*Official* Pakistan in Australia 2019

[Gnske]

Can this summer just get ****ed already?

This is such a bad entree. Thank god it was paywalled.

 

[Briggs]

The series must be really **** if I am talking about my love life on this thread

 

[aussie tragic]

"Nic Maddinson pulls out of Australia A side to play Pakistan to look after his mental health"

Another Victorian with mental health concerns. Bancroft called up to replace him which is a little strange with Harris and Burns already set to open.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Bancroft? Seriously?

You have to be bloody kidding me

 

[h_hurricane]

Such a great omen for Smith.

 

[aussie tragic]

Bancroft? Seriously?

You have to be bloody kidding me

Yeah, he's done nothing this season to deserve it and he'll be batting out of position. Shows how much Langer loves him. Will be pissed if he scores a 100 and jumps the pack again like in the Ashes.

Also closes the door on Stoinis as an allrounder option.

 

[NUFAN]

Harris is such a dire fielder. Should have swallowed that

 

[GoodAreasShane]

While technically it is correct, seeing Shan Masood listed as Khan on the scorebar is ITSTL

 

[Burgey]

Harris is such a dire fielder. Should have swallowed that

Did he drop another one? FMD he really is terrible isn't he. Early Slater-level bad, without the run scoring ability. Where was he fielding?

 

[ajdude]

good wheels from meredith there. warne would be frothing

 

[vcs]

Pretty good A-team for Australia. Babar Azam the standout batsman as expected.

 

[aussie tragic]

Let's hope the last session under lights gets a bit livelier so that Aus bats in daylight tomorrow

 

[aussie tragic]

Reckon Pak will give Aus-A 10 overs tonight. How would you like to be Burns, Harris and Khawaja fighting for a test spot under lights facing a new ball with nothing to gain and everything to lose.

 

[the big bambino]

Maybe Pakistan won’t be pushovers after all.

 

[morgieb]

Maybe Pakistan won’t be pushovers after all.

A good thing for them it is a 2 Test series I think. IMO in a 3 Test series they'd push us in one Test but get blown out in the other two. With two Tests they're a reasonable shot of making the scoreline look a lot better than what it should be.

 

[trundler]

Babar baby.

Now bring on Abbas's revenge of that McGrath 8/24

 

[trundler]

How has Carey kept today?

 

[the big bambino]

A good thing for them it is a 2 Test series I think. IMO in a 3 Test series they'd push us in one Test but get blown out in the other two. With two Tests they're a reasonable shot of making the scoreline look a lot better than what it should be.

If they get lucky with the conditions in the pink ball game they might be in a position to at least draw the series. Yes Smith is a barrier but if say Abbas can force a collapse at the other end they might score a win. I don’t like a vibe around a series where the opponent has been written off like Pakistan have. And as you say they might believe they can hold themselves together for the extent of a two test series.

 

[aussie tragic]

How has Carey kept today?

Depends on how hard this catch was 2nd ball to Babar?

19.3 FOUR! Riley Meredith to Babar Azam. Half volley, glancing, past fine leg for 4 runs, dropped catch by Carey.

 

[vcs]

Yeah, this is an encouraging performance against a decent attack. Though there is always the fear that Shafiq has got his one good performance of the series out of the way here. Babar is class, so no surprises there.

Shorter series definitely gives Pakistan a better chance, especially with the D/N Test which could be a low scoring shootout. Over longer series, Australia tend to just wear visiting teams down and become completely dominant by the end of the series. All comes down to how their new pace bowlers perform.