Another extraordinary day’s Test Match cricket sets up a final day shoot-out in Rawalpindi
Pakistan v England — Rawalpindi Day 4.
Pakistan v England — Rawalpindi Day 4.
Morning Session: Pakistan 579 all out. England 52–2 (lead by 130)
With hosts Pakistan commencing day 4 on their overnight total of 499–7, Babar Azam and the team he captains would no doubt have been incredibly pleased with the 80 additional runs they scored this morning for the loss of their final 3 wickets, with Agha Salman taking his overnight total of 10 passed the half century mark in making over half of these crucial additional runs. In doing so, Pakistan reduced their final 1st innings deficit to just 78 runs and here’s their morning scorecard:
5.35am AGHA SALMAN caught Crawley bowled Jacks (53).
In cricketing parlance, Salman “farmed” the strike with his partner Zahid Mahmood, protecting his lesser batting mate whilst also trying to score quick runs which, via some beautiful 6’s, he most certainly did. Both he and Mahmood posted yet another 50 run partnership in this extraordinary Test Match already full of them, with Salman hitting a quick fire 53 runs from just 67 balls received before he presented a sharp catch to Zak Crawley at slip off the part-time bowling of Will Jacks, the debutant’s fourth wicket of the innings.
6.02am ZAHID MAHMOOD stumped Pope bowled Jacks (17).
Now the senior batting partner, Mahmood scored a dozen or so further runs before being brilliantly stumped by stand-in wicketkeeper Ollie Pope, giving Will Jacks a cricketing “Michelle Pfeiffer” or “5 for”. Bizarrely, he appeared safe and not out on the DRS system with an inch or so of his boot over the batting crease but he was strangely given out, leaving Pakistan on 576–9 with one 1st inning wicket remaining.
6.12am HARIS RAUF caught Root bowled Jacks (17).
Take a bow Will Jacks. 6 wickets for 161 runs on your Test Match debut and as a part-time emergency spin bowler. Bravo!
(Editors Note: It was at this point and the 10 minute period as the teams changed innings, that your humble narrator decided it was the perfect opportunity for a much needed nap. Only 10 minutes. Refresh the cricketing battery).
An hour and a half later…….England had reached the Lunch Break on 52 runs for the loss of Ben Duckett for a first ball “duck” and Ollie Pope for 15, taking their current lead to 130.
Afternoon Session: England 264–7 (lead by 342)
The afternoon session was remarkable in as much as every batsman was hell bent on securing spectacularly quick runs and at one point, with Joe Root reversing his right batting stance into his left, not switch hitting, actually taking a full left handed stance, I thought I must still be asleep and dreaming the most bizarre of cricketing dreams. Considering the surreal spectacle before us, it was perhaps apt that Root was actually dropped off of this conventionally reverse shot and it’s cricket Jim, but not as we know it!
Zak Crawley followed his 1st innings century with another 50 before disappointingly feathering an edge down the leg side to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and after Root’s cricketing impudence, he soon followed for a brilliantly well made 73 from just 69 balls received. 3 balls later, England captain Ben Stokes followed his predecessor as team skipper as his chase for quick runs ended with a simple catch presented to Saud Shakeel before Will Jacks bludgeoned 4’s and 6’s on his way to a quick 24.
Saving the best for last, this remarkable session of a staggering 218 runs from just 28 overs (28 overs!) was crystallised by the incredible batting of Harry Brook once again who smashed 50 from just 42 balls before clubbing his next 37 runs from just 23 balls received. Brook finished with 87, the knocking over of his stumps or “castle” signalling the end of the session and an early Tea Break, with England now enjoying a commanding 342 run lead.
Stumps Day 4: England 264–7 (declared) Pakistan 80–2 (Trail by 263)
England declared their 2nd innings during the Tea Break, setting Pakistan 343 runs to win in 4 coming sessions over 2 days and across roughly 100 total overs. It was as predicted and as bold as their rapid run making exploits in the afternoon session. Amid the lengthening shadows cast across this true if dead Rawalpindi wicket, England went for the short pitched bouncer theory from the off, with captain Ben Stokes joining Ollie Robinson in trying to intimidate and “bounce out” the Pakistan opening batsmen Abdullah Shafique and Imam ul-Haq.
At 20–0 in just the 3rd over, their plan bore fruit:
10.36am ABDULLAH SHAFIQUE caught Brook bowled Robinson (6).
Both Shafique and ul-Haq were perfectly happy to engage with the short pitched bowling and each indulging in early innings boundary 4’s. However, Shafique top edged a simple looping catch to Harry Brook near the deep square leg boundary, leaving England needing a further 9 wickets for victory and their hosts a far away looking 323 further runs.
Batting 3, Azhar Ali was rapped on the fingers with just the second ball he received and retired hurt to be replaced by his captain and hero of yesterday, Babar Azam. Amongst the madness and acclaim of their local hero, Azam smashed an immediate boundary 4 but just a short minute later, the Pindi Cricket Stadium fell silent.
10.48am BABAR AZAM caught Pope bowled Stokes (4).
Trying to stand tall and fend off yet another short pitched delivery, the Pakistan captain got the faintest of bottom edges, and Pope dived forward to take a low and match crucial catch. Pakistan are 25–2 with a top order batsman retired hurt.
Against the dying of the light and the artificial illumination from the stadium floodlights, Pakistan didn’t exactly rage but they did indeed rally. Led by opening batsman Imam ul-Haq, we had the ultra pleasing throwback to a bygone cricketing age as a bespectacled batsman faced an equally bespectacled bowler in England’s Jack Leach, and the determined fightback of a cricketing modern age as the 26 year old Pakistani opening batsman stood firm and unbowed as he ended the day on 43 not out. Partnered now by Saud Shakeel (who bludgeoned his way to a quick 24 not out from 42 balls), a home nation’s hopes rest squarely on their shoulders and perhaps the recovery of the damaged fingers of retired hurt batsman, Azhar Ali.
The mission for each team tomorrow, should they accept it, is simple:
Pakistan need a domestic record breaking 263 runs to win.
England need 8 wickets.
And from the precipice of a boring draw we may have an incredible finish befitting a Test Match full of momentous records.
See you in the morning!
Thanks for reading. Please feel free to dance amongst the madness of my archives, or revisit days 1, 2 and 3 here:
Babar Azam with a majestic century but England end Day 3 on top
Pakistan v England — Rawalpindi Day 3.medium.com
Pakistan fight back in a slowly developing stalemate in Rawalpindi
Pakistan v England — Rawalpindi Day 2.medium.com
Record tumble in Rawalpindi as England put Pakistan to the sword
Pakistan v England — Rawalpindi Day 1.medium.com