Australia v Pakistan | 2nd Test | Melbourne | Dec 26-30, 2016 | Day 5

[itsme]

This is probably flatter than any UAE pitch

Uae's pitches degrade,here pitches get better

 

[Donal Cozzie]

Shah's average about to go above 30

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Shah ji aiming for a 250 here

 

[ExplicitAI]

Are you kidding me

 

[Justcrazy]

lead 181 runs

 

[jog_1]

Smith is prob the hardest batsmen to bowl at. More so than AB and Kohli.

 

[itsme]

Average 69 instead of 103,5 thank you smith santh

 

[ExplicitAI]

 

[Aman]

Yasir going at 5 an over for 41 overs.. a really bad Test for him.

If he isn't picked for the next Test, it definitely won't because they're 'resting' him, he would have been dropped on performance.

 

[Justcrazy]

yasir gets a wicket

Aussies declare

 

[Belawal2014]

Collapse is on here boys. Grab your popcorn.

 

[jog_1]

Smith is an unselfish player

 

[FlickedOffHips]

steve smith looking after his avg. well played.

 

[Justcrazy]

Sami Aslam needs to score some runs here.

 

[Belawal2014]

Yasir going at 5 an over for 41 overs.

A really bad Test from him, if he isn't picked for hte next Test, it definitely won't because they're 'resting' him he would have been dropped on performance.

Let's not forget he recently had a back injury. Could well be because of that as well. Who knows..

 

[Sin Nombre]

Australia would have won this without the rain intervention from yesterday.

Bit hard to win with 109 overs lost to rain.

 

[itsme]

The worst bowlers get the most wickets

 

[Pakprideuk]

So much depends on the top 3, especially Azhar. Doubt you'll get anything from Younus and Misbah under pressure and if the top 3 fall early.

 

[Belawal2014]

Waiting for the customary "blessing in disguise" thread..

 

[Abdullah719]

I log on again and a wicket falls

hahaha so unreal man !!

Why didn't you do this during the past couple of days.

 

[itsme]

Australia would have won this without the rain intervention from yesterday.

Bit hard to win with 109 overs lost to rain.

Pak would have score much more without rain interruptions

 

[Justcrazy]

Smith showed why he is the best batsman in the world.

 

[Belawal2014]

Smith showed why he is the best batsman in the world.

Kohli > Smith.

 

[itsme]

Smith could have let us bowled them out ,he stole our moral victory

 

[Jabo]

What's the chance Azhar gets bowled early and we collpase?

wouldn't be surprised.

Misbah/YK really need to score some runs

As well as the Jr players, Sami/Azam

 

[itsme]

Smith struggle a lot against lateral movment

 

[in_cutter]

Get ready for a epic collapse

 

[Justcrazy]

Pakistan need to make sure they do not get bogged down

 

[Sin Nombre]

Pak would have score much more without rain interruptions

Unlikely. Amir and Sohail don't have the technique to hang around. Swinging the bat around is their best method.

 

[Sin Nombre]

Kohli > Smith.

Smith is the best test batsman in the world. Kohli over all formats.


How does Smith make all these runs is beyond me. Such an awkward technique and I guess never scored a lot in his younger days to start as a #8.

 

[Justcrazy]

Starc to Aslam

 

[lahoriyah1234]

Want to see Babar 100 today...

 

[jnaveen1980]

Due to their horrendous batting form of Australia in recent times, they presented a road where every tom, dick , harry made merry. Only thing that stands between certain draw and pakistan loss is pressure handling of Pakistan.

 

[FlickedOffHips]

pak should bat this out with ease. nothing in the pitch.

 

[FlickedOffHips]

Due to their horrendous batting form of Australia in recent times, they presented a road where every tom, dick , harry made merry. Only thing that stands between certain draw and pakistan loss is pressure handling of Pakistan.

Panikstan?

 

[Junaids]

If Misbah tries to go for negative tactics, I think Pakistan will lose.

The safest bet for Pakistan is to knock over the tail quickly and then score at 3.5 an over - the Test would be saved by Tea.

And when I say knock over the tail, they need to put Smith under pressure too, not play him in with wide rubbish. This ball is only 30 overs old and in ten overs will be hugely hittable.

But I can imagine Misbah trying defensive fields, leaving Australia 590-9 declared at Lunch.

A defensive Pakistan might then be 80-4 at Tea, still 70 behind, and under huge pressure.

I feel like I have been transported back to Pakistan's 1983-84 tour of Australia.

A hyper-defensive elderly captain (Zaheer Abbas) misusing a leggie to an array of left-handers on flat tracks and putting his own batsmen under enormous scoreboard pressure.

And a batting line-up in which that elderly skipper had lost the reflexes to cope in Australia.

Pakistan were lucky that for the fourth and fifth Tests Imran could return even though he couldn't bowl.

 

[Justcrazy]

Both batsmen playing for lunch.

 

[castortroy]

Here comes the collapse boys

 

[On_the_up]

Ali has been on the pitch since the start of test. Wouldn't be surprised if he fails in this inns. Fatigue must an issue.

 

[Sin Nombre]

Bowled him!

 

[On_the_up]

Here we go.

What a lame shot by Sami.

 

[ExplicitAI]

here we go

 

[FlickedOffHips]

holy moly. sami the first one press on the self-destruct button.

 

[castortroy]

Only Pak could collapse on a pitch like this potentially

 

[Belawal2014]

Mashallah.

 

[Justcrazy]

Aslam fails again , He needs to be dropped now , he has been given too many chances.

 

[Abdullah719]

I can now see Sharjeel playing at the SCG.

 

[itsme]

Tuk tuk masters but can't draw a match when needed lol

 

[Haseeb 22]

Come on Sami. We needed a double century from you

 

[ExplicitAI]

Need to play Sharjeel next game

 

[The intelligent Supporter]

I can now see Sharjeel playing at the SCG.

no Misbah is not gonna make any chnages in his last game

 

[Sin Nombre]

As a test bowler, Hazlewood > Starc. Trundlers (as per PP) are where it is these days with Philander bossing it for SA.

 

[thelandofthebravepeople]

Sami is useless

 

[90MPH]

Soft dismissal because Sami was being tentative.

When you are tentative in defence you will get out because you get stuck in 2 minds.

 

[Iffitheking]

OMG already 1 gone...

 

[FlickedOffHips]

Both batsmen playing for lunch.

i guess sami was too hungry.

 

[hass]

Sami Aslam really needs to lose his place for the next test. Showed a lot of mental strength in England but he's been an absolute liability lately. Sharjeel deserves a go. Sure he's not the most defensively resolute opener but Sami isn't offering anything but an easy wicket at the moment. Sharjeel at the very least can get us off to a flyer if we bat first and will probably contribute something before getting out or his lack of fitness catching up with him.

 

[Justcrazy]

If Aussies get Azhar out quick , pakistan may loose

 

[itsme]

Pitch is easy to bat on ,bat like you always do no need to be over defensive or reckless

 

[Abdullah719]

As a test bowler, Hazlewood > Starc. Trundlers (as per PP) are where it is these days with Philander bossing it for SA.

Hazlewood isn't a trundler, can hit 140s quite often.

Sohail is a trundler. Grunts with all his might to get to 134.

 

[90MPH]

He's not unlucky in my opinion. Bat wasn't straight and poor footwork.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

When you don't have intent to score than this happens Sami Aslam. Learn fast.

 

[lahoriyah1234]

holy moly. sami the first one press on the self-destruct button.

Bit Unlucky... But still a poor defence shot...

Deserve dropping next game. Nawaz need to play or sharjeel.

 

[Saeed]

So the collapse start and that too in this flat pitch. Pretty embarrassing for any test side.

 

[Justcrazy]

Sami Aslam really needs to lose his place for the next test. Showed a lot of mental strength in England but he's been an absolute liability lately. Sharjeel deserves a go. Sure he's not the most defensively resolute opener but Sami isn't offering anything but an easy wicket at the moment.

That is the point , you need to give fair chance to others , his average is coming down every game.

Just because someone is talented one cannot be given unlimited chances.

 

[FlickedOffHips]

Bit Unlucky... But still a poor defence shot...��

Deserve dropping next game. Nawaz need to play or sharjeel.

yeah. i would stick with him though. no is a finished article at 21 and there plenty of promise there.

 

[pasha404]

Sami needs to be dropped this guy is useless needs to try a new opener

 

[ExplicitAI]

Aussie commentators did a sneak diss on Pak's fielding )

 

[90MPH]

Babar needs to leave wide balls alone.

 

[Justcrazy]

Babar like sami , needs to score .

 

[fast1975]

If Aussies get Azhar out quick , pakistan may loose

may loose? for sure will loose

younis and misbah are walking wicketsa

and that clow sarfraz is just an actor

 

[lahoriyah1234]

yeah. i would stick with him though. no is a finished article at 21 and there plenty of promise there.

If you need to show that you are good at the age of 21. Please see how Indian young batsmen bats. They are prime examples of modern day batsmem should be. I m impressed with India's upcoming batsmen and on Top they have Kohli as an inspiration what else you need.

 

[90MPH]

Good last delivery by Hazelwood.

 

[castortroy]

Don't think rain will save them

I would not put money on Pak batting out two long sessions

 

[fast1975]

azhar has no clew of hazzlewood.....man he looks shaky

very difficult to survive 68 overs

 

[Justcrazy]

Lunch

6 / 1

 

[90MPH]

This is reminding me of Edgbaston

 

[Sin Nombre]

Hazlewood isn't a trundler, can hit 140s quite often.

Sohail is a trundler. Grunts with all his might to get to 134.

I don't even buy in this whole PP trundler story. If you are bowling 125-135 with consistent control, you are a very good bowler period.

 

[lahoriyah1234]

Good last delivery by Hazelwood.

Azhar tendency to keep the ball down but he sometimes comes late onto the ball. Azhar is key here he needs to bat atleast 40 overs here. If i was in Misbah position I would tell Babar to bat agressively here.

 

[FlickedOffHips]

If you need to show that you are good at the age of 21. Please see how Indian young batsmen bats. They are prime examples of modern day batsmem should be. I m impressed with India's upcoming batsmen and on Top they have Kohli as an inspiration what else you need.

we are lucky to have a few good batsman coming through. none of the indians(kohli, rahul, hair) had made their debut by 21 though. kohli took a good 2-3 years to settle at test level swell. by all means PAK could give someone else a go but i would keep sami in the mix.