4 Jan 202400.49 ESTGeoff LemonStumps have been called at 4:49pm local time.
With that, time for me to creep on out of here. Angus Fontaine will start things off on the OBO tomorrow, and I’ll see you in the second session. Here’s hoping!
Stay dry with our wrap of day two at the SCG:
Top-class work from Pip Clark, who is filling in time at Calgary Airport. I have been to Calgary Airport, and that is not a place that I would wish on anybody.
“Delighted to see you’ve discovered Haley Reinhart on the live blog. Appropriate, as her name is an anagram of ‘Rainy halt here’.”
Applause!
“Here’s my favourite Haley and PMJ collab for you. Keep up the good work.”
Australia 116-2, trailing Pakistan by 197 runs in the second innings
That’s the match situation, with David Warner dismissed today for 34, edging Salman the spinner to slip for a good catch by Babar Azam, and later Khawaja gloving Jamal down the leg side for 47.
Labuschagne is on 23, Smith on 6, and they will hopefully resume at the appointed time tomorrow, which will be half an hour early at 10am local time to make up for lost overs.
4 Jan 202400.35 ESTAh ha! We do have movement. It can be earlier, because the umpires are about to call off the day after all.
4 Jan 202400.34 ESTMeanwhile the ground DJ is playing Run to Paradise, which seems good advice.
4 Jan 202400.33 ESTA little intel as I’ve been wandering about the SCG looking for more: unofficial word from the ground crew is that they’re not getting back on today, given the water amount and the clean-up time.
Officially it can’t be called off until 5pm. But if you’re still hanging about in hope, abandon all.
4 Jan 202400.17 ESTIt’s absolutely belting down, and that looks like curtains for today. We won’t get a formal abandonment for a while yet but can’t see a way back onto the field now.
4 Jan 202423.55 ESTWe’re coming up to 4pm. I think we would need to start by 5:30 to get any more play today, which would mean they would need to start cleaning up the field by about 4:45.
4 Jan 202423.49 ESTNo change here at the SCG, sadly…
4 Jan 202423.27 ESTYeah, raining now. Not heavy but there. The green corrugated roofs on the old stands are shining wet.
There’s even a band called The Bad Light. If you want to imagine that you’re in a smoke-filled room on the coast in about 1979 trying to remember your name or the last time you actually made it down to the beach, this is your jam.
Technically I should probably switch to rain songs, but this is a nice slow burn with a bit of kick.
Ok, the full covers for the square are coming on now. The insurance-company branded ones that leaked last year. Was it last year? All the Sydney rain days blend together.
4 Jan 202423.05 ESTThey took an early tea break while I was hunting tracks. It’s nearly over but now the hessian covers are coming onto the pitch. Not raining but the crew here usually know before it starts.
4 Jan 202423.04 ESTNow I’m down a Haley Reinhart rabbit hole. Hadn’t heard of her before. This is a virtuoso vocal, cool arrangement too.
Jeff Goldblum isn’t singing on that record, best I can tell. Playing piano instead. Here’s the Haley Reinhart bit for the curious.
Still nothing happening in the middle. Five ground crew standing around a trailer. One umpire and two security guards. Oh, here come the main two umps down the concourse steps heading out for a gander.
4 Jan 202422.56 ESTBuilt to Spill sold a lot of records in the 90s. This is a firmly mid-tier indie effort with grunge highlights in its hair.
“Away from the coast we are crying out for rain,” writes Peter Moller. “Can you please play cricket in Mildura?”
I guess it would either a) bring rain where it’s wanted, or b) at least keep the cricket on.
4 Jan 202422.49 EST“What am I missing?” asks Rob Davey. “I’m at the ground. The floodlights are on and we have no play due to poor light. What happens in day-night tests?”
In day-night Tests we have a fluorescent pink cricket ball that almost glows under lights. The dark red ball is much harder to see.
The argument that they could switch to a similarly aged pink ball at times like this is a strong one, though.
4 Jan 202422.48 ESTThis is from a third-placed American Idol contestant who somehow ended up in a Robert Rodriguez movie and featuring on Jeff Goldblum’s debut album. Not gonna change your life but it’s a solid enough bit of rock-pop.
This one is something, hitting that ethereal voice register that could end up as a trip-hop sample. Substance to the lyrics. Music to Have Feelings to.
That’s a bit of a honkytonk foot stomper, not bad, some blues wail on the guitar. Music to inspire throwing half-full cans at the wall. What else have we got?
4 Jan 202422.29 ESTPlay delayed for bad light
And with that, Sydney’s cloud cover has its say once again. Not for rain but for blocking out the sun. The crowd of people as one release a groan. The umpires hang about in the middle chatting to the fourth official. The players though are sent off the field. Boo.
45th over: Australia 116-2 (Labuschagne 21, Smith 6) Sajid to Smith after the drinks break, who gets busy against the spin. Comes down the pitch to drive a run, goes back in his ground to work away another.
4 Jan 202422.24 ESTGeoff Lemon46th over: Australia 113-2 (Labuschagne 20, Smith 4) Thanks Angus. A maiden over for the impressive Jamal, and it’s not as though Labuschagne isn’t trying to score. Takes on the short ball a couple of time to no effect, and looks to work length balls to the leg side. But nothing works.
Updated at 22.25 EST4 Jan 202422.23 EST45th over: Australia 113-2 (Labuschagne 20, Smith 4) Sajid Khan bowling his 11th over concedes only a single, pushed to the off side by Labuschagne.
4 Jan 202422.10 EST44th over: Australia 113-2 (Labuschagne 20, Smith 4) SMACK goes Smith! Aamer welcomed him to the wicket with a bouncer and Smith thanked him next delivery with a powerful pull shot past backward square. Good stuff, Smudge. This game was starting to swing back Pakistan’s way after just 34 runs in 15 overs but Smith might just be the turbo-boost Australia needs. I need a caffeinated version of the same. Time to toss Geoff Lemon the ball. Thanks for your company and see yers on the morrow!
Updated at 22.22 EST4 Jan 202422.05 ESTWICKET! Khawaja c Rizwan b Aamer 47 (Australia 108-2)
Gloved down the legside! Pakistan have been poised all session, turning the screws and drying up the runs and Khawaja, trying to push the run rate and bring up his half-century, has succumbed to a swipe down the legside. The onfield decision was NOT OUT but Pakistan knew straight away and reviewed. Both openers gone now and Pakistan fighting back again.
43rd over: Australia 107-1 (Khawaja 47, Labuschagne 20) Khawaja and Sajid fight out another maiden as Pakistan close in with the clouds assailing the SCG.
4 Jan 202421.59 EST42nd over: Australia 106-1 (Khawaja 47, Labuschagne 19) My son has just handed me a “Marnus Special” – a ham and cheese toastie whipped hot from the grill and snap-frozen for five minutes. We saw Marnus do it in an episode of The Test once and it’s been on our short order menu ever since. It sets the oils of the cheese, brings out the salt in the ham and, like Marnus himself, it baffles logic but brings home the bacon in a very literal sense. Noah’s edible tribute inspires a Labuschagne single from Aamer’s final ball.
Updated at 22.00 EST4 Jan 202421.52 EST41st over: Australia 105-1 (Khawaja 47, Labuschagne 18) Spin villain Sajid Khan has been twirling his soup strainer in the deep after lunch but he’s now back in the fray, lobbing it up on a length and looking for purchase. He can’t find any but nor can Khawaja squirt one past the infield. A maiden.
4 Jan 202421.49 EST40th over: Australia 105-1 (Khawaja 47, Labuschagne 18) Floodlights are on at the SCG and high wind is whipping the flags atop the Members Stand. It puts a gust into Khawaja’s sails as he swats the first ball of Aamer’s new spell over the infield and into the fence on the third bounce. Great FOUR! He finds another one behind square to keep the strike.
Updated at 22.22 EST4 Jan 202421.44 EST39th over: Australia 100-1 (Khawaja 42, Labuschagne 18) Salman rushes another one into Khawaja’s pads and he spoons it a little but still gets a run. Labuschagne does better, playing late and whipping one square for a single that brings up Australia’s 100.
4 Jan 202421.41 EST38th over: Australia 97-1 (Khawaja 41, Labuschagne 16) Marnus is settling into his innings now, ticking over at a strike rate of 40 but gently accelerating with quick singles and the occasional lashing boundary. Khawaja is plodding along at 32 but given Uzzy is chasing his fourth consecutive century at the SCG, we’ll cut him some slack. He taps a single from the last to inch a run closer to that epic feat and retain strike.
4 Jan 202421.37 EST37th over: Australia 93-1 (Khawaja 40, Labuschagne 15) Another cut with soft hands gets Labuschagne a single backward of square. Khawaja runs another one to extra cover and Labuschagne picks off a third with flick past midwicket. Good news for Pakistan fans: Hasam Ali is back on the ground after treatment for that leg injury. He’s stationed in the deep, perhaps readying for another crowdpleasing Merv Hughes-style warm-up routine.
4 Jan 202421.33 EST36th over: Australia 92-1 (Khawaja 39, Labuschagne 13) Marnus leans back and taps a couple of runs past gully. It balloons Hamza’s figures from 0-4 from eight overs to a slightly less miserly 0-6. And here’s more runs, as Labuschagne winkles one off his toes into the onside and scampers three. Five from the over! Hamza must need a rest. Australia now trail by 221.
35th over: Australia 87-1 (Khawaja 39, Labuschagne 8) Salman fishes outside Khawaja’s off stump but Uzzy is a master of spin and won’t be rushed. Salman is whizzing them in at 92kph, varying the length and forcing Khawaja to play late and hop about the crease. Finally, the Australians eke a run behind square. Pakistan are closing in again here.
4 Jan 202421.26 EST34th over: Australia 85-1 (Khawaja 37, Labuschagne 8) True to legend, the Sydney Cricket Ground is starting to tantalise for the spinners. Both Australian batters played with fire in that last Salman over but survived. And there’s no reprieve when Hamza is building pressure at the other end. He bowls five dots before Khawaja prods one past gully to wake up the scorers.
4 Jan 202421.22 EST33rd over: Australia 84-1 (Khawaja 36, Labuschagne 8) Almost an edge! Labuschagne stepped back to slap that square as he did successfully in Salman’s last over, but it bit into the wicket and rushed through on him. Bowler and wicketkeeper yelped at the close shave. Labuschagne, always a hard marker on himself, shakes his head at his impetuosity and takes a single. And now Khawaja is shaking his head, having played around a skidding delivery that takes a coat of varnish from off stump. He runs off the error with a single from the last. Pakistan with tails up in this session.
4 Jan 202421.18 EST32nd over: Australia 82-1 (Khawaja 35, Labuschagne 7) Here’s a test within the Test. Hamza is back for a seventh over, having leaked just three runs and bowled four maidens so far. Khawaja gets behind the first volley, lightly driving them back down the wicket. Hasam has left the field with an injury sustained in the field from that first over. Calf or hamstring, we’re not sure, but he hobbled off wincing. Chalk up a fifth maiden for Hamza.
4 Jan 202421.14 EST31st over: Australia 82-1 (Khawaja 35, Labuschagne 7) And we’re back. Salman resumes to Labuschagne and he cuts a short fourth ball through covers to the rope. Lovely shot by the Australian first drop. That’s his first boundary and hopefully a statement of intent for the session after a slow grind in the first.
4 Jan 202420.42 ESTLUNCH: Australia 78 for 1 as Pakistan fight back on Day 2
Another entertaining session! Australia took a slow stranglehold on the game early as Khawaja and Warner rode their luck and whittled the chase of 313 below 250. Then, out of nowhere, new bowler Salman snagged Warner for 34 with a viciously spinning and overtly bouncing ball to steal back the momentum. Truth be told, Pakistan will still be disappointed with their effort. They fielded poorly again, letting down excellent bowling. Debutant Saim grassed a simple chance to spare Warner on 20 after he’d played some streaky shots just shy of slips. But they got their man in the end, and for not too many more. Now Pakistan have a new batter, in the slightly misfiring Marnus Labuschagne, on whom to focus their attack after lunch. Can the visitors counter-punch again to win back the initiative? Or will Sydney specialist Khawaja steer Australia to higher ground yet again? Grab a bite and we’ll find out after the break.
30th over: Australia 78-1 (Khawaja 35, Labuschagne 2) Bit of good natured agro between combatants as Hasan pauses in his run-up then restarts only to watch Labuschagne withdraw. Hasan smiles, Marnus scowls. It’s been a fiercely fought series on field but the camaraderie between players behind the white line has been wonderful. Marnus takes a single from the last ball before lunch and the players pause hostilities for a bite to eat.
4 Jan 202420.28 EST29th over: Australia 76-1 (Khawaja 35, Labuschagne 1) Salman leaks a run from the first ball of his third over, as Khawaja cracks one to a man in the deep. There’s an excited yelp on the third as Labuschagne pops a ball jagging in to the silly mid-on but there’s nowt in it.
Updated at 20.28 EST4 Jan 202420.23 EST28th over: Australia 75-1 (Khawaja 34, Labuschagne 1) Hasan continues his probing spell of pace. He’s skidding them in at over 130kph, targeting a fourth stump line but threatening the occasional inswinger. Khawaja has seen it all before and lets all five slide by without scoring before angling the bat to slide the final delivery past gully for a single.
Updated at 20.27 EST4 Jan 202420.21 EST27th over: Australia 74-1 (Khawaja 33, Labuschagne 1) Wicket-taker Salman is searching for that crack that undid David Warner. He doesn’t find it but it takes Khawaja five balls before he can push a single to long off. The wind has picked up at the SCG but the skies, while grey, are a brighter shade of it.
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