- Australia 538-8 dec & 241-2 dec; Pakistan 315 & 244
- Hosts win third Test by 220 runs and secure 3-0 series whitewash
Unlike the first two Tests, this one went exactly the way that we expected after the first couple of days. That makes 12 Test losses on the spin in Australia for Pakistan, and the Pakistani stats guru Mazher Arshad reminds us that this means four consecutive series whitewashes. Ouch. We’ll wait on Misbah, to see if he’ll retain the captaincy or hand it over to Azhar Ali and make his way into the sunset. He has served his country and world cricket stunningly well, in either case, and regardless of his dismissal today.
Let’s recap: Australia made a million runs in the first innings, thanks to Warner becoming the first batsman to make a hundred before lunch on day one in this country, and only the fifth in all of cricket. 1902, 1926, 1930 and 1974 were the other years this has happened. Not bad.
Related: Australia ease to clean sweep as spinners turn screw on Pakistan
Colour me surprised. Imran’s batting career now reads 0*, 0, 0, 0*, 6, 0, 0, 0. That’s probably an even higher percentage of ducks than Chris Martin. He lasted two balls this time -the first one he backed away and slogged and missed the ball by about a metre as it missed off stump, and the second one was on target, took the edge and flew to gully, where Jackson Bird takes his fourth catch for the Test match. None of which will count to his career tally, which stands at two catches from eight games.
80th over: Pakistan 244-9 (Sarfraz 72, Imran 0)
Have a few free hits, Sarf. Thanks chaps. He backs away and cracks Lyon via the cut shot through point. Four. Then on the sweep, for two, before a harder flatter sweep for another four. The field comes in for the fifth ball, so Sarfraz says thanks a lot, down the pitch and flicks over midwicket for four! Lovely shot. Last ball, he’s down on one knee, it’s in the slot, and the slog sweep carries the midwicket boundary for six!
79th over: Pakistan 224-9 (Sarfraz 52, Imran 0)
As if to prove the point about Cartwright, Smith decides to fill in the over before the new ball with himself rather than his supposed seam-bowling all-rounder. Imran Khan didn’t look much chop with the bat in the first dig, and he’s not much here – an OK cut shot, then a big walloping slog that misses. But he’s more likely to survive against spin than pace, I fancy.
Has to be a trademark run out. Steve Smith bowling his leg breaks, Amir has just played a lovely cover drive for four, then he drives to cover, starts for a run, Sarfraz sends him back, and Amir doesn’t make it. Waste of an innings.
78th over: Pakistan 219-8 (Sarfraz 51, Amir 1)
Single second ball to Sarfraz, and Amir bats out the rest of Lyon’s over. Dirk Nannes making the very fair point on radio that Hilton Cartwright has bowled four overs in the first innings, then none in the second. He’s clearly not the sixth-best batsman in the country, says Nannes, so why was he picked? All the talk was about having cover for the quicks, but it’s not like Pakistan have been rolled in no time at all.
77th over: Pakistan 218-8 (Sarfraz 50, Amir 1)
Some consolation for Sarfraz – once again he’s so busy. A couple of runs on the sweep, then a couple through cover, then a couple banged into the ground and over cover. He’s buzzing all over the crease. Cuts a single from O’Keefe’s last ball to raise his minor milestone, which is his 11th 50 in Tests.
76th over: Pakistan 211-8 (Sarfraz 43, Amir 1)
A maiden to Lyon – sounds like a fairytale – and Amir meets each ball with studious defence. Two spinners working my fingers to the bone.
75th over: Pakistan 211-8 (Sarfraz 43, Amir 1)
O’Keefe swept by Sarfraz first ball, away through midwicket, and Mickey Edwards very nearly pulls off a brilliant save. Except that as he flicks the ball back it clips his chest, and his knees are already touching the boundary. Gets a single to the leg side, then Amir is off the mark using his left-hander’s angle to carve to point for a run of his own, as Virginia Woolf might have wanted. Loves that area.
74th over: Pakistan 205-8 (Sarfraz 38, Amir 0)
Sarfraz liking cover again, slaps a couple, then takes a single. Amir on stroke to Lyon just soaks up the over. He’s been very good with the bat this tour, Amir. he and Sarfraz did good work together up in Brisbane. This is a massive challenge though.
73rd over: Pakistan 202-8 (Sarfraz 34)
O’Keefe likes striking from the last ball of the over. Sarfraz gets a single first ball, Wahab does the sensible thing and defends the next five, but the last of them brings him undone. Beats the edge, Wade appeals, not out but DRS is called on. I don’t think this is out, there’s a spike after the ball has passed the bat, which could equally have been equipment colliding or spikes in the dirt or anything else. It’s a bit like Steve Smith’s dismissal in this same match, though I thought that Smith’s one tied up a bit more closely with the sound signature and the position of the ball. Wahab’s was clearly behind the bat, for mine, when the spike bobbled up. But Ian Gould has gunned them both.
72nd over: Pakistan 201-7 (Sarfraz 34, Wahab 12)
Hello, boys. Happy hour has begun. Wahab Riaz comes in ahead of Mohammad Amir, who has a rib muscle injury, and he likes the promotion.
Wahab, STOP IT! #AUSvPAKpic.twitter.com/TnKzKXlaWF
71st over: Pakistan 188-7 (Sarfraz 33)
There it is. This utterly bizarre method of approaching a defensive innings, this completely anti-intuitive way of trying to secure a draw, it has finally ended in the inevitable way. Sarfraz nearly holes out via a leading edge first ball, then eventually works a two and a single and give the last ball to Misbah. Misbah tries to find another six over long off. Why? Just why?
Misbah departs, for quite possibly the final time in Test cricket. #AUSvPAKpic.twitter.com/iLCmngt8He
70th over: Pakistan 185-6 (Misbah 38, Sarfraz 30)
Lyon is asking some questions, with men around the bat. These batsmen manage to answer them for one more over. Three singles are taken, all worked away to the leg side.
69th over: Pakistan 182-6 (Misbah 37, Sarfraz 28)
I’m going to put my hand up: this is one of the most confusing innings of all time. Misbah facing Steve O’Keefe decides to defend the first three balls, all solid, all sensible. Then the fourth he drops to the marriage proposal position and dumps it over the long-on rope, where a security guard puts in a half-catch, half-dodge attempt that goes nowhere. Then, two more dots. What... ?
68th over: Pakistan 176-6 (Misbah 31, Sarfraz 28)
Suddenly Sarfraz is targeting the off side for Lyon. Bangs to mid off, bangs to point, goes back and carves a run against the spin to cover. They have two slips in for him, they’ll be pretty happy to have him playing like that. Goodness me. Misbah waits for the last ball of the over to find one that he lies, and goes through cover for a single with far less flash and risk.
My new favourite Aussie cricketer @mickey_edwards
What a hero. pic.twitter.com/iFUitqoPpx
67th over: Pakistan 174-6 (Misbah 30, Sarfraz 27)
O’Keefe. Misbah. Flat bowling. Maiden. His bowling rate means I don’t have time to tell you more. SOK channelling the Kiwi rapper Gravy Teeth: “I’m so fast I catch the bus before it goes past.”
66th over: Pakistan 174-6 (Misbah 30, Sarfraz 27)
Dual spin with Lyon, and Mickey is back. Jubilation. Pakistan’s clean-up operation is in progress: sweep, sweep, sweep. First Misbah, gently for a single. Then Sarfraz, hard for a boundary. Then again, riskily, for a top edge and two runs behind square. They’ve added 39 in the last five overs.
65th over: Pakistan 167-6 (Misbah 29, Sarfraz 21)
Sarfraz. You are not responsible, but you are a charming rascal. First you have a big drive at O’Keefe, first ball of his spell, and edge a couple of runs. Then you sweep and bash it into the guy at short leg. Pantscomb is under the helmet there today. Then you show good judgement in bolting a single from a tap down the ground. Then Misbah gives you the strike back and you slam a boundary through point to make it 8 from the over while batting out a draw. Don’t ever change.
64th over: Pakistan 159-6 (Misbah 28, Sarfraz 14)
A bit more circumspect against Lyon in this over. Misbah sweeps a single first ball, and Sarfraz makes it all the way to the last ball before shovelling one in the air to leg, but it will only net him a single. Playing mind games?
63rd over: Pakistan 157-6 (Misbah 27, Sarfraz 13)
Dropped! Well, kind of. “Bird flew at gully,” said Gerard Whateley, but he was just describing what happened rather than angling for a pun. It’s a big edge from Sarfraz, driving very hard at the ball, and Bird dived well, got fingertips to it, but couldn’t complete the hatch. Catch.
A chance! Bird can't hold on to the tough catch at gully... #AUSvPAKpic.twitter.com/ZZ8PDePWXg
62nd over: Pakistan 152-6 (Misbah 26, Sarfraz 9)
What fresh hell is this? Nathan ‘Nathan’ Lyon comes back on for a new spell, and the very first ball Mibah goes for that signature slog, the bat almost vertical at point of contact as he comes across his pads, and it goes high out over square leg. So often we’ve seen those held in the deep, but there’s no one there this time with an attacking field. Misbah gets a run, then it’s Sarfraz’s turn to slog a couple over midwicket. He charges the next ball, and smashes it along the ground but mid-off stops the boundary. This must be a deliberate plan to target Lyon. Do they want to push his field back or push him out of the attack entirely? Strategy, strategy. Seven from the over.
61st over: Pakistan 145-6 (Misbah 21, Sarfraz 7)
What an over from Jaws Hazlenut. Bowls Sarfraz a snorter that rips past the outside edge, then another that leaps at the bat handle and is fended away into the off side to land safely by sheer fortune rather than design. Sarfraz defends a couple, then drives the last to the SCG’s new favourite, Mickey Edwards. That’s his last act as a fieldsman, as David Warner comes back on now to replace him, and the SCG bids a fond farewell. “He looks like an extra from Point Break,” marvels Simon Katich. Another maiden.
60th over: Pakistan 145-6 (Misbah 21, Sarfraz 7)
Sarfrazzamatazz only knows one way: be aggressive, be be aggressive. He stands up tall and punches Starc through point for four. Then tries again behind point but is foiled by a diving Nathan ‘Nathan’ Lyon. Cheers. Lyon throws to Maned Mickey Edwards. Cheers. Sarfraz goes through cover, icely deiven, comes back for the third. Very busy, and Misbah follows suit to close the over with two more runs. Nine from the over while batting for a draw, if you don’t mind. Love it.
59th over: Pakistan 136-6 (Misbah 19, Sarfraz 0)
Jackson Bird is getting some good gigs as the other sub fieldsman. Two catches in the outfield in the first innings, then he got moved into slip for the spinner, if you don’t mind, and snared Yasir’s edge off Steve O’Keefe. Now he’s in the gully for the fast bowlers, and Hazlewood has Misbah edging a ball near him that Bird stops on the dive. Last ball of the over is short and gloved down leg, but lands in front of Wade. Testing times, but Misbah has now soaked up 70 balls in a stubborn display. Maiden, obviously, because Hazlewood.
58th over: Pakistan 136-6 (Misbah 19, Sarfraz 0)
Aside from Starc ripping through a batsman’s defence, the crowd this over are also enjoying the work of substitute fieldsman Mickey Edwards. He’s a young, rangy, fast bowler for Manly-Warringah, close to two metres tall, with a massive mop of bright blond curls spilling out from under his substitute’s baggy green cap. Huge cheers every time he fields the ball.He’s at cover, which is not bad for a fill-in. Sarfraz sees out the over.
Caution wasn’t the watchword there. The ball is very full from Starc, it’s wide of the stumps, and Shafiq just throws the bat at it, angled blade and vey hard hands, seemed like a late and instinctive movement to flay. Instead he gets the inside edge into his stumps. Australia four away now.
57th over: Pakistan 136-5 (Misbah 19, Shafiq 30)
A maiden for Hazlewood, still attacking the stumps, Misbah equal to it this time around.
56th over: Pakistan 136-5 (Misbah 19, Shafiq 30)
Misbah gets off strike first ball, a decently full one that he’s able to drive into the covers solidly enough and take off running. Starc is attacking an off stump line against Shafiq. Produces a nice delivery that Shafiq ends up playing inside, deliberately I fancy, but it did produce the standard vocal reaction from onlookers as it moved away from the edge and went past the stump. That’s enough warning for Asad Shafiq to just block out the rest of the over. Caution is the watchword.
55th over: Pakistan 135-5 (Misbah 18, Shafiq 30)
I fancy that Hazlewood is getting that ball to tail in as well. He’s certainly giving it every chance, probing on a straightish line for most of the over. only one ball is wider of off, and Shafiq cuts at it in an uncontrolled manner but misses. The last ball is too straight, and Shafiq glances it easily for four. Two overs gone, and Shafiq has soaked up all of the strike so far. He’s looking good.
54th over: Pakistan 131-5 (Misbah 18, Shafiq 26)
Away we go. Mitchell Starc around the wicket to the right-handers, trying to get that angle in, and looking for some of the reverse swing he found so dramatically in Melbourne. This pitch looks more conducive to providing it, according to an expert in the craft Dirk Nannes speaking on ABC radio. He’s had a few centre-wicket inspections over the course of the match and likes what he sees. Great to hear Jim Maxwell’s silver-trumpet tones back on the airwaves as well in his home town of Sydney - he’s been unable to travel for the other Tests after suffering a stroke a couple of months ago. But he’s in good form today, currently singing some Roy Orbison numbers with Cricinfo’s Pakistan expert Osman Samiuddin.
Yes, be gentle. I can always trust Mr Howcroft to be considerate. Geoff Lemon it is indeed, back with you for potentially the last session of Australia’s Test summer. Another wicket and it could all be over pretty quickly, Pakistan might be tired and ready to go home. But on the other hand, their tail-end batting has been unusually stubborn this series. The lower-order men produced astonishing resistance in Brisbane, dashing counter-attacking and then a pretty brave defensive effort in Melbourne, and even here Yasir Shah as nightwatchman batted through 93 balls, to follow on from 41 balls in his first innings. So if Amir and Wahab can match him, hope springs eternal.
The key man obviously is Misbah-ul-Haq, the captain who has led us to believe that he may be at the end of his personal road as a cricketer, even as his coach implores him to stay on. He’s had a miserable series as a batsman, but he’s been stubborn today through 57 deliveries. If he could deliver one more captain’s performance, breaking Pakistan’s long long losing streak in Tests in Australia, it would still rank as a pretty substantial achievement. The determined wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed is the other factor that will come into play, though even I the optimist will not expect anything from the true No11 Imran Khan.
A terrific session for Australia. Four wickets, shared among three bowlers, and the tail of the Pakistan order is in sight.
Hazlewood bowled beautifully early on, and the two spinners maintained pressure throughout the morning. Smith rotated his attack smartly and maintained aggressive fields. Victory and a series whitewash appears a formality.
53rd over: Pakistan 128-5 (Misbah 18, Shafiq 23)
In the shadows of lunch O’Keefe rattles through another quicksilver over as fast as he can, but Misbah’s canny and does enough to slow things down and ensure lunch will be taken.
52nd over: Pakistan 127-5 (Misbah 18, Shafiq 22)
Big shout for LBW against Misbah who bizarrely offers no shot to a delivery that pitches only just outside off stump, on a decent length. It was spinning past leg stump but that was dicey from the Pakistan captain. The rest of the over completes a harmless maiden.
51st over: Pakistan 127-5 (Misbah 18, Shafiq 22)
Spin at both ends now with O’Keefe giving Starc a breather. And it nearly pays dividends with one keeping low to Shafiq and just missing his off stump. Shafiq does look to go back very deep in his crease so anything that keeps low will cause him problems... Conversely it means he’s able to capitalise on just a fraction of room, as he does to the final delivery, rocking back and thumping a four through midwicket.
50th over: Pakistan 123-5 (Misbah 18, Shafiq 18)
Lyon varying his line and length, searching for the right spot to bowl to Shafiq who refuses to allow the bowler to settle. Well outside off there’s prodigious turn and bounce but fuller and straighter there’s less on offer.
@JPHowcroft Jackson Bird to be referred to as Jackson Pratt from hereon in. #AUSvPAK
49th over: Pakistan 121-5 (Misbah 17, Shafiq 17)
Shafiq’s arrival has perked the game up somewhat. He’s busy at the crease, finds gaps, and always looking for runs. Misbah looks more energised at the other end too as he claws his way into something resembling an innings. Five from a Starc over that didn’t look too threatening.
48th over: Pakistan 116-5 (Misbah 16, Shafiq 13)
Lyon back on with 20 minutes or so left before lunch. His first delivery is a loose full toss though and Misbah dispatches it through the covers.
47th over: Pakistan 111-5 (Misbah 11, Shafiq 13)
Shafiq has a life! A shorter delivery from Starc gets big on him and he’s cramped for room as he tries to ramp one over the cordon. He doesn’t get enough on it and it flies through the fingertips of a leaping Smith at second slip. A half-chance really as the slips have to be much closer than usual to account for the dying surface.
46th over: Pakistan 109-5 (Misbah 11, Shafiq 11)
Shafiq already looks a class apart this morning, using his feet and the full depth of his crease to work runs off O’Keefe.
45th over: Pakistan 101-5 (Misbah 10, Shafiq 4)
Starc back into the attack to relieve Hazlewood and he finds the outside edge of Shafiq’s bat but it doesn’t carry to fourth slip. Decent over from Starc who looked in better rhythm than previous spells today.
@JPHowcroft Your description of O'Keefe is spookily like how Ansari & Dawson performed for England. Both got clobbered in India.#AUSvPAK
44th over: Pakistan 100-5 (Misbah 9, Shafiq 4)
New batsman Asad Shafiq completes the over with a boundary, dispatching a loose full toss.
Yasir’s resistance is finally broken! It was just reward for a terrific over from O’Keefe.
First he drew Yasir forward, beating the shoulder of the bat but just missing the edge. Next delivery does find willow and carries to Jackson Bird at second slip. It requires a TV review to confirm but no worries over that dismissal.
43rd over: Pakistan 96-4 (Yasir 13, Misbah 9)
Another tight over with little happening. Hazlewood continuing his work and Pakistan doing enough to keep him at bay. The last hour or so has been more filler than killer.
42nd over: Pakistan 94-4 (Yasir 12, Misbah 8)
O’Keefe starting to find his length and pace now - slower and shorter. He has Yasir fishing outside off and then missing a sweep in a much more threatening over. On commentary, Warne seems unconvinced about the New South Welshman and immediately throws up his current pet name: Mitchell Swepson.
41st over: Pakistan 94-4 (Yasir 12, Misbah 8)
Hazlewood rushes one through Yasir and just past the inside edge but the nightwatchman continues his vigil, rotating the strike soon after with a single. Yasir now up to 79 deliveries despite more credentialed batsmen capitulating around him.
40th over: Pakistan 92-4 (Yasir 10, Misbah 8)
To those of us familiar with O’Keefe mostly at an international level, he is delivering exactly the kind of performance that makes us wonder if he has what it takes at this level.
39th over: Pakistan 92-4 (Yasir 10, Misbah 8)
Hazlewood bowls his fourth maiden of this innings as his attempts to tease Misbah into an expansive drive fail. Hazlewood has 2/17 from 11 overs.
38th over: Pakistan 92-4 (Yasir 10, Misbah 8)
O’Keefe flies through a maiden to Yasir. His length is a bit too full at the moment, allowing the batsman to prop forward and nudge his way to safety.
37th over: Pakistan 92-4 (Yasir 10, Misbah 8)
Hazlewood, the star of the morning, comes back for his second spell as Steve Smith shuffles his pack. He’s immediately into his groove on a length on that immaculate fourth stump line of
McGrath’s
his.
36th over: Pakistan 92-4 (Yasir 10, Misbah 8)
Steve O’Keefe into the attack for the first time today, replacing Lyon, who bowled excellently for the opening hour and 20 minutes.
Just remembered that I had a dream last night about Misbah making a hundred. A legitimate dream. I need a break. #AusvPak
Australia’s morning at the SCG. Three of the nine wickets required at the start of play have already been taken.
35th over: Pakistan 90-4 (Yasir 8, Misbah 8)
Starc now coming around the wicket to Misbah, bringing more dismissal options into play in the process. Misbah offers little to the duel though and another maiden ensues.
34th over: Pakistan 90-4 (Yasir 8, Misbah 8)
Lyon rattles through a rapid maiden against Yasir. The nightwatchman now eight from 59 deliveries.
The great Younis Khan took what is likely to be his final bow at an Australian Test venue, although his sketchy knock of 13 will not rank among his finest digs.
Younis finishes the series with his Test haul tantalisingly poised on 9977 runs.
33rd over: Pakistan 90-4 (Yasir 8, Misbah 8)
Misbah does not look much of a contender to bat out the day. He’s struggling for timing and foot movement against Starc but the big leftie can’t find the magic ball. A streaky thick edge skips away just beyond gully for a rare boundary.
32nd over: Pakistan 86-4 (Yasir 8, Misbah 4)
Lyon continuing to look dangerous, hitting the rough outside Yasir’s off stump from over the wicket. The nightwatchman plays cautiously this over though, dropping his bat and pat next to each other as close to the pitch of the ball as he can.
31st over: Pakistan 86-4 (Yasir 8, Misbah 4)
Misbah, in shocking form on this tour, does not look comfortable against Starc. A play and miss at the start of the over sets the tone while a streaky edge through the cordon gets him off the mark with a boundary. Starc’s length has Misbah reaching forward with his hands while his feet are rooted to the crease.
30th over: Pakistan 82-4 (Yasir 8, Misbah 0)
This has been an abject first hour from Pakistan. Three key batsmen dismissed, all in pretty ordinary fashion. The end of this tour can’t come soon enough.
Deserved breakthrough for Lyon but awful batting from Younis Khan. The veteran has looked composed against pace but ill at ease against spin this morning and he perishes attempting a slog sweep that he can only spoon to mid-on.
Lyon’s line and length outside off stump frustrated Younis and various attempts to assert himself on the bowler failed before he tried one forcing shot too many.
29th over: Pakistan 82-3 (Yasir 8, Younis 13)
Starc continues to Younis who’s farming the strike against the paceman like he’s batting with a tailender near the end of an innings, not the start. There’s not much happening for the big quick though, a little reverse swing tailing into the right-hander looks good through the air but it comes to nought.
28th over: Pakistan 81-3 (Yasir 8, Younis 12)
Lyon’s excellent line and length starting to irritate Yasir now who’s looking to score and break the shackles. His first attempt almost leads to a caught behind and/or a stumping before he does pierce the off-side field with a two.
27th over: Pakistan 79-3 (Yasir 6, Younis 12)
Younis seems to have decided he will take Starc for the time being, leaving Yasir to handle Lyon. Starc’s bowling quick and straight, keeping Younis pinned to his crease and playing with soft hands. Apart from the final delivery of the over which is short and wide and slapped with glee by Younis to the cover fence.
26th over: Pakistan 75-3 (Yasir 6, Younis 8)
TV analysis of Lyon’s action today is very positive. Apparently he’s driving over his left leg, which is helping generating such big revs on the ball.
25th over: Pakistan 74-3 (Yasir 6, Younis 7)
Hazlewood’s terrific early burst comes to an end as skipper Smith rotates his quicks, bringing Starc into the attack to see if he can have fun with the reverse swing on offer.
24th over: Pakistan 69-3 (Yasir 6, Younis 2)
Much better from Lyon. First he draws Younis forward, beating the outside edge, spawning oohs and aahs at a possible edge to slip. Then he prompts Yasir to inside edge just wide of a diving short leg.
23rd over: Pakistan 68-3 (Yasir 6, Younis 1)
More textbook Hazlewood, repelled by Younis. A hint of reverse swing for the bowler, which will have Mitchell Starc licking his lips in the outfield.
@JPHowcroft If today is Boycott day can we expect some comedy run outs due to excessive stubborness?
Gym session at Sydney #AUSvPAK
For more pictures: https://t.co/G0xAnej1nzpic.twitter.com/MoANol2Qwr
22nd over: Pakistan 67-3 (Yasir 6, Younis 0)
Yasir watchful to another tidy over from Lyon. There’s some turn from that rough, and a little bounce, but the batsman is able to step across and smother.
Oi, Sydney. It's only a gold coin to get in. Plenty of this game to go. Beautiful day. Get fair dinkum and show up. #AUSvPAKpic.twitter.com/yi9iNPBtsN
21st over: Pakistan 67-3 (Yasir 6, Younis 0)
Before Babar missed a straight one he stroked a lovely classical front foot off drive. Not that anyone really cares any more.
Partly cloudy in #Sydney today with the likelihood of wickets falling. #AUSvPAK
Oh dear, this could be over before lunch at this rate. Hazlewood continues his Hazlewood line and length, Babar tries to work one through the leg side, misses, and his struck plumb in front.
Hazlewood gave it the full Stuart Broad appeal, hardly turning around to wait for the umpire’s finger to be raised, knowing he had his man.
20th over: Pakistan 63-2 (Yasir 6, Babar 5)
Chasing such a gargantuan target is psychological torture for batsmen, unsure whether to attack, whether to run hard, when to leave and when to play. Yasir and Babar almost succumb to that confusion with a ‘yes-no-waiting’ single off Lyon that Warner almost capitalises on.
19th over: Pakistan 61-2 (Yasir 5, Babar 4)
Hazlewood back on that metronomic line and length that makes him a captain’s dream of a bowler. Babar squirts a four behind point to get off the mark but there’s nothing loose to attack when Hazlewood’s bowling.
18th over: Pakistan 57-2 (Yasir 5, Babar 0)
Lyon has been thrown the ball early and he begins his day of toil against the nightwatchman Yasir Shah. Bowling over the wicket to the right-hander he’s targeting the rough, as his skipper demanded before play.
Well, that didn’t take long. Hazlewood opens the bowling for Australia and an innocuous looking over ends with Azhar chipping a leading edge straight back to the bowler for a simple return catch.
The surface is slow and Hazlewood’s traditional line and length gripped more than Azhar expected and he was through his shot too quickly. Perfect start for the hosts.
History in the making.
History has been made at the @SCG: @MJSlats has just performed his FIRST EVER Dab. ☝️#AUSvPAK | https://t.co/IXovTqhuAopic.twitter.com/cQcp6HFWI7
Are all Australian fans this confident?
@JPHowcroft aus will wrap this up by tea i reckon
A look at the day five pitch from the Paddington End. Play will begin on time, 10am AEDT #AUSvPAKpic.twitter.com/d2GqZ0zLfP
Steve Smith is a man under the microscope today. Still early in his captaincy career the star batsman hasn’t yet shown an instinctive feel for leading his side in the field.
Smith’s tendency to fall back on his pacemen when conditions might suggest the merits of spin has drawn criticism this summer. This aspect of his captaincy will be magnified today as thoughts move forward to the tour of India where slow bowling will determine Australia’s fate and long frustrating days in the field can be expected.
Injury updates:
Matt Renshaw is walking laps of the SCG with Australian doctor Peter Bruckner. He didn’t bat yesterday after taking a nasty blow to the helmet earlier in the match, but he’s in better spirits today.
No excuses Sydney, get down and put your bum on a seat.
Entry to the cricket today is by a gold coin donation to the @McGrathFdn at Gate C on Driver Ave. Come along! #AUSvPAK#LoveOurSCGpic.twitter.com/45iKuRG25M
Weather:
It’s a mild day in Sydney with temperatures hovering in the low 20s with a gusty easterly wind. Crucially, there is no rain forecast for the day so Australia should have all the time they need to bowl out Pakistan.
As ever, if you want to keep me company you can do so via jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com or @JPHowcroft.
Preamble
Morning everyone, all killer no filler as play begins half an hour early (10am) at the SCG for the final day of Test cricket of the summer.
Jonathan will be with you shortly. In the meantime, check out Russell Jackson’s take on the captivating struggles of Yasir Shah.
Related: The cricketer who laughed: beleaguered Yasir Shah still a lovable figure | Russell Jackson
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