It was a day all about David Warner, whose place in the team has been questioned by plenty of people after his declining returns in Test cricket. But he loves playing Pakistan, now averaging 88 against them, and he towelled them up again today. Finished with 164, after a century opening stand with Usman Khawaja. Set up Australia’s strong position here.
Pakistan have fought back a bit in that final session, but their bowling was terrible early and their fielding missed three chances: Khawaja, Warner, Warner. Australia will demolish them without early wickets tomorrow.
We’ll be back with you for Day 2, of course. See you then.
84th over: Australia 346-5 (Marsh 15, Carey 14) “Got him, last ball of the day, can you believe that?” Just about. Shahzad bowls a ripping final over, beating Marsh once before bowling the final ball of his over, one that angles in and then seams away at pace, only beating the edge because it jags too far. Marsh was nowhere. He holds his pose and just looks at the line where the ball travelled, before laughing in relief. He has survived.
83rd over: Australia 346-5 (Marsh 15, Carey 14) Shaheen getting a bit of movement through the air, but no reward. Swings it in to draw an lbw appeal, gets another holding its line to beat Carey’s edge. But in between times he swings one too far and Carey glances four.
82nd over: Australia 342-5 (Marsh 15, Carey 10) Even late in the day, you can’t stop Marsh hooking. Only one man out on the leg side, so it’s an easy strike through backward square leg. Shahzad otherwise keeps the over tidy.
81st over: Australia 338-5 (Marsh 11, Carey 10) New ball! One last burst for Shaheen, who looks a little weary after his 17 overs already today. Moustachioed Marsh shapes up. Blocks, beaten, drives a couple square. Two slips and a gully wait, On the pads, angling down, kicked to square leg for an extra.
80th over: Australia 335-5 (Marsh 10, Carey 9) A second scoreless over for Agha Salman, who fools Carey a couple of times as Carey attempts a shot.
79th over: Australia 335-5 (Marsh 10, Carey 9) Jamal gets another to go! Late in the day, angling in to the left-hander, the ball deviates off the surface and zips between bat and pad. Near the stumps. Carey gets off strike with a miscued push. Marsh middles a pull shot but only one run to the sweeper, and that lets Carey lay back and play his first authoritative shot of the match, cutting nicely in front of point for four.
78th over: Australia 328-5 (Marsh 8, Carey 5) Agha Salman continuing, Carey probably fairly comfortable against the spin. Ticks over the singles.
77th over: Australia 325-5 (Marsh 7, Carey 3) Jamal to Carey, more bouncers, more ducking. Eventually dabs a run. Marsh is playing pretty circumspectly now as well.
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76th over: Australia 323-5 (Marsh 7, Carey 2) Suddenly things quiet down, with Carey facing out a Faheem over and keeping strike off the last ball.
75th over: Australia 322-5 (Marsh 7, Carey 1) Big innings in Alex Carey’s career. He needs some runs this series to shore up his spot, with Josh Inglis locking down the one-day position. Pakistan will know this is their chance. Keep taking wickets and they could keep Australia under 400. Far more often on Australian soil though, it’s the middle and lower order taking the game away.
WICKET! Warner c Imam b Shahzad 164, Australia 321-5
Third time lucky for Warner, fourth time lucky for Shahzad. The bowler has one very obvious plan: bowl in at the right shoulder of Warner, bouncers on a leg stump line. Warner has one response: turn square and try to shovel a pull shot up and over deep fine leg. The first one, misses. Second one, misses. Third one, connects and hits it for six. So Shahzad goes a fourth time, and this time Warner hits it to one of the many fielders waiting for this shot, out at deep backward square leg. That was tired batting, with 40 minutes to go until stumps.
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74th over: Australia 315-4 (Warner 158, Marsh 7) Long spell for Agha Salman continues, he has bowled through this session. Warner top edges three runs into the leg side.
73rd over: Australia 310-4 (Warner 154, Marsh 6) Big cheers for the local hero, Mitchell Marsh emerging from the stand, and after a solitary leave he gets going with a stride forward and a creamed cover drive for four. Then leans back and forces a couple more.
WICKET! Head c Salman b Jamal 40, Australia 304-4
That’s Travis Head! The same way he got out out twice at this ground against India in 2018. A new spell from Aamer Jamal, first ball is wide and yuck, but Head lamps it down to deep third anyway and is caught. You get the fun of his shots that come off, and the result of these ones that don’t.
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72nd over: Australia 304-3 (Warner 154, Head 40) A few more from the spinner…
71st over: Australia 300-3 (Warner 151, Head 39) Dismissed for four. That’s filth from Faheem: chest high, wide of off stump, sitting up at about 125 clicks. Head belts the pull to raise the team’s 300.
70th over: Australia 294-3 (Warner 150, Head 34) The ground DJ is pumping that song from Bring It On, the one that all of the copycat cheerleading routines get set to. Classic cricket tune, love hearing that at top level. Warner comes back from drinks to cut a single and raise 150, the most overrated milestone in the game. After one more dot against spin, Travis Head breaks out by advancing and punting Agha Salman over mid on for four.
69th over: Australia 288-3 (Warner 149, Head 29) Warner watchful against Faheem before drinks, the seamer getting a little life out of this pitch. Warner eventually pulls a run, having to crab around as the ball doesn’t get up. Then Head slices a leading edge behind point, trying to play to leg, but the onrushing fielder halfway back at deep third can’t reach it. Deliberately placed there for a false shot given Head’s proclivity to attack outside off stump, but the plan doesn’t come off.
68th over: Australia 287-3 (Warner 148, Head 29) A maiden! Agha Salman to Head, who has now faced 21 dot balls from the off-spinner. This is an interesting sub-battle.
67th over: Australia 287-3 (Warner 148, Head 29) Faheem drops short, Warner pounds a bull shot… wait, I meant a pull shot, but that’s a good typo. It beats the deep midwicket fielder coming in, but he manages to track back to the very long square boundary and dive to catch up with the ball and keep the scoring to three.
Warner now has only six bigger Test scores than this.
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66th over: Australia 281-3 (Warner 144, Head 27) Agha Salman, off spin, three singles. You have all of the information you need.
65th over: Australia 278-3 (Warner 142, Head 26) Faheem Ashraf returns, keeping Shaheen to a short spell. Another boundary for Head, this ball almost off the pitch across the left-hander but he goes after it nonetheless and belts it through cover.
64th over: Australia 271-3 (Warner 141, Head 20) Double miss? Warner doesn’t hit that. Shuffles at Agha Salman, looks for a moment like he edges the ball at the keeper but that was all turn and bounce. Uncharacteristic It hits Sarfaraz on the left shoulder, so there’s a stumping missed, and ricochets to slip, who is a moment too slow to realise that Warner is still out of his ground, and so rushes the throw as Warner gets back. The run out misses too. They run a bye before Head gets low and sweeps four runs fine.
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63rd over: Australia 266-3 (Warner 141, Head 16) Warner again off the ground to play pace to leg. Head belts a single to short cover. Runs from Shaheen keep coming.
62nd over: Australia 263-3 (Warner 139, Head 15) Again, Head doesn’t score from the off-spinner after Warner turns over the strike, taking his career runs tally past Matthew Hayden’s 8625. For Australia, that leaves Clarke, Smith, Waugh, Border and Ponting ahead of him.
61st over: Australia 262-3 (Warner 138, Head 15) Warner has made a lot of small hundreds. This one is already into his top ten. Tucks another run away, jumping. Shaheen Afridi is back on, Pakistan desperate for a wicket. Instead Travis Head genuflects and slashes a cover cut more than a cover drive to width, running two.
60th over: Australia 258-3 (Warner 137, Head 12) It felt like that was on the way! Not the worst ball from Agha Salman, Warner isn’t right to the pitch, but the surface isn’t doing anything and Warner gets close enough. Dropping to one knee lets him lunge forward at the ball, and he follows through with a huge cross-batted hit over long on. Not exactly a slog sweep, so straight is it struck, but with something of that early movement. High over long on for six.
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59th over: Australia 252-3 (Warner 131, Head 12) Gifts for Head, almost off the pitch such was the width from Shahzad. Head launches a cut shot over forward point for four. Then plays more stylishly to a better ball, dipping at the knees to time a powerful back-cut from closer to his body, same result. Twelve runs, three scoring shots, the Head method.
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58th over: Australia 243-3 (Warner 130, Head 4) Warner takes a single from the off-spinner first ball, then to the surprise of all present, Head does not try to murder each subsequent delivery. He plays at them all, but only pushing rather than whacking. Five dots.
57th over: Australia 242-3 (Warner 129, Head 4) A warm ovation for Travis Head, the man of Australian cricket’s moment along with the absent Glenn Maxwell, and Head treats his supporters by getting down on one knee to slam a cover drive for four. Four from two ball. Strike rate: 200.
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WICKET! Smith c Sarfaraz b Shahzad, Australia 238-3
One out of nowhere! Khurram Shahzad has bowled well to Smith, and now gets his reward. Two balls back of a length angle in, then the bowler goes a touch wider and Smith gets sucked in. Prods at the ball, edges for the keeper to catch it falling away to his right. Smith is furious. Shouts at himself as he leaves the field for playing at that. Nice delivery, slight away movement off the surface.
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56th over: Australia 238-2 (Warner 129, Smith 31) Slog sweep comes out for Warner, battering Agha Salman for four.
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55th over: Australia 230-2 (Warner 123, Smith 29) Shahzad continues to Smith, who does play one aggressive shot with a cut to backward point but it’s well fielded with a dive to prevent any run. Smith sees out the rest of the over.
54th over: Australia 230-2 (Warner 123, Smith 29) Thumped by Warner. Down the pitch to Agha Salman, hits him straight and it just reaches the rope on the full – six runs. Adds a single to move to 123, easy as ABC.
53rd over: Australia 222-2 (Warner 116, Smith 28) An error drawn by Shahzad! Gets the inside edge of Smith’s bat, nearly gets his wicket, but the deflection streaks past leg stump for four.
52nd over: Australia 217-2 (Warner 115, Smith 24) Warner chops the spinner Agha Salman away for a couple. Then some singles. How many can he make today? Bat through to stumps and go huge?
51st over: Australia 212-2 (Warner 111, Smith 23) We are indeed back. Khurram Shahzad with a big smile on his face at the top of his mark. Pakistan’s players gathered in a circle on the boundary edge before the session in a way that suggested some intensity. They haven’t given up. But it’s probably hard slog ahead.
Smith leaves the first ball, then rehearses a forward defence. Reaches for a wider ball to steer a couple of runs behind point. Pulls the bat inside the line of another after stepping across.
Tea - Australia 210-2 (Warner 111, Smith 21)
There it was in that session – the Warner-Pakistan nexus keeps delivering tons, with one that looked inevitable for most of today. Australia entirely on top. Smith going nicely. Not much happening for Pakistan with he ball, and their catching has been poor. Khawaja nicked off for 41 and Labuschagne was lbw for 16, the only two to fall. Back soon.
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50th over: Australia 210-2 (Warner 111, Smith 21) End of the 50th over, for what would have been a decent one-day score in 1987, and that’s the end of the session with a single from Agha Salman.
49th over: Australia 209-2 (Warner 111, Smith 20) Even Shaheen is being worked around for singles now, four of them in the over.
Dropped!
48th over: Australia 205-2 (Warner 109, Smith 18) That’s dreadful again from Pakistan. Warner skips down and drop-kicks the spinner over mid on. Just over mid on, who is set quite deep. For a minute it looks as though Ashraf is going to take it easily, but he misjudged the height with his hands above his head. Through his fingers, away for four. Inevitably, Warner takes a single next ball to the same fielder, all along the carpet.
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47th over: Australia 200-2 (Warner 104, Smith 18) In desperation, Shan Masood goes back to Shaheen, already in his 14th over. That’s almost a third of Pakistan’s overs bowled by him. Smith plays at all six balls and doesn’t score.
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46th over: Australia 200-2 (Warner 104, Smith 18) Agha Salman rushes through another over of spin. We’ve just got past the halfway mark in terms of overs, and tea is 20 minutes away. That’s with only two wickets, one six, and a couple of reviews.
45th over: Australia 198-2 (Warner 103, Smith 17) Time for extras to come to the party. Six runs off Jamal’s over, consisting of one leg bye and five wides over the keeper’s head.
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44th over: Australia 192-2 (Warner 103, Smith 17) Pakistan have almost given up. Agha Salman on to bowl some more part-time off spin.
Century! David Warner 102 from 125 balls
43rd over: Australia 190-2 (Warner 102, Smith 16) From Ric Finlay’s stats on ABC radio: six singles in Warner’s first 50 runs, 18 singles since. Smith is on strike here though, and punishes width with a powerful cover drive from Jamal. Cocks his wrists and smashes through the line. Picks off one more run to get Warner on strike, and finally Warner gets the opportunity he wants, enough width and short enough to uppercut over the cordon for four!
He sprints down to the non-striker’s end, leaps in the air, and embarks on an emotive series of movements, turning in circles, arms raised and outspread, helmet off, waving the bat at various groups of supporters, blowing a kiss towards the player balcony. No remonstrations, just delight, on reaching his 26th Test century.
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42nd over: Australia 181-2 (Warner 98, Smith 11) Just as he did against the Dutch during the World Cup, Warner has slowed right down as he nears a hundred. Leaves several balls from Faheem outside the off stump. Forehands down a pull shot from a slow short ball that sits up, no run to midwicket, reaching outside off stump at width. At last gets a single through square leg from a fuller ball. Smith keeps the strike with a leg-side nudge.
41st over: Australia 179-2 (Warner 97, Smith 10) Another Smith pull for four! Gets well on top of that and clobbers it behind square. Taking on the short ball, does so again to a boundary rider at deep backward for one run. A slip with two gullies for Warner, who plays the short-arm jab off his hip for one. Jamal keeps bouncing Smith, who pulls another run. Warner jabs one to midwicket.
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40th over: Australia 171-2 (Warner 95, Smith 4) Faheem Ashraf continues, and we have the rare sight of an umpire calling wide for a bouncer in a Test match. Well over Warner’s head. Decent over from Faheem, beats the inside edge at one stage, then almost brings a false shot with extra bounce as Warner cuts for two.
39th over: Australia 168-2 (Warner 93, Smith 4) Thanks Angus. So it’s the old firm together again, Smith and Warner, Warner and Smith. Little David sways back to evade some short stuff from Aamer Jamal, who then errs in width allowing Warner to carve away a boundary behind point, then a single squarer.
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38th over: Australia 163-2 (Warner 88, Smith 4) Steve Smith is out there (in every sense) and now he’s off the mark in style flaying a short Ashraf delivery over the infield for a beautiful, if belligerent, boundary. Lovely way to get off the mark from Smudge and the shot of a man with his eye in. Speaking of which… here’s Geoff Lemon to bring you home. Adios amigos!
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WICKET! Labuschagne LBW Ashraf 16 (Australia 159-2)
Massive shout for LBW from Ashraf’s first delivery back… and it’s OUT! Labuschagne reviewed but the line and length looked good and there was no hint or sound of bat. Marnus must begin his customary slow walkoff.
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37th over: Australia 159-1 (Warner 88, Labuschagne 16) Agha Salman, Pakistan’s part-time spinner, returns for his fourth over. He was miserly in his first spell, leaking just three runs from three overs but Labuschagne inflates those stats with a deuce then a single from the final two deliveries.
36th over: Australia 156-1 (Warner 88, Labuschagne 13) Beaten by Ashraf on the first, Warner shuffles across and grabs two from the second. The boundaries might have dried up for Warner but these two are running like rabbits between wickets and that keeps the screws turning on Pakistan. Warner is on 87 – supposedly Australian cricket’s most bedevilled number. He’s clearly not a superstitious gent though, dabbing a single to move past it and letting Labuschagne take one from the final delivery.
35th over: Australia 152-1 (Warner 85, Labuschagne 12) Warner has just 13 runs from 34 deliveries since lunch. Shahzad is challenging the front foot, nagging at a length, keeping things tight and trusting the pitch to spark a surprise. It’s good bowling, unglamorous but unstinting in its threat. Captain Masood has set a field with teeth for Labuschagne and his dash at the last can’t sneak through the circle. Good over, just a single from it.
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34th over: Australia 151-1 (Warner 84, Labuschagne 12) Shaheen Afridi has left the field grimacing. He slipped retrieving a ball in the boundary in the last over and his left knee buckled. It’s the same knee that cost him games at the World Cup so let’s hope he’s okay because that could be a mortal blow if he was to suffer an injury. For now it’s Ashraf, zeroing in from wide off the crease and targeting the base of Warner’s stumps.
33rd over: Australia 148-1 (Warner 83, Labuschagne 11) In his first Test Shahzad is showing patience and precision. This is his ninth over now and only 24 from them… until Marnus taps a tall ball away and runs two to get off the mark. Rattled, the bowler strays with the next delivery, drifting to leg and Marnus clips it cleanly to the rope. He has 507 runs at this venue at an average of 169, not a bad return. And he makes it not-a-bad over, pillaging another three runs from another Shahzad no-ball. He takes a single from the fifth to move to 11 and Warner does likewise to retain the strike. Honours even so far in this session but Australia still ascendant.
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32nd over: Australia 35-1 (Warner 82, Labuschagne 0) Shaheen returns with his tail up but Labuschagne is circumspect, happy to sit on his duck from nine balls. Shaheen has a fine pedigree for a Test cricketer with his older brother Riaz Afridi making a one Test cameo for Pakistan in 2004, when Shaheen was just four-years-old, and his father is enigmatic 26-Test allrounder Shahid Afridi. That mix makes for a feisty BBQ at Chez Afridi.
31st over: Australia 128-1 (Warner 75, Labuschagne 0) Warner chances a single from Shahzad and with a fleeter-footed partner at the crease, it comes off. Good cricket from the veteran. Pakistan were pumping each other up in the field and now they’re on alert again. Labuschagne leaves the fourth ball and it jags back nastily drawing a big shout but no review. Poor leave by the Australian first drop. He loves a lavish leave early in his innings as he looks for rhythm but that was almost the death of him. Shahzad is bowling beautifully after the break. Replays show that LBW shout was inline but just going over middle stump. Game on!
30th over: Australia 126-1 (Warner 75, Labuschagne 0) Shaheen had just brought up the second fifty of the series (52-0) before he drew a healthy edge from Khawaja and pumped air into the deflated Pakistan lungs. It was a big swish from Khawaja but the line was lethal and the catch was taken. That brings Labuschagne to the crease.
WICKET! Khawaja c Sarfaraz b Shaheen 41 (Australia 126-1)
A big edge from the bat and Shaheen has the breakthrough! That was good bowling from the Pakistan spearhead and lazy batting from Khawaja. A thick deflection and the keeper dives forward and left to take the chance. A just reward for much-improved bowling after lunch.
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29th over: Australia 126-0 (Warner 75, Khawaja 41) Warner’s better-than-run-a-ball innings has slowed and he’s now dipped below a three-figure strike rate. Shahzad has kept him very honest this over with five dots, each challenging the stumps and forcing Warner further into his shell. The bowler’s reward is a weird edge as the batter withdraws his bat late and skids a ball short of slips.
28th over: Australia 126-0 (Warner 75, Khawaja 41) Pakistan were building pressure nicely until Khawaja freed his arms and swung Shaheen to the boundary rope. The big quick over-stepped and over-pitched and was punished. Lovely shot! Almost as lovely as the lashing cover drive he unfurls to the final delivery… but alas, this one doesn’t yield a run as sharp fielding stops it dead.
27th over: Australia 121-0 (Warner 75, Khawaja 37) Pakistan seem to guzzled a big glass of concrete at the lunch break. They have hardened up nicely in the resumption with tighter lines, better fields and some snarly chatter in amidst the team. The runs have duly dried up. Warner takes two but not before doing plenty of hopping around the crease.
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26th over: Australia 118-0 (Warner 73, Khawaja 37) And we’re back! It will be Shaheen bowling to Warner who is watchful. Shaheen is the leader of this attack but the spearhead was blunted in the first session, leaking plenty of runs and spraying it around. Warner takes two from this over.
The cricket world was abuzz during the break with Australia’s 12th Man Cameron Green going public on his once life-threatening battle with kidney disease. A remarkable and inspiring story
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Brilliant yet brutal batting from David Warner, some bad luck for Pakistan and a butterfingered moment that spared Usman Khawaja on 21 have been the talking points of this first session at Perth Stadium. Australia’s openers have marched along at almost five-per-over and Pakistan’s team selections already look dubious, with every bowler tried to little impact. With the opening pair set and the pitch settling, Pakistan need something special to get back into this Test. What can they muster? We’ll find out after lunch.
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LUNCH
After 25 overs Australia are unbeaten at 116-0 (Warner 71*, Khawaja 37*)
25th over: Australia 116-0 (Warner 71, Khawaja 37) Here’s the last over before lunch and Pakistan will be on a go-slow praying for the safety of the dressing-rooms. What a bruising session it’s been for them – 117 runs leaked, a simple catch dropped and not a breakthrough in sight, despite every bowling option attempted. Australia play out a maiden from Salman and head to lunch happy. Having filled their boots in the middle they’ll now fill their bellies and fire up for another run feast after the break.
24th over: Australia 116-0 (Warner 71, Khawaja 37) Khawaja facing up to Shaheen. He has faced 13 deliveries more than Warner yet has 34 runs less. But these two have been batting together since they were kids in the Sydney suburbs and their fire-and-ice dynamic has made them into one of the finest opening pairs in Australia’s rich history. A rare maiden.
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23rd over: Australia 116-0 (Warner 71, Khawaja 37) Trying to take pace out of the game, Salman returns and succeeds in his quest with just a single to Khawaja squeaked down the ground.
22nd over: Australia 115-0 (Warner 71, Khawaja 36) What a shot! Shaheen banged it at speed outside off stump and Warner leaned down and lifted it over his shoulder and into the heavens for an extraordinary SIX. That has flown 12 rows back into the grandstand and the smile never left Warner’s face the whole way. Shaheen had to hide behind his hand to disguise his incredulity. The next ball is, appropriately a bouncer, and Shaheen stomps down the pitch to stand eyeball-to-eyeball with Warner. The batter, a full foot shorter than his rival, simply grins while the big bowler glowers. All the more when Warner wallops another four from the last. Ouch!
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21st over: Australia 102-0 (Warner 63, Khawaja 35) With Australia on top, Pakistan captain has dug deeper into his bag of tricks and emerged with spinner Agha Salman. By “spinner”, I mean “part-time spinning allrounder Agha Salman”, Pakistan having strangely opted to blood two paceman rather than take a specialist spinner into this Test. It’s a handy over though, with just one run from it.
20th over: Australia 101-0 (Warner 63, Khawaja 34) Big appeal here! Shaheen has been brought back into the attack and his first ball is sharp, spearing past Warner’s inside edge and into his pads. It looks high at first glance but Warner is a diminutive chap so Pakistan will review. Poorly as it turns out. The ball was indeed high, the batter was a foot off the ground and it hit high on the front pad. They’re starting to look a little desperate here, the visitors. Especially when Warner winds up and clouts a ball off his navel and into the fence behind square. FOUR! But it draws a fesity response from Shaheen – a bouncer that whistles over the helmet’s badge and puts The Bull on his bum. He scampers a single to avoid further heat leaving it to Iceman Khawaja to see out the over which he does with a neatly run single to retain strike. That’s 100 for Australia. A blazing start to the Test and the summer for the home side.
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19th over: Australia 95-0 (Warner 59, Khawaja 33) WHACK goes Warner! That’s ten fours for him now as Australia enter the nerveless 90s and the run rate stays steadfastly around five. He takes a single from the third as Ashraf shows signs of tiring in his fourth over. And KRACK goes Khawaja with a dainty dab behind square that rolls serenely to the rope.
18th over: Australia 86-0 (Warner 54, Khawaja 29) Loose shot by Warner from Aamer (I’m now going with the team-sheet spelling) but it lands safely. That was a one-handed lob in the style of Rod Laver but somehow it landed safely between the tramlines and out of danger. Khawaja, still smarting after that dropped chance, flat-bats the remaining deliveries.
17th over: Australia 83-0 (Warner 51, Khawaja 29) Ashraf returns for a third over, steaming into Khawaja who seems utterly undeterred at the loose shot that almost cost him his wicket in the previous over. Rowan Sweeney writes in to sing the opener’s praises – and morals: “I know the world has gone mad in the last ten-or-so years, but when things like Usman’s shoes come up in discourse, I can’t help but think back to how instrumental the international sporting boycott of South Africa was to the ending of Apartheid. It makes me genuinely sick to the stomach to think how unlikely such a ban would be these days, when an entirely self-evident written on a pair of boots is deemed ‘too political’. Here’s to Uzzie and his continuing stand!”
16th over: Australia 82-0 (Warner 50, Khawaja 29) Dropped catch! Khawaja tried to hoik Aaamir from off stump to the on-side and only managed to sky the ball. It was a simple ‘keeper’s catch but first slip Abdullah Shafique ran back and botched the opportunity, over-running it, losing eye-contact at the last moment and letting it spill to the boundary. What a comedy of errors that was and a terrible blow to Pakistan who desperately need a breakthrough. That could prove very costly for the visitors. Khawaja celebrates with a pair of twos as Australia enter the eighties.
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15th over: Australia 74-0 (Warner 50, Khawaja 21) Block-bang-bang. That’s how Warner and Ashraf dance to the first three balls of this 15th over. Throw in a BOOM to the fourth as Warner carts it past gully to reach his fifty off 41 deliveries. That’s his 36th fifty in Tests and sixth v Pakistan. A ripping riposte to those who say The Bull needs to be put out to pasture.
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14th over: Australia 66-0 (Warner 42, Khawaja 21) As drinks come onto the ground Patrick writes in to saw he’s blowing the citrus froth off his first of the day. “Bit early in the day for talk of Warner’s wand, thank you Angus. I’ve only just had my first gin.” Sorry Patrick, maybe my alliteration will sit a little sweeter with the second… or third.
It will be Aamir resuming after the break and Warner whips him square to move to 37 from 35 and keep his critics chewing at the crust of humble pie. Khawaja is watchful to the next few, perhaps pondering whether Mr Jamal spells his name Aamir as the broadcasters have it or Aamer as on the team sheet.
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13th over: Australia 61-0 (Warner 37, Khawaja 21) Double bowling change as Faheem Ashraf enters the attack. After an aborted first delivery he gets his run-up right to deliver a yorker which Warner safely dead-bats back. He takes a single from the next leaving Khawaja to pinch two and then skip down and thump four down the ground. Glorious shot!
12th over: Australia 54-0 (Warner 35, Khawaja 16) Here’s the first bowling change of the Test. Aamir Jamal, the 27-year-old leftarmer from Mianwali, rolls in. His first ball in Test cricket is short and Warner tries to whack it square but it’s a tad slower and falls harmlessly at the batters feet. A wide from the second and a kind umpire’s call spares the next a similar fate. Khawaja’s eyes light up at a short third ball but he’s too quick through the shot. That heavier ball is one of Jamal’s weapons. Here’s a look at a few of the other wicket balls in his arsenal..
11th over: Australia 51-0 (Warner 34, Khawaja 16) The Warner-Khawaja fifty partnership came from 60 deliveries and, with both now well set, things are starting to look ominous for Pakistan. Captain Shan Masood isn’t panicking yet though, bringing Shaheen back for a sixth over. At 198cm, Shaheen has shown he can be a handful on the bouncy Australian pitches. He swings it both ways and while he has shown hints of both so far in this Test it has come at a high price. This is his best over yet – a maiden.
10th over: Australia 51-0 (Warner 34, Khawaja 16) Shahzad’s respectable figures of 0-4 went to rack and ruin last over, thanks to the fat blade of David Warner carving two fours from him. And here’s another, as Warner’s wand reaches out and catches a healthy edge past gully and bounces it all the way to the rope. That brings up the fifty partnership for these two, still below this opening pair’s average partnership against Pakistan of 97.
9th over: Australia 44-0 (Warner 30, Khawaja 13) Australia’s run rate has shot up to five-per-over but it hasn’t been all plain sailing. Several balls have caught the edge and ballooned over slips and a handful have beaten the batters edges with speed and a hint of swing. So far Pat Cummins’ surprise decision to bat first has been rewarded but Pakistan have their tail up on a pitch that has shown plenty of pace, bounce and seam so far.
8th over: Australia 43-0 (Warner 30, Khawaja 13) Here comes Shahzad who has been impressive so far. Unlike his senior partner Shaheen who has been spanked for five boundaries so far, the apprentice has been frugal so far. However from 0-4 he goesw to 0-8 as Warner comes out to meet a ball and gets tangled up, somehow managing to squirt it over the slips again for four. Warner makes up for it on the final, gettimng down onto one knee to crunch the youngster through the covers for another four.
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7th over: Australia 34-0 (Warner 22, Khawaja 12) Shaheen bailed Warner up with the first but Warner’s response is two boundaries – the first a fierce cut over the infield, the second a finessed flick to the fine leg boundary. He races to 22 from 20 balls and Australia are flying!
6th over: Australia 26-0 (Warner 14, Khawaja 12) Shahzad is switching to around the wicket for Warner now, bringing him closer to the stumps and setting up the edgy Australian opener for a big outswinger. Warner has been shown vulnerability to this angle before, most famously to English tyro Stuart Broad. Shahzad keeps him honest with the first three but Warner counter-attacks the fourth, stepping down and punching past mid-off to (or near to) the boundary. He averages 84.47 against Pakistan and has a strut that means business today
5th over: Australia 23-0 (Warner 11, Khawaja 12) Here’s Shaheen again and Warner drives handsomely but mid-off gets across to stop runs. Shaheen has 105 wickets from his 28 Tests so far at the fine average of 25. But as Warner works him for three more, his stats are already heading above and beyond that with 0-23 from three overs so far.
4th over: Australia 20-0 (Warner 8, Khawaja 12) Lovely first balls by Shahzad. The first ball almost feathered an edge from Khawaja and the second sparked a noise and an appeal but looks to have caught a bit of thigh pad. Shahzad has had a bright start to his career with 136 wickets from his 45 first-class games and a best of 6-23. He’s bowling beautifully here, a lovely smooth run to the crease and a little jag to the left before he delivers. He finishes with another two dots, both digging into Khawaja’s ribs and getting him hopping.
3rd over: Australia 20-0 (Warner 8, Khawaja 12)
David Warner with the strike now to Shaheen Afridi. The first ball bails him up and the second goes one better, catching the edge and flying just over third slip to run away for four. Nervous start for Warner but good signs for Shaheen and promising bounce and carry from the Perth pitch. The next ball is full and on a leg stump line but Warner leans on it and puts it away for an easy two. Shaheen finishes with a dot ball and has 20 runs from his first two overs but it could just as easily have been two wickets as well.
2nd over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 2, Khawaja 12)
Khawaja has 12 runs from the first over and that aligns with a man averaging over 100 against Pakistan of late. The 36-year-old may have dispensed with the humanitarian slogans of support from his shoes but he is wearing a black arm band in solidarity with the Gaza victims. Here’s Shahzad with his first ball in Test cricket and he’s on target so far, enjoying the bounce of the Perth wicket and zipping it past Khawaja’s edge. His final ball is the best yet, sneaking past Khawaja’s defences and thundering into his belt line. Great first over from the 24-year-old rookie!
Start of play
1st over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 2, Khawaja 12)
Afridi strays to leg with his first ball and Warner tucks it away for a single, Khawaja does the same to the second and both batters are off the mark. Although Warner is under pressure, having averaged just 23 this season, he smashed four consecutive ODI tons against Pakistan in October. A misfield from the Pakistan captain to allow a single is made worse when Khawaja carves a boundary from the fourth. Fifth ball from Shaheen is faster and fuller and Khawaja gets a thick edge and it falls just a yard short of third slip. Great comeback from the attack leader… but Khawaja is forward to the final ball and whips it away for three runs. 14 off the first and Australia are away!
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Perth is traditionally a fast-bowlers paradise and Perth Stadium head curator Isaac McDonald was tipping a “hard, fast and bouncy” surface. Ten millimetres of grass had been left on the pitch two days ago but that would’ve been shaved yesterday and perhaps again this morning so we’ll see a shorter stubble for Day One. There’s some pressure on the ground staff today after a toothless pitch was served up for last summer’s drab Test against the West Indies. In their defence, this is just the fourth Test to be played at the 60,000-capacity stadium.
The drop-in pitch was moved into the stadium’s playing surface less than three weeks ago, having been curated at Optus Stadium since February. It contains the same local clay and grass species as the surfaces at the WACA, although pitches there played sluggishly earlier in the Sheffield Shield season. The pitch was inserted during oppressive late-spring weather, but the match will be played in milder temperatures, around 30C.
With temperatures forecast to be milder the pitch is unlikely to crack in the backend of the match. Shaheen Afridi is at the top of his mark and we are zeroing in on the first ball of the day…
Players from both sides are on the field for the anthems and the welcome to country by Wadjuk elders.
Pakistan, as ever, are an unknown quantity. Their cricket administration is infamously political and that makes for a frequently shambolic and occasionally brilliant cricket team. This side represents something of a new era under their new captain Shan Masood, who takes over from Babar Azam. Masood stroked a glorious 200 in the Prime Minister’s XI game last week, a statement innings he hopes will inspire his team and intimidate the home side. But although they have a formidable top five, included prolific openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq, it is their bowlers who face the sternest examination. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed is out of this first Test with soreness in his right leg, with off-spinning allrounder Salman Ali Agha replacing him. It’ll be left to the experienced Shaheen Shah Afridi to lead a pace attack and blaze the trail for Pakistan’s two debutants, right-armers Khurram Shahzad and Aamir Jamal.
There is a ripple of surprise at Pat Cummins choosing to bat first on the traditionally bouncy Perth wicket but clearly he wants to keep his pace attack on ice and unleash the men of the moment David Warner and Usman Khawaja on this raw Pakistani bowling attack.
Both openers are in the news for very different reasons
And here’s Geoff Lemon’s primer for this first Test at Perth Stadium…
Here’s how the teams line up…
Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood
Pakistan 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), 7 Salman Ali Agha, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Aamer Jamal, 11 Khurram Shahzad
Toss
Australia have won the toss and will bat first.
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Preamble
Greetings readers! Welcome to another summer of cricket and Day One of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan. Angus Fontaine here to take you through the opening sessions with Geoff Lemon to bring you home.
It’s a belated start to the home summer but it’s been a fascinating build up. Pakistan and Australia have been playing Test cricket since 1956-57 and the ledger sits at Australia 34 wins, Pakistan 15 wins with 20 draws.
Although Australia have lost only one of their last 10 Tests against Pakistan – a 373-thumping in October 2018 – they have won all five Tests since. At home, Australia’s record is even more imperious – in their last 25 meetings they have been lost only once – a 74-run defeat in Sydney in 1995. And of course Pat Cummins’ team has had one helluva year – retaining the Ashes, winning the World Test Championship and taking out the ODI World Cup.
Pakistan are a proud cricketing nation who have produced some of the most wondrous players in the game’s history – Hanif Mohammad, Javed Miandad, Majid Khan, Abdul Quadir, Imran Khan, Waqar Younis and, the greatest left-arm quick of them of all, Wasim Akram.
But while Australia have played 11 Tests in 2023, Pakistan have played only three, and they arrive with a young side full of talent but short on experience. Let’s talk teams shortly but for now, the captains are out there for the coin toss…
