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’I am stunned’: Pat Cummins divides cricket with follow-on call

Australia’s bowlers have absolutely decimated Pakistan, but skipper Pat Cummins decided the 408-run lead was not enough.

Nic SavageNic Savage
@nic_savage1
8 min read
March 15, 2022 - 9:35AM
Australia's captain Pat Cummins. Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP.
Australia's captain Pat Cummins. Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP.

Pakistan has been absolutely decimated by Australia’s classy bowling attack in the second Test of the Benaud-Qadir Series, with Karachi’s spectators witnessing a reverse swing bowling masterclass on Monday.

Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Cameron Green combined to run through Pakistan’s top-order in the afternoon session, with the Aussies eventually rolling the hosts for just 148.

The pace trio got the old Kookaburra hooping around corners, with reverse swing proving a dangerous and effective weapon for the Australians on day three.

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Starc almost became the first Australian to take a Test hat-trick since Peter Siddle in 2010, but the left-armer’s hat-trick delivery narrowly missed the outside edge of Mohammad Rizwan’s bat.

After claiming just four wickets in the first seven days of the Pakistan series, Australia’s bowlers only needed two-and-a-bit sessions to take 10 wickets on Monday.

Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson removed Pakistan captain Babar Azam in the evening session, finishing with figures of 2/32 from nine overs on Test debut.

A pair of classy run outs from Swepson and Marnus Labuschagne helped Australia claim a monster first-innings lead of 408.

To rub salt into the wound, Cummins opted not to enforce the follow-on so his batters could extend the visitors’ lead ahead of a fourth innings onslaught.

“I am astonished by that,” commentator Mike Haysman said after Cummins elected to bat again.

“I don’t understand that at all.

“I am stunned, I’m afraid.”

Haysman may have been taken aback but others supported the skipper, as Pakistan still has a mountain to climb for any hope of salvaging a draw from this contest.

Commentator Brenton Speed tweeted: “I love this from Australia and Pat Cummins… they’re playing a 3 Test series … and grinding the opposition into the turf and playing the lonnnng game works.”

The Aussies are 1/81 at stumps on day three, with first innings centurion Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 35. David Warner was the only Australian wicket to fall in the evening session, removed by Pakistan paceman Hasan Ali for 7.

Australia has never won a Test match in Karachi, but Cummins’ men are 10 wickets away from achieving the historic feat.

Australia's Mitchell Swepson celebrates with his teammates after the dismissal of Pakistan captain Babar Azam. Photo by ASIF HASSAN / AFP
Australia's Mitchell Swepson celebrates with his teammates after the dismissal of Pakistan captain Babar Azam. Photo by ASIF HASSAN / AFP

Pakistan nightmare just got worse

Oh dear, nothing is going right for Pakistan today.

Australian opener Usman Khawaja, who scored a century in the first innings, has been gifted an extra life on 30, with Pakistan gloveman Mohammad Rizwan putting down a regulation catch in the 15th over.

Sajid Khan was the unlucky bowler, with Khawaja and Labuschagne bringing up their 50-run partnership soon after.

Warner falls cheaply

Pakistan has unearthed it first breakthrough of the second innings, with paceman Hasan Ali removing Australian opener David Warner for 7.

Warner attempted to guide the Kookaburra through third man, but the thick outside edge was caught by Fawad Alam at gully.

Australian No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne, who is on a pair, joins first innings centurion Usman Khawaja in the middle.

Maiden Test wicket for Swepson

He’s done it!

Mitchell Swepson has taken his maiden Test wicket in his sixth over of the match, removing the dangerous Babar Azam for 36.

Azam charged down the wicket and looked to smack the leg-spinner back over his head, but only managed to skew the ball towards long-off, where Usman Khawaja claimed a regulation catch.

Khawaja had presented Queensland teammate Swepson with his Baggy Green on Saturday.

Australia is one wicket away from completing an epic demolition in Karachi.

Marnus does it again

It’s taken a magical piece of fielding from Marnus Labuschagne to get rid of Hasan Ali, who returns to the sheds for a duck.

In the 42nd over, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam fended a full delivery from Mitchell Starc into the covers, and called Ali through for a quick single.

Ali hesitated briefly at the non-striker’s end, giving Labuschagne an opportunity for a run out at the other end.

And he made no mistake, finding Ali inches short of making his ground despite copping an awful bounce on the pick-up.

Two more wickets and Australia is batting again – unless the follow-on is enforced.

Starc strikes yet again

This is one of the best spells of reverse swing bowling in years.

Mitchell Starc has removed Sajid Khan with a beauty that nipped away from the right-hander, catching a faint outside edge.

The umpire did not hear the edge, but Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey begged his skipper to call for a review, where a noise appeared on Snicko as the ball passed the bat.

Pakistan are now seven down in Karachi, with the Aussies hunting for one more scalp before the tea break.

Green gets his first

And now Cameron Green is getting the Kookaburra reversing in Karachi!

The young all-rounder has snared his first wicket of the series, trapping Faheem Ashraf on the front pad after the ball swung past his inside edge.

Ashraf opted not to review, meaning the hosts are now six down. Hawkeye replays showed the ball would have clipped leg stump.

This is officially a collapse, with five top-order wickets falling since the lunch break.

Cummins joins the party

There’s plenty happening in Karachi this afternoon.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins found the outside edge of Mohammad Rizwan’s bat in the 30th over with a delivery that nipped away on a good length.

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey looked to be in position to claim the chance, but Steve Smith dived across at first slip and dropped the Kookaburra, gifting Rizwan an extra life on 4.

Adding to the drama, Rizwan was given out LBW the following the delivery, but replays showed the ball was comfortably missing off stump.

But the Pakistan wicketkeeper’s luck ran out soon after, with Rizwan edging another Cummins delivery to Carey behind the stumps.

Rizwan departs for 6, and Pakistan is now five down in Karachi.

Cummins and teammate Mitchell Starc are putting on a reverse swing masterclass.

Starc on a hat-trick

Australian quick Mitchell Starc is on a hat-trick in Karachi!

Azhar Ali was the first player back in the sheds after a classy catch from Cameron Green at second slip sent the Pakistan veteran packing.

Starc, who was starting to find reverse swing, lured Ali into attempting a full-blooded cover drive, with the outside edge flying to Green who took a sharp catch low to the turf.

The Pakistan No. 3 was gone for 14, but it didn’t take long for the Australians to strike again.

Starc’s first ball to Fawad Alam, who did not face a delivery in the first Test at Rawalpindi, was a searing yorker that struck the left-hander on the front pad. The umpire raised his finger, and a desperate review couldn’t save Alam.

Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan was tasked with facing the hat-trick ball, which flew past the right-hander’s outside edge.

It was an absolute peach, but wasn’t enough to secure the coveted hat-trick.

Lyon roars after lunch break

Nathan Lyon has struck in the first over after the lunch interval, removing Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq for 20.

Imam-ul-Haq looked to smack the Australian off-spinner back over his head, but instead scooped a simple catch to captain Pat Cummins at mid-on.

Australia’s bowlers went 619 balls without taking a wicket before that breakthrough.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam joins teammate Azhar Ali in the middle.

Aussie debutant makes his mark

Mitchell Swepson is having a day to remember in Karachi, with the leg-spinner pulling off a superb piece of fielding to help Australia claim its first breakthrough on Monday.

Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq awkwardly prodded a full delivery from off-spinner Nathan Lyon towards fine leg, and the batters scampered through for a quick single.

But Swepson swooped in from short fine leg and threw down the stumps with a direct hit, finding Abdullah Shafique a metre short of making his ground.

The dismissal came two deliveries after Swepson’s first over in Test cricket.

“That was a very poor bit of running,” commentator Rob Key said.

Former Australian batter Simon Katich agreed, calling it a “terrible piece of running”.

Pakistan great Waqar Younis cried: “What were they thinking? what were they doing?”

Veteran batter Azhar Ali is the new man in the middle.

Aussies finally declare

Skipper Pat Cummins has finally called the Australian innings to a close, with the visitors adding 51 runs to the tally before declaring at 9/556.

Cummins and debutant Mitchell Swepson combined for an unbeaten 51-run partnership for the 10th wicket, with the captain smacking a trio of sixes over the mid-wicket boundary.

It was Australia’s longest first innings in a Test match since 1993.

There will be a 10-minute interval before Pakistan’s chase gets underway in Karachi.

Starc departs early

It only took two deliveries for Pakistan to snare its first breakthrough of the morning, with paceman Shaheen Afridi removing in the first over of day three.

Starc chipped a delivery straight to Azhar Ali at cover-point, who claimed a comfortable catch. The left-hander survived 97 deliveries at the crease, making it his longest Test innings since 2015.

Aussie debutant Mitchell Swepson walks to the crease, joining skipper Pat Cummins.

Carey defends Australia’s slow tactics

Alex Carey has explained why Australia elected not to declare on day two, revealing it was the plan all along.

Carey fell for 93 at the end of the second day where Australia failed to push the game forward with quick runs with time already appearing to be running out despite there being three full days of play still to unfold on the lifeless Karachi pitch.

“The captain basically said to the batters to get your head around batting all day unless a message comes otherwise,” Carey told reporters after play.

“It’s not the easiest wicket to score quickly on. I know that might sound interesting, but it’s starting to be a little bit variable, inconsistent and there was reverse swing at times throughout the day.

Pakistan's captain Babar Azam and his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins have some explaining to do. Photo by ASIF HASSAN / AFP.
Pakistan's captain Babar Azam and his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins have some explaining to do. Photo by ASIF HASSAN / AFP.

“The more runs we can get in this first innings sets us up for the back end. I think the wicket is starting to show a bit of life now. Some patches are starting to open up. I think the game will move quicker going into the back-end into day four and day five.

“I still think there are opportunities for us to take 20 wickets going into tomorrow and (days) four and five.”

Cummins under fire for decision that never came

Australia’s decision not to declare saw Pakistan’s bowlers churn through 180 overs.

It is the first time Australia has batted for more than 1000 balls in a first innings since Australia’s last tour of Pakistan in 1998.

The First Test in Rawalpindi was a waste of time after a poorly prepared pitch resulted in a draw with just 14 wickets falling in five days of cricket.

It is repeating again in Karachi.

The strategy appears clear from the Aussie dressing room, which will be hoping to bat only once and then bowl to Pakistan when the pitch is deteriorating in the final days of the Test.

While the logic is understandable, commentators still didn’t like it.

The Aussie team was particularly criticised for the slow second session of the day where the run rate hovered around two runs per over.

While Carey (93 from 159 balls) stayed active, the rest of the Aussie middle order showed no interest in even looking for quick runs.

Mitchell Starc (28 not out from 95 balls) and Cameron Green (28 from 73) were the worst offenders at a time when cricket experts were openly questioning why Cummins hadn’t pulled the trigger.

With many expecting a late declaration, Cummins is instead marching to the beat of his own drum.

“I don’t understand what the Australians are thinking here, because their run rate is still under three an over. If they want to win this game they’ll need to get a move on,” Pakistan great Waqar Younis said.

Aussie Test great Simon Katich said: “I’m honestly surprised. I honestly thought they would come out here and try to move the game forward”.

Prominent cricket analyst Rick Eyre posted on Twitter: “Baffling tactics from Pat Cummins.”

He went on to suggest Cummins was operating out of character with his tactics.

“We’re used to attacking, enterprising captaincy from the Australians and Pat Cummins hasn’t shown that today,” Eyre posted on Twitter.

“He must be supremely confident that the pitch will help his spinners over the last two days.”

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/australia-vs-pakistan-second-test-day-3-live-updates/news-story/d8fc3d998e3599ed111c43e4d0ad181f