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Pakistan vs Australia: First Test match live scores, blog

22nd October, 2014
Probable XIs:

Pakistan:
Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Talha, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali

Australia:
Chris Rogers, David Warner, Alex Doolan, Michael Clarke (c), Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin (wk), Steve O'Keefe, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon
New South Wales spinner Stephen O'Keefe got a little loose on the VBs. (Image: Andrew Yates/AAP)
Roar Guru
22nd October, 2014
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4174 Reads

Australia will look to continue their domination over Pakistan on this tour when the two teams meet in the first of two Tests at Dubai, but it remains to be seen whether they can adjust to the spinning tracks in this format of the game.

PAKISTAN VS AUSTRALIA – DAY 5 LIVE SCORES AND BLOG

You ​can ​follow the live scores and blog of this ​game starting ​5pm AEDT.

Four matches into the tour, it would be fair to say that Australia have aced their opponents, Pakistan, so far. Every game, bar the final ODI, was won comfortably. That final 50-over game showed the side of Pakistan that one has seen so often – capitulating from a position of strength.

Test match cricket, however, will be a different kettle of fish. And that’s for both teams.

Saeed Ajmal’s absence notwithstanding, the conditions will fully test Australia. This includes the pitch and the weather, both of which can be expected to make things difficult for the visitors.

First, the pitch and while the chairman of selectors Rodney Marsh said he wanted to look at it on the first morning of the game before deciding the playing XI, rest assured it’s going to be spin-friendly. There have been talks of there being reverse swing as well and that could test the Aussies as much as the spin given their record.

The heat will play its part as well and how Michael Clarke uses his battery of bowlers will be a factor.

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From the team selection point of view, Australia have a couple of reasonable choices – play Mitchell Marsh as the third seamer and bring in Steve O’Keefe to partner Nathan Lyon, or have Glenn Maxwell as their all-round option with Mitchell Starc playing support role to Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle.

In the absence of Ajmal, Pakistan will look at Zulfiqar Babar to lead the spin attack but in terms of company, they have Mohammad Hafeez and Yasir Shah. Hafeez will bat up the order and can be expected to bowl his quota of overs but whether or not Pakistan will play the leg-spin of Yasir will depend on how the track looks on the opening day of the Test.

The aforementioned reverse swing is the reason why Pakistan may not want to put all their eggs in the spin basket alone.

Pakistan will be more worried about their batting. Having struggled their way through the limited-overs leg of this tour, Pakistan will have that extra cushion in the form of Younis Khan and Hafeez, but captain Misbah-ul-Haq’s form continues to remain a worry.

Interestingly, the Pakistani selectors have opted to bring back Taufeeq Umar, who last played a Test match more than two years ago. An average of just under 39 may not be an eye-catching one, but it’s not as if the likes of Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali have managed any better.

All in all, there is a lot of intrigue around this game, thanks mainly due to the respective problems both sides could face. Australia still hold the edge but given their last Test series in spin-friendly conditions had completely flattened them out – in India, 2013 – Pakistan might have a better shot at this than the ODIs.

Join me for this ​1st Test between Pakistan and Australia ​from Wednesday here and you can follow the live score of this game from ​4 pm and post your comments below.

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