Pakistan vs Australia March-April 2022

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Forgot this had started, Australia 2 for 100 at lunch.

Usman 52 no and Labuschagne run out for a globe.
 
What do you think of the pitch. Have not seen one like it over the many many years I have been watching cricket. Did their curator transport part of the white cliffs of Dover to Karachi.
 
Ritchie said:
This bloke can thank his lucky stars he is a left armer as CA feels having one in your attack provides variety. Starc can also be grateful that Australian cricket has not produced a quality left armer in state cricket while he has been around. Well there were two Behrendorff and Paris.. but both have spent a good deal of time out with injury. Somehow Starc rarely is injured.
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The variety of having a left-arm pace bowler plus the ability to create footmarks for the spinners is what is getting Starc a gig at the moment. He also had a reasonable Ashes series which is another reason he is retained in the side.
 
Australia finish the day at 3/251 from 90 overs. Khawaja racked up 127 not out to lead Australia's charge while Steve Smith scored 72 after being dismissed late in the day.

The last session didn't have too many highlights aside from the dismissal of Smith with Pakistan playing a more defensive game to stop the scoring with Australia on top. The pitch looks decent so Australia will be looking to press on tomorrow.
 
Classy century by Usman. That fabulous partnership by he and Smith against some good reverse swing now has the Baggy Greens in a strong position at stumps. The former skipper will be kicking himself wafting at that late ball. He is now mortal like the rest of the team. This pitch is becoming more abrasive and will only enhance reverse swing from here on.
 
Australia are 4/332 at lunch. Nathan Lyon compiled an entertaining 38 as the nightwatchman while Khawaja has progressed to 155 not out.

The pitch is starting to induce some spin and reverse swing, encouraging for the bowlers as the match goes on.
 
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Australia finish the day at 8/505, Khawaja was dismissed for 160 while Alex Carey made 93 but was bowled by Babar Azam's part time off spin late in the day. Travis Head made 23, Cameron Green 28 and Mitchell Starc is 28 not out at stumps along with captain Pat Cummins who is yet to score.

Australia will either declare overnight, very early into the day on day three or bat until they are bowled out. I imagine their strategy is to bat for a long time in their first innings and then hope the pitch deteriorates for the remainder of the match so Pakistan get the tougher conditions in the latter days of the match.

The pitch has generally been decent to play on but is starting to show signs of deterioration through some small cracks with some more spin evident and Pakistan's pace bowlers have been able to extract reverse swing at times. Certainly an interesting stage of the game with Pakistan to commence their first innings at some stage on day three.
 
Plenty of whinging about our snail paced scoring rate. Bearing in mind that Karachi has been a fortress for Pakistan cricket, the tactic was to bat all day, cook their bowlers in that heat while keeping ours fresh. We were only able to do that thanks to Carey, and Starc for staying with him. All the momentum is now with us and all the pressure on our opposition.
 
Carey's timely knock must have silenced some of his detractors. Unlucky not to make a century. Starc did a good job by staying with him and allbut ensuring we will not have to bat a second time.
 
This is mahem by our quicks. Swinging it both ways. Pakistan bats have no answer. Will teach the PCB to prepare grassless, abrasive tracks.

6/80 after 31.
 
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Carey's acute hearing has given Starc his third. Evidently no one else heard the nick after the ball deviated from a crack.

7/100 at tea.
 
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