Pakistan v Australia, 1st Test, Rawalpindi, 4-8 March, 2022

Would have helped a little if we had a decent keeper.

Carey dropped another sitter yesterday.

I don’t see him as any more than a stopgap at Test level.

Of the first 4 partnerships broken in this match, only one was for <100.

And the first in this innings is now >100.

Roady McRoad at present.

Warner back to his best. Pakistan attack lacks venom, their fielding is also nothing special.

Red wrote:Warner back to his best

Just finished saying what a road it is.

My grandmother could make runs on it ...

And the other bloke has out-batted him comprehensively

Idiot Warner tried to cut a half volley!!!

lardbucket wrote:

Red wrote:Warner back to his best

Just finished saying what a road it is.

My grandmother could make runs on it ...

With a stick of rhubarb?

Geez I hate the reverse sweep.

It might bring a few runs here and there but you look like an idiot if you get out to it - as Ooze did.

lardbucket wrote:

Red wrote:Warner back to his best

Just finished saying what a road it is.

My grandmother could make runs on it ...

Was being sarcastic; everyone knew he would make runs on this highway,.

Richie at Tea.

2-222 ... couldn’t be more Richie

Any more pitches like this and Pakistan should have cricket own their soil taken away again. Bowler-friendly pitches are what keeps cricket alive.

Bad light again, what an underwhelming test this has been.

And that is the problem with roads.

The Ashes was a revelation. 5 result pitches produced.

beamer wrote:

lardbucket wrote:

Red wrote:Warner back to his best

Just finished saying what a road it is.

My grandmother could make runs on it ...

With a stick of rhubarb?

Despite being 20 years dead?

skully wrote:And that is the problem with roads.

The Ashes was a revelation. 5 result pitches produced.

And the pitches between SA and India were great.

6/747 so far. Back to the Middle East for Pakistan.

I recall back when I was a youngster and we played Pakistan over there and one of the pitches was so dead that Chappell used every bowler, including Marsh. He was pissed off to be given out in the 230s because he wanted to personally bat all test in protest. The Pakistani umpire gave him out saying that he was sick of the bloody sight of him despite the ball looking to go a mile down leg.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-pakistan-1979-80-61398/pakistan-vs-australia-2nd-test-63264/full-scorecard

Excruciating.

6 wickets in 3 days… seems to be just one extreme or the other in Test cricket these days. What happened to a battle between bat and ball where 300-400 is par and you get a result on the fifth day?

Maybe bowlers have forgotten how to bowl on flat decks these days, as well… heads tend to drop in the field when big partnerships form, and it’s not just England that happens to (well, most of the time it is…)

2 wickets per day average being maintained so far… can they Cronje up a result tomorrow?

Poor shots from Labs and Blow momentarily put Aus under the spotlight, but Smudge looks like he wants to bat for the next 4 sessions and Snot has been very safe.

Wackies out-patienting Aus here.

Pretty much every Aus bat has thrown his hand away.

27 behind, 3 wkts let, one day to go. What does Pat do?

Bowling practice? With the scores almost level there isn’t even a plausible forfeit/early declaration scenario that would contrive a contest to keep both sides interested.

Bat all day on day 5 if possible. Wear out the Pakistani bowlers as much as possible on this appalling road If/when we do bowl again, hopefully after lunch, prioritise fatigue and injury avoidance. Give Khawaja and Warner a trundle, maybe Warner can keep and give Carey a turn with the ball. There is otherwise little to recommend day 5.

Are Tests 2 and 3 to be played on the same strip?