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112th over: Pakistan 405-3 (Babar 100, Shakeel 35) After a couple of points from Anderson, there’s a hold-up as Shakeel summons the physio, not sure why. Stokes comes up with an even more cunning plan: not three but five men in a ring from short cover to mid-on. Actually, six, if you count short to half a point: it’s a cord, but not as we know it. Shakeel is up to the challenge, walking down the track to take Anderson for four. This is the most interesting moment since I did more than 70 minutes.
An email arrives with a theory. “While I’m glancing at the OBO just to see if anything’s happened,” says Jim Neale, “I wonder if there’s a little flaw in Bazball. While it’s very entertaining, the problem of scoring at this rate means that the Pakistan were only out for less than 4 sessions.Traditionally when a team scored 650 the fielding team was there for almost 6 sessions before the quicks got a try just before the close.
“It also gives more time for the pitch to deteriorate, but from what I’ve read about this one, it could take a month.” Ha. “I would have thought that the combination of physical and mental fatigue coupled with the pressure of surviving a hostile 40-minute period would have given England a better chance. I can’t claim to have a great knowledge of the game, but there seems to be some of logic in my assumptions.” Yes there!
Updated at 09.52 GMT
Hundred to Babar!
111th over: Pakistan 401-3 (Babar 100, Shakeel 31) Stokes bowls another bouncer, Babar takes another run for four and that’s the partnership hundred, one of too many in this match. Shakeel comes in with a cut for three, a shrewd way to hit Babar back. The crowd wakes up and suddenly gathers something that resembles a buzz. Stokes takes a long, hopeless leap outside off and Babar hits it past extra cover for a frictionless hundred.
“Does the recorder, asks Mike Atherton, have enough ink for this game?”
110th over: Pakistan 388-3 (Babar 91, Shakeel 27) Anderson has three fielders at the top of the ring from point to cover, as one of the spinners (I think Leach) did earlier. Undaunted, Shakeel drives towards them, and the middle of the three (Jack I think) lets the ball go past his ankle for three. “If there’s one bowler you wouldn’t want to do that to,” says Mike Atherton, “it’s Jimmy Anderson.”
109th over: Pakistan 385-3 (Babar 91, Shakeel 24) Stokes continues and goes for two singles.
“Hi Tim.” Hi Brendan Large. “What is the meaning of this field? Is it possible that the ground staff are genuine old-school Test fanatics who have been so offended by ‘Bazball’ that they are trying to show Stokes and McCullum how Tests should be played?” It is. And thank you for the simple, more reflective quotes.
108th over: Pakistan 383-3 (Babar 90, Shakeel 23) Jacks gets that well-earned break but it’s Anderson, not Crawley, who replaces him. Ben Stokes is such a conventional captain. This is a maiden from Shakeel, who now has 23 from 77 balls, quite an achievement in the circumstances.
“I’ve just seen Will Jacks swing his arm,” says Colum Fordham, “and he doesn’t look bad as a dry, giving it a lot of flight and inducing the odd false shot. Not just part-time. Apparently Moeen Ali has given him advice on red-ball cricket and spent long spells bowling during the lockdown, honing his craft and helping batsmen of the caliber of Ollie Pope and Hashim Amla bowl in the nets.It can’t be easy on such a flat track.” Fair points… But why have a part-time batting at #8? When orthodox off-spin does nothing for Pakistan, and when you could have Rehan Ahmed, a good bowler who can also bat. It’s a rare case of Stokes and McCullum taking the less daring option.
Updated at 09.47 GMT
107th over: Pakistan 383-3 (Babar 90, Shakeel 23) Nasser looks at the field, now back by the hook, and declares that Stokes will play the enforcer. Stokes tries but his first wicket is barely a long hop. Babar hits it over mid-four to ease into the 90s. The second bouncer is a bit better and Babar bowls Duckett well.
106th: Pakistan 379-3 (Babar 86, Shakeel 23) Another young English batsman has scored a century! It’s Will Jacks, whose figures reach 1-100 as Babar takes a single. Shakeel sweeps for four, low and hard. A few minutes ago Nasser Hussain said: “England looks a bit flat for the first time.” It would make sense to give Jacks a break, no doubt. Get Zak Crawley! As a child he was an average pacer.
Updated at 09.15 GMT
105th: Pakistan 374-3 (Babar 85, Shakeel 19) Ben Stokes has realized that two part-timers can be one more than you need. He turns in on himself to look for a reverse swing point, or as the Guardian’s spell checker likes to put it, see the fever. He limps as he returns, but a chronic knee problem has rarely stopped him in the past. However, he is running hard and bowling at medium pace. England could really do with the speed of Mark Wood or Jamie Overton.
Updated at 09.12 GMT
104th over: Pakistan 373-3 (Babar 84, Shakeel 19) This point looks even worse to me as Jacks goes on and induces a fake strike! He tricks Shakeel, who beats a sweep but gets away with it as the ball goes away to the square-leg man’s left.
103rd over: Pakistan 371-3 (Babar 84, Shakeel 17) Root continues and, just to disprove my point, Babar Azam steps in. He takes a shot for four, and then another, less unorthodox one, hits the bowler as a Federer forehand.
Updated at 09.04 GMT
102nd over: Pakistan 363-3 (Babar 76, Shakeel 17) It’s still Will Jacks, and while this is a maiden for Shakeel, I’m not quite sure why. Where there’s a will, there’s no way. He’s done well, but he’s a part-time player, and this team already has one. If England had known what plan this pitch was going to be, they would surely have picked Rehan Ahmed, who is a specialist, and a leg player, and could be the future of English slow bowling.
Updated at 09.01 GMT
101st over: Pakistan 363-3 (Babar 76, Shakeel 17) Jack Leach is out, and who can blame him, so Joe Root comes in to bowl it out at both ends. Probably the least lethal form of bowling ever seen in Pakistan. Still, this is a virgin, which is kind of a win. And that’s drinks, with Pakistan cruising again after their attempted collapse before lunch. They have now batted for the same number of overs as England, lost seven fewer wickets and made 294 fewer runs. They are playing Bab-ball.
100th: Pakistan 363-3 (Babar 76, Shakeel 17) Good morning everyone, thanks Taha and congratulations on an assured debut. I’m surprised, surprised that no one at The Guardian got up at 4am to present him with his test cap. In the middle, Jacks continues and the batsmen help themselves to a few more bites from the buffet. We’re halfway through this test – it better be a two-part game.
Updated at 08.52 GMT
99th over: Pakistan 358-3 (Babar 72, Shakeel 16) That’s what I leave, here’s Tim de Lisle to keep you company for the rest of the day.
98th over: Pakistan 353-3 (Babar 68, Shakeel 15) Another boundary for Babar against the Jacks; keeps getting into the off-spinner.
97th over: Pakistan 348-3 (Babar 63, Shakeel 15) These two, by the way, have made 58, all with little trouble.
96th over: Pakistan 346-3 (Shakeel 14, Babar 62) Another short from Jacks and Babar bowls another run for four. He is on course for his eighth test hundred; I can’t see it not happening.
95th over: Pakistan 340-3 (Babar 56, Shakeel 14) A single for Shakeel, one for Babar. These two are getting on quite comfortably.
94th over: Pakistan 338-3 (Shakeel 13, Babar 55) Facing the Jacks, Shakeel swapped his helmet for that lovely green Pakistan cap. Great wardrobe.
93rd over: Pakistan 337-3 (Shakeel 12, Babar 55) Shakeel moves into double figures with a superb sweep for four, takes his front foot well outside off before making perfect contact.
92nd over: Pakistan 332-3 (Shakeel 7, Babar 55) Jacks gets his first wicket with the left-hander, which is a match-best for him. Only one
Fifty for Babar Azam!
91st over: Pakistan 331-3 (Shakeel 6, Babar 55) A superb shot from Babar to reach his half-century – he goes down the track to Jack Leach and collects a six over long on. And then follows up with a backstroke to get past midpoint for four more. Simply charming.
90th over: Pakistan 319-3 (Babar 43, Shakeel 6) Jacks is back to playing his precious stuff. But it’s too short with his third ball, which Babar takes easily for four.
89th over: Pakistan 312-3 (Babar 36, Shakeel 6) Babar and Shakeel trade singles before the latter ends the over with a loose drive that doesn’t get a ball.
88th over: Pakistan 307-3 (Babar 34, Shakeel 3)
“I see what’s going on,” writes Kim Thonger. “It’s a recreation of Old Trafford 1956. Jack Leach plays the role of Jim Laker and will finish with 19 goals in the game. Jacks represents Tony Lock, who got the other one.”
Two down, just 17 more to go for Jack.
87th over: Pakistan 306-3 (Babar 33, Shakeel 3) Shakeel punches for a single before Robinson, almost out of nowhere, unleashes a jaffa that dances past Babar’s outside edge. Really though, this new ball isn’t doing anything for the quicks.
86th over: Pakistan 304-3 (Shakeel 2, Babar 32) A sweet cover from Anderson gets Shakeel another single.
85th over: Pakistan 302-3 (Babar 31, Shakeel 1) A first try for Saud Shakeel as he nails Robinson on the offside for a single.
84th over: Pakistan 300-3 (Shakeel 0, Babar 30) Babar latches onto the leg side for a couple to take Pakistan to 300. And yet, they’re not even halfway there yet…