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‘Curse on the game’: Controversy as Australia ‘bailed out’, wrap up series win over Pakistan

Australia ripped through Pakistan’s lower order to escape with a win at the MCG after an almighty scare – but not before the run chase erupted in drama.

Alex Blair and Matthew Sullivan
11 min read
December 29, 2023 - 9:33PM
Attempted leave sparks BRUTAL DRS wicket

Australia have survived a scare to defeat Pakistan by 79 runs in the Boxing Day Test and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series to retain the Benaud-Qadir Trophy.

The Aussies were bowled out for 237 early on Day 4, setting Pakistan a target of 317 to win at the MCG.

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And the tourists gave Australia a hell of a fright. Babar Azam (54) had his best score of the series and Mohammad Rizwan scored 42 off 51 balls to have Pakistan trailing by less than 100 runs with five wickets in hand.

But Pat Cummins struck once again at a pivotal moment, dismissing Rizwan with a bouncer that caught the wristband attached to his glove.

It was given not out but the Aussies successfully reviewed the decision and with Rizwan gone, the match shifted in their favour.

Cummins showed his class, taking crucial wickets to rip through Pakistan’s line-up and finish with 10 wickets for the match — five in each innings.

Australia survived a scare to win the series. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Australia survived a scare to win the series. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Pat Cummins was on fire. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)
Pat Cummins was on fire. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)

He becomes just the second Australian captain after Allan Border to take 10 wickets in a Test match and the first Aussie bowler to take 10 scalps at the MCG since 1991.

Pakistan collapsed, and Mitchell Starc finished the job with two wickets in two balls to wrap the victory just before stumps on Friday evening. Australia took 5/18 off the last 42 balls.

It was a competitive Test match but Pakistan will be kicking themselves for giving away 52 extras in the field and dropping David Warner and Mitch Marsh when they had Australia on the ropes at 4/16 in the second innings.

But alas, Cummins and co showed why it is so hard for touring teams to win on Australian shores.

Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket: “This Australian team is just such a juggernaut.

“They just know when to switch it on. And in Pat Cummins they have an outstanding captain.”

The series concludes with the third Test in Sydney beginning on Wednesday January 3.

6.51pm - Pakistan boss fuming at umpiring

Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez has teed off at the standard of umpiring and use of technology during the Test match.

“This technology is putting a curse on the beautiful game,” he said.

“I believe inconsistent umpiring and technology curse really given us the result which should have been different.

“The whole game, our Pakistan team played better than the other team in general. Our batting intent was better. Our bowling was in the right areas.

“Yes, we made some mistakes that we lost the game but as a team there were a lot of positives but unfortunately at the end we didn’t win the game.”

Hafeez was also frustrated by several “umpire’s call” decisions LBW decisions that were given not out despite DRS reviews showing the ball was clipping the stumps. More than half the ball has to hit the stumps on review to overturn the umpire’s decision.

“Technology, I’m in favour of that … but if it’s bringing some doubts or bringing some curse into the game, it should not be acceptable,” he said.

“(The ball hitting the stumps) is always out. Why it’s umpire’s call, I’ll never understand that.”

The dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan, who was caught behind after the ball glanced the wristband of his glove, was the controversial moment that turned the match in Australia’s favour.

He was given not out by the on field umpire but Australia reviewed the decision, with the third umpire convinced there was enough evidence from hotspot and snicko to rule the ball had glanced Rizwan’s glove.

The ball glanced Mohammad Rizwan's wristband. Photo: Fox Cricket.
The ball glanced Mohammad Rizwan's wristband. Photo: Fox Cricket.

Third umpire Richard Illingworth said: “I’ve got a spike and a hotspot on the wristband. It’s come off the wristband which is attached to the hand. I’m going to have to ask you to reverse your decision to out.”

The Pakistan wicketkeeper was visibly disappointed by the decision and pointed to a mark on his forearm above the wristband where he thought he was hit by the ball.

5.48pm - Controversy as Rizwan departs

Drama has unfolded before stumps with Mohammad Rizwan being dismissed caught behind off Pat Cummins. The ball looked to have come off Rizwan’s arm and the on-field umpire shook his head. Cummins reviewed, and after lengthy deliberation, the third umpire reversed the call because snicko captured a spike when the ball grazed his wristband.

Rizwan was absolutely fuming at the decision, holding his hand up to the screen in despair.

Pakistani fans absolutely erupted on social media, and commentators lamented the harsh decision to send Rizwan packing.

“After all the replays, I wasn’t certain,” Adam Gilchrist said. “After so many looks at it, there has to be a cut-off point.”

The wicket was Cummins’ 250th in Test match cricket.

Drama has unfolded before stumps with Mohammad Rizwan being dismissed caught behind off Pat Cummins.
Drama has unfolded before stumps with Mohammad Rizwan being dismissed caught behind off Pat Cummins.

5.22pm - Pakistan get some luck

It’s all happening at the MCG this afternoon.

Salman Ali has tried to free his hands and get the runs flowing but has given a few chances to Australia in the process. He edged Josh Hazlewood through the slips cordon for four and then survived a chaotic over from Lyon.

In three deliveries he edged the ball to Carey who missed the hard catch, top edged a sweep over fine leg and then popped up a chance to Steve Smith with a mistimed reverse sweep the very next delivery.

Smith was fuming at himself for dropping the ball, which fell just short of his fingers as he darted forward from first slip. Mark Waugh said he “should have taken it”, even though it was a very hard chance.

“It’s all happening isn’t it. High drama at the MCG,” Isa Guha said.

5.12pm - Lyon into the attack

Nathan Lyon has rejoined the attack as Australia continues to search for the sixth wicket. The Pakistani batsmen will be looking to capitalise and get the Aussie spinner away for a few boundaries to ease the pressure.

Salman Ali made his intentions clear from the very first ball, dancing down the wicket and punching Lyon to mid off.

Mark Waugh says Australia won’t be worrying too much at the moment, but let’s see what the scene looks like in half an hour if Pakistan remain wicketless.

5pm - Pakistan hold on

Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha have begun to build a promising partnership and have kept the game alive after tea. Australia’s pace attack have been relentless with their line and aren’t offering much in the way of scoring.

But Rizwan is a natural aggressor and has chanced a few boundaries to get Pakistan within 140 runs of winning.

Australia are looking composed but they will be deeply aware how quickly this could turn around if one of the two batsmen hit a hot streak.

Australia’s fielding has been top notch this afternoon, with Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne pulling off stunning moments in the field to save boundaries.

Salman was hit on the head by a short ball from Starc shortly after but didn’t appear too flustered.

“That’s nasty,” Michael Vaughan said from the commentary box.

“That could have been a lot worse,” Mark Waugh replied.

Salman was hit on the head by a short ball from Starc and had to go through a concussion test.
Salman was hit on the head by a short ball from Starc and had to go through a concussion test.

4.30pm - Pakistan falling apart

The fate of the game was resting on the partnership with Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan. But Josh Hazlewood saw an end to their stand with a short ball tempting Shakeel into a lofted cut shot. He edged it, sent it straight to Alex Carey behind the stumps and departed with 24.

Salman Ali Agha has joined Rizwan at the crease.

4pm - Hazlewood gets the breakthrough

Josh Hazlewood has been rewarded for his efforts with the ball today. After 10 overs of probing the Pakistani top order, the towering NSW finally got one through and dismissed Babar Azam.

Everyone knew Azam was Pakistan’s main chance at winning the match and he was looking solid on his way to 41. But a perfect length delivery from Hazlewood snuck through the gate and clean bowled him.

Aggressive batsman Mohammad Rizwan has joined Saud Shakeel at the crease and immediately showed his intent against Hazlewood with an attempted pull shot.

He found the fence a few times with a brilliant slog sweep off Nathan Lyon for six, followed by a commanding drive off Mitchell Starc.

With 171 left to get, it is do or die for the tourists on day four.

2.41pm - Cummins makes the breakthrough

Just as Shan Masood looked like going big, Pat Cummins pulled out a piece of brilliance. The Aussie skipper made another breakthrough with a perfect delivery catching the outside edge of the Pakistani captain while he was on 60.

Steve Smith darted low and took the catch with ease.

The dismissal has swayed momentum in Australia’s favour. It is now entirely up to Babar Azam to turn this day around for Pakistan and bring them closer to their target of 317.

They currently sit 200 runs short of the target.

2.14pm – Pakistan showing promise

There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge, but the tourists have reason for optimism with Masood and Azam’s partnership building nicely. An all too familiar collapse looked imminent after two early wickets, but the pair is now looking confident at the crease – with Masood posting his second half century in as many knocks.

“There’s something brewing here,” Kerry O’Keeffe.

Shan Masood was looking good.
Shan Masood was looking good.

1.40pm – Cummins strikes

Pat Cummins has done it again, trapping Imam-ul-Haq LBW for 12 shortly after lunch. The wicket has brought Babar Azam to the crease. He hasn’t been at his best this series but perhaps today is his day. With 265 left to chase, it’s do or die for the Pakistani danger man.

1.27pm – MCG looking at shaking up poor crowd turnout

The Melbourne Cricket Club is looking into ways to inject some interest into the Boxing Day Test after images of half empty stands on day one sparked the age old “is Test cricket dying” debate.

It wasn’t long ago the iconic venue would be packed to the rafters for the first few days of the timeless event.

Now, the stands are even more bare than usual on day four, even as Pakistan put up a fight in the fourth innings.

“I think you’re using the data to run a good case here and it’s hard to run against,” Melbourne Cricket Club CEO Stuart Fox said on SEN radio.

“I love the traditional timeslot and I love the fact that it hasn’t changed but I think we’ve got to be up for the discussion and I think that data suggests that if you did start around midday, you’re going to have a lot more people inside the stadium watching the game.

“I think that’d be really special.”

The Melbourne Cricket Club is looking into ways to inject some interest into the Boxing Day Test.
The Melbourne Cricket Club is looking into ways to inject some interest into the Boxing Day Test.

12.26pm – Lyon almost snags the skipper

Nathan Lyon was into his work in his very first over and almost trapped Pakistani captain Shan Masood LBW. The umpire gave him out but DRS confirmed the ball was travelling over the stumps and Masood was given a life.

The teams have gone to the lunch break.

12.06pm – Starc strikes

Mitchell Starc struck gold on the first ball of his third over, tempting Abdullah Shafique into driving at one and forcing an edge. Usman Khawaja took a good catch above his head and Shafique was gone for four.

Pakistan need 307 runs to win.

11.30am – Australia out for 262

Alex Carey brought up his half century with a brilliant cover drive for four as he attempted to hog the strike from No. 11 Josh Hazlewood late in the innings.

The wicketkeeper batsman needed this to reassure himself after going 11 Test innings without a milestone. He has looked sharp today, striking it well through the off side and helping his build a lead of over 300.

It was all over in the next over though, with Mir Hamza darting one into his pads as he tried to play through mid-wicket. The umpire’s finger went up as Pakistan screamed in appeal.

Carey went for the Hail Mary review but ball tracking didn’t do him any favours.

Pakistan have to chase 317 to win the match.

10.58am – Cummins feathers an edge, Lyon falls

Pat Cummins was doing well to get to 16 but feathered the faintest of edges off Aamer Jamal and was on his way. The umpire heard the tiny snick gave him out. The Aussie skipper went for a review and while hotspot couldn’t pick up the edge, snicko spiked when the ball passed the bat and Cummins had to go.

But there is an explanation for those who think Cummins was robbed.

“This has got to do the calibration between sight and sound. Sound does travel at different speed to light,” Simon Taufel, a cricket umpire, told Channel 7.

“Before each day’s play, the technology providers go out and calibrate the sounds particularly and so what we’re looking for is a spike as the ball goes past the bat or up to one frame past the bat which allows that distance between the noise and the stump microphone.”

Nathan Lyon came to the crease and got a few away to a handy 11, copping a beautiful ball from Jamal that clean bowled him.

10.25am – Starc edges one

Mitchell Starc flashed at a wide one early on day four off Shaheen Afridi and sent a low catch through to Babar Azam at first slip. He fell for nine and brought Pat Cummins to the crease with Australia leading by 266.

Azam has finally replaced Abdullah Shafique in the slips cordon and took the catch well.

If only he had been there yesterday afternoon.

9.50am — Pakistan players to be fined for sleeping in changeroom

Pakistan players have been warned not to sleep inside the team’s dressing room during its tour of Australia.

Some of the fielding from the team this series has suggested players have either been getting too much sleep or not enough sleep as they face the likelihood of going down 2-0 in the series at the MCG.

According to local reports, Pakistan’s new national team director Mohammad Hafeez has brought in strict new player protocols.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood reacts with teammate Babar Azam. Photo by William WEST / AFP.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood reacts with teammate Babar Azam. Photo by William WEST / AFP.

Hafeez, who played 55 Tests before his international retirement in 2018, has reportedly introduced a zero-tolerance policy on behaviour inside the changeroom, including a $500 penalty for any players found to be sleeping.

Players have been told to sleep back at the team hotel.

According to the local report, it was previously not uncommon for players to nap in the dressing room during play.

The rules have reportedly caused some friction between some sections of the dressing room.

9am — Pakistan will be haunted by fielding calamity

Australia were on the cusp of a rare Test defeat on home soil, only for one dropped catch to undo all of Pakistan’s work and all but snuff out hopes of victory.

Pakistan’s paceman tore through Australia’s top order on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test to have the Aussies reeling at 4/16.

So it was a golden opportunity when Mitch Marsh edged a delivery from Aamer Jamal to first slip, only for Abdullah Shafique to drop a sitter of a catch.

Abdullah Shafique drops a sitter that would have put Pakistan on top. Photo: Fox Cricket.
Abdullah Shafique drops a sitter that would have put Pakistan on top. Photo: Fox Cricket.
You can’t drop those at first slip. Photo: Fox Cricket.
You can’t drop those at first slip. Photo: Fox Cricket.

It wasn’t the first chance Shafique has dropped this series and former Australian batter Mark Waugh said he had to be taken out of the slips cordon.

“I think you’ve got to get Shafique out of there,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket.

“He has not looked like catching one all series. He’s hung on to one, only just. At some stage you’ve got to get the hook out and say, ‘Out of there son’.

“It’s just like a crocodile jaw trying to catch a ball. It’s unfortunate but you’ve got to get him out of there. His confidence is so low at the moment. How’s he going to catch the next one?

“You’ve just got to get him out of there and get someone else in. Babar’s a good catcher, he should be in at slip. Shafique, go and have a roam in the paddock out wide.”

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Kerry O’Keeffe added: “The Test match is on that catch at the moment. It’s regulation first slip.”

Australia have lost only 11 Test matches on home soil since the start of 2010.

Pakistan opened the door and had the sniff of a rare upset, but Shafique’s dropped catch may have slammed the door shut on any hope of a boilover.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/australia-vs-pakistan-day-4-of-boxing-day-test-live-updates/news-story/f66421c4893ac067a025a52e4bc81e42