Pakistan drop a catch, but not their bundle

Many Boxing Day breakfast functions around the MCG were still packing up when Abdullah Shafique dropped a second slip-soda, relieving David Warner and denying Shaheen Shah Afridi. As a replay was shown on the scoreboard, a gasp went around the MCG. The Christmas blear in the eyes of the early comers had not deceived them; it was as easy as they had thought.

For many previous touring sides in Australia, it might have been the last gasp. So many are defeated before they start. Resigned to their fate, they slouch indifferently onto the field, bat timidly, bowl erratically, leak runs in the field and drop catches like three-year-olds drop unwanted Christmas presents.

They always drop catches. For teams from the Indian subcontinent in particular, it’s a chronic failing. The ball comes to the fieldsmen at a different speed and on a different trajectory here, and they can’t shape their hands the right way at the right moment, and no number of net sessions seems to matter. It cost Pakistan dearly in Perth.

Shafique’s spill was ominous. But when the next catch went to hand in the last over before lunch, Babar Azam snaffled it at slip and Warner got a head-start on the buffet.

Got their man: Salman Agha celebrates the wicket of David Warner.Credit: Getty Images

Really, it should have been lunch already. But the Pakistanis had hastened through the previous over to squeeze in one more from proxy off-spinner Agha Salman. Warner had already removed his gloves, but now had put them back on, then played the airy drive of a man whose mind already was at lunch, and the visitors had a reward for their urgency.

Pakistan may well lose this series 3-0. It would hardly be a shock. Indeed, it’s expected. They’re ranked sixth in the world, far from home and callow. Australia are No. 1, vastly experienced and masters of their unique home conditions. In particularly inhospitable Perth, the gulf showed.

But whatever becomes of this Pakistan team on this tour, it won’t be because of want of attitude. They’ve come determined to make the most of what an Australian tour has to offer. They spent long hours in the changerooms with the Australians after the first Test and turned up to nets on Christmas Day with gifts for the Australians and their children.

Christmas spirit: The Pakistanis came armed with gifts before the Test.Credit: Getty Images

Mostly this brotherhood is the way of the cricket world now, and the game is better for it. If it’s a spin-off from the T20 carousel, all the better. By listening, the Pakistanis know they might learn, by giving, they might receive. After all, legendary predecessors Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis did. Not only did they reap Australian wickets, both are married to Australians and live here.

Rather than sulk after Perth, the Pakistanis begged for and got an unscheduled two-day practice game in Melbourne. Then they were set back by injuries to speedster Khurram Shahzad and spinners Abrar Ahmed and Noman Ali, another occupational hazard for touring sides. But they did not despair.

Come Boxing Day, captain Shan Masood won the toss and leapt at the chance to bowl first on a pitch curator Matt Page thinks he has nearly trained at last after seven years in the job and enticing overhead conditions.

On paper, Pakistan’s seam attack only seemed like an attack. To augment the accomplished Shaheen and Hasan Ali, there was Aamir Jamal, who played his first Test only last week, and left-armer Mir Hamza, who debuted against Australia in 2018 but has played only two more Tests since. They didn’t bother with a specialist spinner. They have nearly 100 fewer wickets between them than Mitch Starc.

The Pakistanis found and used prodigious swing, both ways, also some disconcerting bounce, and beat the bat repeatedly. You can point to some naivete about an ideal length. Appropriately for Boxing Day, the only driving was to the beach.

But you can’t deny that Pakistanis were willing and their effort was sustained. They had little luck, due or self-made. But they were not deterred. The Shafique catch went down, but no heads.

Important moment: Abdullah Shafique drops an easy catch.Credit: Fox Cricket

Don’t forget that they were bowling initially to two greats among openers. Later, it was a pair of former No. 1s, prodigious runmakers. Warner and Usman Khawaja were limited to a single pull shot each. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne were made to labour and sweat. Fluency and flair would have to wait.

In the increasingly gloomy hour after lunch, Australia advanced by merely 23. Yes, it’s probable that Australia’s formidable seamers would have taken more wickets in such an environment, but it’s moot to dwell on it. That’s the business of Wednesday and Thursday.

After lunch, the Pakistanis rushed back on the field. When the rain closed in, they left reluctantly. When it cleared three hours later, they bounded out. They were up for this. At length, Jamal worried out Smith and thought he had Labuschagne lbw, too, but was not authenticated by DRS, and between times had to be treated after making a diving catch at fine leg. To borrow from the winter sport here, he left nothing out there.

The day finished as it began, with a snick to slip, this as Travis Head flashed at Salman. This time, Masood could not hold on as it flew high and fast to his left. This was still Australia in Australia after all. But it was also more a blinder nearly taken than another sitter dropped. That’s how Pakistan looked at it.

MCG mood: Day one of the Test was played under greying skies before the rain arrived.Credit: Chris Hopkins

If they go on this way, this Pakistan team will endear themselves to Australian crowds. Perhaps they have already. In the face of a gloomy forecast, a 60,000-plus crowd was a pleasing turn-out. Many were Boxing Day theatre-goers, but even if the crowd dwindles on Wednesday, enough have seen to give their respect.

Test cricket needs teams who come to play. Pakistan have made a good impression. Next they have to make a dent.

News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.