A stirring bowling performance by the Pakistani side sent Australia packing on the third day of the opening Test in Dubai and the tourists will now play out of their skins to come back into the game. You can follow the live blog of the fourth day of this first Test starting a 5:00pm (AEDT).
Pakistan are 189 runs ahead with all their wickets intact. With a possible 180 overs still to be bowled in the game, there seems to be enough time remaining in the Test match to force a result. Pakistan will be obvious favourites with a caveat.
PAKISTAN VS AUSTRALIA – DAY 5 LIVE SCORES AND BLOG
The caveat usually accompanies Pakistani cricket and is a result of some of the unfathomable results that are associated with their batting. A collapse is around the corner almost every other time they are at the crease and while they are still miles ahead in the game, they were in an even better position in 2010 in Sydney.
Realistically, if Pakistan bat at three runs an over, they could find themselves getting to a lead of more than 350 with about a day and a session remaining in the game. This is obviously assuming they don’t get bowled out the way they keep doing from positions of strength.
The question then is whether Misbah will look to declare early enough to given Australia enough overs to go after the target, which, at the same time will allow the Pakistani bowlers to pick up wickets regularly.
Australia batted 103 overs in their first innings and with the pitch deteriorating like it has over the last couple of days, lasting those many overs will be a tough proposition for the batsmen.
That is one reason why a target of 350 will be a par score and make for an interesting chase.
The other possible scenario that could play out is if Misbah goes really defensive and pushes the target up to more than 400 but at the same time, consumes a lot of overs to get there.
A target of more than 400 in 100 overs is within the realms of possibility for Australia only if David Warner can get going and bat long and hard. Else, there can only be one winner and what will be interesting to see is whether the tourists can bat out to save the Test match.
Join me for the third day of this 1st Test between Pakistan and Australia on Saturday here and you can follow the live score of this game from 5:00pm and post your comments below.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Seems like Doolan panics.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
Looks like Shane Watson's decision not to go has been a good one!
Daws
Guest
i have a bad feeling we're screwed
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The worry for Australia at the start of this Test series was if they could handle the Pakistani spin and reverse. Reverse hasn't accounted for too many but boy are the Aussies struggling against the spinners. Warner, Smith and Clarke can all play well against spin, but so far it has only been Warner who has come to the party. Clarke has disappointed both innings and Smith still has one innings here to reaffirm that belief. Australia need to survive 90 overs but they have only six wickets in hand which means they need a mini-miracle. Pakistan need to continue bowling the way they have so far, and on this dusting pitch, the wickets will keep coming. Will be back tomorrow with the final day's play, have a good night!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That's that, end of a day's play totally dominated by Pakistan. Australia have ended it at 4/59 with Steven Smith and Chris Rogers surviving by the skin of their teeth to make it to the end...
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Smith survives again! That could have been another freaky run-out! Smith had walked down the pitch and plays it to the off side, but the silly-point fielder was quick to gather it and throw it back down. Smith was outside the crease and diving back in but the fielder misses! From that close range! Had he hit it, it would have been out! 4/58 in 22.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Another couple of overs have passed by without a wicket. That early fall of wickets was a procession, which we had so often seen in India in 2013. 4/57 in 21.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Is that out? Smith is just, just in, whoa! That could have been one of the freakiest dismissals you would have seen. Smith was looking to drive it through the off side but he missed. The keeper did not have his gloves in place but it hits his thigh and ricochets back to the stumps with Smith having taken his back foot in the air. The foot was back down just in time! 4/52 in 19
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The concept of best Test team in the world, I think, has changed last few years. Not too many teams have been winning away from home these days.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Agree with all of that.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Australia were 0/44 at one stage in 13 overs. Five overs later, they have lost 4/5. Steven Smith is in at five and gets a single off Yasir to get off the mark.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Coming back to the Clarke dismissal, it certainly looks like he had got an inside edge on to his pads. And I am very, very surprised he did not know that himself...frazzled mind?
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Yeah, this is not the best team in the world.
Nudge
Guest
They wouldn't do it but if they did it would give us a better chance of winning the next test.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Night watchman comes, and night watchman goes! Nathan Lyon had been sent out at six but he has lasted all of three balls before getting out to Yasir. Similar to the Clarke dismissal except that this was a tad fuller and Lyon was playing across the line. The umpire had no hesitation giving him out and if Clarke didn't use his review, Lyon wasn't going to use it either, it was that plumb. 4/49. Second double wicket maiden in the innings!
Nic
Guest
Happy enough with that Maxwell can really bat but is a work in progress Doolan is just a very ordinary FC cricketer whose performances at test level have mirrored his FC outings albeit at a lower average
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gone! Clarke's out! And he is not asking for a review... Was there an inside edge there? Looked like, but we will see that again. Was looking to defend against Yasir Shah, with the bat away from the pad. Probably thought it was going to turn but it's gone straight on with the arm and rapped him in front. Clarke had a long, long chat with his non-striker, almost like he was trying to convince him that Rogers should allow him to take a review. Rogers thought it was hitting...and off went Clarke. Big, big wicket that!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Darren Lehmann has been on his binoculars for some time. This reminds me of some of the coaches and players who use that to keep an eye on the ball and whether it's being well looked after by the umpires between the overs.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Then Maxwell in at 5?
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Review time, that's against Clarke. Given not-out by the ump for an lbw appeal by Yasir. Misbah discusses, then goes for a review. The ball has hit the pad first, but the impact is slightly outside the line of off and is only clipping the off. So, Clarke has survived! 2/45 in the 15th