Pakistan v England: third Test, day one – live | Pakistan v England 2022

45th over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for four and then whips another through midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

44th over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a short ball for four. It’s all part of his education, same as it was for Shane Warne to be panelled round the SCG by Ravi Shastri on his debut.

“In the 41st over you pointed out that Leech’s average was better under Root than Stokes,” says Tom Holdsworth. “Might that demonstrate the point of Bazball: strike rate matters more than average?”

It might… if the strike rate wasn’t also worse under Stokes (80, as compared to 67 under Root). But I should stress that there are reasons for the discrepancy. Leach played on a number on Bunsens under Root.

43rd over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest thing about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly and then pushed nervously at the next ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are pointing out on Sky, the length was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (remember him?) bowls an excellent over… until Rizwan sweeps firmly for four to get off the mark. Wasn’t much wrong with the delivery.

42nd over: Pakistan 162-4 (Babar 50, Rizwan 0) Earlier in the over, Babar waved a full toss from Rehan for a single to reach another serene half-century: 74 balls, 6×4, 0xhope for England.

By the way I said Pope’s catch was very good. I was wrong: it was outstanding.

“Good morning Rob, from a balmy Las Palmas,” says Kim Thonger. “It will be 22C this afternoon here. Lovely day for cricket, and I discover that various communities on the larger Canary Islands have set up cricket clubs to play Twenty20, with marvellous names such as Scorpio Warriors and Pagoda Kings. Jimmy Anderson could thrive here in semi-retirement. Nice and warm, occasional cloud cover at both ends of the day, and a lovely bit of humidity for late swing. Read all about it here.”

Never mind Jimmy, I’ll be practising a bit of wobble seam in the corridor during the team break.

WICKET! Pakistan 162-4 (Shakeel c Pope b Rehan 23)

41st over: Pakistan 161-3 (Babar 49, Shakeel 23) It’s notable that, despite their popular bromance, Jack Leach’s record under the captaincy of Ben Stokes (avge 44) is much worse than under Joe Root (avge 32). There are a few reasons for that, not least the fact he hasn’t played on any vile turners under Stokes, but it’s interesting nonetheless. Isn’t it? Oh.

40th over: Pakistan 160-3 (Babar 48, Shakeel 23) Rehan Ahmed was a bit short in his first spell, which went for 37 from five overs. He’s noticeably fuller this time, too much so when Shakeel drives through extra cover for two. That aside it’s a pretty good over. I still can’t quite believe we are watching an 18-year-old English legspinner playing Test cricket.

Thanks Tanya, morning everyone. I timed that well: Rehan Ahmed is coming on for his second spell.

They pause for drinks, and I’ll hand you over to the master, Rob Smyth, to take you through to stumps. Just in case the Test doesn’t go to day five, wishing you all a very merry Christmas, with an especially happy one to my mum and dad who are waking up this morning in a new house for the first time in 40 years. Thanks for all the messages – bye!

39th over: Pakistan 157-3 (Babar 47, Shakeel 21) Leach bowls one ball then presents it to Stokes. To say, who knows? But he’s sent back on his way without consulting the umpire. A fistful of singles.

38th over: Pakistan 153-3 (Babar 45, Shakeel 19) Wood continues to charge in, well into the nineties mph. Sweat gleans on his forehead and he wipes it over the ball. Shakeel pulls and Rehan fields. We move on.

37th over: Pakistan 151-3 (Babar 44, Shakeel 18) Leach will have a sore shoulder by this evening. Over number 17 under his belt, not even half way through the second session of day one. Babar casually ticks off a run.

“James Walsh….asks if anyone else has ever splashed out on seeing an all-conquering team on an off day,” writes John Cox.

”Not quite but my mother, then a teenager living near Lords and with a crush on Denis Compton, took advantage of some early children-free-after-lunch deal to watch the great man seven times during his famous 1948 season, and used to boast that she never saw him score a run. Five times the opponents were batting, once DC came in in the last over and spent the night on 0 not out, and finally she got to see him face a ball, only to witness his only duck of the season.”

36th over: Pakistan 150-3 (Babar 43, Shakeel 18) The cameras focus on Keaton Jennings, who hasn’t played a Test on this tour. Athers tells us that he has just earned his MBA from the University of Manchester. Very impressive, and such a nice guy as well. A maiden from Mark Wood.

35th over: Pakistan 150-3 (Babar 43, Shakeel 18) Shakeel stretches with the front leg, as if trying to take in one more stair in haste, and sweeps Leach to the rope.

34th over: Pakistan 144-3 (Babar 42, Shakeel 13) Mark Wood for his second spell, this time from the pavilion end. Starts with some full balls, finishes with a bouncer that bounces so low that Shakeel is practically squatting as he ducks it.

Ben Elkington writes, from under a duvet in Leicester: “I have an innocent and probably sleep-befuddled question: given the lack of Test cricket in Pakistan for so long, the grounds have all seemed relatively empty. Is this down to pricing, the home team performance or ambivalence to test match/red ball cricket? (Apologies if this has been covered previously, wasn’t sure.)

And, like the ITV World Cup coverage, I’m concerned that I’m lying here thinking, “yeah, KFC for breakfast is alright in December, isn’t it?”

Hi Ben. I think the grounds filled up well during the day in Rawalpindi and Multan – not sure about Karachi. Our man on the ground, Ali Martin, strokes his beard, “Not sure the reason here, maybe series lost … good few sensibly hiding in the shade at the back of the stands.”

33rd over: Pakistan 141-3 (Babar 40, Shakeel 12) A maiden from Leach which includes a beautifully choreographed whipping off of the bails by Ben Foakes as Shakeel goes for the sweep. Feet were firmly anchored in the crease, but sweetly done.

”Ashamed to admit that I shabbily missed the start of play;” admits Brian Withington, “and the awarding of debut cap to Rehan Ahmed by Nasser – quite the moment I gather, and so lovely to see his Dad involved. Nice words from Azhar Ali too. What’s that, you say? Must be some dust in the eye …”

32nd over: Pakistan 141-3 (Babar 40, Shakeel 12) Babar plonks his front leg forward and with a frosty-crisp punch dispatches Robinson past a sprawling mid-on. The next ball nibbles in and with a waft of the glove, Babar lets Shakeel know that reverse swing is happening.

31st over: Pakistan 136-3 (Babar 36, Shakeel 12) Leach prowls in, Shakeel largely unbothered. Stokes has a long chat with him as he makes the long walk back to his fielding position on the boundary.

So true.

30th over: Pakistan 135-3 (Babar 35, Shakeel 11) Stokes fiddles and finesses his field.

“Hello again Tanya.” Robert Lewis, hi! “Not Bazball, but I was at the SCG in 1976 in the series mentioned recently on OBO where the Windies were rocked by pace and decided to go with a 4-man attack. I remember a highly miffed Michael Holding, then around 20 years old, walking so very slowly back to his mark when a decision went against him.”

29th over: Pakistan 134-3 (Babar 35, Shakeel 10) Ooof Babar charges Leach, over the top, not quite all there but it falls safely out of reach of a slowly reversing lorry Robinson.

The link to the PCB youtube page (thank you!):

28th over: Pakistan 130-3 (Babar 32, Shakeel 9) In Manchester it is sleeting in the dark, in Karachi, the sun shines. Shakeel content to play Robinson back until swivel-pulling his penultimate ball for four. And another, a full toss disappears, off-driven with panache.

“Tucked under my duvet with a hot water bottle and a coffee, but still freezing, of course,” writes Archie Sparrow. “I found that session really enjoyable. Dead pitch, yes, but we’re still able to make things happen. I remember waking up for the first session of the first test and rubbing my hands in a Mr Burns-esque fashion. It’s only gotten better since then. Is it finally time, as England fans, that we can admit we’re actually really quite good at this test cricket thing?”

Wash your mouth out Archie!

27th over: Pakistan 122-3 (Babar 32, Shakeel 1) Root awaits at first slip, Pope (?) at leg slip, as Leach changes ends after lunch. A shout of “Pakistan Zindabad” livens up the still pretty empty ground. There are beautiful canopies over the stands – something English grounds are going to have to think about with the climate crisis. The lack of shelter at The Riverside caused all sorts of issues during the ODI on the UK’s hottest day last year.

John Starbuck, hello! “I didn’t make the start but picked up the progress via the mighty OBO. No kids to fuss over, but I have had to stroke the cat, then go out in the frost to the garage and switch off my charging car. Meanwhile, my wife has finished the gingerbread men (with holes for hanging on Xmas trees) and is onto baking the mince pies, for her family do, though shortened by Covid, alas. Still, we all have responsibilities.”

Afternoon session

Two cups of coffee in, all is well. Dog has a full tummy, paper boy is on his round, Ian Ward is in full lounge lizard, leg resting on knee, on the Sky sofa.

James Walsh is back, and this time I’ve spelt his name right (apologies), “I’ve only seen one Test of the nascent Bazball era in person – and it’s the only one they’ve lost so far, Lord’s v. South Africa in the summer.

“There was a surreal lack of jeopardy, though most of the stand where I was sat was more interested in the champagne corks hitting the outfield than the cricket.

“Has anyone else out there ever splashed out on an otherwise all-conquering team on one of their rare off days?”

Jimmy Anderson is talking to Nasser. “ A decent session, we bowled brilliantly, the short ball tactic worked well. This surface is two paced so it is difficult for the batter to know whether to take it on or not. Woody has been bowling cross seam as well which should set it up for reverse-swing later on.”

I have news Sam Fox! Not TMS, but the guerilla cricket link.

Lunch – Pakistan 117-3

WICKET! Azhar c Foakes b Robinson 45 (Pakistan 117-3)

REVIEW! Azhar c Foakes b Robinson 45 (Pakistan 117-2)

25th over: Pakistan 117-2 (Azhar 45, Babar 30) Stokes has a long chat with Ahmed at the end of his run, whose ten to two feet are planted firmly in concentration. He drops short with his googly and Azhar tucks in, though in slightly unbalanced way. The next is fuller, straighter, better. Seven from the over, and lunch bubbling on the hearth.

24th over: Pakistan 108-2 (Azhar 40, Babar 26) Robinson is back after being off the field. Causes immediate trouble, as Azhar nearly plays the ball straight to the waiting silly mid=on , a thick edge slices through second slip for four, then hits him on the arm.

23rd over: Pakistan 102-2 (Azhar 35, Babar 26) A full toss from Rehan Ahmed and Babar sweeps as if wafting a fan for four. And another boundary as Babar eyes up the googly and tucks in with knife, fork and spoon. Will Stokes give him another over, or is this enough for a first taste?