Report - 1st Test, Day 5 : Australia survive scare to pull off 39-run win after epic chase

[Abdullah719]

Toss: Australia won the toss, Steve Smith opted to bat first.

Teams

Australia: MT Renshaw, DA Warner, UT Khawaja, SPD Smith (c), PSP Handscomb, NJ Maddinson, MS Wade (wk), MA Starc, JR Hazlewood, NM Lyon, JM Bird.

Pakistan: Sami Aslam, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Mohammad Amir, Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali.

Pakistan began the early session confidently and grew into it with Australia visibly nervous. Yasir was confident while Shafiq continued to play some superb strokes. Hazlewood and Starc bowled long spells at the start but there was no breakthrough with barely a chance for the home side. The first-change bowlers came on to bowl, Bird and Lyon but Smith clearly didn't have confidence in them as Starc was soon brought back. The nerves increased as Pakistan kept taking the game deeper into Day 5. Yasir gave a chance to Lyon with a drive but it was just away from him while he was given out two balls later, but the decision was overturned on review. The ball started reversing a bit as the batsmen looked more nervy but Shafiq continued putting the bad balls away as he reached his highest Test score. With the partnership at 71, Starc stuck the decisive blow with a big bouncer that Shafiq could only lob into the air as he was dismissed for a stunning 137. Yasir was the last man to fall in an anti-climax as he was run out by Smith with Australia squeaking home by 39 runs.

Summary: An epic game of cricket. Pakistan can hold their heads high - they have given Australian a shock for the ages after having performed limply on previous tours. Melbourne and Sydney should yield two very absorbing Test matches.

Fall of wickets:

9-449 (Asad Shafiq, 144.2 ov)
10-450 (Yasir Shah, 144.6 ov)

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Feel a bit disappointed in the end but still an amazing game and great fight shown by Shafiq and the tail. Azhar and Younis also played well. Will give us a lot of confidence going into the next game and the Aussies will be worried. Misbah needs to use Yasir better though

 

[Speedster777]

Well done Pakistan especially Asad Shafiq and Amir. We got so close we should have won. I'm mad at Yasir shah the way he gave up and got out at the end.

 

[Rayyman]

Amir and Wahab bowled well. Azhar, YK, Shafiq batted well. Other bowlers have to bowl better. Regardless of who plays in the next game. Sami, Babar and Misbah have to bat better. Fielding needs to improve. Great game of cricket. Well played by Australia. Hopefully Pakistan win the 2nd and 3rd matches.

 

[Slog]

So disappointing

I was hoping wed pull a miracle. We got close...

 

[AlphaFighter]

Rahat needs to make way. Imran Khan in next game. Pakistan also needs to take a gamble, we need a 5th bowling option to ease the workload on the other 4 bowlers, one of the batsmen will need to make way. Also Pakistan needs to take another gamble and decide between Sharjeel Khan and Sami Aslam, we need to be bold and aggressive, can't play into the hands of the Australian bowlers and play at a snails pace early in the innings.

In an ideal world, i would have dropped Misbah but let him have his final series.

 

[Zak_Fan]

It must be disappointing for you guys, but the fight Pakistan showed after the first inning was epic.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

In all the Hoopla going around people have have missed the elephant in the room guys

(The Destroyer) has successfully carried his bat... YET AGAIN !!!
[MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION] [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION]

 

[Dr_Bassim]

In all the Hoopla going around people have have missed the elephant in the room guys

(The Destroyer) has successfully carried his bat... YET AGAIN !!!
[MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION] [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION]

I was looking forward to your office day had Pakistan won

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

I was looking forward to your office day had Pakistan won

Haha I guess we live to fight another day but a trumendious fight back indeed

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Pakistan fourth innings in past two Tests:

Hamilton: 218 for 6 to 230 all out
Brisbane: 220 for 6 to 450 all out

 

[street cricketer]

Pakistan fourth innings in past two Tests:

Hamilton: 218 for 6 to 230 all out
Brisbane: 220 for 6 to 450 all out

That's Pakistan for you.

Predictably unpredictable.

 

[Timewaster]

Well done Pakistan, they almost did the impossible

 

[Big Mac]

In all the Hoopla going around people have have missed the elephant in the room guys

(The Destroyer) has successfully carried his bat... YET AGAIN !!!
[MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION] [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION]

Misbah and Mickey need to take the hint and move him up the order. He's a genuine all rounder and could be the glue that holds this batting order together. Look at this game for proof, in the first innings we didn't score a single run after he was dismissed and in the second innings the Aussies couldn't dislodge him. He stared down that 90mph reverse swing and didn't even blink

He has got to be the next test captain after Misbah retires, nobody else can take this team to the next level.

 

[Robert]

That was a brave charge by Shafiq.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Brave effort but sad to lose when getting so close, lets hope we can compete in last two tests of series and win one of them.

 

[Hail-Akram]

I had expected Pakistan (or any other team, for that matter) to collapse while chasing such in-achievable target. Scoring 450 runs in the fourth innings against Australia in Australia, is a feat that Pakistan fans can definitely be proud of!

Congratulations Pak fans, the series just got exciting !!

 

[Markhor]

Hope Pakistan's psychological barrier against Australia has broken down now. That's the first time we've crossed 400 in Australia since December 1983. This team is beatable in their backyard and it was critical that our batsmen gained some form.

Instead of being a crushing defeat, we can walk into the MCG with our head held high and with a real possibility of winning.

The 1st innings was abysmal and the batsmen need to sort out their techniques against lateral movement. The catching has got to improve too - whether sighting with the pink was an issue I don't know, but you cannot give reprieves to players like Steve Smith.

We also need to use the new ball better, hence why I'd bring in Sohail for Rahat as Sohail can swing the new ball and provide control with his line and length, plus is a handy lower order bat.

 

[OUTSPOKEN]

Brave effort but sad to lose when getting so close, lets hope we can compete in last two tests of series and win one of them.

In my view Pakistan lost due to Younus Khan. He unnecessarily and irresponsibly kept playing reverse sweeps,one of which brought him down.

 

[Haroon786]

Hopefully, this last day and a bit has given the team the confidence to enter the MCG Test with full conviction and to be right at the eight ball at the start - to ensure that in batting they have no further slumps in concentration and the fielding is alert to anticipate all catching opportunities. There is belief that we can win now and that is vital in reversing the result in the next 2 Tests.

 

[Jan Sher]

I won't accept winning hearts. We should get real and win games instead. Sloppy stuff from Yasir cost us the game. We should forget this game, and win the series now.

 

[sam_ahm]

Absolutely brilliant performance, respect. I hope Pakistan carries on and wins in Menbourne. Even a 1-1 drawn series will be one hell of an achievement. All the best folks.

I was so engaged in the match today morning that at around 9 40 A.M IST I said to myself I'm not going to office until this ends and was about to send a message to my boss that I'll be late, just then Shafiq got out! I'm kicking myself for that.

 

[KB]

Misbah has fashioned this team in his image. Not flashy, nor flawless, but they are certainly industrious and resilient. For so long, Pakistan cricket has been besotted by the word ‘talent’ but in the Misbah era it is ‘character’ which has been at the forefront.

 

[Snatch]

Australia really won by 39 runs & 5 wickets if we're honest. Are we forgetting they declared?

the other factor to remember as Pakistan were always behind the run chase which meant they could bat relaxed knowing they didn't really have a realistic chance. you will notice every time they started getting close to a good position, the pressure would get to much and they would lose a wicket, like Younis.

It's easy to bat freely when you are miles behind the game and nobody gives you a chance. I knew things would get different for that 9th wicket stand and they'd be bowled once it got close and that is exactly what happen

Paksitan showed some good heart but they were never going to win that game which allowed them to play in a relaxed fashion and made the margin seem closer than it really was.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Australia really won by 39 runs & 5 wickets if we're honest. Are we forgetting they declared?

the other factor to remember as Pakistan were always behind the run chase which meant they could bat relaxed knowing they didn't really have a realistic chance. you will notice every time they started getting close to a good position, the pressure would get to much and they would lose a wicket, like Younis.

It's easy to bat freely when you are miles behind the game and nobody gives you a chance. I knew things would get different for that 9th wicket stand and they'd be bowled once it got close and that is exactly what happen

Paksitan showed some good heart but they were never going to win that game which allowed them to play in a relaxed fashion and made the margin seem closer than it really was.

I am sure had Pakistan won the match, you folks would've come out and said that in 'Big chases' there is hardly any pressure; it's the small sub par ones that are the most difficult right ?!?!

THERE IS A REASON WHY 'NO TEAM HAS EVER POSTED 450 BATTING 4th IN AUSTRALIA' - BECAUSE IT'S GOD DAMN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO DO IT !!!!

Let that sink in buddy !!

 

[PakLFC]

That was an awesome attempt by Pak in chasing a near impossible target. Although we lost I have no complaints if we fight like we did yet lose the match. All I ask as a Pak fan is for us to really play hard from the heart and not give in so easily like we often do. We lost the match in the first innings by posting so few runs. For those on about Aus only losing 5 wkts in their second innings well Pak didn't ask them to declare, we would have been chasing fewer runs had they declared earlier so stop trying to discredit a great Pak batting performance for once . What pleased me even more was the tail enders Wahab, Amir and Yasir showing plenty off guts and fight in trying to get the runs. Looking back it's easy to blame a Sarfaraz or Younis Khan for our loss but we must also remember that the Aussies dropped some crucial catches at the time as well.

 

[Slog]

I am sure had Pakistan won the match, you folks would've come out and said that in 'Big chases' there is hardly any pressure; it's the small sub par ones that are the most difficult right ?!?!

THERE IS A REASON WHY 'NO TEAM HAS EVER POSTED 450 BATTING 4th IN AUSTRALIA' - BECAUSE IT'S GOD DAMN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO DO IT !!!!

Let that sink in buddy !!

This guys been changing the goal posts for quite a few days

Atleast one of the other Indians here was honest enough to admit that he's happy Pak didn't win then that would most certainly make Indias number 1 rank look like a joke

 

[pinger]

Bloody good game. Bring on game 2 and 3.

Pakistan more comfortable on these next 2 wickets compared to the Gabba.

 

[Saj]

An excellent Test match which sadly didn't finish in Pakistan's favour.

However when you make a mess of your 1st innings, you are always going to face an uphill battle.