Key events
Do yourself a favour why don’t you? Brew yourself a cup of something strong and settle in to watch this. That’s exactly what I’m doing. Majestic.
This is why I love cricket.
TUESDAY –
Pakistan is the *worst* side in history.
India is the greatest team in the world.THURSDAY –
Pakistan in the lead against England.
India out for their lowest home score.— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) October 17, 2024
Tea: Pakistan 134-5 (lead by 209 runs)
Shoaib Bashir twirls through the final over before tea. Salman and Saud Shakeel are watchful, both playing down the line of the ball. Each takes a single to see out the session. A bruising end to it for England with that brace of clangers off Brydon Carse a few moments ago. 91 runs added by Pakistan for the loss of two wickets.
40th over: Pakistan 134-5 (Saud 30, Salman 12)
39th over: Pakistan 132-5 (Saud 29, Salman 11) A couple of overs to go before tea. England looking a bit ragged, plenty of players looking in need of a splosh of Earl Grey or a plunge in an ice bath. Stokes stitches together a maiden.
38th over: Pakistan 132-5 (Saud 29, Salman 11) Gargantuan effort from Carse who also seems to be struggling with his left boot, or has he picked up an injury? He could just be completely spent but we’ll keep an eye on him. A no ball off the final delivery doesn’t help him and Zak Crawley trots over from mid-off to give him a pat on the back. HashtagTeamSpirit. Pakistan keep working the singles and each run is now smarting that little bit more for England.
37th over: Pakistan 128-5 (Saud 28, Salman 9) Ben Stokes does what he does in times of need and decides that the time has come for him to bring himself on. He turns away in something verging on disgust as a quick single is pinched off his second ball. Those drops and the burgeoning target are weighing heavy, Pakistan lead by 200 now. Brydon Carse looks out on his feet but is coming back for another over. Test cricket is brutal.
36th over: Pakistan 124-5 (Saud 27, Salman 6) My oh my what an over! Brydon Carse sees TWO CATCHES DROPPED off his over. Stokes shows a very rare sign of frustration and screams towards the skies as the second chance hits the dirt. Carse can’t believe it either. Jamie Smith got the cymbals out for the first regulation edge from Salman and two balls later Joe Root spilled a slightly harder but still eminently graspable opportunity at first slip. Huge over in the course of the match as the Pakistan lead creeps towards 200. Ben Stokes’ plans worked with the reversing ball but his fielders have failed to see them through.
35th over: Pakistan 120-5 (Saud 26, Salman 4) Potts probes away hitting a handkerchief sized spot outside off stump. Just a Salman single off the over.
Kenneth Surin is tuned in:
“I’m in my late 70s, hearing not the best. When he delivers the ball Potts seems to yell a 4-letter expletive beginning with F? If so, isn’t this unsportsmanlike conduct?”
I think it is a grunt, Kenneth, of the sort a tennis player emits during a rally. He seems to do it every ball, not just when bowling the effort ball. Though every ball is an effort in these conditions and I’m sure the odd expletive slips out!
Hark at this! The Black Caps running amok against India in Bengalaru:
34th over: Pakistan 119-5 (Saud 26, Salman 3) The Durham pace pincer movement continues as Carse bustles in. Dust, heat and frosted tips. More signs of a reversing ball as a length delivery scuds back into Salman’s pads. The new batter then rides the bounce on a back of a length ball, fending it behind square for a couple of runs. The next ball pitches and dies a thousand deaths into the surface, spluttering to a long barrier unfurling Jamie Smith behind the sticks. This is Day Eight after all…
James Wallace
Thanks Rob, hello all. Phew. It’s getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes actually remain garmented but strap in for what is shaping up to be a enthralling few hours of Test cricket.
Pakistan lead by 190 runs with five wickets left in the sheds as Matthew Potts gets the ball to reverse swing and scythes new batter Salman in two. Don’t go anywhere will you?
33rd over: Pakistan 115-5 (Saud 25, Salman 0)
32nd over: Pakistan 114-5 (Saud 24, Salman 0) Right, that’s all from me – Jim is here for the rest of this pulsating day’s play.
WICKET! Pakistan 114-5 (Rizwan c Root b Carse 23)
Brilliant from Brydon Carse, just brilliant. He has got the dangerous Rizwan once again, having worked him over superbly during that short spell. Rizwan was hit on the back thigh by a big inswinger, missed a slightly weird shot across the line and then edged to Root at slip. The wicket ball was wider and could have been ignored, but Rizwan – rattled by another intimidating interrogation from Carse – poked instinctively at it.
31st over: Pakistan 112-4 (Saud 24, Rizwan 21) A third bowling change in as many overs. Matthew Potts comes on and zips his first ball past Rizwan’s outside edge.
To hell with orthodoxy, decides Rizwan. He charges Potts to flat bat a boundary over mid-off, then goes again to slug four more through midwicket. Ben Stokes applauds after both deliveries, believing that a wicket is in the post. England certainly need one because this is getting away from them.
In their different ways, Pakistan’s middle order of Kamran, Saud and Rizwan have batted superbly.
30th over: Pakistan 103-4 (Saud 24, Rizwan 12) Brydon Carse is coming on after drinks. This feels like England’s penultimate roll of the dice.
Rizwan greets him with a wild hack across the line. Where did that come from? He missed it completely but could easily have dragged on.
After a couple of solid defensive strokes, Rizwan plays tip and run to mid-off. Shakeel digs out a yorker and then hits short mid-on with a crisp clip off the pads.
Drinks: Pakistan lead by 177
29th over: Pakistan 102-4 (Saud 24, Rizwan 11) Joe Root replaces Leach and almost strikes first ball. Saud is squared up by a jaffa that tunrs from middle and leg to take the edge, with the ball dropping short of Pope in the gully.
Saud’s response is a firm sweep to the midwicket boundary, an accomplished shot to bring up the 100. He’s playing jolly well.
28th over: Pakistan 96-4 (Saud 19, Rizwan 10) There’s still plenty of turn for England, but maybe it’s getting slower as the ball ages. Pakistan look as comfortable at any stage in this innings, and Rizwan cuts Bashir for a couple to move into double figures.
27th over: Pakistan 94-4 (Saud 19, Rizwan 8) So far Rizwan has been busy rather than aggressive, looking for singles at every opportunity. At the other end Shakeel is handling the spinners with impressive ease. It might be time for Big Brydon, although there’s risk in that because the quicker bowlers are more hittable on this pitch.
“One of the hilariously incongruent aspects of David Gower commentating alongside his erstwhile Sky colleagues is that (unlike them) he is required by the host broadcaster employing him to peddle the various ‘seamless’ drop-in sponsor messages such as for solar energy, bank accounts, tea and washing machines,” says Brian Withington. “Well it keeps me amused.”
Gower makes the best of a bad job with his playfulness, doesn’t he? Imagine if Beefy was asked to do something similar back in the day. Or Fred Trueman.
26th over: Pakistan 91-4 (Saud 18, Rizwan 6) England enquire for LBW when Rizwan is beaten on the inside by an excellent delivery from round the wicket. Rizwan was a long way forward and there were doubts on both height and line.
This has been Pakistan’s session so far: 11 overs, 48 runs, one wicket.
“Hi Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “While we’re talking about Sugababes and cover versions, this effort by Scottish folk rockers Skipinnish is up there with the most unusual. England maybe wish they could bring yesterday evening back around …”
25th over: Pakistan 89-4 (Saud 17, Rizwan 5) Pakistan’s run rate in this innings is around 3.5 per over, which is good going on such a tricky pitch. Saud charges Leach and chips nicely for a single; I think Leach saw him coming but Saud’s hands got him out of any trouble.
Rizwan also comes down the pitch to drive a more comfortable single, then Shakeel sweeps a third. Pakistan lead by 164.
24th over: Pakistan 86-4 (Saud 15, Rizwan 4) “This Test is one of those rare examples of the sequel being better than the original,” says Mike Jakeman. “For all the plaudits given to Brook and Root for their endurance and concentration in Multan 1, as a spectacle this is so much better.”
23rd over: Pakistan 82-4 (Saud 13, Rizwan 2) Stokes must be slightly tempted to go back to Carse, who has harassed Rizwan in this series, but two spinners feels like the right approach for now.
Saud reverse sweeps adroitly for a single, then Rizwan saunters down the pitch to drive the fourth and final run of Leach’s over.
“Surviving these early morning shifts, my beamish boy?” whispers Robert Smith. There is only love in my generous heart but I’m gonna have to gainsay this: ‘I’ve never batted on a 12th-day pitch but I can’t imagine it’s much fun.’ This sent me immediately down a much-loved imaginative path – Apocalyptic Cricket. Cricket defiantly played while the world ends around it – Wisden’s Last Hurrah as the meteor makes landfall or the nukes finally sweep us off the tablecloth of the planet (I ranted about it in this first para in these hallowed pages some years ago.
“Not sure why but it has always seemed to me that actual Armageddon would almost certainly be accompanied by a bunch of truculent cricket tragics somewhere giving it their last. It might need a sporting declaration or a bit of a slog but there’s be something fitting about it, a valedictory touch.
“A 12th-day pitch would be invidious, flagrant and a risk to life and limb but it would also definitely be fun.”
You’ve now got me imagining Armageddon in the Long Room at Lord’s. There isn’t enough gin in the world.
22nd over: Pakistan 78-4 (Saud 11, Rizwan 0) Bashir enquires for LBW and/or a catch at slip when Rizwan is beaten by a fine delivery from round the wicket. I don’t think there was an inside edge and it was too high for the LBW. Lovely bowling though.
Rizwan is a key man because he plays spin really well and he won’t just hang around. If he bats for an hour, Pakistan probably win.
21st over: Pakistan 77-4 (Saud 10, Rizwan 0) That was a precious cameo from Kamran, 26 from 39 balls with five fours. It also showed his team-mates that you can play shots on this pitch, and you’d expect the relentlessly positive Mohammad Rizwan to follow his lead.
WICKET! Pakistan 77-4 (Kamran LBW b Leach 26)
At the end of the previous over Kamran walked down the pitch with a huge smile on his face. He’s waited so long for a chance in Test cricket and is relishing every minute. Amid the ruins of a largely miserable 2024, Pakistan may have found a player or two.
He smashes another sweep for four, this time off Leach, and then cuts the next ball to the fence to take the lead past 150. Pakistan hit only four boundaries in the first 18 overs; Kamran has doubled that total in the last three. His calculated aggression is giving England a headache.
Correction: it was giving England a headache. Leach has the last word with a ball that skids on to beat Kamran’s defensive push and hit him in front. He reviews a little indulgently, hoping he got outside the line. He did not.
20th over: Pakistan 67-3 (Kamran 18, Saud 9) Saud edges Bashir just – and I mean just – short of Pope at gully. When he takes a single, Kamran slog-sweeps high over midwicket for another boundary. This is terrific batting, intelligent, skilful and courageous. He’s always scanning the field, working out the safest scoring options.
“If they started playing entire Test series on the same pitch, which has its merits in terms of sustainability etc, can you just imagine the state of the Hollies Stand by day 25 of the Ashes?” says Phil Russell.
Hang on, are we playing all five Tests back to back as well? It’s one way to solve the scheduling problem I suppose.
19th over: Pakistan 60-3 (Kamran 14, Saud 8) Stokes continues to tinker, bringing Leach back in place of Bashir. The impressive Kamran, who looks like he’s batting on a different pitch, sweeps firmly for four. Pakistan lead by 135.
“That’s an excellent tune for Duckett,” says Ollie Glick. “Wondered if you knew (as I found out this year) that Freak Like Me is a direct cover of the Adina Howard song of 1995? Who knew!”
So you watch those old Top of the Pops repeats on BBC Four as well? I’m the same as you, I had no idea till I saw it on there.
India bowled out for 46 by New Zealand
Yep. India chose to bat in helpful seam-bowling conditions and were skittled by Matt Henry (5 for 15) and William O’Rourke (4 for 22). It’s their lowest ever total at home.
18th over: Pakistan 56-3 (Kamran 10, Saud 8) Carse continues. Nasser Hussain reckons it’s because of the arrival of Shakeel, who is much more comfortable against spin.
The tactic so nearly works when Shakeel edges through Root at first slip for four runs. He top-edged a cut stroke that flashed past Root’s left shoulder before he could react. An almost impossible chance.
“One of the great things about England cricket at the moment is that the powers-that-be have decided that the team permits players to not have perfect hours as long as they can provide instances of brilliance,” says Mark Slater. “For far too long fast bowlers were dropped in favour of medium pacers who kept it straight and just short of a length – now you have ones who can go at five or six an over a spell and just concentrate on getting a snorter defended to gully. Should be the same for spinners. I think Shoaib Bashir will get to be an economic bowler, if he persists, because batsmen will become wary of that wicket-taking delivery that can happen any moment. Personally, I would love it if he is the bowler to rip through the Pakistani batsmen today.”
In 20 years’ time Rob Key will be recognised as one of the important people in English cricket history, discuss.
17th over: Pakistan 50-3 (Kamran 10, Saud 2) Bashir resumes after taking the first three wickets before lunch. It looks Pakistan are going to be positive, which has to be the best approach on a dodgy pitch, and they take three singles from the over. The last ball is a beauty which spits at Kamran from well wide of off stump. He does well to drop it short of the man at short leg.
“They really pressed fast forward at tea yesterday, eh,” says Guy Hornsby. “It doesn’t seem totally out of the question that this game could be over by the close. I guess even a runway turns on day 8, Rob. Still, it’s been great to see Bashir adjust his line after watching the Pakistan bowlers. With his height he’s going to create real problems. And he’s still ridiculously young. But I can’t see England chasing more than about 190. But my god it’ll be exhilarating, like a slap in the face at 4am (when we’re 106 all out).”
In 12.2 overs.
16th over: Pakistan 47-3 (Kamran 9, Saud 0) Carse hits the pitch really hard, which would make a nightmare to face on an uneven pitch, so you can understand why Stokes has had a look. But it might also be a chance for Pakistan to counter-attack.
Kamran drives in the air and just short of cover, where the diving Stokes does well to save at least two runs. There’s nothing anyone can do when Kamran pulls smoothly behind square for four. Carse may not be given a second over; he didn’t do much wrong but nor did the pitch.
“Game nicely poised with Pakistan ahead on points, I’d say,” writes Dave Clark. “The second Test is a more even contest between bat and ball. A third Test on the same strip would be one for the bowlers, which begs the question, why not play an entire series on the same strip? Just toss up once before the first Test, then alternate. I can see no downside.”
Four days of lost revenue? I’ve never batted on an 12th-day pitch but I can’t imagine it’s much fun.
The first over of the afternoon session will be bowled by… Brydon Carse. Interesting.
“I was leaning towards a Pakistan win,” says Phil Withall. “However, having just checked the India-New Zealand score (India 46 for 9) I feel anything is possible and nothing makes sense anymore. Long live Test cricket!”
India won the toss as well. I suppose they had to bat first after picking three spinners and only two quicks, although Bumrah and Shami might have routed New Zealand on their own. Very Old Trafford 1999.
“The Ciderabad Duo of Leach and Bashir looking very much at home on this ‘Taultan’ surface,” says Brian Withington. “Nasser seems to be genuinely loving the spectacle, too. For my part I can’t wait to see how England might tackle a chase of say 250 or so – I suspect Duckett’s inside edge could use a brush attachment for all the sweeping he’s likely to be attempting.”
If Duckett sweeps an improbable matchwinning hundred, he should release a Sugababes cover.
Let me lay it on the line
I got a little sweepiness inside
And you know Pakistan
Has gotta deal with it
I don’t care what they say
I’m not about to play nobody’s way
Cause it’s all about the slog in me
Mm-hmmI wanna sweep in the morning
Sweep in the evening…
Anyone? No?
“Could this runchase be made for Bazball?” wonders David Howell. “The clear indication from this session is that the pitch has made it to the point of unavoidable wickets being basically a given…” says And, by implication, perhaps the logic in even the least time-constrained chase is to hit out before you get out. It’s like how Tyson Fury beat Deontay Wilder twice; instead of spending the whole contest dodging the devastating blow, try and land it yourself.
“If that is the logic Stokes et al. bring to the fourth innings, it’s going to be one heck of a ride.”
I agree; they’ll absolutely love this challenge. England certainly won’t die wondering. They might die sweeping but that will be the key shot. Ben Duckett’s innings feels really important because he could scramble Pakistan’s brains very quickly.
What do we think? I’d have it maybe 70/30 in Pakistan’s favour at the moment.
Something to read during the lunch break
Lunch: Pakistan lead by 118
15th over: Pakistan 43-3 (Kamran 5) Those three wickets have kept them in the hunt for another absurd victory. And while they’ll probably need a mad masterpiece to compare with Ollie Pope’s 196 at Hyderabad if they are to win, the batters will be up for the challenge.
WICKET! Pakistan 43-3 (Saim c Pope b Bashir 22)
Shoaib Bashir strikes with the last ball before lunch! Saim Ayub, who battled so hard to survive, pushed forward defensively and edged to Pope in the gully. Another really nice bit of bowling from Bashir. His control is far from perfect but he has bowled several jaffas and has figures of 3 for 27.
14th over: Pakistan 37-2 (Saim 17, Kamran 4) Leach changes ends to replace Bashir (6-0-21-2), and his first ball is a stunning delivery that bets Kamran all ends up. It curved onto middle stump before snapping past the outside edge.
“Absolutely unplayable” says Mike Atherton on Sky. Kamran smiles at the inherent futility of existence impossibility of playing a ball like that.
Leach beats Kamran again with the last ball of an excellent maiden.
13th over: Pakistan 37-2 (Saim 17, Kamran 4) Nope, Root is going to continue. He goes around the wicket to the right-handed Kamran with two men at short midwicket. A leg-bye and three single from the over.
It’s been hard work but Pakistan have increased their lead to 112. England won’t want to chase anything more than 113 200.
12th over: Pakistan 33-2 (Saim 15, Kamran 3) Bashir turns another terrific delivery past Saim’s outside edge. His control is far from perfect but when he lands it right he looks such a threat.
The first-innings centurion Kamran Ghulam gets off the mark with a really good reverse sweep for three. That’s good batting, in both intent and execution.
11th over: Pakistan 28-2 (Saim 13, Kamran 0) Saim skids back to back cut Root for three, his best attacking shot to date. Root was probably brought on because there were two left-handers at the crease, and though he looks threatening it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Leach back on for an over before lunch.
10th over: Pakistan 25-2 (Saim 10, Kamran 0)
WICKET! Pakistan 25-2 (Shan c Pope b Bashir 11)
Beautifully bowled by Shoaib Bashir. Shan closed the face on a delivery that straightened sharply to take the edge, and Ollie Pope did the rest in the gully. Bashir growls in celebration; he’s doubled his wicket tally for the series in half an hour.
9th over: Pakistan 22-1 (Saim 9, Shan 9) Twenty minutes to lunch. England would love to take another wicket or two before then.
Joe Root, who can be lethal on dodgy pitches, replaces Jack Leach and beats the groping Saim with a quicker, wider delivery. Then he gets some extravagant turn and bounce from back of a length to Shan, who offers no stroke.
All told, that’s a pretty threatening first over.
8th over: Pakistan 21-1 (Saim 8, Shan 9) Shan cracks Bashir through extra cover for a couple, a nice shot and a sign that he is going to bat runs rather than time.
Yes, that’s a fair assumption: he charges the next ball and wallops it over mid-on for the first boundary of the innings.
Bashir responds with a snorter that beats the outside edge. England go up confidently for caught behind but then don’t review. Replays show it missed the bat by a distance and probably brushed the thigh.
7th over: Pakistan 15-1 (Saim 8, Shan 3) Saim gloves a sweep over the head of Smith for a couple of runs. That’s twice he’s done that already.
In other news, India are 34 for 6 (S-I-X) in the first Test aginst New Zealand. They chose to bat in helpful bowling conditions and have been picked apart by Matt Henry and William O’Rourke.
6th over: Pakistan 10-1 (Saim 5, Shan 1) Pakistan have had the third-innings blues so often that, even though they are objectively well on top in this game, they must be starting to fear another fiasco.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Shan Masood, who has been very positive against Bashir in particular, tries to counter-attack or just survive until lunch.
WICKET! Pakistan 9-1 (Shafique c Smith b Bashir 4)
He’s gone! There was the slightest murmur on UltraEdge as the ball passed the inside edge and, after a bit of consideration, the third umpire decides that is sufficient evidence to give Shafique out.
A big moment for England and especially Bashir. It was also a brilliant catch from Jamie Smith, the kind Ben Foakes would be proud to call his own.
England review for caught behind Shafique pushes at a big-spinning delivery from Bashir, with Jamie Smith taking the ball superbly down the leg side. Did he glove it?
5th over: Pakistan 9-0 (Shafique 4, Saim 5) A full toss from Leach is clipped nicely for three by Shafique, then Saim looks suspiciously at the pitch after defending on the back foot. There’s still plenty happening for the spinners.
4th over: Pakistan 6-0 (Shafique 1, Saim 5) Bashir’s radar is slightly awry. When he gets it right he’s a huge threat, as demonstrated when Saim misses a violent slog-sweep at a delivery that bursts from the surface. A pair of singles take Pakistan’s lead to 81.
