DAY FOUR: STUMPS
It's official now: That will be it for the day.
So we're now left with just tomorrow. England will hope to take the rest of the eight wickets quickly to ensure a victory, and James Anderson's 600th. Join us for Day Five, at 11am local time (1530 IST).
Goodbye.
. It's raining heavily now.
. We don't know whether the light will improve, and whether we'll return. The play can extend up to 7.30pm local time (2400 IST), but it's not very likely that we'll resume.
We'll be back when there's some news.
. Two singles from the over from Joe Root. The second single brings up the 100 for Pakistan. The players are walking off. The light has deteriorated. 100/2.
. Some excitement for Dom Bess and the English fielders when Azhar Ali comes forward to defend a delivery and gets an inside edge on to his pads. No harm done, though. Azhar gets a shorter one and guides it to third man for three. Then Abid works it off his legs to take a single. 98/2.
. Yes, now Joe Root brings himself on to bowl his off-spinners. That suggests it's the light situation that's the consideration. One run from that over. 93/2.
. Dom Bess is back to bowl his 13th over. Is he being brought back on because of the light situation?
He bowls a full delivery outside off, Azhar drives through cover to take two runs. 92/2.
Umpire Michael Gough takes out his light meter, has a chat with the other umpire, Richard Illingworth. A groundsman clears the way to bring in the covers. But they aren't going off just yet.
. Half volley on the pads, Azhar works it away for a single. That's the only run from the over from Anderson. 90/2.
. Jofra Archer into the attack. A single taken on the first delivery as Azhar works one off his thigh backward of square. Archer tests Babar Azam, the new batsman, with short deliveries from around the wicket. Babar ducks nicely behind them or gets out of the way. The final delivery is also a short one, but wide, and Babar tries to play the pull, misses. 89/2.
. Anderson resumes. Full, on the pads, and worked away to deep backward square leg for a single by Azhar. A huge shout for lbw, and it's given! Looked adjacent, too! The review is taken by the batsman.
'Wickets hitting' would be umpire's call. And Anderson gets his 599th.
It's a good length delivery coming in with the angle. Hits the left leg, below the knee-roll. Anderson had a beaming smile when he got that verdict from the umpire. That clinched it for him, for if it had not been given out, it would have stayed not out. Abid Ali has to depart for 42 (162b). 88/2.
. Dom Bess beats Abid in the flight. Full and wide, Abid tries to drive it, but is too quick on it, and gets an inside edge. The batsman defends the rest of the deliveries. 87/1.
. James Anderson is back to bowl his 10th over. Nearly produces an edge, a top delivery first up. Short of a length, in the corridor. Three slips, a short mid-off and a short mid-on in place. Slightly shorter, and Azhar Ali punches off the backfoot to collect two runs. 87/1.
. Dom Bess continues. Azhar comes onto the front foot and defends the first delivery. The third delivery of the over is a shorter one, he guides it to point to pick up a single. Some width outside off on the final delivery, full, Abid goes for the drive, but cannot clear the in-field. 85/1.
. Broad continues to bowl from around the wicket. After three deliveries, he switches to over the wicket. Some sharp inward movement after he gets the ball to pitch on a good length outside the off-stump; Abid Ali left that one alone. A maiden over, and it's drinks. 84/1.
. A short delivery outside off from Dom Bess, pushed into the off-side by Azhar Ali for a single. A gentle appeal after Azhar goes back in his crease to work it away to the leg side. He steers one to third man for a single. And then Bess bowls a full one to Azhar, who drives and picks up two runs. The final delivery is driven straight to mid-on. 84/1.
. Broad continues from around the wicket to Abid Ali. Digs it in short, Abid ducks under it. Then on the third delivery he fires it in full, Abid plays the drive. Then short again, Abid ducks again. This is followed by another full delivery, outside the off-stump, dug out by the batsman. And the final delivery is on leg-stump, full, it thuds into Abid's pads. A maiden. 80/1.
. A single from the over from Dom Bess. Abid Ali has a mind to pull out his paddle-sweep but it's too full and too wide for him to be playing that stroke so he adjusts at the last minute and pulls out. Leaves it alone. A single taken off the last ball, he tucks it away past short-leg for a single. 80/1.
. Looks like they're going to test Azhar Ali as well with short-pitched deliveries. Broad bowls one from around wicket, Azhar ducks under it safely. An earnest appeal for caught behind by Jos Buttler and Stuart Broad as Azhar comes on to his off-side and shoulders arms to a delivery directed to his body. There is a sound but it's of the ball touching the shirt.
And the next delivery is an excellent one, going across Azhar, who nearly edges it behind. But no harm done. A maiden. 79/1.
. A maiden over from Dom Bess. The deliveries are defended by Azhar Ali, except for one delivery which was driven to mid-on. Azhar takes a single after defending one to the on-side off the last ball. 79/1.
. Broad is back into the attack. Around the wicket to Abid Ali. Runs straightaway, it's a short of a length delivery on his thigh, Abid gets bat on it and helps it away to the fine-leg boundary. It's a short-ball strategy to Abid.
And for the last ball, he switches to over the wicket. It's a short delivery outside off-stump, defended by Abid. 78/1.
. A weird stroke from Abid Ali to fetch him three runs. It's a short one from Dom Bess; Abid Ali was apparently preparing to sweep it as he bent his knee, then at the last moment, decided to play a mix of Dilscoop and the paddle sweep. Bess fires it in to Azhar Ali, it looked like a faster and flatter delivery, Azhar goes back in his crease to play it off his legs, gets four leg-byes. 74/1.
. Chris Woakes is hiding the ball as he runs in to bowl. Is there any reverse-swing? A single is taken after Abid gets one on his ribs and fends it away on the on-side. A nice on-drive from Azhar Ali; this time it's successful, beats the man at mid-on and runs away for a boundary. Five from the over. 67/1.
. Abid Ali brings out his sweep for the first time. He thinks that can be an effective stroke to deal with Dom Bess. It doesn't go for runs, fielded at square leg. Nearly another maiden. The last ball yields a single; it's guided past the slip fielder off the outside edge. Played with soft hands. 62/1.
. A scary moment for Azhar Ali as he attempts to pull one from Chris Woakes. He gets a top edge, it takes flight but lands in no-man's land beyond the slip fielders on the off-side. Two runs taken. 61/2.
. Abid Ali defends all the deliveries in this over from Dom Bess, except the last two. He plays a drive on the fifth delivery, no run. And then gets one a little straighter, tries to work it off his legs, but doesn't get bat on it. The ball balloons to short leg, there's an appeal. But not out. A maiden over. 59/1.
. A nice juicy half volley on the pads from Chris Woakes, Azhar Ali flicks it but finds the man at midwicket. The rest of the deliveries are defended or left alone by the batsman. Except the last delivery; it's in the corridor, Azhar nearly edges it behind. 59/1.
. Abid Ali gets some more spray on his left hand during the drinks breaks. Dom Bess continues to bowl that in-between length, apart from the first delivery, which is too full, dug out by Azhar Ali and a single taken.
Bess fires in a faster delivery, Abid is perhaps undone by that and he shapes to defend it off his crease. The ball thuds into the gloves. No edge. 59/1.
. Abid Ali continues to face short deliveries. Jofra Archer digs one short and he ducks under it nicely. Another maiden over from Archer. 58/1.
. A full delivery outside off from Bess, Abid Ali leans forward and drives it to cover to pick up a couple of runs. Then he tucks it off his thigh backward of square for a single. Azhar Ali assuredly negotiates negotiates the rest of the over. 58/1.
. Azhar Ali plays a couple of nice drives off full deliveries in that over from Jofra Archer. No run, as he is unable to clear mid-off and mid-on. Another maiden over. 55/1.
. Abid Ali chooses to play the first couple of deliveries from Dom Bess in his latest over off the back-foot. The third deliveries pitches on a good length, slightly straighter, and it's defended by the batsman, who doesn't go back but doesn't come forward either. Then it's slightly fuller, and Abid comes forward to defend it. To finish up, it's full again, on middle-stump, defended again. Maiden. 55/1.
. Jofra Archer also bowls short to Abid, who either ducks or defends off the back-foot. He bowls a full delivery to the batsman, who flicks it to square for a single. Azhar Ali also gets one on his legs, and works it away for a single to keep strike. 55/1.
. Dom Bess, wearing sunglasses, has the ball in his hands. The first delivery pitches on a good length, played off the backfoot by Abid. Then slightly fuller, driven to cover. Another full delivery, but Abid doesn't get to the pitch of the ball and it trickles off his inside edge.
A good length delivery once again and this time it's a little straighter, Abid goes back in his crease and tucks it behind square for a single. A full delivery is defended off the front-foot by Azhar Ali, who chooses to play the last delivery of the over - slightly shorter - off the backfoot. 52/1.
. Jofra Archer back into the attack. Azhar Ali, the No. 3, leaves the deliveries alone outside the off-stump. A maiden over. 51/1.
. James Anderson continues with his short-ball strategy to Abid Ali. Some discomfort for the batsman as he negotiates a short one directed at his ribs. Another short delivery, but straighter, Abid nicely positions himself to leave it alone.
Another short delivery, it's punched off the back-foot by Abid for two runs. That brings up the 50 for Pakistan. 51/1.
. A good length delivery from Broad, going on with the angle, Shan Masood shapes to leave it, but misjudges, it hits the flap of his pad. It's given out by umpire Michael Gough. Review is taken by the batsman; it pitches in line, impact in line, and 'wickets hitting' is umpire's call. At first instance it appeared to be going over the stumps or missing the off-stump. But Shan Masood has to depart for 18 (66b). 49/1.
. Abid gets on top of a short delivery directed at his chest and defends it to the on-side, Shan Masood looks for a single but Abid loudly calls 'no' to send him back. And then another one on his chest, after he plays that behind square on the on-side, he takes off his left glove and grimaces in pain. Some spray on the spot where he got hurt.
And another excellent delivery to Abid Ali, who nearly edges behind again. 49/0.
. Broad comes from around the wicket to Shan Masood. Angles the first delivery into the batsman and he defends it. The second is defended as well, the batsman well behind the line of the ball. Then he bowls it slightly wider, defended again. Broad bowls it slightly shorter and the batsman pulls it, cannot clear short midwicket.
And then nearly another edge. A top delivery from Broad, in the corridor, back of a length, the batsman had little clue about that one. But then he gets a full delivery and nicely on-drives to collect a boundary through mid-on. 47/0.
. Shan Masood gets one on his legs and works it away for a single. A loud shout for lbw on the final delivery from Anderson & Co. Not given. It was a top delivery to Abid Ali; pitches on a good length outside off, Abid is rooted to the crease and nearly edges behind. 43/0.
. Stuart Broad makes the batsman play in his over. Abid solidly defends from his crease. A maiden over. 42/0.
. The first two deliveries pitch on a good length on off-stump, defended off the front-foot by Abid Ali. The batsman leaves couple of deliveries outside the off-stump. Anderson attempts a yorker but it's sliding down the leg side, a mild shout. A leg-bye taken. 42/0.
Right, so the players take their positions and it will be James Anderson to bowl to Abid Ali.
Good news: We'll have cricket again from 3.45pm local time (2015 IST).
The umpires decide that the pitch and/or the outfield are still too wet to announce a resumption time. There will be a further inspection at 3pm. Apparently it's rained heavily.
There will be an inspection at 2.20pm local time (1850 IST).
It's stopped raining, but there are puddles on the field and so the drying work will take some time, it seems.
No sign of play resuming as yet. It's raining down in Southampton.
Lunch has been taken. But now it's raining as well, so we may have to wait for a bit before resumption. The official time of the start of the second session is 1740 IST.
We don't know how long we may have to wait as it could start raining anytime. It's been an good session so far for Pakistan. England's seamers created some chances, and Anderson suffered the fourth drop off his bowling since yesterday.
We'll be back when there's some news.
The umpires are having a chat. The players are walking back due to bad light. The dark clouds have deteriorated the light situation. The groundsmen come on with the pitch cover.
. Abid Ali gets a good length delivery on off-stump and closes his bat in a defensive stroke to pick up another single. Shan Masood defends from his crease, then steers one to point, but cannot take a single. Woakes switches to around the wicket for his final delivery; it's a full one outside off-stump, coming in with the angle, left alone by the batsman. 41/0.
. A loose delivery from Archer fetches Shan Masood a single backward of square on the leg side. It's full, drifting down the leg side, Masood helps it away. A full and straight delivery from Archer to Abid, Abid drives it to mid-on and pinches a single. It came off the inside half of his bat. A full delivery, outside off, to Shan Masood; the batsman goes for the drive, misses. 40/0.
It's grey at the Rose Bowl at the moment. Dark clouds surround the ground. The groundsmen are ready to bring on the covers. Meanwhile, Archer comes on to bowl his fourth over.
. A loud appeal for lbw, but it's a query more than a convinced appeal. It's drifting down the leg side probably, and replays confirm it. It's short of a length to Abid Ali, angling into the right hander, hitting his thigh. Abid gets the next delivery from Woakes on his legs and works it away for two runs. 38/0.
. Archer continues after the drinks break. He settles into a nice line to Shan Masood, across the left-hander from over the wicket. Masood carefully leaves alone the deliveries slightly outside off. He gets one on his legs and tucks it to midwicket for two runs. 36/0.
. Now Chris Woakes nearly produces an edge. In the corridor, an in-between length, Abid Ali survives. Woakes drifts one down the leg side; Abid gets an edge and the ball brushes his thigh pad as well and Buttler dives to his right to stop the ball and prevent a boundary. It's a maiden over from Woakes. 34/0.
. A yorker-length delivery to Shan Masood, dug out by him. Then a loud shout for lbw when Masood shapes to defend one off his backfoot; there's an inside edge. A maiden over from Jofra Archer. 34/0.
. Two singles taken from the over from Chris Woakes. 34/0.
. Jofra Archer replaces Anderson. It's a maiden. The deliveries are left alone or defended from the crease by Shan Masood. 32/0.
. Chris Woakes into the attack. He bowls full and gets some away movement, Abid is not tempted to drive. Then a short delivery to him, it climbs up on the batsman but it's played well in the end, both feet off the ground, steered to the off-side. A gentle appeal for lbw, not given; the ball would have been going over the stumps. It's a short of a length delivery coming into the batsman with the angle; hits Abid on his thigh.
To finish the over, another full delivery, outswing. This time Abid Ali is tempted to drive, but he doesn't get bat on ball. 32/0.
. Full from Anderson, outside the off-stump, Abid Ali drives through mid-off to collect two runs. And then slightly straighter, but it's another full delivery, driven again for three runs by Abid. He bowls in the corridor to Shan Masood, and the deliveries are comfortably left alone. 30/0.
. Broad continues from around the wicket to Masood. He edges again but the ball goes along the ground past the third slip for a boundary. Broad shakes his head.
And Masood nearly nicks behind again. Short of a length, outside off, Masood cannot resist a poke at it, thankfully for him, he doesn't get any bat on it. 25/0.
. Anderson comes on to bowl his fourth over. Will he get his 599th? In the corridor and a near edge once again. Then a full and wide delivery, Abid wafts at that and misses. Then a short of a length delivery, defended by Abid. And then another. And blocked once again by Abid. A maiden. 21/0.
. Full and straight from Stuart Broad, Abid Ali flicks it again and picks up three runs. 21/0.
. Anderson's ill-luck continues. This time Jos Buttler is on it. Anderson bowls full, outside off-stump, it's nicked by Shan Masood, but Buttler makes a mess of it. The ball went to his midriff, and then popped out. He smiles, Anderson smiles to himself. How long will it continue?
That would have been his 599th dismissal. 18/0.
. Stuart Broad draws out an edge off Abid Ali, but the ball doesn't carry on the full to Rory Burns at second slip. Nearly a dismissal, but not quite. Broad sprays one down the leg-side, it's full as well, and Abid Ali neatly flicks it off his legs to collect a boundary. 16/0.
. Short of a length, on off-stump, from Anderson. It's defended from the crease by Abid Ali and a quick single is taken. Similar delivery to Shan Masood, another single. And an excellent delivery from Anderson to Abid Ali; in the corridor, goes past the outside edge.
And an overthrow. No one was backing up at the non-strikers' end. When Abid runs a quick single - it's off his thigh - the fielder at short midwicket throws it and it's four more runs via overthrows. It's the substitute fielder who replaced Ollie Pope. Anderson isn't amused. He had overthrows off his bowling yesterday as well. 10/3.
. Stuart Broad bowls the second over. Ollie Pope holds his shoulder and grimaces in pain after fielding a ball at the third-man boundary. Shan Masood steers this one past the slip cordon, Pope chased the ball, dived and tumbled to prevent a boundary, but he's hurt his shoulder. He walks off the ground for some treatment. 3/0 after two overs.
. Away movement for Anderson in the first over. A leg-bye taken by Shan Masood. 1/0.
. Azhar Ali came out to bat for the last half hour yesterday when the follow-on was enforced before play was called off due to bad light. But today, the regular openers are in the middle: Abid Ali and Shan Masood. Anderson starts proceedings.
THIRD DAY RECAP |
In his comments on yesterday's cricket on his YouTube channel, Inzamam-ul-Haq was surprised by England's decision to enforce the follow-on. He thinks England's bowlers would be tired and that it would help Pakistan in the second innings. We'll get to know how effective they are today; after Azhar Ali's ton Pakistan's batsmen would certainly be more buoyed.
What's the weather going to be like today? "Heavy and thundery showers will ease slightly into the afternoon, with a few brighter spells emerging, along with variable cloud," predicts the BBC . Meaning there will be interruptions in play.
Azhar Ali played a captain's knock on Day Three, but he will like to do it again today to help his side avoid a timid surrender. The big question is: can the top-order shine? Early wickets late on Day One and then early yesterday put paid to Pakistan's hopes of compiling a big total. Pakistan will want to put up a better performance with the bat.
And what's in it for England besides a victory bid? James Anderson's landmark. He needs two more wickets to get to the 600 mark. Three catches were dropped off his bowling in a span of 10 minutes last evening, but despite that, he registered a five-wicket haul. He'll be a happy man if he gets another three or four wickets today.
Here's the report of all the action from Day Three.
Where and when can you watch Pakistan vs England LIVE?
Pakistan vs England will be aired LIVE only on SONY SIX channels from 3.30 pm onwards. It will be available for live streaming on SONY LIV.
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