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

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

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Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

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Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

Feel Good Inc

Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.

72nd over: Pakistan 272-7 (Agha 37, Nauman 19) Darkness doesn’t descend as rapidly in Karachi, so we must always get one other hour’s play. Agha Salman seems to be within the temper to go all night time; he walks down the observe to drive Leach handsomely over additional cowl for 4. Beautiful batting.

After just a few singles, Nauman makes it a double-figure over with an emphatic reverse sweep for 4.

71st over: Pakistan 261-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 14) Nauman drags a brief ball from Rehan by midwicket for 4. I’m wondering if Rehan is getting a bit drained, mentally relatively than bodily. Saying which, Nauman tries to drive the following ball and edges it large of slip.

It seems to be just like the spinners will bowl till the second new ball is offered. England’s seamers actually are struggling right here. It jogs my memory a little bit of an analogous useless rubber in New Zealand in 1991-92, when many of the quicks had niggles and Phil Tufnell and Graeme Hick bowled eternally. David Lawrence was nonetheless giving every part as the sport meandered to a draw on the ultimate night, with tragic penalties.

seventieth over: Pakistan 257-7 (Agha 31, Nauman 10) Agha sweeps Leach firmly not far away for 4 extra. He resourceful and dogged and appears a great participant, actually for a No7.

Nauman hacks a single to deep sq. to maneuver into double figures.

“On the Ashraf review, I thought there seemed to be a very tiny period of deviation from flat shown on the UltraEdge,” says Colin Garwood. “Were my eyes deceiving me or do the rules require a clearer spike?”

I don’t suppose it’s set in stone however, sure, usually it must be a much bigger spike relatively than a murmur.

69th over: Pakistan 250-7 (Agha 26, Nauman 8) A brief ball from Rehan is savaged for 4 by Agha, a superb shot. He seems to be extra comfy when he’s attacking the leggie, the truth is. Rehan Ahmed’s figures are 20-2-79-2, and since lunch 15-2-42-2. Verily, he’d have taken it.

68th over: Pakistan 246-7 (Agha 22, Nauman 8) “Your opponent was Geoffrey Chaucer?” says John Starbuck. “Who won?”

I’m bisorwen ich assumede sin waſ ain rhetorical questfōre-dēde.

67.3 overs: Pakistan 245-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 8) Nauman pulls the ball straight into the helmet of Pope at brief leg. There’s a break in play whereas he has a concussion check, so the umpires have referred to as for drinks.

Nauman isn’t out!

Nauman pushed at a supply that turned down the leg facet, with Foakes clasping the ball on the second try. There was a scratch because it went previous the bat – however there’s nothing on UltraEdge so England lose one other overview. They have one left.

ANOTHER ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AND I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHY I’VE GOT CAPS LOCK ON IT’S ONLY A NO9 BATTER IN A DEAD RUBBER AFTER ALL I MEAN MAYBE IF IT WAS REHAN AHMED BUT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE

This time greater than some other time it’s Leach to Nauman, and I haven’t a clue what occurred. You’re welcome!

67th over: Pakistan 244-7 (Agha 21, Nauman 7) Another factor to love about Rehan Ahmed is his calm manner. He has celebrated his wickets, in fact he has, however it’s been comparatively low-key. If I had taken a Test wicket at 18, I’d have referred to as for a microphone to offer an Oscar-winning speech.

The new batter Nauman Ali sweeps consecutively deliveries for 4 after which three. He’s an honest Test No9, with a median of 24 and a top-score of 97, albeit towards Zimbabwe.

This is popping right into a memorable first day for Rehan Ahmed. He’s picked up his second wicket, with Faheem Ashraf overwhelmed all finally ends up by a googly from around the wicket. The umpire took some time to offer it, and Faheem reviewed, however replays confirmed it was hitting off and center midway up. Well carried out, kiddo.

66th over: Pakistan 236-6 (Agha 20, Faheem 4) Faheem lastly will get off the mark from his twenty first supply, pinging a reverse sweep for 4 off Leach.

“That footage of Warnie with little Rehan is quite a thing,” says Phil Harrison. “It’s made me feel quite emotional. Must admit, it’s frying my brain a bit that England now has a Test cricketer who was born when I was already in my thirties. And he’s really good too.”

It’s loopy isn’t it. When I used to be Rehan’s age my hardest opponent was Chaucer, not Babar Azam.

sixty fifth over: Pakistan 231-6 (Agha 19, Faheem 0) Rehan is admittedly into his work now. Since lunch his figures are 13-2-30-1.

“Because it is clearly far too early to tell, this is the perfect time for wild speculation and needless pressure building,” says David Horn. “If we were, rather cruelly, to create a scale of international leg spinners starting at one end with Mason Crane and ending at the other with Shane Warne, I wonder how far young Rehan will go? If he ends up somewhere around two-thirds of a Stuart MacGill, that would be truly remarkable.”

Och yeah, you’d take that. MacGill was such a great bowler, even when he was the sufferer of presumably essentially the most contemptuous shot in cricket historical past. Boxing Day Test 2003, second ball: off you pop.

ASHRAF IS NOT OUT! There’s nothing on UltraEdge, so Faheem Ashraf survives. It was such a great googly, which straightened previous Ashraf’s defensive push. Foakes thought there was an edge, so did Root, however the expertise prompt in any other case.

ENGLAND REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND! It was a beautiful googly from Rehan to Ashraf, and Ben Foakes is bound it’s out.

sixty fourth over: Pakistan 230-6 (Agha 18, Faheem 0) Agha, who seems to be extra comfy towards the orthodox spinner, sweeps Leach firmly by sq. leg for 4 after which steals a single to mid-on. Stokes’s throw shattered the stumps – and the stumpcam the truth is – however Agha was comfortably dwelling. There’s a break in play whereas the digital camera is repaired.

63rd over: Pakistan 225-6 (Agha 13, Faheem 0) Agha isn’t having fun with himself towards Rehan. He virtually gives a return catch after which survives a giant LBW shbout after pushing round a googly. It turned a good distance and would have missed leg stump.

62nd over: Pakistan 224-6 (Agha 12, Faheem 0) Faheem survives an attraction for a catch down the leg facet off Leach. There was a giant deviation however I’m fairly positive it was off the thigh pad. Replays present that’s precisely what occurred.

61st over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) Rehan bowls a pleasant maiden to Faheem Ashraf. He has been in a position to settle into a pleasant spell right here. His first 5 overs earlier than lunch went for 37; since then he has figures of 11-2-28-1, with the emphasis on the second 1.

“Nice bowling Ray!” says Ben Foakes, which sends my thoughts off into the world of Mr Inbetween. Has there been a greater TV collection for the reason that Sopranos? Nah mate.

sixtieth over: Pakistan 221-6 (Agha 8, Faheem 0) With Babar gone, Jack Leach returns instead of Mark Wood. Stokes have to be actually struggling together with his knee. Agha comes down the observe to crunch a pair into the leg facet, the one runs from the over. Pakistan bat fairly deep on this recreation, so England aren’t into the tail but.

59th over: Pakistan 219-6 (Agha 7) Babar batted superbly, making 78 from 123 balls, and seemed nailed-on for a century. That’s one other bonus wicket for England, the most important of the lot.

Well effectively effectively. Babar Azam has been needlessly run out! Agha turned Rehan into the leg facet and set off for a single, with Babar reluctantly accepting the decision. Brook threw flat and arduous to Foakes, who collected the ball in entrance of the stumps after which broke the wicket as he fell ahead.

Foakes disturbed the primary bail whereas gathering the throw – however that didn’t matter as a result of the second one stayed on, and Foakes eliminated it with Babar simply in need of his floor. Had Foakes knocked each bails off earlier than he had the ball, Babar would have survived.

58th over: Pakistan 217-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Mark Wood, god bless him, goes to bowl one extra over. England’s seamers actually are on their final legs right here. Anderson is a quadragenarian, Wood is shattered, Stokes is injured and Robinson has a nasty tummy.

Wood begins with a large, which suggests he’ll need to bowl an additional ball. He walks again to his mark with the expression of a person who lovingly made 4 excellent souffles after which dropped them whereas dishing up.

“I’ll tell you how slow this pitch is,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “Ben Foakes could stand up to Mark Wood here.” Wood is giving eachfactor, desperately making an attempt to get blood out of the stone, however there’s nothing there.

57th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled since his 74-over spell within the first Test, is warming up and appears set to switch Wood on the Knacker’s Yard End.

Rehan finds Agha’s exterior edge with a pleasant legbreak, however the ball drops effectively in need of slip. Agha will get in a pickle with the googly later within the over, bat-padding it within the air on the leg facet. There was no brief leg this time. The child is doing fairly effectively right here – not so good as Ian Salisbury on debut, higher than Chris Schofield.

56th over: Pakistan 216-5 (Babar 77, Agha 6) There’s a suggestion of reverse for Wood, however Babar is as stable as ever in defence. Wood has such a great file exterior England: 15 Tests, 54 wickets at 24.53. Barring statistical freaks, that’s the bottom common for an England bowler abroad since John Lever swung his final in 1981.

At dwelling Wood averages within the forties, although that’s partly all the way down to a dreadful collection towards South Africa in 2017 when he was bowling at half ratpower.

fifty fifth over: Pakistan 214-5 (Babar 77, Agha 5) Agha, who struggled towards Rehan earlier than tea, waves a shortish supply by level for 3.

54th over: Pakistan 210-5 (Babar 76, Agha 2) Mark Wood begins to Babar Azam after tea. He alerts his plan by setting a 3/6 discipline, and confirms it by ramming the primary ball into the center of the pitch. It doesn’t stand up and Babar sways out of the way in which.

Babar takes the pull on later within the over, swatting Wood in entrance of sq. for 4. This pitch is so gradual.

This is simply beautiful: Shane Warne watching a 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed

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Teatime studying

The eagerly awaited Australia v South Africa collection began with a bang on the Gabba, the place 15 wickets fell on the primary day.

53rd over: Pakistan 204-5 (Babar 71, Agha 1) Time for one final over from Rehan Ahmed earlier than tea. Salman Agha top-edges a sweep into his arm; then he’s overwhelmed by an excellent legspinner. As Waqar Younis says on commentary, it’s the specter of the googly that results in tentative strokes like that.

Rehan beats Agha once more with the penultimate ball of the session. That’s a terrific over, and he walks off proudly alongside Mark Wood. His figures of 12-0-59-1 don’t solely do justice to an encouraging debut.

England have had an honest day, discovering some bizarre methods to take wickets on a really gradual pitch. But Babar Azam continues to be there, 71 not out and fully imperturbable. See you in 10-Quarter-hour for the night session.

52nd over: Pakistan 203-5 (Babar 70, Agha 1) Wood’s tempo is down a bit, usually within the high-80s relatively than the mid-90s, although that’s solely comprehensible within the circumstances. He’s such an admirable, selfless bloke; if he’s not giving it, he hasn’t received it.

He nonetheless has sufficient to provide a scorching 91mph yorker that’s very well defended by Agha Salman. Wood oohs and aahs after which goes again to his mark for extra. He actually is the Tigger of English cricket.

51st over: Pakistan 202-5 (Babar 69, Agha 1) Rehan Ahmed modifications finish to switch Root, who’s hooked regardless of taking Rizwan’s wicket. (Not that he had a lot to do with it.)

Babar has performed Rehan fairly respectfully, solely actually going after the unhealthy balls. Two singles from the over.

“Just realised that an England bowlers younger than my daughter has just taken a Test match wicket,” writes Steven Pye. “Time for me to investigate retirement homes, I think.”

And if you would like one thing to learn in the course of the upcoming tea break, right here’s Steven on England’s well-known win in Karachi 22 years in the past.

fiftieth over: Pakistan 200-5 (Babar 68, Agha 0) Mark Wood replaces Rehan Ahmed, who has ODI figures on his Test debut: 10-0-56-1. I’m about as certified to speak about legspin as I’m to speak about hair care, so I’ll defer to the Sky commentators. In brief: Rehan turns his googly greater than his leggie, his size has been a bit hit or miss (understandably), his entrance arm drops a bit early, and he has on a regular basis on this planet to determine it out.

There’s a soupçon of reverse for Wood, although nothing that may hassle Babar. After 5 dot balls, Babar flicks a boundary behind sq.. Beautifully timed. Man his bat is one huge unending center.

forty ninth over: Pakistan 196-5 (Babar 64, Agha 0) Root was laughing his head off when Stokes took that catch, realizing it was a grimy supply that deserved something however a wicket.

An enormous bonus for England simply earlier than tea! Rizwan charged Root and clunked a dipping full toss excessive into the leg facet. Stokes ran spherical from deepish mid-on to take a well-judged catch. That’s an Andrex-soft dismissal, and Rizwan stomps off in disgust.

forty eighth over: Pakistan 194-4 (Babar 63, Rizwan 18) Rizwan is sweeping every part. He drags Rehan off center stump – he’d have been in all kinds of hassle had he missed – for one of 4 singles within the over.

forty seventh over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and begins across the wicket to the right-handers. Three singles from the over.

Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the sphere after hurting his ankle within the earlier over.

forty sixth over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan reaches an extended method to sweep Rehan for 2, with Duckett doing effectively to avoid wasting the boundary. His left ankle received caught within the pitch as he did so, and he’s limping barely.

Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We want a Bazball converter to see what they’re value in a standard Test staff.

“I wonder if you will get to sit your grandchildren down in the run up to future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and regale them with anniversary tales of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from the blessed Tanya Aldred just as the legendary bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first ever Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”

For causes you actually don’t need or must know, it’ll be a uncommon previous Christmas miracle if that occurs.

forty fifth over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of perkiness, sweeps Leach for 4 after which whips one other by midwicket. He’s raced to 12 from 12 balls.

forty fourth over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A little bit of a comedown over for Rehan, with Babar pulling a brief ball for 4. It’s all a part of his schooling, similar because it was for Shane Warne to be panelled around 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 may… if the strike fee wasn’t additionally worse below Stokes (80, as in comparison with 67 below Root). But I ought to stress that there are causes for the discrepancy. Leach performed on a quantity on Bunsens below Root.

forty third over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The nicest factor about Rehan’s wicket is that was deserved. Shakeel didn’t slap a full toss to midwicket; he was unsettled by the googly after which pushed nervously on the subsequent ball. And crucially, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain are declaring on Sky, the size was spot on.

Meanwhile, Jack Leach (bear in mind him?) bowls a superb over… till Rizwan sweeps firmly for 4 to get off the mark. Wasn’t a lot mistaken with the supply.