Mitch Marsh and Steve O’Keefe made solid yet unremarkable debuts yesterday as Australia bowled admirably but without fortune on day one of the first Test against Pakistan.
In an attritional day of Test cricket on a lifeless, dry wicket in Dubai, Pakistan’s batsmen showcased an unexpected level of caution and dedication to reach stumps at 4-219 from their 90 overs.
The opportunities handed to Marsh and O’Keefe were in no small part due to the parched state of the deck. Believing it would offer minimal assistance to the quicks and take turn as the match progresses, Australia fielded two specialist spinners which ensured Marsh would secure the all-rounder position as the third pace option.
FULL PAKISTAN VS AUSTRALIA SCORECARD
Both men were tidy with the ball, maintaining the pressure built by attack leaders Mitch Johnson and Peter Siddle. But neither looked likely to skittle the Pakistan batting line-up which, after two early wickets, was very comfortable on the soporific surface.
O’Keefe, in particular, rarely troubled the batsmen. The New South Welshman’s benign offerings at times prompted some snide commentary from the television experts, who noted the lack of revolutions he imparted on the ball.
Devilish turn is not in O’Keefe’s weaponry. Unlike banned Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal or recently-retired English offie Graeme Swann, he does not rip the ball from his fingers with ferocity.
More similar in style to the understated yet effective Sri Lankan left armer Rangana Herath, O’Keefe relies upon accuracy and guile. Herath’s subtle changes of pace, flight and release point allowed him to reap 37 wickets at an average of 23 across his team’s five Tests against Pakistan this year.
But where Herath posed a constant threat to the Pakistan batsmen, O’Keefe was played with ease yesterday. The Australian bowled with trademark accuracy and maintained an impeccable length but struggled to challenge the batsmen in the flight.
O’Keefe certainly gave himself every chance, tossing the ball up generously throughout his first few spells. However, his low, round arm action does not lend itself to getting heavy overspin on the ball.
As such, O’Keefe does not often get his deliveries to dip or bounce sharply. Perhaps out of frustration, O’Keefe began to deploy a flatter, quicker arc as the day wound on.
It must be said, however, that Pakistan were clever in the manner in which they played both he and Nathan Lyon. Against Sri Lanka, the Pakistan batsmen had been too keen to impose their will on Herath, aiming for positive intent but instead displaying overconfidence.
Yesterday they were content to sit on both O’Keefe and Lyon, believing neither was likely to make inroads into their batting line-up. Younis Khan, who compiled a wonderfully-patient century, led the way as the Pakistan batsman largely played Australia’s spinners from the crease – deflecting them for ones and twos with no risk.
Similar to O’Keefe’s approach late in the day, Lyon was often guilty of firing his deliveries through too swiftly. When bowling with a slower, more tantalising loop, he looked significantly more dangerous.
Although Australia’s quicks were far more potent on the opening day, Lyon and O’Keefe will have much larger roles to play in the second innings.
Yesterday it was pace veterans Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle who led the way, with the latter displaying a marked increase in pace. Siddle was dropped from the Test side in South Africa after his pace had slumped into the low-130s over the preceding 12 months.
Noticeably stronger in build, the veteran seamer hit 138km/h with his first delivery and soon after reached 143km/h. Not surprisingly, he looked a more dangerous bowler.
Meanwhile, Marsh confirmed his expansive talents in his role as the third quick.
The 23-year-old all-rounder entered the match with doubts surrounding his fitness due to a hamstring injury. While he operated a notch below his optimum pace – hovering in the low-to-mid-130s for most of the day – he impressed with his accuracy and ability to gain both traditional and reverse swing.
Marsh’s main role will be to provide impetus in the Australian middle order. But his frugal and consistent offerings with the ball were heartening.
Australia will need both he and O’Keefe to be close to their best with the ball on a pitch which demands bowlers toil long and robustly.
Just what a par first innings score is on this deck remains uncertain. It seems likely to get lower and slower as the match progresses and began to offer a sharper degree of turn late in the day.
Australia’s batsmen have famously struggled both against reverse swing and on spinning tracks. As expected, it appears they will have to counter both of those elements to win this match.
Joel
Roar Rookie
That's not necessarily true, in fact SOK bowled before Lyon, who I believe is seen as a genuine wicket taker.. But that view seems to vary depending on who you ask. It seems like half the population expect Lyon to be a really tight, tie down an end and let the fast bowlers do the damage type bowler and the other half see him as an aggressive take five wickets in every fourth innings to win the game type bowler. At the moment I'm not sure that he's either of those things but he is a very good, still developing, bowler. I very much doubt that O'Keefe will play again after this series unless there's another tour to a sandpit in the near future that calls on the need for a second spinner. That says nothing of him as a bowler, but a lot about how invested we are in Nathan Lyon as our spinner..as you said, for at least the next few years or so and hopefully more.
Don Freo
Guest
When mentioning players like Zampa, Agar (Boyce, I don't think is a serious consideration) and Muirhead, we are talking one or two seasons of consistent performance (which doesn't always mean the most wickets...it means top standard bowling...playing a role). Clive Rose is very impressive and learning under Doherty is useful. Excellent flight and variation of pace. None of those bowlers will displace Lyon. He has the spot sewn up for the next 5 years unless one of the newer spinners kick the door in. Lyon is exactly what Oz needs to balance the kind of attack we have.
Don Freo
Guest
It's what I like about Lyon. He has to bowl flat and tight early because his role is to contain and restrict. If they get off the leash while the quicks were resting, they are under less pressure when John no and SIDS return. Marsh and O'Keefe also played that role. Lyon gave it more air and width when the pitch began to change its nature. Lyon, a curator, reads pitches well and adapts his bowling accordingly. SOK does not have the second string of flight and turn.
Joel
Roar Rookie
Lyon bowled far too straight for the majority of the innings. Chances were created when he threw it up outside off but he didn't do it nearly often enough. O'keefe didn't really look threatening (but then only Johnson did in the whole innings) but O'Keefe did manage to be reasonably economical considering how the spinners were being attacked. I would have liked to see him try a few more things, get in the heads of the batmen a little more and he was one dimensional in bowling at the stumps and waiting for something to happen... but again, it's his first test innings. Let's see if he's a little more creative in the second.
Joel
Roar Rookie
Zampa has a lot of potential, much more than Boyce I think, but still a long way to go. I'm keen to see how he goes in shield this summer because by the looks of his bowling in Matador Cup he's come a long way in a short time. I think you have me all wrong. I do use stats to qualify my opinions sometimes, but my opinion is formed on what I see rather than what I know and then stats added to back my first judgement.
Don Freo
Guest
On "that's how it should be", I agree but stats don't always measure performance. We have selectors who see game situations, spinner friendly pitches, dropped catches, size of grounds, who was bowling when the slogging started. eg O'Keefe got 2 wickets yesterday on the slog, Lyon got one on the slog, one by beating the bat and had a catch dropped. Lyon was, therefore better.
Don Freo
Guest
Yes Joel, but we wouldn't be so feral about it...and so, so irritating. We'd just be excited. You shouldn't need people to agree with you. Why can't you express an opinion and, if someone doesn't agree, just recognize that there must be other viewpoints? The only reason I have a go at SOK is to bait the silliness. The fan club is way too myopic. I know I'll get salivating, rabid responses. They're funny. You come from a stats viewpoint, others of us come from a cricket purist viewpoint, some just go with a vibe and others just like nice names (they are the ones who push for Silk and Cutting). BTW, that other spinner is likely to be Adam Zampa. He has picked up Johan Botha's spirit of competitiveness. That takes a cricketer a long way.
Joel
Roar Rookie
Don, if Ahston Agar or Michael Beer took forty shield wickets last season, it would be one of them playing at the moment, not Steve O'Keefe. People recognizing that he got an opportunity because he did better than everyone else is not the same as being his fans. ...And i'm willing to bet that if another Australian spinner puts his hand up and takes a bucket load of wickets in the shield this season, he will probably get a crack at test matches too. That's how it should be, don't you think? Players rewarded for performance?
Joel
Roar Rookie
Not comparing O'Keefe to Warne, just saying that everyone starts from the bottom and doesn't necessarily have success straight away. You can't expect him to have a 10 wicket match in his first game.
Don Freo
Guest
Everyone would be behind SOK if it wasn't for his fans. The SOKcult is so unpleasant on this site that it has caused a backlash against the poor round arm bugger. It's not him, its his fans and their silly statistics. If they just let him play and let us all decide, based on his performance, we'd be behind him. Baggy Green is on the money.
Baggy_Green
Guest
Joel mate , please dont even try to compare Warnie and the DART Man..Always thought SOK is one of those players who are good at FC level and not good enough for tests. Sometimes you have to give such players a test or 2 to prove that they are just nor good enough One thing i wonder about Lyon, why is it that inspite of their being rough on the wicket he always seems to be bowling on the good part of the pitch :)
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
He's still doing alright though. He was pretty dynamite for the first part of his career too.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Yeah Johnson was sensational. Brilliant to watch.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I think last night goes along way to show the maturity and improvement in Mitchell Johnson the cricketer. In the past if Australia had of bowled 90 overs in a day and only collected 4 wickets, and Mitchell had of bowled 20 plus overs, the opposition would be well and truly on there way to 400 and he would have very ordinary figures. His ability to now maintain a repetitive line and length and continued aggression is a mark of one very improved cricketer. I just wish what might of been if he managed to have developed this part of his game a couple years earlier. He be knocking on the rare air of McGrath & Warne if he had of at the end of his career!
Silver Sovereign
Guest
Jeez the knives are out for O'Keefe after exactly one day of bowling. Even though Lyon the man with over 100 test wickets didn't take a single one either. He should have led the way. These are the times where Lyon should really contribute. But even though he has been solid in his test career, his average is still 34. Coincidentally that's the same that Nathan Hauritz averaged in his 17 tests before being dumped. Shows how underrated Haurtiz was. This is a dead flat pitch with a Pakistani team that wasn't playing many shots. Seeing the turn towards the end of the day, the 2 spinners should certainly take some wickets to go through the middle order and tail. Misbah is very hard to get out but those at the other end should be an easier task What is the big story is Johnson. I thought he was going to struggle without Harris at the other end to build up pressure. But again he has surprised with his accuracy and consistency. Siddle was good but lacked the penetration. Marsh too had his moments and might help clean up the tail. I think Pakistan is looking around 300-350. Which should be interesting when the Aussies bat and will naturally be more aggressive. Time will tell if they are a specialist batsmen short.
Joel
Roar Rookie
Anybody care to name a spinner that dominated on debut? What were Shane Warne's figures in his first test match? Why are people so intent on writing off the debutants?
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
This cud be O'keefes first and last test the way hes bowlin atm.....marsh bowled good at times and got the ball to reverse a bit......
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
The commentators also pointed out that there was a huge crowd at the strange limited overs match Australia played a year or two ago which started late at night and finished in the early hours of the following day.
The Bush
Roar Guru
This was explained yesterday on the commentary - as almost all the sub-continent people in the UAE (of which there are millions) are contract workers, they have to work from 8:00am to 6:00pm usually, making attendance impossible. Obviously sick days and holidays don't really exist. Friday and Saturday constitute the weekend, so perhaps the crowds will pick up then.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
That pitch was looking like a 400+ deck...up until Lyon's last over of the day. He was getting dramatic turn and nearly took three wickets for the over. If Pakistan's spinners extract similar turn then Pakistan just need to make 320 or thereabouts to be in a very strong position.