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With England in high spirits, it’s time for a strong coffee and wake up the paper boy.
62.5 overs: Pakistan 202 all out (Abrar 7) Well done by Abrar, who gets his butt out and runs Mark Wood over the slips for four. Press a single before Ashraf hole. Lovely 23 runs from the last cover pair, but Pakistan stalled after Babar’s cover, and then could never restart the train against tight English bowling.
An email arrives from Richard Whitehook. “Morning Tanya… Coming in from a cloudy and cool afternoon in Malaysia – 29 degrees! Loving the last few weeks of Test cricket and on a family note I’d like to wish my little brother Nick Rodwell a happy birthday, who turned 50 this week.”
Happy Birthday Nick! Let it be cheerful and bright.
WICKET! Ashraf c Duckett b Wood 22 (Pakistan 202 all out – trail for 79)
Wood covers his mouth in disbelief, after Ashraf sinks the ball to backward square leg and Duckett takes a comfortable catch. What a success from Pakistan, but excellent again from England, who climb the steps of the Multan pavilion for lunch.
61st over: Pakistan 197-9 (Ashraf 22, Abrar 2) A knee-jerk flick from Ashraf dodges the clinging fingers of Ben Duckett at mid=off to go for four; and another, a big leap and a backflip on the rope. Some resistance at last.
61st over: Pakistan 189-9 (Ashraf 14, Abrar 2) Root leaks a run, with ten minutes to go until they are out.
“Morning Tanya”, Andy Bradshaw.
“That’s where baseball comes into its own (a second inning collapse in all Outs for 100 off 20 balls). But if you, as a hitter, expect to only last 20 balls, whether you block it or the BazBall, you can also try to get 30 of these 20 balls instead of 4.
60th over: Pakistan 188-9 (Ashraf 13, Abrar 2) The deficit falls below 100, small, rather stale, crumbs of comfort.
“Good Tanya”, Karen Thorne!
“Just tuned in to a more exciting spot!!
Broady was right yesterday when he said that a few wickets for England this morning will see them completely out of reach by Pakistan.
He was also right to leave the clergyman’s glasses. I bet something rotten was done to them.
Anyway, Leach seems to have had some sort of revival this morning!! And how blind Robinson is playing.”
59th over: Pakistan 183-9 (Ashraf 8, Abrar 2) Wood retires after bowling, and taking a wicket, and Leach replaces him. Pakistan survives.
58th over: Pakistan 182-9 (Ashraf 7, Abrar 2) Lunch in this extended session is delayed as we wait for the final wicket to fall. Leach’s second ball goes straight through Abrar but somehow survives the rest of the over. Since Babar was out for an eleven, Pakistan have lost seven for forty.
57th over: Pakistan 181-9 (Ashraf 6, Abrar 2) Abrar, shirt full of a chest pad, goes wide with a somewhat desperate pull.
WICKET! Mahmood lbw Wood 0 (Pakistan 179-9, 102 overs)
Mahmood is no match for a swinging beauty. Review, just because, and Pakistan have three to go, but it only delays the inevitable. Wood’s first wicket of the innings.
56th over: Pakistan 179-8 (Ashraf 6, Mahmood 0) Pakistan finally discover the reverse sweep as Ashraf fumbles for a boundary from Leach.
55th over: Pakistan 175-8 (Ashraf 2, Mahmood 0) Pakistan gratefully accept four dismissals past Pope’s gloves.
Updated at 0658 GMT
54th over: Pakistan 171-8 (Ashraf 2, Mahmood 0) Ashraf gets a couple of runs to Leach but the good ship Pakistan is tilting dangerously.
“Good morning, Tanya!” Nice to meet you Jana Jeruma-Grinberga!
“Follows the fascinating OBO in a snowy landscape in Latvia, thousands of miles and degrees of separation from Pakistan. Today’s plan: some IKEA flatpackery followed by a trip to the Christmas market in the old town and a warm black balm (it’s -8 outside). As a long-time follower of England cricket, I love this – the most fascinating ENG team since perhaps 1981.”
I googled a red balm, does it have a hint of mulled wine?
Updated at 0658 GMT
53rd over: Pakistan 169-8 (Ashraf 0, Mahmood 0) Just the double-wicket maiden for Root!
WICKET! Ali b Crawley b Root 0 (Pakistan 169-8, 112 behind)
At slip, Crawley rises from his long legs, reaches into his long, long arms and plucks the ball out of the air after Ali steps up and gets a lead on his pad. Pakistan have now lost four wickets in 19 balls for four runs.
WICKET! Salman c Stokes b Root 4 (Pakistan 169-7, 112 behind)
The root loosener is served in a gravy jug and delivered straight to Ben Stokes, who doesn’t have to lift a finger halfway through.
52nd over: Pakistan 169-6 (Salman 4, Ashraf 0) Pakistan crumble against Leach’s powerful combination of guile and pace, and the reverse swing of the bigs.
WICKET! Nawaz c Robinson b Nawaz 1 (Pakistan 169-6, 112 behind)
Nawaz gleefully dances down the pitch to hit the ball straight to mid on.
51st over: Pakistan 169-5 (Salman 4, Nawaz 1) Pakistan take a relatively princely four off Wood, who has been gutted for no reward today.
This is mind-blowing: Wasim Akram and Jack Leach
Jack Leach reaches 100 wickets in 50 overs, the same number of overs it took W Akram, C Vaas, S Akhtar, R Herath, M Starc, K Maharaj to reach 100.
— Mark Puttick (@GryllidaeC) December 10, 2022
50th over: Pakistan 161-5 (Salman 1, Nawaz 0) So skillfully done by Leach Rizwan had just reached the boundary with a characteristic wrist loft but, just like Shakeel, the next ball falls.
Updated at 0636 GMT
WICKET! Rizwan b Leach 10 (Pakistan (165 -5, 116 runs)
A beauty! Rizwan squared around the off stump and the ball bounces to the middle stump. The end of a peculiarly out of character entry
49th over: Pakistan 161-4 (Rizwan 6, Agha Salman 1) Sweet riches, two runs from Wood. A flap down the ground by Rizwan takes one, and Salman is deflected after nine balls. Wood comes in, full body, and Salman just gets the bat on in time over a yorker.
48th over: Pakistan 159-4 (Rizwan 4, Agha Salman 0) Another maiden from Leach who has put on his slippers and torn his snuff. Brook takes one in the ass in a silly spot.
Tell me your Saturday breakfast plans, OBO-ers. Or lunch/dinner plans if you are at a different longitude.
47th over: Pakistan 159-4 (Rizwan 4, Agha Salman 0) Super from Wood, largely on a good length to a last ball buff. Salman is tempted to have a flash but survives his instinctive flash.
46th over: Pakistan 158-4 (Rizwan 4, Agha Salman 0) What a waste to bat so carefully all morning, only to lose your mind over a passing fancy.
WICKET! Shakeel c Anderson b Leach 63 (Pakistan 158-4, 123 behind)
A Test hundred for Leach as Saud Shakeel loses his head, the ball after playing a sublime dance and hitting for four. He goes for it again, but misses and the ball flies between Anderson and Jacks. Anderson climbs like a late teenager on the bus and catches the ball in the slide with both hands while avoiding the Jacks.
45th over: Pakistan 154-3 (Shakeel 59, Rizwan 4) This anti-Bazball proves the value of Bazball. If Rizwan had made a mistake and gone now, he would have batted steadily for nearly an hour, but not a single run would have marked the score. A change of heads for Wood and Rizwan finally breaks the shackles! A glorious cover that leaps with delight to the limit. Rizwan smiles.
44th over: Pakistan 149-3 (Shakeel 58, Rizwan 0) Stokes spins to Leach, long sleeve in the morning chill. Rizwan drives with pulse, but only half. Go back forward. Pope has a little word in his ear from behind the posts, and a silly dot examines Rizwan’s white lipstick. Another maiden.
43rd over: Pakistan 149-3 (Shakeel 58, Rizwan 0) And another maiden as Robinson runs round and round, round and round. Time for Ben Stokes?
42nd over: Pakistan 149-3 (Shakeel 58, Rizwan 0) Tick, tock, the overs roll by and Pakistan play them passively. A fruity length ball from Wood – England dubious about the review – Pope isn’t keen, Wood is – they go at it and it’s close – umpire’s call – but no cigar. Rizwan still calmed down.
41 overs: Pakistan 148-3 (Shakeel 58, Rizwan 0) All sorted by eye and refreshment, and Robinson ends his over with two more runs.
40.4 overs: Pakistan 147-3 (Shakeel 57, Rizwan 0) Rizwan almost cut in half by a Robinson seamer and we have DRINKS as Rizwan tries to get something out of his eye with a water bottle.
“A morning from a smooth Tanya in Istanbul. Today is really a test for Bazball – with an attack a little unbalanced in the circumstances, we could find ourselves 100 behind at the close. So what? Do it? If we lose this one , we’ll be accused of being, what’s the term? Flat track thugs?” Oh, Robert Lewis, that’s a little provocative for this time of the morning.
40th over: Pakistan 147-3 (Shakeel 57, Rizwan 0) A change of bowling, and we have Mark Wood for the first time this morning, hitting over 90mph (145km/h) at mid-on. Rizwan stays determined with his 15 ball 0, he won’t be able to resist having a dart for much longer.
“Good morning Tanya.” Hi Finbar Anslow! “He ‘tuned in’ in time for Babar’s disappearance. Thanks for getting up so early for us and please think about our concert in Milan today – it starts at 5 afternoon and we just found out they let us in to get ready at 5pm. sigh”
milan Went there for the first time this summer. So lovely – still fantasize about those delicious cakes, the name of which escapes me right now, served with your espresso. And good luck with the concert!
Updated at 05.39 GMT
39th over: Pakistan 146-3 (Shakeel 56, Rizwan 0) More stats, Robinson has the lowest Test bowling average in the last five years, barring Kyle Jamieson. Pat Cummins ranks third. Robinson getting the ball moving both ways. Another flawless finish with just…