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Kids, this is cricket without fireworks and flashing bails, and it’s hard
By Greg Baum
For most of Wednesday, a flock of pigeons grazed on the straight drive at the MCG. Periodically, they changed ends, a very cricket sort of exercise. They were rarely disturbed.
Batting was difficult all day. Not impossible, not unplayable, not dangerous as such, but ever demanding in the way implied by Test cricket’s name. A hard pitch and two hard-nosed attacks made it so.
The ball taunted batsmen and sometimes snapped at them like David Warner when fielding in his old sledging days. It was never comfortable. A standard play in the balance of Australia’s first innings was play and miss. Another was play and get hit.
Marnus Labuschagne sets off for a run.Credit: Getty Images
For their last seven wickets, Australia could muster only 114. The Pakistanis took all their catches. Most were sharp, and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan’s to dismiss opposite number Carey from a thick inside edge would have attracted the maximum degree of difficulty if performed as a gymnastic manoeuvre at the Olympics.
Marnus Labuschagne fought long and doggedly for his 63, but he needs to read up on cricket’s protocols. One of these days, he will stay at the crease so long upon dismissal that a pigeon will settle on him.
Pakistan recovered all those runs for the loss of only one wicket. Then they frittered away their gains, or rather, Australia wrenched them back. Pakistan are not the first touring side to find the going grindingly hard in Australia and they won’t be the last.
Australia out to get wickets, play to start at 10.45am
By Daniel Brettig
Early showers in Melbourne are clearing ahead of a delayed start as the Australians begin their warmups on the MCG outfield.
The hosts will be trying to knock over Pakistan’s last four wickets as quickly as possible.
Nathan Lyon celebrates a wicket on day two.Credit: Getty Images
There’s the distinct possibility of a five-wicket haul for captain Pat Cummins after his telling strikes on the second evening, just as Pakistan looked to be cruising in their pursuit of 318.
The pitch looked to be getting more amenable for batting late on day two, but it will be freshened up a little by the morning rain.
Play is scheduled to start at 10.45am as long as there is no more rain.
‘He doesn’t know which way it will seam’: Marsh in awe of Cummins
Mitchell Marsh has praised captain Pat Cummins as being on the way to being one of the best fast bowlers ever.
Cummins turned the match with three wickets in the final session last night, he has 3-37 going into play today.
Pat Cummins celebrates with Mitch Marsh.Credit: Getty
“There is plenty in the wicket and his seam movement, he never really knows which way it is going to seam but he has a knack of getting the ball in the right area,” Marsh told Fox Cricket.
“It’s why he’s on the way to being one of the best ever.”
Play is officially delayed, the big covers are coming off and things have become a little lighter which should be a sign the clouds are beginning to move on.
There is no start time yet.
“Wait and see at the moment’: No play yet
The covers are slowly starting to come off the run-ups but the pitch is still covered.
It looks like there will be a delay in starting play at 10am AEDT.
The tractors are doing laps of the ground with a rope to remove any water from the outfield.
“It’s just a wait and see for us at the moment,” MCG curator Matt Page told Fox Cricket.
“We see the same radars as you guys.”
Covers on, covers off, covers back on
The covers had come off, now they have gone back on.
This is just drizzle but it will continue to threaten until it moves away or the sun burns through it.
Light drizzle this morning
Those walking into the game have been greeted by drizzling rain this morning and while there are still dark clouds around, the rain looks to be clearing and the radar shows clouds moving away from Melbourne as we had towards 10am AEDT.
The issue will be the low-hanging clouds that are around the ground and city – once they clear we should be all good.
The main covers have come off the pitch, then were hastily put back on while players are starting to warm up, hopefully we can start play on time.
It’s Melbourne, so you never know, but, hopefully, we don’t see too much rain today once play starts.
The ‘dream ball’ from Cummins’ magic spell that put Australia in control
By Malcolm Conn
Pat Cummins claims he produced a “dream ball” to dismantle the stumps of Pakistan’s most credentialed batsman, Babar Azam, and put Australia back in charge of the second Test at the MCG.
Fresh from inspiring Australia to a World Cup triumph in India last month, Cummins reclaimed the initiative on the second day with two wickets in as many overs. Pakistan struggled to 6-194 at stumps on Wednesday in reply to Australia’s chiselled 318. Australia lead by 124 runs.
Pat Cummins celebrates the wicket of Abdullah Shafique.Credit: AP
Cummins’ spell of brilliance started by taking a diving, tumbling caught and bowled that appeared to be rocketing back past him from Abdullah Shafique (62 from 109 balls).
“It’s just one of those ones. Off the bat, they’re pretty hard to pick up and they stick or they don’t. Luckily, that one’s stuck,” Cummins said after finishing the day as Australia’s leading bowler with 3-37 from 14 overs.
“It went in the other hand from what I was thinking it would go into. It was satisfying because he was playing well.”
Good morning
G’day everyone. I’m Roy Ward and welcome to day three of the Boxing Day Test. I’ll be on the keys again as we follow how Australia and Pakistan handle the all-important third day.
There is a win still up for grabs here with Pakistan 6-194, still 124 behind Australia’s first innings total.
Please feel free to leave a comment at any time and enjoy the day to come.
