Key events
142 over: Pakistan 534-7 (Salman 37, Mahmood 5) Salman crunches Jacks down the ground for four and follows it up with a reverse sweep that traces away to the fence as well. There’s a loooong conflab between Stokes and Jacks which is so lengthy that it starts to get David Gower’s stoat goat on the tv commentary. Jacks sends down a wide half-tracker to finish which I don’t think was part of the cunning plan. He gets away with it as Salman slaps it straight to point.
141 over: Pakistan 526-7 (Salman 29, Mahmood 5) Just a single dabbed through gully from Salman off Leach. Pakistan trail by 131 and have three wickets in the hutch. I’m telling you, it’s going to get very interesting. I’m not entirely sure how yet, but mark these very vague words. Will Jacks is coming on to replace Jimmy Anderson at t’other end.
Now, the first thing to mention is that I’ve been caught out be an earlier start time and a few overs have been sent down. No wickets for England but a flurry of boundaries from the blade of Pakistan’s Agha Salman who has moved on to 28. Zahid Mahmood is with him at the crease and Jack Leach is twirling away under blue skies.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the day four OBO of Pakistan v England from Rawalpindi. It’s been three long days of toil for the bowlers but I have a sneaky suspicion this game has a sting in the tale… or maybe that is just wishful thinking.
It has been relentless stuff for the bowlers and fielders on both sides, which is tough on them but does gives me a prime opportunity to plug a piece I did recently about fielding.
Here’s what Paul Collingwood had to say about those long days in the dirt:
The deep satisfaction you get when you win Test matches means so much more when you’ve been through those never-ending days, the sessions that burn with proper fatigue, your whole body aching, legs like lead. I guess that’s what you play the game for. Those hard days give the other days more meaning. You’ve got to get through ’em, get the dark humour out.”
Jim here with the call for the first half of the day, up with the lark and hopefully some other OBOers? Do drop me a line if you are out there. Let’s do this.