Key events
15th over: Pakistan 52-2 (Azhar 7, Babar 4) Pakistan play pauper and prince within two balls to Mark Wood – the first a clueless ugly swipe by Azhar, the next a wristy, effortless pull for four by Babar .Wood’s judicious short balls proving a test for Babar – as the pictures point out on Sky, his chest on stance makes it quite awkward to evade the bouncer.
14th over: Pakistan 47-2 (Azhar 6, Babar 0) Did I mention that Leach is bowling in sunglasses? Prescription sunglasses, I guess. He continues to strangle Azha. Rehan Ahmed dries his hands in the dust. Soon? Babar, as Nasser Hussain reminds us, does struggle to pick the googly.
“Morning Tanya,” Hello Andy Ravenscroft!
“Thanks for doing these in such ungodly hours. Pitch looks slower than my dear departed grandad driving up hill, whilst towing a caravan. Stokes showing again he has a plan though, 2 down somehow! Looking forward to seeing the new leggie.”
13th over: Pakistan 46-2 (Azhar 5, Babar 0) Excellent bust-a-gut bowling by Wood ,and England have got rid of the tricky Masood. It brings in Babar, who, I’m told, loves batting at Karachi. The last time Babar batted here he got 196.
This will be interesting for English cricket fans to observe the effects of: From next winter, all New Zealand international and T20 matches will be on free-to-air TV. https://t.co/AZgtbs1iN7
— Being Outside Cricket (@OutsideCricket) December 16, 2022
WICKET! Shan Masood c Leach b Wood 30 (Pakistan 46-2)
The short ball works! What have you done Shan? He pulls, top-edges and Leach at fine leg takes it by his ankles and says thanks very much.
12th over: Pakistan 46-1 (Shan 30, Azhar 5) Azhar breaks the strangle-hold with a lovely back-foot four off Leach.
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Another night with a teething baby means les sleep but also that I can catch the test match before the day begins,” taps William Vignoles. “There’s a weird unique joy of watching a test from some far-flung place in the small hours – even last year’s horror moments of Axar Patel skirling England were weirdly enjoyable. Maybe it’s just innate pessimism but this England attack feels slightly underpowered?” Good work with the baby – those nights are long, but overseas cricket definitely makes them more bearable. As for England, much depends on Robinson’s tummy and Ahmed’s debut…
11th over: Pakistan 42-1 (Shan 30, Azhar 1) Azhar is hit on the arm by a lightning Wood bullet, and the teams take drinks while the physio comes on with the magic spray. News that Robinson is off the pitch with bad guts, which could make this a long morning for England’s seamers. Perhaps an earlier debut than there might be for Rehan Ahmed? Oh that’s a lovely fluent pull by Shan, tucked between two fielders for four.
Sam Fox, Finbar has an overseas link for you. Hope it works!
10th over: Pakistan 35-1 (Shan 25, Azhar 1) Oh, England go for an unlikely looking appeal to the last ball of Leach’s over, at least from my sofa….it turns out to be closer than it looked but still umpire’s call as Shan misses a reverse-sweep. An eventful over, with Shan dancing and pinging a boundary over long on and tingly reverswe-sweep for three. Azhar off the mark to his eleventh ball.
9th over: Pakistan 27-1 (Shan 18, Azhar 0) More short stuff from Wood, who tumbles over in his follow-through with the exertion. Shan picks up a single from a tickle round the corner, but Azhar remains scoreless. A good effort
“Good morning Tanya,” hello Mark Dexter!
“My understanding is that Pakistan is a cricket-mad country. So why are there less people in the ground than would vote for Liz Truss if there were a general election tomorrow?” The grounds tend to start empty and fill-up during the day. We had an email in the last Test from (novelist) Kamilia Shamsie who said that Pakistan were not a nation for early starts. But you’re right, lots of noise on the coverage but not much evidence of many people.
8th over: Pakistan 26-1 (Shan 17, Azhar 0) Masood gently tucks into Leach, with a leaned, extra-cover boundary and three more. The sun is shining brightly on the hard oatmeal pitch.
7th over: Pakistan 19-1 (Shan 10, Azhar 0) Wood is whistled up to the coal face. Runs in with customary vigour, and even squeezes a couple of bouncers off a dead deck.
6th over: Pakistan 18-1 (Shan 9, Azhar 0) Two more close fielders jostle in for Azhar A;i’s penultimate Test innings. He looks eager to get off the mark, a bit frisky, but no immediate joy. A wicket maiden for Leach, who may look to exploit this low bounce.
“Sorry to rub it in for anyone stuck in freezing Britain, but I have a day laying in the sun by the red sea ahead of me, which can only be enhanced with the dulcet sounds of try TMS team in my ears. Does anyone have the overseas TMS link to share?” Really sorry to break it to you Sam Fox, but I don’t think there is a TMS link – in previous Tests people have followed it via the PCB website. But I am extremely jealous of your sunshine. If any OBO-ers can help with any other info, please let me know.
WICKET! Shafique lbw Leach 8 (Pakistan 18-1)
Umpire’s call it is, so off Shafique must go! Done by one that skids on and plops him on the knee.
REVIEW! Shafique lbw Leach 8 (Pakistan 18-1)
Shafique makes a last minute call to try to overturn the umpire’s finger…
5th over: Pakistan 18-0 (Shafique 8, Shan 9) Put the Christmas tree lights on, a sparkly companion to the OBO. I actually bought some new ones this year – multi-coloured in homage to my 70s-80s childhood. White suddenly seemed a bit boring. Anyway, back to Karachi, where Robinson hasn’t found much movement on a hot morning, with the kites (I think) circling overhead. Root the only slip. A maiden.
4th over: Pakistan 18-0 (Shafique 8, Shan 9) An immaculate off-drive by Shafique, head over bat, beats Ben Stokes to the boundary. Lovely.
3rd over: Pakistan 17-0 (Shafique 8, Shan 8) An immaculate off-drive by Shafique, head over bat, beats Ben Stokes to the boundary. Lovely.
Hello James Welsh“Morning from under the duvet in freezing Tooting. I’m sitting a very clingy Vizler, whose family are off to Belfast for in-law Xmas this early morn.
This looks a much more balanced lineup from Pakistan. And England look like they’re missing Jimmy already!”
2nd over: Pakistan 12-0 (Shafique 4, Shan 8) Shan on the attack straight away, with two nimble-toed hits over the top off Jack Leach – taking the new ball at the other end.
Morning session
1st over: Pakistan 4-0 (Shafique 4, Shan 0) Robinson with the new ball, and a controlled squirt brings Shafique four. Funny for Jimmy to see the future from the bench – a bit like reading your obituary before you’ve died.
“morning Tanya!” Hello Finbar Anslow. “Freezing over here. Blooming fire’s gone out, now have to trudge out for kindling …. or I might just get back in bed …. saw Brian Close play at Taunton. Think he might have also been one of the oldest to play for England? Or maybe he’ s up there with longest span between first and last test?”
Wilfred Rhodes was the oldest at 52 but Close’s span must be one of the biggest.
Time for a quick cup of tea – play starts at 5am. While you’re waiting, here’s a lovely piece on Azhar Ahmed. Or check out the goings-on in Brisbane:
Pakistan XI – a debut for Mohammad Wasim Jnr and a farewell for Azhar Ali!
Pakistan: Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (captain), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Nauman Ali, Abrar Ahmed.
Four changes: in come Azhar Ali in his final Test, slow left armer Nauman Ali, the new Yorkshire captain Shan Masood and 21 year old allrounder Mohammad Wasim Jnr. Mohammad Nawaz, Zahid Mahmood, Mohammad Ali and the injured Imam-ul-Haq are on the bench.
England XI – a debut for 18 year old Rehan Ahmed!
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes (wkt), Rehan Ahmed, Ollie Robinson, Jack Leach, Mark Wood.
Gloves to Foakes, Pope bats, Ahmed on debut. Anderson rested, Jacks on the bench.
Pakistan win the toss and will bat
On a dry pitch, the coin falls the right way for Babar at last.
Good morning from Baltic Britain!. But scrap the weather, who is this coming over the hill? It’s Rehan Ahmed, in a Test cap, England’s youngest ever male Test cricketer, at 18 years and 26 days, 23 days younger than Brian Close – and he never gave up anything without a fight.
Ahmed, a Leicestershire leg-spinning allrounder, has played just three first-class matches but his talent has been bubbling away – with the Under-19s, with the Lions, with Leicestershire and now with England.
With the series already won, Ben Foakes also plays, replacing the resting Jimmy Anderson, and removing the gauntlets from Ollie Pope, who will just bat. Will Jacks steps off the merry-go-round..
Change too for Pakistan. They unearthed a gem at Multan – wrist-spinner Abrah Ahmed. But they must say goodbye. This will be stalwart and former captain Azhar Ali’s final Test.
“I retire from international cricket as a fulfilled cricketer who ticked most of the goals he had set for himself,” he said in an emotional press conference. “Not many cricketers go on to lead their countries, and that I was able to captain Pakistan is a matter of great pride for me.
“From being a kid who started as a leg-spinner to becoming a mainstay in the Test batting lineup, I had the loveliest moments of my life that I will cherish forever.”
Play starts at 5am GMT. Set the clocks.