FIRST TEST: DUBAI INTERNATIONAL STADIUM

After the sandpaper, the sand. Will we cop our just deserts?

Comments

[Tony Tea]

0-2. Lock it in.

[Philsgone]

They can grow grass in Dubai. Just not on the wicket. These pitches will be the death of cricket. Nothing for bowlers.

[Carrot]

You have to admire the resilience of Pakistani cricket (from both a playing and support perspective, but particularly support) when they have to play in the UAE like this. I’d hate to think what would happen to Australian cricket if they told us that we had to play all our home matches there.

No crowds, rubbish conditions, shitty cricket for the most part, and still they soldier on and every Pakistani kid wants to be a cricketer. Pretty incredible when you think about it.

[Carrot]

PS - Peter Siddle has either got to be the luckiest or unluckiest bowler in our stable. Bowls his heart out when he gets picked, probably deserves more opportunities, and yet only gets picked when about four other guys are injured.

PS - Mitchell Marsh bowled fourth change. It could be that his days of trying to be a genuine all-rounder are gone. Thank God. Not everyone can bat at six and be a genuine option with the ball. It goes tits up one way or another, usually with the bat.

[Babar]

Carrot, you highlighted a critical issue Pakistan Cricket is facing from almost a decade. Being a Pakistani and cricket fan I also feel bad when our home series are organized and played in UAE. But no worries, due to Pakistan Super League PSL ,International Cricket is coming back to Pakistan. Those days are not far away when our players will play infront of us in our Stadiums.

[Carrot]

Let’s hope so, Babar. I think we’ve really missed genuinely Pakistani Pakistani cricket, and proper local crowds. Given that there are only a handful of genuinely competitive cricket nations, you take one out of the picture and it really makes a difference. I’m sure that we wouldn’t be having these constant conversations about the death of Test cricket - or at least fewer of them - if there was proper cricket in Pakistan again.

[Carrot]

Off topic, but has anyone seen the story about Matthew Hayden in today’s cricinfo? That picture of him with his Hall of Fame trophy looks TERRIBLE. What has he been doing with himself? Clearly a guy that could have taken on the world when he was 25, but they get old really quick when they retire, these guys. I’m sure it’s the same with footballers.

Was pleasantly surprised to find a thread here by the way, Tones! Thought you might not get to it for a two-Test series in the UAE. Talking shit on here is genuinely a big part of my love for the game, hope we can keep doing it for awhile longer.

[Carrot]

Oh look - a wicket from a part-timer. *Headdesk*. Nothing for the bowlers indeed.

[Tony Tea]

I can talk cricket shit with the best of them. I actually don't think I've missed a series in ages, even though my cricket blogging has been thin on the ground. The South African shenans has sorely tested my patience.

Pakistani cricket is grouse. It's a great pity we can't play in Lahore, Karachi, etc.

I also find myself less inclined to criticise sub-continental pitches. I would dearly love it if our batsmen could find a way to prosper in more conditions than our own CEO roads. How great would it be if we were guaranteed a good Aussie performance and a tight contest every time we played in what is the best TV time for cricket, instead of too often falling in a heap. That said, the Shree pitches for the last few series have been a fiasco, and that is despite my love of cricket on a minefield. Essentially, they have reduced the Tests to a result based on who wins the toss and bats first.

[Tony Tea]

Haydos is absolutely mangled. Lucky, too. As one Tweeter said to me: he must have surfed into his ego. Talk about banged up.

[Philsgone]

A 50 opening partnership, and not in Australia. Whens the last time that happened.Is this the pair to take to the Ashes? No, bt rhetorical questions are annoying if nothing else.

[Philsgone]

I wont jinx it, but when was the last 100 opening stand that was overseas.

[Carrot]

Flat, slow, drop-in roads have done nothing good for the game. Even if we could come up with fast(er), drop-in roads we’d probably be ok (think the WACA in its pomp), but it doesn’t seem to be happening. Much of the cricket in Australia over the past few years has verged on the unwatchable; England seems to have got its act together thank God. There doesn’t seem to be much on offer in the way of balanced conditions here, though.

[Carrot]

What the hell???

1/142 and then 202 all out. You wonder how that’s even possible, somehow.

[Carrot]

It was 0/142.

Knowing that we got rolled for 57 in RSA a few years back you know that it’s possible, of course. This is worse though, somehow - we lost 10/60, but in conditions against bowlers that just gave away 142 for no wicket. So we know that there’s absolutely no good reason to crumble like that.

Tony’s 0-2 is looking good from here.

[Babar]

Pakistani batsmen are following the footprints of Aussies. I don't think Pakistan will make 125+ in second innings.

[Philsgone]

Ah well, a least when Smith and Warner come back ewe can be even more disheartened by performances like this. Imagine if the selectors had picked Burns, Hanscombe or Maxwell ie non-debutants with sub-continent experience; what might have been.

[Tony Tea]

Is Bilal's action legit?

[Philsgone]

Id be more worried about our batsman's abilities Tony

[Tony Tea]

It's mush easier to make a batsman look stupid when you are stealing an unfair advantage.

[Philsgone]

I wonder how many of our collapses since 2016 have started with SMarsh.

[Tony Tea]

Started, joined in, the new Lemming.

[Philsgone]

1 down, 2 to go. Lets get our hopes up prematurely.

[Carrot]

Have managed to watch my first bits of coverage for the match so far. It’s interesting seeing Khawaja bat. I’ve wondered why he seems to get such a rough deal selection-wise, and why the selectors and others have been so ready to hang him out to dry in the media about his record against spin. He just doesn’t bat like an Australian! Which seems like a pretty ridiculous thing to say because runs are runs, but we don’t “do” languid like he does very often. Australian batsmen are supposed to be punchy, with quick footwork and an aggressive outlook, a la David Warner. You could argue that guys like Mark Waugh and Damien Martyn are exceptions, but Waugh took forever to be selected, and Martyn obviously had an 8-year hiatus or something. I’m sure this stuff matters more than you think it would.

[Carrot]

163 runs to get, best part of a session to go. Maybe just the hint of a suggestion of an elevated run-rate since tea. Eek! If we went for it we will lose. 100% of the time. But the romantic in me really wants us to give it a go....

[Carrot]

If we GO for it, sorry....

[Carrot]

The cricinfo commentator is reall pissing me off, btw. Every event of note, boundaries included, is being met with exclamation marks! All the time! It’s really annoying!

[Carrot]

Well, we got away with it. Well played Tim Paine in particular. Good cricket from both sides, actually - particularly in a match that went the distance in 40-degree heat.

[Lou]

Hoorah! Especially for Ussie. Led from the top like he needed to as the most experienced batsman. Awesome both innings.

And Tim Paine. Wicket-keeping for all that time in the field and still managing to hold on for **** knows how many balls with the bat in hand. That's good quality skipper material.

Big result for JL too.

[Lou]

I agree Carrot. The languid thing really works against players, no matter how talented.

[I am still Not Trampis]

Sorry I'm late lads.
Isn't it wonderful that Marsh shows again what a fantastic all rounder he is. Warney would say he can't bat, bowl or field!

The pitch was a road and we are going gangbusters that we only just drew the game.

Deary me.

I am in a filthy mood. We go through the first footy season ( real football fellahs the world game) where rain did not interrupt any round. Thus far the first two rounds of cricket have been affected!

[Philsgone]

Ussie Ussie Ussie oi oi oi. Great batting from him. Could this be the game that elevates him to lock in no.3, like Haydos did all those years ago in India, except Haydos did it for no.1
Well digged captain Paine as well. Great stuff. The Head boy also deserves an honorary mention. Apparently the first Australian on debut to score a 4th innings half century for Australia on the sub continent. The UAE a little west of there, but it will do.

[Philsgone]

Bloody good game, good spirit, no dramas. Crap pitch, but you cant have everything.

[I am still Not Trampis]

Sorry but crap pitch means bad game period. This is why the preparation of cricket pitches is so important to the future of cricket. Curators who produce roads ought to be shot sorry find new employment.

too many administrators are ex batsmen and not ex bowlers!!

[Philsgone]

Too many administrators don't care about the game.

[Tony Tea]

Fantastic result. Batting over a day on a turning wicket to save a Test is a great way to get back into Test cricket after Sandpaper. (Pity I didn't see any.)

[I am still Not Trampis]

Tonee, it was slow spin not your typical 5th day spin.

A road is still a road.

[Lou]

Why would Ussie be locked in for 3 after he's done so brilliantly whenever he's opened? That makes about as much sense as Mitch Marsh at 4. Actually, no, Mitch Marsh at 4 is knock-out winner there. About Paine's only mistake really considering the cattle at his disposal.

[Tony Tea]

Thats the problem. Paine ain't got much cattle.

Homer, I didnt see any of the Test, but who expects Australia to bat out a draw? Espesh after 10 for 60 in the first dig.