Australia v Pakistan | 2nd Test | Melbourne | Dec 26-30, 2016 | Day 1

[Justcrazy]

Babar also sucked into false shot. Lyon bowling really well here

 

[Justcrazy]

He got a 90 a couple of tests ago.

Put the gun down.

He is not going to be a consistent batsman .

 

[Ellipsism]

End of Sami in test cricket I think.

Your dreaming, he isn't going to de dropped any time soon:

 

[Justcrazy]

The two openers who performed in First Class are Imam and Salman Butt.

You need to bring in those performers , that will keep pressure on others to perform.

 

[shaz619]

We've made Lyon look like a Prime Swann here that too on day one

 

[Justcrazy]

52 000 people in MCG right now

what an atmosphere .

 

[shaz619]

No doubt it was a poor dismissal, however, the starts we have had, this is nothing compared to them.

Hard to digest that when he did all the hard work only to throw it away, it was a great opportunity for him to cash in on the conditions; on this wicket there's no justification for throwing his wicket away like that regardless of how awful the starts were in the previous innings when conditions were a lot tougher

 

[Sin Nombre]

Batting has been a lot worse than 25/1 with so many edges and close calls already. And the pitch looks like a belter.

 

[On_the_up]

He is not going to be a consistent batsman .

Compared to the consistently failing openers in the past, inconsistency is an improvement.

6 fifties in 10 tests isn't that bad at the start of a career.

He's only turned 21, give the guy a break.

 

[Justcrazy]

Again sharp turn for Lyon !

 

[On_the_up]

Yasir would be pleased seeing the turn Lyon is getting.

Can Pak batsmen give him a total.

 

[Justcrazy]

Compared to the consistently failing openers in the past, inconsistency is an improvement.

6 fifties in 10 tests isn't that bad at the start of a career.

He's only turned 21, give the guy a break.

It does not matter you are 21 or 40 , when you are playing International cricket you representing for your country. You do not come to learn here .

 

[Justcrazy]

Pakistan could have played another spinner here.

 

[On_the_up]

Starc only bowled 3 overs, seems strange.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

for Babar.

 

[Buffet]

Pitch is an absolute belter here. 450-500 should be the target by Pakistan.

 

[New Yorker]

If Domestic cricket is not criteria , what should it be ?

Sami has been given enough chances.

He has and he's done well. Ave 37. Still looks the best opener since Anwar.

 

[Justcrazy]

Babar gets that away

 

[Junaids]

Yasir would be pleased seeing the turn Lyon is getting.

Can Pak batsmen give him a total.

Misbah will tell Yasir Shah to bowl it a foot outside leg-stump to keep the scoring rate down. I don't think he knows how to attack.

 

[Justcrazy]

He has and he's done well. Ave 37. Still looks the best opener since Anwar.

Looking is not going to help the team , runs is what it matters.

His average has been constantly falling . Not going up.

 

[Big Mac]

Pitch is an absolute belter here. 450-500 should be the target by Pakistan.

Yep, 450 should be the minimum really.

 

[Justcrazy]

Beauty by Bird there , babar beaten

 

[New Yorker]

It does not matter you are 21 or 40 , when you are playing International cricket you representing for your country. You do not come to learn here .

Unless you are Rahat or Wahab o of whom it has been said for 20 some Tests yeah they may be mediocre but they will get better, wait until they play on pitches that suit them, like England and Oz.

 

[On_the_up]

It does not matter you are 21 or 40 , when you are playing International cricket you representing for your country. You do not come to learn here .

Look up Marvan Attapatu's start in tests.

Some start off great and tail away (U Akmal/Yasir Hameed etc)

Other's start off poorly and become ATGs (Gooch/Anwar, both getting pairs on debut)

You need to look past pure stats.

Pakistan's recent openers have been walking wkts. Sami at least has shown enough to be persevered with.

Lets just agree to disagree on this one.

 

[Haroon786]

Scoring rate up a little now.

 

[Hasan123]

Pakistan must give Babar a long rope at test level, he may fail at times but long term he has the potential to be a fantastic test batsmen.

 

[Justcrazy]

Unless you are Rahat or Wahab o of whom it has been said for 20 some Tests yeah they may be mediocre but they will get better, wait until they play on pitches that suit them, like England and Oz.

They should be judged on same parameter , I am not saying about Sami only.

 

[Justcrazy]

Look up Marvan Attapatu's start in tests.

Some start off great and tail away (U Akmal/Yasir Hameed etc)

Other's start off poorly and become ATGs (Gooch/Anwar, both getting pairs on debut)

You need to look past pure stats.

Pakistan's recent openers have been walking wkts. Sami at least has shown enough to be persevered with.

Lets just agree to disagree on this one.

You cannot keep giving chances because of Gooch or someone else. Need to have certain limits , otherwise no point in having first class cricket.

 

[Justcrazy]

Starc luckily to survive , great ball by Starc.

 

[Justcrazy]

Babar needs to concentrate , he throws away after start

 

[On_the_up]

9 off the over.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Pakistan rotating strike easily now.

 

[Justcrazy]

Lyon likely to bowl long spells here. He has bowled some really good balls.

 

[Big Mac]

Pakistan rotating strike easily now.

The Kookaburra ball is useless once the shine is gone, Aussies will hope for reverse swing sooner rather than later because it's gonna be easy to bat now the openers have done their job.

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Got to play some scoring shots and take singles to rotate the strike in every over to keep the scoreboard ticking on this flat track..</p>— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/813189175080026112">December 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Justcrazy]

Hazelwood back , Smith rotating his bowlers here.

 

[Boi]

One expensive over and Lyon out of the attack. Expect the pacers to bowl a lot today if Pakistan play out Lyon.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

 

[Justcrazy]

fifty up for Pakistan

 

[QalandarFan]

Hope Babar gets a hundred!

 

[On_the_up]

After bowling 145 overs in the last inns, Aussie bowlers will find it very hard going if Pak can get to tea with no more than say 3 down.

51-1, good start.

 

[On_the_up]

Babar looking in confident mood.

 

[Big Mac]

One expensive over and Lyon out of the attack. Expect the pacers to bowl a lot today if Pakistan play out Lyon.

We saw how nervous Smith and the Aussies got defending 490, if we can be disciplined and wear them down over the next session and a half we can really put them on the back foot.

 

[Junaids]

15 minutes to Lunch.

Babar and Azhar need to cut out the risks now.

 

[QalandarFan]

Another one in the gap Babar is showing good intent.

 

[Haroon786]

Babar will iA get a ton today.

 

[Junaids]

After bowling 145 overs in the last inns, Aussie bowlers will find it very hard going if Pak can get to tea with no more than say 3 down.

51-1, good start.

I'm sure that the short spells of the quicks were in response to the medical team's advice to Boof and Smith.

 

[Justcrazy]

Its cloudy now.

 

[MMHS]

Very good crowd at MCG for a non Ashes & non Indian Test.

 

[Big Mac]

Its cloudy now.

I wouldn't worry, they're not using a Dukes ball.

 

[MMHS]

What is the minimum boundary count in a century?

 

[On_the_up]

What is the minimum boundary count in a century?

I think Graeme Thorpe got a ton with just one boundary in Pak once.

 

[Justcrazy]

Couple of overs before Lunch

 

[Haroon786]

Poor over rate so far.

 

[MMHS]

I think Graeme Thorpe got a ton with just one boundary in Pak once.

Outstanding - I didn't expect that. Yes, Lahore 2001; made 118 in 300+ balls with 2 boundaries, 2nd one after hundred. In my life time, I haven't seen a worst cricket wicket than that one.

 

[Justcrazy]

Good shot , 3 more runs for babar

 

[Jabo]

56-1

good start for pakistan anyway

 

[MMHS]

Babar is entering in his danger zone - must go to lunch unbeaten.

 

[Big Mac]

What is the minimum boundary count in a century?

Thorpe scored a hundred against Pakistan with just one four.

 

[Abdullah719]

What is the minimum boundary count in a century?

PA Gibb (who?) hit 2 fours in his 120 in 1939. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/62657.html

Thorpe hit 2 fours in his 118 at Lahore in 2000. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63899.html

ODI captain looking to get on the list?

 

[world cup captain]

Wade has saved at least 8 runs this session. Wonderful stuff!

 

[Big Mac]

hahahahahaha that'll help Hazelwood's mood

 

[QalandarFan]

Great Response from Azhar!

 

[Justcrazy]

3 runs for Azhar

 

[Hasan123]

I like Australia . There commentators offer some good insight but there biased towards Australia is extremely annoying.

 

[Junaids]

15 minutes to Lunch.

Babar and Azhar need to cut out the risks now.

Oh dear.

 

[Sarfarazian92]

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] lol you called Babar's wicket

 

[QalandarFan]

Shoot Babar gone!

 

[Big Mac]

Goddammit

 

[Hasan123]

Babar is entering in his danger zone - must go to lunch unbeaten.

Thanks for the jinx. Might go post on the Bangladesh vs NZ match thread that Bang are certain to win........

 

[On_the_up]

Chalo, ho gaya kaam.

 

[Abdullah719]

Babar is entering in his danger zone - must go to lunch unbeaten.

What have you done?

 

[world cup captain]

 

[QalandarFan]

The Final ball before Lunch he's gone!

 

[Syed1]

Oops

 

[Miandad_fan_number_one]

Haha I was thinking about that post just before his dismissal!

 

[Justcrazy]

Babar gone .

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

....
...
....
....

 

[Junaids]

Is this a joke?

Channel Nine's cricket lunchtime montage to George Michael's "Faith"? Are they trying to mentally disintegrate Warnie?

 

[Justcrazy]

Babar , Aslam , both talented , but need to buck up , they do not look consistent.