1st Test: Pakistan v Australia @ Rawalpindi, March 4-8 2022

[TheParraboy]

A week to go

Commencing Friday next week. I think at 4pm AEDT

Agar named as third spinner in Australia's 18-man squad to tour Pakistan

Joins Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson as the spinners. Marcus Harris is in the squad alongside Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis is the reserve wicketkeeper

www.espncricinfo.com

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Steven Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner,

 

[TheParraboy]

We have all the bases covered

Good enough for me

Australia 3-0

Australia confident they have all bases covered for Test challenge in unfamiliar Pakistan

Numbers suggest pace will play an important part but Andrew McDonald is ready to adapt

www.espncricinfo.com

Australia's senior team has not toured the country since 1998, and there have only been five Tests staged in Pakistan since the game returned in 2019, so data is limited while there are no warm-up matches ahead of the series. There is a reasonable chance that the balance of Australia's Test side remains the same as in the recent Ashes, with three quicks and a spinner alongside Cameron Green - pace has averaged 29.61 and spin 39.41 in those five matches since 2019 - but interim head coach Andrew McDonald is confident the squad will have the ability to adapt.

"We are taking some educated guesses based upon what we've seen in recent times," he said. "Looking at the PSL, looking at the squares...it's at the back end of their season. Our preparation takes on a greater range and probably less specific than what we'd do if we knew exactly what we were getting.

"We are covering all bases, from turning wickets to wickets with grass on - they have a sensational pace attack, so we'll be tested with that - there's many ways that they can play it and they are in control of their own conditions. We feel as though the squad is balanced with enough options for whatever the case may be."

 

[TheParraboy]

The security is insane

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/australia-v-pakistan-test-for-crickets-diplomacy/news-story/faa979ea572d1c13d3db15ecbb308f88

There will be military, paramilitary and police creating a cordon around the grounds and the hotels. Not in the hundreds but in the thousands. There will be armoured buses on closed roads. Helicopters and hell to pay if you get in their way. There is a close personal protection team and hostile vehicle mitigation.
Snipers on roof tops and armoured cars on side streets. The Minister of the Interior and Home Departments co-ordinate in Pakistan. Government agencies have assisted in Australia.

Australia’s cricketers face the tightest security and biosecurity bubble they’ve ever encountered when they land in Pakistan ahead of next week’s historic first Test in Rawalpindi.

Wrangling a full-strength Test side for the tour is an incredible achievement given the times.

There for all of March and a week of April — three Tests and a smattering of white-ball confections — no Australian player will, however, set foot on a Pakistan footpath or browse a local market.

Probably the only time they’ll be more than a few metres from a man with a machine gun will be on the field. Even before the times of terror and the attack on the Sri Lankan team bus, before the coronavirus, Pakistan was not a popular place to tour.

 

[hineyrulz]

Bring back Wadey!!!

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Bring back Wadey!!!

As target practice for the snipers.

 

[Valheru]

I'm really looking forward to this test series in what is a perfect time slot for us in Australia.

So this is happening isn't it? I was always hopeful but expected it to be cancelled however there doesn't seem to even be a whisper of that coming from CA.

We should be commended for this. There will be no reason for NZ, England and WI to not conduct test tours now. Of course the situation with India is a political one.

 

[Fangs]

I'll go 1-1. Hopefully its a safe tour for the players.

And hopefully Mitchell Swepson gets a chance. Should have already happened by now imo.

 

[King-Gutho94]

I'm really looking forward to this test series in what is a perfect time slot for us in Australia.

So this is happening isn't it? I was always hopeful but expected it to be cancelled however there doesn't seem to even be a whisper of that coming from CA.

We should be commended for this. There will be no reason for NZ, England and WI to not conduct test tours now. Of course the situation with India is a political one.

Yeah lets be realistic the future of pakistan cricket rests on this tour be successful.

I know it sounds crazy but the PCB cant afford for the team to be playing in UAE they are getting bled dry.

If Australia pull out at any stage due to a major security issue or incident then no international team will travel to pakistan for another 20 years at a minimum or ever again.

World cricket needs a strong pakistan and pakistan to be able host international cricket again.

I hope everything turns out successful even if we lose the series i feel it will be a success if it goes off without a hitch.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Love this:

Richie Benaud to be remembered in Australia's Test series against Pakistan with inaugural Benaud-Qadir Trophy

Richie Benaud to be remembered in Australia's Test series against Pakistan

A perpetual trophy is named in honour of both the Australian Test great and legendary Pakistani leg-spinner Abdul Qadir ahead of the series opener in Rawalpindi.

www.abc.net.au

 

[King-Gutho94]

Love this:

Richie Benaud to be remembered in Australia's Test series against Pakistan with inaugural Benaud-Qadir Trophy

Richie Benaud to be remembered in Australia's Test series against Pakistan

A perpetual trophy is named in honour of both the Australian Test great and legendary Pakistani leg-spinner Abdul Qadir ahead of the series opener in Rawalpindi.

www.abc.net.au

Yep great to see Australia and pakistan playing off for a trophy in test cricket.

I may be wrong but was Richie Benuad the first Australian test captain to lead a tour of pakistan.

Also leaves just south africa as the only main nation in test cricket we dont have a trophy named after for a test series.

 

[Sphagnum]

Yep great to see Australia and pakistan playing off for a trophy in test cricket.

I may be wrong but was Richie Benuad the first Australian test captain to lead a tour of pakistan.

Also leaves just south africa as the only main nation in test cricket we dont have a trophy named after for a test series.

The Klusner/Bison shield?

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Cronje -Warne Cup?

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Cullinan-Mcgain trophy

 

[TheParraboy]

With Pakistan

Love this:

Richie Benaud to be remembered in Australia's Test series against Pakistan with inaugural Benaud-Qadir Trophy

Richie Benaud to be remembered in Australia's Test series against Pakistan

A perpetual trophy is named in honour of both the Australian Test great and legendary Pakistani leg-spinner Abdul Qadir ahead of the series opener in Rawalpindi.

www.abc.net.au

Id prefer The Lawson-Langer cup , but that will do…

 

[TheParraboy]

Yep great to see Australia and pakistan playing off for a trophy in test cricket.

I may be wrong but was Richie Benuad the first Australian test captain to lead a tour of pakistan.

Also leaves just south africa as the only main nation in test cricket we dont have a trophy named after for a test series.

Surely its the Kallis/Watto Cup ??

Or DeKock/Wadey trophy ?

 

[King-Gutho94]

Surely its the Kallis/Watto Cup ??

Or DeKock/Wadey trophy ?

DeKock/Warner trophy with SBW presenting the trophy in the stairwell

 

[TheParraboy]

Australia's spin-bowling consultant Fawad Ahmed tests positive for Covid-19

He was part of Lahore Qalandars' squad at the recently concluded PSL

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[roofromoz]

4pm start Sydney time, SEN are taking the call.

Cricket on the commute home, all right.

 

[Fangs]

Need Ray Hadley on the afternoon drive call.

 

[Smug Panther]

Need Ray Hadley on the afternoon drive call.

I'd be hoping to hit a telegraph pole