Pakistan overcame a rain delay and a gradual begin with the ball to take the combat to Australia on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Check.
The vacationers gained the toss and elected to bowl on a tough MCG floor, however Australia’s openers placed on 90 for the primary wicket.
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David Warner was given a life when Abdullah Shafique dropped a sitter at slip, however Warner was out for 38 simply earlier than lunch when he performed a false shot to spinner Salman Ali Agha.
Khawaja was dismissed for 42 earlier than Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne dug in by a dour interval wherein the Aussies didn’t rating a boundary for 150 balls and solely hit 14 fours for the day.
Pakistan nice Waqar Younis stated on Channel 7: “I’ve by no means seen Australia play like this prior to now. That’s not like Australia.”
Smith was out late within the day, with Labuschagne 44 not out and Travis Head unbeaten on 9 as Australia reached stumps 3/198 from 66 overs.
6.45pm – Perth mayor takes shot at MCG crowd
Every week after his metropolis was criticised for not turning up for the primary Check of the summer time, Perth mayor Basil Zempilas has taken intention on the Boxing Day crowd in Melbourne.
The official crowd determine for the opening day of the second Check on the MCG was 62,167, the second highest opening day crowd for a Check between Australia and Pakistan on the venue.
It’s additionally greater than the mixed attendance 59,125 throughout the 4 days of motion in Perth.
Extra followers attended the Perth Scorchers’ first house BBL match of the season (28,494) than any day of the Perth Check (highest crowd on Day 2, 17,666).
However Zempilas thought it was a poor Boxing Day crowd, regardless of the usual of the opponent and moist climate affecting Melbourne.
He tweeted: “Hmmmm. What’s their excuse? Not like you possibly can go to the seaside?”
Let’s simply say Zempilas’ tweet didn’t go down too nicely.
6News’ Leonardo Puglisi replied: “60K+ confirmed up after we all knew it could be raining – greater than the complete 4 day Perth check.”
One particular person stated: “Extra folks turned as much as the MCG with heavy rain forecast than can slot in to Optus Stadium. Additionally extra folks at Day 1 that attended the complete 4 days of the Perth check.”
One other commented: “That Perth chip in your shoulder is absolutely weighing you down Basil.”
6.31pm – Smith out for 26
Steve Smith’s patchy type has continued as he was dismissed for 26 off 75 balls late on Day 2.
Quickly after surviving an LBW overview, Smith feathered by an edge off Aamir Jamal by to the keeper.
Smith has made scores of 31, 45 and 26 within the collection in opposition to Pakistan up to now. He hasn’t scored a Check century because the second Ashes Check at Lord’s.
By Smith’s lofty requirements, he seems to be beneath his greatest and continues to tinker along with his bat grip and stance on the crease.
“That could be a big quantity of his hand beneath the underside of his deal with,” Ricky Ponting stated on Channel 7.
6pm – DRS saves Smith’s bacon
Steve Smith was virtually dismissed LBW after a faster ball from Shaheen Afridi smacked him on the pads. The ball fully beat Smith for tempo and the Pakistanis thought it was plumb. The umpire’s finger went up however Smith wasn’t satisfied, asking for a overview.
Ball monitoring confirmed the ball was somewhat too brief and the supply would have sailed excessive of the bails.
5.40pm – Aussies break boundary drought
It’s arduous yakka out within the center with the ball dipping round. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have toughed out the difficult interval of play, scoring at a snail’s tempo after play resumed.
Smith lastly pierced the sector and whipped Hasan Ali away on the leg aspect for 4 after the pair had spent a whopping 150 balls and not using a boundary.
Labuschagne adopted go well with two overs later along with his first signal of actual aggression – a reduce shot behind level for 4 off Aamer Jamal.
4.50pm – Play to renew in 20 minutes
The rain has stopped and now we have a 5.10pm begin time if the clouds keep away. There are 26 overs left within the day, with play being pushed again to 7pm if climate permits.
3.50pm – Floor workers give MCG crowd hope
The big covers have been pulled off, injecting some life into the remaining crowd members toughing it out on this bleak Melbourne day.
Boxing Day may make a revival but.
2.24pm – Rain delay
The rain threatened to roll over Melbourne all day and at last got here at round 2.20pm native time. The lights had been turned on as darkish clouds coated the MCG. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne did nicely to combat by the robust interval and go away Australia at two down.
The Bureau of Meteorology has despatched out a extreme thunderstorm warning for the town with damaging winds and heavy rainfall predicted. Flash flooding was detected close to Melbourne Airport, Tullamarine and the realm west of Sunbury, with locals being advised to remain indoors if potential.
1.35pm – Khawaja falls for 42
Usman Khawaja couldn’t get going after the lunch break and finally fished at one outdoors off, gifting a regulation catch to Agha Salman within the slips.
Seamer Hasan Ali was the bowler and Usman was on his method for 42 off 101 deliveries.
Steve Smith has now joined Marnus Labuschagne on the crease. Each batsmen are struggling a bit for runs, so this session might get attention-grabbing earlier than the rain rolls over the MCG.
12.30pm – Warner out for 38 at lunch
David Warner appeared like he was preparing for an additional massive knock however finally holed out to off-spinner Agha Salman in his second over.
He tried to muscle the ball by the off aspect however obtained crushed for bounce and edged a simple catch to Babar Azam at first slip.
Ricky Ponting stated Pakistan had squeezed a little bit of luck out of the ultimate session by racing by to get one other over in.
“It’s proper on the stroke of 12:30 as nicely. I used to be watching David Warner within the final over, he really had his gloves off on the non-strikers finish and that typically means to me that somebody has switched off for the session,” Ponting stated.
“They made it round, they obtained spherical in time, they obtained time for an additional over in, that is the primary ball of the over, it’s a nothing ball, it’s vast it’s an excellent catch. They go fast once you’re there on the first slip to the spin, nicely taken by Babar Azam.
“The long-awaited breakthrough for Pakistan comes.”
“It was a horrible shot. A nothing shot,” Mark Waugh stated.
12pm – Warner and Khawaja dig in
David Warner and Usman Khawaja have finished the arduous yards in opposition to Pakistan’s tempo assault all through the primary session. The opening pair fended off some lethal swing early on however had been in a position to survive and construct a 70 partnership with out loss earlier than the lunch break.
Warner began opening his arms up extra in direction of the top of the session, making an announcement for what’s to come back with a number of aggressive photographs off Shaheen Afridi for 4.
Khawaja has appeared stable up the opposite finish, getting a number of pull photographs away to the fence on his way13 to 33.
10.43am – Pakistan put down a sitter
David Warner has been given a life after edging a regulation slips catch off Shaheen Afridi. Circumstances have suited the bowlers up to now and the ball has been swinging and seaming previous the Aussie openers for half an hour.
There was speak from the commentary staff earlier than the primary ball about how essential Pakistan’s fielding will likely be within the first session however sadly for the guests, Abdullah Shafique dropped one of many best catches of the 12 months.
“You’ve obtained to catch the ball, the place’s his eye line?” Ian Smith stated. “It seems to be like a man who’s fielding for within the slips for the primary time.”
“That was an ideal top. Ample time. The arms didn’t even contact the ball. Utterly missed it. Straight into his abdomen,” Wasim Akram stated.
“As simple because it will get. In the event you’re not going to catch these, you’re going to be in bother.”
“It’s inconceivable to drop these for a global participant,” Justin Langer stated on Channel Seven.
“That’s as simple a catch that you simply’ll ever see in Check cricket. You’re proper, Pakistan – I stated it earlier than the Check Collection began, I stated it earlier than this Check – if Pakistan have gotten any probability of preventing again on this collection, they have to subject higher than they did.
“That’s an inconceivable catch to drop. Whereas he’ll really feel sick about it, it’s not acceptable at worldwide stage.”
10am – Cricket nice predicts Boxing Day carnage
Win the toss and bowl. That’s the ideas of cricket nice Kerry O’Keeffe after inspecting the pitch and with the clouds hanging overhead.
“I feel each groups will (need to) bowl,” O’Keeffe stated. “I feel Pat Cummins is aware of this pitch has been beneath cowl for a pair days, there’s cloud cowl, there’s rain anticipated. They may have an actual burst early.”
He added: “I feel Pakistan must roll the cube. They must bowl Australia out for beneath 200 and management the sport.
“That is their day.”
Pakistan captain Shan Masood gained the toss and took that recommendation beneath his cap as he elected to bowl first.
8:30am – Ominous clouds loom over Boxing Day Check
It’s not nice indicators overhead for cricket followers.
Darkish clouds have caught within the sky for a number of days now and it’s wanting like extra of the identical for the opening day of play in Melbourne.
The Bureau of Meterology are forecasting an 80 per cent probability of between one and 10mm of rain within the Melbourne space.
The forecast reads: “Excessive probability of showers, most definitely in the course of the afternoon and night. Thunderstorms probably, primarily in the course of the afternoon and night and probably extreme. Winds south-easterly 20 to 30 km/h.”
The forecast says that rain might begin growing from 11am, nonetheless, it’s extra prone to hit Melbourne from 2pm.
There’s a 50 per cent probability of rain between 2pm and 8pm on day one.
Issues dramatically enhance, nonetheless, after day one, bettering the possibilities of a outcome.
Solely 0-2mm of rain is forecast for day two, whereas there may be unlikely to be rain on some other day of the Check.
7am – Khawaja exposes ICC’s ‘double requirements’
Usman Khawaja has delivered the most recent shot in his feud with cricket’s governing physique.
The Aussie opener took to Instagram on Christmas Day to reveal the farcical double requirements after he was blocked from enjoying the Boxing Day Check with a dove on his bat and footwear.
Taking to Instagram on Sunday evening, Khawaja uploaded a reel with Kanye West’s ‘Can’t Inform Me Nothing’ within the background as pictures of cricketer’s with comparable messages on their bats popped up.
“Merry Christmas everyone. Generally you simply gotta giggle. Cya at Boxing Day! #inconsistent #doublestandards,” he wrote, with a face palm emoji.
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TEAMS
Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Pakistan XI: Imam-Ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamir Jamal
Initially revealed as Australia vs Pakistan Boxing Day Check Day 1: Basil Zempilas slams MCG crowd
