cricket with balls

Australia

They might be about to draw a series they would have marked down as a win, but they got to see Smith unleashed and can now get rid of North with no heavy conscience.  Also Douggie finally got it right.  Better late than never.

Pakistan

In the field had plenty of their old problems.  Have the bowlers to defeat anyone, but their fielding was often sloppy, their captain looked confused and they didn’t look like they were trying hard.  With the bat this was a whole knew Pakistan.  Cold, calculated and calm.  You know, until they lost two quick wickets and looked like shitting themselves.

Who’s in front

Australia, no, Pakistan. Pakistan, they should still get home with only 4 wickets down.

Play of the day

Ben Hilfenhaus put in a great fielding effort where he tried to mimic some of Danish Kaneria’s best work.  He followed a ball down to the boundary and let it trickle into the rope as he ran past it, over it and beside it, all seemingly at once.  Few fielders beat the ball to the rope, but Hilfy might have.

Honourable mention to the Headingley power grid for going out.  The press box fell into chaos, people were ripping their clothes off, smearing feces all over them, stabbing people with pens, and having to check the scores on their iPhones. Oh the humanity.  The best moment was when it was confirmed how lazy you get with the TVs in the room as it took several Australian journalists –myself included – about 30 seconds to work out if Paine or Clarke was facing up.

Testicular moment of the day

Before today, Smith was seen as a bits and pieces project player, today he was a proper test cricketer.  No Australian cricketer had counter attacked Pakistan on this pitch without looking like a fool.  Smith looked like a superstar.  Even when the new ball came out he was in charge.  This was a ballsy attacking kick ass innings; it was not the innings of a test number 8.

Working class moment of the day

Imran Farhat was lucky early, but then was the rock in this innings.  The first Pakistani to make a 50 in this game.  But he is still Imran Farhat.  If he fails in the next test, or somehow Pakistan stuff this up, people will still going back to abusing him.  He is Pakistan’s Shane Watson.  And he will need a lot more than one top innings to change people’s mind.

Weird factoid of the day

If you have automatic toilets and the power goes out, they aren’t automatic any more.

Question of the day

Have you ever noticed how most cricket laws seem to be made to stop play from happening, rather than encouraging it?

Read the recap at crikey.

Australia

Have had slightly better days.

Pakistan

Losing the toss in this test might be the greatest thing to happen to Pakistan cricket since the invention of the wrong’un.  Only need one good session in the morning and they are off and racing.

Can Australia win

Sadly, yes.  In some ways an Australian win would be the greatest thing because of the come back element.  But if it leads to mass suicide in Pakistan, is it worth it.  They were 206 runs behind in Sydney; will they even be that far behind this time?

Play of the day

When Ricky Ponting went out there was so much excitement from Pakistan than Asif high fived the short leg – Amin or Ali I assume – and clear knocked him over.  But then didn’t even stop to pick him up.  Getting Ponting out is so good you can knock over a team mate and ignore him.

Testicular moment of the day

As brilliant as the Pakistani bowing was, it was the batting that really surprised.  And that was Salman Butt.  Sure he only makes runs against Australia, but these were very good runs.  It was a captain’s 45.  It was as important, if not as exciting or well executed, as Ponting’s knock at Headingley last year.  If Butt goes out early Australia might have 5 or even 6 wickets by now.  An important 45.

Working class moment of the day

Tim Paine probably only has two tests to stake his claim on the keeping job.  He was by far Australia’s best batsman in this shitty innings.  He chose to do the team thing and go after quick runs when Douggie was with him.  This meant going out in an ugly way as the top scorer of 17.  Then after sacrificing himself after out batting his team mates he was peppered with utter crap down the legside making him jump around to defend his bye total.

Weird factoid of the day

At the start of play there were more people paid to be at the ground than there was paying punters.

Read more at crikey.

Read the crikey shit here.

Australia

Struggled, clawed and begged for runs as the ball swung around them. Then they gave up the fight a little and made the swinging ball look like a magic dancing orb. Not their best day.

Pakistan

Hung in there even when the luck was against them, and when the luck came back they pounced on it. Should be pleased with how they bowled, but you know, batting is important too.

Who’s in front

Pakistan should be, but if their bowling line up were on one half of a sea saw, and the batting unit were on the other, the batting unit would be high in the air. If the ball moves for the Australian bowlers the Pakistan batting line up of inexperience and mediocrity will struggle.

Play of the day

Ricky Ponting and the elbow of cricket. It doesn’t seem to matter who Ponting plays at Lord’s he fails. But this time he failed after a great catch and then stood in the crease due to shock. Then young Aamer/Amir – who is partial to ending up within physical contact of batsmen he has got out – got just a bit too close. The grumpy old bastard then put his elbow up to make sure the young buck knew he was in the wrong place. He then did a typical Ponting thing and told everyone who came between him and the fence about how rude it was someone was anywhere near him when he went out.

Actually I forgot Watson.  He left a ball, was given out LBW and was bowled.  When the cricket gods don’t want you around, they aint subtle.

Testicular moment of the day

Asif, baby. I mean come on. He bowls at the Nursery end without every really looking like the super smooth medium fast bowler he is. Then he moved to the other end, and it all changed. Then Asif took over. McGrathesque was used so often in the press box I was hoping he’d start bowling long hops just to shut people up. Instead he bowled like he was some sort of serial killer who had been trained in medicine and was very good at taking out vital organs.

Working class moment of the day

S Katich. Bit of luck, lots of graft, no hundred.

Weird factoid of the day

Marcus North has made more scores in single figures and triple figures than he has in double figures.

For my crikey wrap up go here.