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47th over: Pakistan 190-4 (Babar 61, Rizwan 16) Joe Root replaces Jack Leach and starts around the wicket towards the right-handers. Three singles from the other side.
Meanwhile, Ben Duckett has left the field after injuring his ankle in the previous match.
46th over: Pakistan 187-4 (Babar 59, Rizwan 15) Rizwan goes long to sweep Rehan for two, with Duckett doing well to save the boundary. His left ankle got caught on the pitch while doing so, and he limps slightly.
Rehan has figures of 9-0-52-1. We need a Bazball converter to see what they’re worth on a regular test team.
“I wonder if you’ll manage to sit your grandkids down for future Christmases,” begins Brian Withington, “and give them birthday stories of the time you took over the Guardian OBO from Blessed Tanya Aldred as the legendary. bowler Rehan Ahmed took his first Test wicket? Here’s hoping…”
For reasons you don’t really want or need to know, it will be a rare old Christmas miracle if that happens.
45th over: Pakistan 182-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 12) Rizwan, the cricketing personification of liveliness, sweeps Leach for four and then hits another through midwicket. He has run in 12 off 12 balls.
Updated at 09.12 GMT
44th over: Pakistan 174-4 (Babar 57, Rizwan 4) A bit of a decline for Rehan, with Babar pulling a short ball for four. It’s all part of his upbringing, the same as it was for Shane Warne that Ravi Shastri paneled at the SCG on his debut.
“In the 41st you pointed out that Leech’s average was better under Root than Stokes,” says Tom Holdsworth. “This Might Prove Bazball’s Point: Does Strikeout Rate Matter More Than Average?”
It might… if the strike rate wasn’t also worse under Stokes (80, compared to 67 under Root). But I must stress that there are reasons for the discrepancy. Leach played in a number at Bunsens under Root.
Updated at 09.11 GMT
43rd over: Pakistan 168-4 (Babar 51, Rizwan 4) The beautiful thing about Rehan’s wicket is that it was deserved. Shakeel didn’t take a full toss to the midwicket; the googly unsettled him and then nervously pushes it to the next ball. And importantly, as David Gower and Nasser Hussain point out on Sky, the length was perfect.
Meanwhile, Jack Leach (remember him?) bowls an excellent over… until Rizwan sweeps firmly for four to get off the mark. It wasn’t too bad with the delivery.
42nd over: Pakistan 162-4 (Babar 50, Rizwan 0) Earlier, at the end, Babar took a full toss off Rehan for a single to reach another serene half-century: 74 balls, 6×4, 0xhope for England.
By the way, I said the Pope’s capture was very good. I was wrong – it was exceptional.
“Good morning Rob, from quiet Las Palmas,” says Kim Thonger. “It will be 22C this afternoon. A lovely day for cricket, and I find that several communities in the larger Canary Islands have set up cricket clubs to play Twenty20, with wonderful names like Scorpio Warriors and Pagoda Kings. Jimmy Anderson could thrive here in semi-retirement. Nice and warm, occasional cloud at both ends of the day and a bit of humidity for the late swing. Read all here.”
Never mind Jimmy, I’ll practice some swinging sewing in the hallway during the team break.
WICKET! Pakistan 162-4 (Shakeel c Pope b Rehan 23)
Rehan Ahmed takes his first Test wicket! He beat Shakeel with the previous delivery, a superb googly, and as a result Shakeel tentatively pushed a full leg-spinner. He got a big inside edge on the pad, with the ball high in the air. Pope pulled forward from short leg to take a very good one-handed catch. It rose to the top, but there’s no arguing with this one.
What a charming and charming moment. Rehan Ahmed became England’s youngest male cricketer a few hours ago; he is now their youngest wicket-taker.
Updated at 09.01 GMT
41st over: Pakistan 161-3 (Babar 49, Shakeel 23) Notably, despite their popular bromance, Jack Leach’s record under the captaincy of Ben Stokes (avg 44) is far worse than under Joe Root (avg 32). There are a few reasons for this, not least of which is the fact that he hasn’t played any vile spinners under Stokes, but it’s interesting nonetheless. right? Oh!
40th over: Pakistan 160-3 (Babar 48, Shakeel 23) Rehan Ahmed fell a little short in his first spell, which was 37 from five overs. It’s noticeably fuller this time, too much as Shakeel goes over extra cover for two. Other than that, it’s pretty good. I still can’t believe we’re watching an 18-year-old English leg-spinner playing Test cricket.
Thank you Tanya, morning everyone. Timed it right: Rehan Ahmed comes in for his second spell.
They break for a drink and I hand you over to the master, Rob Smyth, to take you to the stumps. Just in case the test doesn’t come until the fifth day, wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, with an especially happy one to my mum and dad who this morning are waking up in a new house for the first time in 40 years. Thanks for all the messages, bye!
Updated at 08.46 GMT
39th over: Pakistan 157-3 (Babar 47, Shakeel 21) Leach flicks a ball and then presents it to Stokes. I mean, who knows? But they sent him back without consulting the referee. A handful of singles.
38th over: Pakistan 153-3 (Babar 45, Shakeel 19) Wood continues to charge well into ninety mph. Sweat collects on his forehead and he wipes it over the ball. Shakeel pulls and Rehan fields. Let’s move on.
37th over: Pakistan 151-3 (Babar 44, Shakeel 18) Leach will have a sore shoulder this evening. Over the number 17 under his belt, not even halfway through the second session on the first day. Babar is casually executed.
“James Walsh … asks if anyone else has ever splurged to see a team of Conquerors on an off day,” writes John Cox.
“Not quite, but my mother, then a teenager living near Lords and in love with Denis Compton, took advantage of an early child-free deal after lunch to see the great man seven times during his famous 1948 season, and he used to boast that he had never seen him score a run. Five times the opponents batted, once DC entered the last pass and spent the night in 0 without an out, and finally got to see him face- se to a ball, only to witness his only duck of the season.
36th over: Pakistan 150-3 (Babar 43, Shakeel 18) The cameras are on Keaton Jennings, who has not played a Test on this tour. Athers tells us that he just got his MBA from the University of Manchester. Very impressive, and such a nice guy too. A Maiden by Mark Wood.
Keaton Jennings will miss his scheduled MBA graduation ceremony at the University of Manchester due to England’s Test tour of Pakistan. “I contacted my university and they can’t ship the dress to Pakistan, so I’ll be watching my graduation ceremony online in Karachi.” #PAKvENG
— Arfa Feroz Zake (@ArfaSays_) November 20, 2022
35th over: Pakistan 150-3 (Babar 43, Shakeel 18) Shakeel reaches out on the front leg, as if to take a ladder faster, and sweeps Leach to the rope.
34th over: Pakistan 144-3 (Babar 42, Shakeel 13) Mark Wood for his second spell, this time from the pavilion end. Starts with full balls, ends with a bouncer that bounces so low that Shakeel is practically squatting as he lifts it.
Ben Elkington writes, under a duvet in Leicester: “I have an innocent and probably confusing question: given the lack of Test cricket in Pakistan for so long, the grounds have looked relatively empty. This is because of the prices, the performance of the home team or ambivalence to try match/red ball cricket?(Sorry if this has been covered before, wasn’t sure.)
And, like ITV’s World Cup coverage, I worry that I’m lying here thinking, “Yeah, KFC for breakfast is fine in December, isn’t it?”
Hi Ben I think the pitches filled up well during the day in Rawalpindi and Multan, not sure about Karachi. Our man on the ground, Ali Martin, strokes his beard: “Not sure of the reason here, maybe lost series…a few are sensibly hiding in the shadows at the back of the stands.”
33rd over: Pakistan 141-3 (Babar 40, Shakeel 12) A maiden from Leach which includes some beautiful choreography as Ben Foakes gets the bails off as Shakeel goes to sweep. The feet were firmly anchored in the crease, but well made.
“I’m ashamed to admit that I badly missed the start of the game;” admits Brian Withington, “and the awarding of the debut cap to Rehan Ahmed by Nasser, as I gather, and it’s so lovely to see his father involved. Nice words from Azhar Ali too. What’s that , you say? There must be some dust in the eyes…”
32nd over: Pakistan 141-3 (Babar 40, Shakeel 12) Babar flicks his front leg forward and with a crisp, icy punch dispatches Robinson past deep midwicket. The next ball pitches and with a flick of his glove, Babar lets Shakeel know that a reverse swing is in the offing.
Babar Azam in full flow. Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
Updated at 09.15 GMT
31st over: Pakistan 136-3 (Babar 36, Shakeel 12) Leach moves in, Shakeel largely calm. Stokes has a long chat with him as he makes the long walk back to his fielding position on the boundary.
In the morning from a sad and icy wind @tjaldred. I am very happy to see Ahmed in his first Test. It doesn’t look like a free pick, although we’re a little short on the pins. And I never wanted anyone to take a wicket more than him. You expect it to be around for a long time.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) December 17, 2022
so true
30th over: Pakistan 135-3 (Babar 35, Shakeel 11) Stokes plays and refines his field.
“Hello again Tanya.” Robert Lewis Hi! “Not Bazball, but I was at the SCG in 1976 in the OBO recently mentioned series where the Windies were rattled by pace and decided to go with a 4 attack. I remember a very upset Michael….