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4th over: England 11-1 (Duckett 8, Jacks 0) The batting order has a twist. Jacks is sent off at three, a first in first-class cricket. I don’t see him following Rizwan’s route this morning.
“Morning Tanya”, morning Michael Robinson.
“As always, thanks for providing the OBO and allowing me to read the morning game from the comfort of my bed! I was torn between reading or doing the test match for the next hour, so you’ve convinced me of cricket
“Not sure Kamila Shamsie would be impressed…as I ditch In The City By The Sea in favor of Bazball!
Have a nice day, enjoy the snow.”
A pleasure.
WICKET! Crawley finished with Abrar 3 (England 11-1)
That man Open! Crawley opts to stretch alone from a paper bag and Abrar running from mid-down gently under arms the stumps for a single pitch. He stretches his arms and zooms in celebration.
Updated at 08.26 GMT
3rd over: England 11-0 (Crawley 3, Duckett 8) Mohammad Ali bowls two consecutive balls that float like a balloon and sting like a wet handkerchief. Duckett sends them both down for four.
2nd over: England 3-0 (Crawley 3, Duckett 0) Still no turn as Faheem Ashraf comes on. A test maiden.
Stephen Cryan briefly waves a flag for the other beautiful game:
“Darkness is falling fast in Qatar. Night creeps in like a kidnapper, wrapping its shroud around the desert like a bag over the head. Sunsets barely last long enough to choose an Instagram filter. Saturday in the evening, England or France too will discover that in these parts oblivion descends with devastating brutality.”
“What an opening.”
Jonny is a god word.
Afternoon session: England’s second innings lead by 79 runs
1st over: England 3-0 (Crawley 3, Duckett 0) Mohammad Ali is entrusted with the new ball and Crawley immediately grabs a couple of runs from a loose ball. Some swing for Ali; Imperiously instant crawley. We should all try to be six foot five.
Hi Chris Lewis! “After the OBO of a horticultural fair in Chanthaburi in Thailand. About 32 degrees warm and humid here. England’s tactics were vindicated. If it’s a pitch, teams will only last 60 overs, you have to score as many as you can before you get the ball with your name on it.”
The game starts at 8.10 GMT. It might be worth putting it:
With a huge advantage in this field, I think we could see BazBall on the fast track in England’s batting innings, if that’s possible 💥💥💥
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) December 10, 2022
“Just catching up on what’s happening on a cold morning here in Hampshire,” writes Hannah Rolls.
“In over 36… was the Women’s Prize-winning novelist Kamila Shamsie? Great class of contributions today!”
I gilded her on the OBO honors board! But seriously, he loves his cricket, here’s a couple of things he’s written. And he also spoke, very well, at the Wisden dinner in 2016
Open the curtains to see snow falling.
With England in high spirits, it’s time for a strong coffee and wake up the paper boy.
62.5 overs: Pakistan 202 all out (Abrar 7) Well done by Abrar, who gets his butt out and runs Mark Wood over the slips for four. Press a single before Ashraf hole. Lovely 23 runs from the last cover pair, but Pakistan stalled after Babar’s cover, and then could never restart the train against tight English bowling.
An email arrives from Richard Whitehook. “Morning Tanya… Coming in from a cloudy and cool afternoon in Malaysia – 29 degrees! Loving the last few weeks of Test cricket and on a family note I’d like to wish my little brother Nick Rodwell a happy birthday, who turned 50 this week.”
Happy Birthday Nick! Let it be cheerful and bright.
WICKET! Ashraf c Duckett b Wood 22 (Pakistan 202 all out – trail for 79)
Wood covers his mouth in disbelief, after Ashraf sinks the ball to backward square leg and Duckett takes a comfortable catch. What a success from Pakistan, but excellent again from England, who climb the steps of the Multan pavilion for lunch.
61st over: Pakistan 197-9 (Ashraf 22, Abrar 2) A knee-jerk flick from Ashraf dodges the clinging fingers of Ben Duckett at mid=off to go for four; and another, a big leap and a backflip on the rope. Some resistance at last.
61st over: Pakistan 189-9 (Ashraf 14, Abrar 2) Root leaks a run, with ten minutes to go until they are out.
“Morning Tanya”, Andy Bradshaw.
“That’s where baseball comes into its own (a second inning collapse in all Outs for 100 off 20 balls). But if you, as a hitter, expect to only last 20 balls, whether you block it or the BazBall, you can also try to get 30 of these 20 balls instead of 4.
60th over: Pakistan 188-9 (Ashraf 13, Abrar 2) The deficit falls below 100, small, rather stale, crumbs of comfort.
“Good Tanya”, Karen Thorne!
“Just tuned in to a more exciting spot!!
Broady was right yesterday when he said that a few wickets for England this morning will see them completely out of reach by Pakistan.
He was also right to leave the clergyman’s glasses. I bet something rotten was done to them.
Anyway, Leach seems to have had some sort of revival this morning!! And how blind Robinson is playing.”
59th over: Pakistan 183-9 (Ashraf 8, Abrar 2) Wood retires after bowling, and taking a wicket, and Leach replaces him. Pakistan survives.
58th over: Pakistan 182-9 (Ashraf 7, Abrar 2) Lunch in this extended session is delayed as we wait for the final wicket to fall. Leach’s second ball goes straight through Abrar but somehow survives the rest of the over. Since Babar was out for an eleven, Pakistan have lost seven for forty.
57th over: Pakistan 181-9 (Ashraf 6, Abrar 2) Abrar, shirt full of a chest pad, goes wide with a somewhat desperate pull.
WICKET! Mahmood lbw Wood 0 (Pakistan 179-9, 102 overs)
Mahmood is no match for a swinging beauty. Review, just because, and Pakistan have three to go, but it only delays the inevitable. Wood’s first wicket of the innings.
56th over: Pakistan 179-8 (Ashraf 6, Mahmood 0) Pakistan finally discover the reverse sweep as Ashraf fumbles for a boundary from Leach.
55th over: Pakistan 175-8 (Ashraf 2, Mahmood 0) Pakistan gratefully accept four dismissals past Pope’s gloves.
Updated at 0658 GMT
54th over: Pakistan 171-8 (Ashraf 2, Mahmood 0) Ashraf gets a couple of runs to Leach but the good ship Pakistan is tilting dangerously.
“Good morning, Tanya!” Nice to meet you Jana Jeruma-Grinberga!
“Follows the fascinating OBO in a snowy landscape in Latvia, thousands of miles and degrees of separation from Pakistan. Today’s plan: some IKEA flatpackery followed by a trip to the Christmas market in the old town and a warm black balm (it’s -8 outside). As a long-time follower of England cricket, I love this – the most fascinating ENG team since perhaps 1981.”
I googled a red balm, does it have a hint of mulled wine?
Updated at 0658 GMT
53rd over: Pakistan 169-8 (Ashraf 0, Mahmood 0) Just the double-wicket maiden for Root!
WICKET! Ali b Crawley b Root 0 (Pakistan 169-8, 112 behind)
At slip, Crawley rises from his long legs, reaches into his long, long arms and plucks the ball out of the air after Ali steps up and gets a lead on his pad. Pakistan have now lost four wickets in 19 balls for four runs.
WICKET! Salman c Stokes b Root 4 (Pakistan 169-7, 112 behind)
The root loosener is served in a gravy jug and delivered straight to Ben Stokes, who doesn’t have to lift a finger halfway through.
52nd over: Pakistan 169-6 (Salman 4, Ashraf 0) Pakistan crumble against Leach’s powerful combination of guile and pace, and the reverse swing of the bigs.
WICKET! Nawaz c Robinson b Nawaz 1 (Pakistan 169-6, 112 behind)
Nawaz gleefully dances down the pitch to hit the ball straight to mid on.
51st over: Pakistan 169-5 (Salman 4, Nawaz 1) Pakistan take a relatively princely four off Wood, who has been gutted for no reward today.
This is mind-blowing: Wasim Akram and Jack Leach
Jack Leach reaches 100 wickets in 50 overs, the same number of overs it took W Akram, C Vaas, S Akhtar, R Herath, M Starc, K Maharaj to reach 100.
— Mark Puttick (@GryllidaeC) December 10, 2022
50th over: Pakistan 161-5 (Salman 1, Nawaz 0) So skillfully done by Leach Rizwan had just reached the boundary with a characteristic wrist loft but, just like Shakeel, the next ball falls.
Updated at 0636 GMT
WICKET! Rizwan b Leach 10 (Pakistan (165 -5, 116 runs)
A beauty! Rizwan squared around the off stump and the ball bounces to the middle stump. The end of a peculiarly out of character entry
49th over: Pakistan 161-4 (Rizwan 6, Agha Salman 1) Sweet riches, two runs from Wood. A flap down the ground by Rizwan takes one, and Salman is deflected after nine balls. Wood comes in, full body, and Salman just gets the bat on in time over a yorker.
48th over: Pakistan 159-4 (Rizwan 4, Agha Salman 0) Another maiden from Leach who has put on his slippers and torn his snuff. Brook takes one in the ass in a silly spot.
Tell me your Saturday breakfast plans, OBO-ers. Or lunch/dinner plans if you are at a different longitude.
47th over: Pakistan 159-4 (Rizwan 4, Agha Salman 0) Super from Wood, largely on a good length to a last ball buff. Salman is tempted to have a flash but survives his instinctive flash.
46th over: Pakistan 158-4 (Rizwan 4, Agha Salman 0) What a waste to bat so carefully all morning, only to lose your mind over a passing fancy.
WICKET! Shakeel c Anderson b Leach 63 (Pakistan 158-4, 123 behind)
A Test hundred for Leach as Saud Shakeel loses his head, the ball after playing a sublime dance and hitting for four. He goes for it again, but misses and the ball flies between Anderson and Jacks. Anderson climbs like a late teenager on the bus and catches the ball in the chute…