Geoff Lemon's Blog, page 14
January 11, 2024
More logic than conspiracy in Cameron Bancroft’s Test squad omission | Geoff Lemon
While some western observers might like to assume an agenda, the facilitation of Cameron Green’s return makes cricketing sense
After an unusually quiet few weeks on the Test selection front with a settled XI unchanged while beating Pakistan, David Warner’s retirement suddenly has one of the favourite national arguments boiling over.
People love to talk about selection injustice, and the latest occupant of that unwanted role is Cameron Bancroft, overlooked for Warner’s vacancy so that Steve Smith can give it a shot despite never having opened the batting in 105 Tests.
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January 6, 2024
David Warner exits Test stage with rich tapestry of chaos and artistry | Geoff Lemon
For the man who was once a boy heralding the game’s future, something old-fashioned leaves Test cricket with him
There he goes. Off the ground after a Test innings for the last time. Lost in annoyance at being trapped lbw until more than halfway off, seemingly remembering at that point why there was so much more applause than would normally greet an innings of 57. Pulling upright, spreading his arms to the crowd, turning a full circle as if to take them all in an embrace. There he is afterwards, those lovely post-combat moments on the ground where players’ kids outnumber the players, small figures rolling on the turf or cloaking themselves in streamers, lit up in sunbeams. David Warner chats with his small daughters in between honouring every interview request, happy to keep speaking: retired, but never retiring.
Plenty of people will be glad to see him gone. That attitude is far more prevalent than was represented in the media fete of his final Test series. Few Australian players have drawn as much dislike in their own country. But there was also a crowd eager for the chance to applaud him on to the field to bat, something they had four chances to do across the days and sessions of his final match. In large parts of this audience Warner is forgiven, or at least they recognised that the moment was greater and more distinct than a vague and lingering personal animus.
Continue reading...January 5, 2024
Australia v Pakistan: third Test, day four – as it happened
David Warner signed off in style as Australia won the third Test by eight wickets to complete a 3-0 series sweep over Pakistan
27th over: Pakistan 69-7 (Rizwan 7, Jamal 0) Hazlewood is immediately onto his probing line and length, putting the ball in the right areas ready for the pitch to do the rest. No wickets, but there’s a half-shout for LBW as Rizwan falls over to the offside, saved by an inside edge onto his pad. And that inside edge has hurt the Pakistan batter with the ball jarring his left knee, making it awkward for him to run the first single of the morning.
Right, onto the matter in hand of a Test match. The two sides are out in the middle. Josh Hazlewood has the ball, Mohammad Rizwan is on strike.
Continue reading...January 4, 2024
Australia v Pakistan: third Test, day three – as it happened
Pakistan tore through Australia’s tail to clinch a first-innings lead but a late batting collapse handed momentum back to the hosts
56th over: Australia 136-2 (Labuschagne 35, Smith 14) Bowling change for Pakistan as Aamer Jamal enters the fray. He has had a good series after debuting in Perth with a six wicket haul and he’s on target here, Labuschagne content to show a full face to the five he faces after a Smith single from the first delivery. Australia trail by 178.
55th over: Australia 135-2 (Labuschagne 35, Smith 12) It’s a flood of runs as new bowler Sajid Khan shucks the rust with a wide one outside off stump that Labuschagne picks off for three. Smith then bashes an on drive for a single. Sajid, a magnicently moustachioed allrounder from Pakhtunkhwa, has 22 wickets from his seven Tests so far but none in this Test. Labuschagne certainly likes what he sees of the 30-year-old tweaker, cover driving another loose one to the pink-fringed fence for four.
Continue reading...January 3, 2024
Australia v Pakistan: third Test, day two – as it happened
Australia trail Pakistan by 197 runs after bad light and rain stopped play before tea on day two of the third Test at the SCG
7th over: Australia 17-0 (Warner 15, Khawaja 2) Warner edges! But Pakistan have taken out that second slip and instead of flying into the safe hands of Salman it runs away to the boundary. Luck for Warner, lament for Pakistan! We have 20,097 in the SCG today and more streaming through the gates, most of them in pink to support the wonderful Jane McGrath Foundation.
6th over: Australia 12-0 (Warner 10, Khawaja 2) With the ball hooping about and Hamza challenging pads and bat, Khawaja is hyper-cautious. He plays at a few but leaves the rest. Good bowling by Pakistan. Buoyed by their fightback with the bat yesterday, the bowlers have their tail up today.
Continue reading...January 2, 2024
Australia v Pakistan: third Test, day one – as it happened
4th over: Pakistan 9-2 (Masood 5, Babar 4) A swat… but a dot! Babar always comes out with a positive intent but this scenario will test him. Pakistan have shown they can match it with Australia’s bowlers but do they have the patience and the problem-solving abilities to mount an early counter-attack on Australia with their tail up. Babar runs a single while they think it over.
3rd over: Pakistan 8-2 (Masood 5, Babar 3) Masood scampers a single from Starc’s first delivery to take his total – and Pakistan’s – to five runs albeit at the cost of two top-order wickets. Now Babar will face Starc – two aggressive cricketers keen to resume hostilities. Will Babar, a 51-Test tyro play his natural game and attack? He does, reaching out for a Starc wide ball and scudding it through gully for three. With a pitch doing plenty, two uptempo batters at the crease and an Australian bowling attack on fire, this will be a lively first session.
Continue reading...Australia fast bowlers remain the headline act against Pakistan amid ‘Warner Week’ sideshow
Australia have more on the line than bidding David Warner a fond farewell in the third Test against a wounded Pakistan at the SCG
With a new year’s sun shining on the Sydney Cricket Ground the day before the third Test against Pakistan, a new one-off festival was simultaneously underway.
“Warner Week has started,” said Australian captain Patrick Cummins.
Continue reading...December 29, 2023
Pakistan come tantalisingly close to telling a tale of the unexpected | Geoff Lemon
Throughout the Boxing Day Test, the perennially mercurial visitors teased the possibility of improving an abysmal Test record in Australia
If you have spent some of your summers watching Pakistan play Tests in Australia, you might have a feeling known to schoolteachers. Anyone in charge of students can tell you about the most frustrating ones: the ones who are bright and interesting but for one reason or another just can’t get things together.
They act out, they’re unpredictable, and the most frustrating part is that this includes at times living up to their potential. They might knuckle down for a while, get their test scores up. Then on the last day of term they steal a bunch of chemicals from the science lab to burn down the bike shed.
Continue reading...December 28, 2023
Australia beat Pakistan by 79 runs in Boxing Day Test – as it happened
68th over: Australia 208-6 (Carey 28, Starc 9) Hasan Ali continues with three slips in place. To my eye it looks like there are huge gaps between each of them. A ludicrously capacious corden?
Three single off the over as Australia nudge the target that bit more out of reach.
Continue reading...Australia v Pakistan: Boxing Day Test, day three – as it happened
56th over: Pakistan 199-6 (Rizwan 34, Jamal 2) Like many a long-distance swimmer, Hazlewood is straight in the channel. Rizwan is happy to go fishing in those waters, twice reaching out to steer Hazlewood away for two. Then thwacks across the line with a cross-bat shot off the front foot to get a mistimed under edge behind square for one run.
Revised start is 10:45am, which is 25 minutes away. So half an hour early becomes 15 minutes late.
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