It shouldn’t have been close. It shouldn’t have been remotely close. But, thankfully for Australian fans, the home side was able to just defend 490 in the final innings, defeating Pakistan by 39 runs in the first Test of the series.
Here are five talking points from the first Test at the Gabba.
Steve Smith might actually be human
Australia’s skipper had made a habit of holding on to absolute screamers during the recent Chappell-Hadlee series against New Zealand, so it came as a bit of a shock when he dropped a catch early in the final session of Day 4.
That didn’t end up being too much of a problem, as the reprieved Sarfraz Ahmed was cleaned up soon after by Mitchell Starc.
Then Smith dropped another.
This time, there was no immediate relief for him as Asad Shafiq kept batting… and batting… and batting to the point where Pakistan were within 50 runs of the unlikeliest of victories.
Thankfully a brute of a ball from Starc once again saved the skipper’s blushes, ending Shafiq’s stand on 137.
And then Smith made up for his earlier blues with a run-out to seal the win. And he made a lazy 193 in the Test.
Maybe he’s actually not human.
Why take the extra time on Day 4?
There were a few contentious captaincy decisions from Smith throughout the Test – not enforcing the follow-on, having a single slip at times during Day 5 – but none were quite as perplexing as asking the umpires for Day 4 to be extended by eight overs in the hope of forcing a result before stumps.
That the umpires agreed to the extension was also unusual, but they really shouldn’t have been asked the question in the first place.
Australia’s bowlers, who had already toiled for more than 30 overs in that final session, were looking tired well before the originally-scheduled end of play, and it showed in the extra half hour.
Rather than persevere with the patient, searching tactics which had served them so well throughout the match, they chased wickets, seemingly desperate for the Test to be over before the final day.
The result was a shot in the arm for Shafiq and his tail-end partner, Wahab Riaz, who combined for a very welcome 50-odd runs in the extra overs. Although Jackson Bird, who surely cemented his place in Australia’s XI with an excellent outing, snared Wahab in the final over of the night, the extra time helped Pakistan a hell of a lot more than the hosts.
Plus, it meant the day’s play didn’t end until 11pm (AEDT). Much as I love day-night cricket, running until an hour before midnight on a Sunday night is stretching the friendship.
Picking on form works. Picking on “feel”… not so much
When Australia’s re-jigged selection panel announced a re-jigged side for the Adelaide Test against South Africa in the wake of a horror showing in Hobart, the changes were made with an eye to strengthening the batting order and preventing any more calamitous collapses.
In came two in-form batsmen, Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb. Both have impressed in their two Tests to date, Renshaw proving a judicious opener who puts a hefty price on his wicket and Handscomb providing both grit and class in the middle order, despite a back-foot-reliant technique which could be found out in the coming months.
However, the two batsmen who came into the side without the weight of Sheffield Shield centuries behind them have struggled. Matthew Wade has failed twice with the bat and has missed a couple of chances behind the stumps, while Nic Maddinson has scored just 5 runs from three innings.
Few could fault the latter’s second innings effort in Brisbane, when he was caught on the boundary chasing quick runs for the team, but his two previous innings have only emphasised the concerns over his place in the side which were present when he was selected.
Were Shaun Marsh fit for the Boxing Day Test, one would assume the in-form left-hander would come into the side for Maddinson. But with Marsh’s broken finger casting him in serious doubt for the second Test, Maddinson probably won’t be going anywhere.
Unfortunately for the New South Welshman, the same can be said for his critics.
What was going on with Yasir?
Touted as the best leggie since the great Shane Warne, Yasir Shah’s first foray onto Australian soil was disappointing, to say the least.
Faced with a bevvy of left-hand batsmen, Yasir was content to persevere with a leg-stump line, only rarely tossing the ball up outside off. He also seemed reluctant to come around the wicket, a tactic which paid dividends against England’s left-handers during Pakistan’s mid-year tour to the Isles.
There are a number of mitigating circumstances for Yasir; he’s been carrying a back injury in recent times, and the mammoth workload from the first innings (he bowled 43.1 out of 130.1 overs during Australia’s first dig) can’t have helped.
Still, it was an unimpressive outing from Yasir in Brisbane, and one that he, and Pakistan, will no doubt be hoping to improve on in Melbourne.
Speaking of which…
Bring on Boxing Day
At the end of Day 2, with Pakistan performing a batting capitulation which has become all-too-familiar for Australian fans, the opening Test didn’t look likely to last the weekend, and the signs were there for yet another whitewash for a travelling Pakistani side.
Thankfully, it ended up providing a truly thrilling finish, with Shafiq’s brilliant innings and the resistance of Azhar Ali and Younus Khan breathing life back into the series.
With Mohammed Amir bowling well from day dot and the traditionally spin-friendly decks at the MCG and SCG set to provide Shah with some more assistance, we have an evenly-balanced contest on our hands.
Francis Harvey
Guest
I would drop both Wade and Maddinson and let Peter Handscomb keep wickets. He will probably develop into a better keeper than either Wade or Nevill!
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Yes, certainly, as Australia needs at least 3 spinners to tour India.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
The type of pitches exists in Australia now-a-days, they need 5 regular bowlers to take 20 wickets. Wicket-keeper has to be a good batsman. And all the 5 batsmen have to take resposibility to build-up a good total, say 500+.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Smith made a mistake by not enforcing a follow-on to Pakistan after they bowled-out for 142, then it would had been a cake-walk for the Australians.
Rob
Guest
They dropped catches. That meant they had to take 13 wickets not 10. It doesn't help if a top order batsmen has 3 bats. Also Smith had his field spread eagle with little in the way of a plan at times. Relying on 2 fast bowlers after 100 overs in the field.
Rob
Guest
Starc is a match winner that can remove top order batsmen on any pitch because he has a 145km plus yorker. Hazelwood is a strong, accurate, quick enough bowler good enough to catch the edge on even low slow decks. Our problem is the support they get. I don't think Bird 135km can beat the bat on a flat Indian deck as his back of a length 6th stump line will be candy for India's batsmen. Faulkner bowls with a lot of variation as well as batting form in those conditions. Chad Sayers or Behrendorff may cause some damage because they can move the ball in the air. The last success was off the back of McGrath and Gillespie. Even Adam Dale caused more problems than Warne our greatest ever spinner in India. If Smith was good enough to play as a spinner earlier in his career he is surely capable of bowling a dozen over on a dusty pitch that is turning?
danno
Guest
Nathan Lyon most overrated bowler; tim May most underrated.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Smith definitely asked for it.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I'd be happy for a fifth bowling option, but surely not for Melbourne? They have a full week to recover from Brisbane, if the MCG sees the quicks bowl this many overs then sure for the SCG but you'd probably want a spinning allrounder more than a quick.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I was a Lyon fan and I still remember the massive pressure of him not being able to bowl the team to victory in the 4th innings, then he pulled it off in Adelaide against India on a spinning deck. Since then he's had what 24 innings without a 5 for that included a series in Sri Lanka? If you are the main spinner in any side for this long a period with this many games under your belt, there is absolutely no excuses for these recent performances. It's time SOK was given his chance. He's earned it through sheer wickets in shield. Something you can't say Maddinson or Wade did to force their way in.
Warnie's Love Child
Guest
What happened to allow Pakistan to get near us ? I believe the Aussies thought that they just had to walk out for the second innings and Pakistan would crumble again. The expectation seemed to that once a couple of wickets fell, the rest would follow. Early on, our players did not seem to understand that Pakistan wanted to fight -- and by the time we did, our bowlers were jaded.
Bee bee
Guest
A duke ball on dusty tracks does not fill me with any confidence that Starc or Hazlewood will have enough control or pitch assistance to bowl us to victory. I hope I am wrong. They are both amazingly talented bowlers. A fantastic combination of X factor and consistent McGrath like unrelenting pressure. But honestly. India have Ashwin/Jadeja. There will be no assistance for pace. Unless India suddenly feel like a challenge and want a contest I hope the Indian curators are reading this and decide to produce a fascinating series but I hold little hope.
aPunter
Guest
Spot on Rob. And certainly not mediocre finger spinners like Lyon!
aPunter
Guest
@Chris Precisely! Being the sole spinner for so many matches means a large number of overs and accumulation of wickets, most of which have come in strong home wins and inconsequential.
Bee bee
Guest
The dead and dusty wickets of India will break Hazlewood and Starc. They need to be in short spells with spin doing most of the work. I just cannot see pace getting the job done. I agree we need multiple spin options. Part timers can become surprisingly effective on turning decks. I think Smith, Maxwell, Agar, OKeefe and Lyon could all play in the same team, (minus one) 4 spin options with 2 pace support. Laugh at me if you like but pace will not win that series for us. Hoping our batsmen will suddenly Improve against spin will not save us. India have not lost in 18 games at home. We have to attack them with every spin option we have.
Bee bee
Guest
The apparent best leg spinner in the world "Yasir Shah" hardly lit the world on fire at the Gabba. I can't recall Ashwin being significant in Australia either. I agree Lyon needs more variety but perhaps he is holding back as his role is being directed at more containment than attack here. Honestly how often do you see him with 6 around the bat and constant pressure applied as subcontinental sides consistently do to us. This form of attack was not in Clarkes DNA. I was hoping with Lehman and Smith present , (both part time spinners) Lyon would get greater support. But the old trend of spinners just getting through overs whilst the real attack (pace) gets a rest has returned unfortunately.
Jeffrey Dun
Roar Rookie
"If we had Warne and Mcgill you could consider beating them at their own game...." Warne had a very poor record against India in India (in fact he didn't have a very good record against India in Australia). I always assumed that there was not enough pace and bounce in the Indian pitches for Warne to worry the Indian batsmen. It's probably no coincidence that the only high quality Indian leg spinners I can think of - Chandrasaker and Kumble - were both much faster through the air than your conventional Australian leggie. As a consequence, I wouldn't put any faith in Warne and Macgill being able to bowl Australia to victory over this Indian team. I agree that Starc and Hazelwood are our best options, but given the conditions, they will struggle.
George
Guest
Well put.
rakshop
Guest
I stand corrected! Not sure why I wrote Paine instead of Haddin........
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It's a bit of a strange one. I heard the ABC commentators talking about that and they seemed to suggest that Smith never asked for it and the umpires had made a unilateral decision to take it anyway, despite the laws actually requiring it to be asked for (and it being a situation where even if it was asked for it shouldn't have been granted!) Whether that's true or not I don't know, but they certainly talked like that was what happened.