Australia v Pakistan first Test LIVE: Australia host Pakistan after ...

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3.01pm

DRS: Pakistan waste review underestimating Perth’s bounce

Shaheen back into the attack and first ball he’s hit Warner on the pads, looks good as far as line. Bounce in Perth is the issue and you assume that’s why umpire Joel Wilson has given it not out. Pakistan refer it upstairs.

Australia vs Pakistan - Figure 1
Photo The Sydney Morning Herald

No bat, impact is in line but ball-tracking shows that going well over the stumps, at least two inches in it and that’s a poor review. Suspect Pakistan’s unfamiliarity and a bit of desperation played a part in that decision. Warner follows up two balls later with a pull in front of square for four. Pakistan would dearly love a wicket before lunch. 100 up inside 20 overs for Australia. That over-rate’s pretty average too 20 minutes out from the break.

Australia: 0-101 (Warner 63*, Khawaja 34*)

2.43pm

Dropped: Khawaja given a life by sloppy fielding

And as the run-rate moves past five an over - 57 runs from the last 10 - Khawaja is dropped by Shafique.

Khawaja’s pull shot goes awry, but he survives.Credit: Getty

Top-edges a pull skyward and it loops over the slips. Shafique is shuffling back and never looks comfortable under it, not an easy catch, but one that should be taken.

Instead he makes a meal of it despite having plenty of time to get there. Salt into the wound for the rookie seamer Aamer Jamal, it dribbles to the rope for four.

Australia: 0-82 (Warner 50*, Khwaja 29*)

2.39pm

Fifty: Warner raises half-century from 41 balls

Case in point on Pakistan’s bowling concerns, David Warner takes a particular liking to Faheem Ashraf’s gentle offerings by taxing three boundaries from the over and racing to 50 from just 41 balls.

Australia vs Pakistan - Figure 2
Photo The Sydney Morning Herald

“That’s just a throwdown” - Mark Waugh on the half-volley Warner creamed through cover for four. A whip to fine leg and punishing back-cut through third man to reach the milestone. That’s his 37th Test fifty and an ominous one given his record against the tourists.

Australia: 0-74 (Warner 50*, Khawaja 21*)

Warner passes 50 once more against Pakistan.Credit: Getty

2.29pm

Stats: Pakistan’s bowling concerns

Australia score at a run a minute across the first hour of play - really doesn’t bode well for Pakistan with two rookies in their attack and their spearhead Shaheen Afridi copping plenty, deservedly so given his wayward radar.

Australia: 0-61 (Warner 37*, Khawaja 21*)

2.16pm

Behind Khawaja’s black armband for Palestine

Usman Khawaja has found a way to show solidarity for Palestinians caught up in the conflict in Gaza, wearing a black armband when he went out to open the batting on day one of the Perth Test against Pakistan.

Cricket Australia confirmed Khawaja was wearing the armband out of solidarity and respect, in line with the statement he released on an Instagram video on Wednesday.

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While Khawaja was forbidden to wear shoes emblazoned with statements of support, as he needs to follow an International Cricket Council process to do so, black armbands are customarily allowed for players to express personal bereavement.

Australia vs Pakistan - Figure 3
Photo The Sydney Morning Herald

Under that custom, the umpires and match referee do not need to be informed of the player’s intention to wear the black armband.

In recent times, Mitchell Marsh wore a black armband to mark the death of his grandfather during the World Cup, and the Australian team wore them in India during the Test series earlier this year in tribute to Pat Cummins’ mother, Maria.

Black armbands have also been worn for humanitarian and social issues. At the 2003 World Cup, Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower and Henry Olonga wore black armbands to “mourn the death of democracy in Zimbabwe”.

Read the full story here.

1.55pm

Pakistan’s strike bowler under attack

Shaheen Afridi struggling with his line and David Warner getting into his groove accordingly. One boundary hammered when Afridi dropped short and wide of off-stump.

Very next ball he’s overcompensated and been whipped through fine leg when he’s strayed too full and straight. Ominous signs for Pakistan’s strike bowler - 0-31 from four overs.

Warner gets after the rookie Shahzad the next over. He’s coming down the pitch, slicing away through the slips and most impressively, perfectly timing through the covers.

Australia: 0-44 (Warner 30*, Khawaja 13*)

Australia vs Pakistan - Figure 4
Photo The Sydney Morning Herald

David Warner with a sumptuous cover drive.Credit: Getty

1.48pm

Conn: Perth’s modest Test interest exposed again

1.34pm

Streaky start for Warner

Shaheen Afridi proving why he’s so highly rated. His second over has Warner playing and missing. And a genuine edge over third man - just out of reach for another boundary.

Afridi follows up by rapping Warner on the pads. Wasim Akram does likewise with Pakistan’s slip fielding - ‘they’re too deep… not deep enough’ in commentary. Despite the oohs and ahhs, 20 runs taken from Afridi’s first two overs.

Shahzad draws two play and misses from Khawaja at the other end, one past the outside edge of the bat, the other the inside and clipping Khawaja’s thigh pad on the way through.

Australia: 0-20 (Warner 8*, Khwaja 12*)

1.29pm

Khawaja wears black armband for Palestine

Usman Khawaja’s black armband as he walks out to play.Credit: Getty

1.20pm

Australia get off to a flyer

Righto, no more gilding of the lilly, no further ado, plenty more gibber to come though, as well as the first ball.

Shaheen Afridi with the ball, leading this attack with 105 Test wickets at 25 - one of my favourite cricketers around at the moment just quietly, and David Warner facing up first. Three slips and a gully.

Australia vs Pakistan - Figure 5
Photo The Sydney Morning Herald

First ball: Sliding into the left-handers leg stump, bunts down past short leg and Warner is off the mark with a single.Second ball: Back of a length to Khawaja, outside off and he tucks behind square for a single too. Not sure how much control Khawaja had there.

Tape covers the ‘all lives matter’ message on Usman Khawaja’s shoes.Credit: Getty

Third ball: Full and outside off, Warner onto the front foot with a prod and misfielded by the captain Shan Masood at short cover. Poor stuff and Pakistan really can’t afford that.Fourth ball: Especially when Khawaja rubs salt into the wound next ball. Afridi pitches up and attacks off stump. Soft hands keep the edge low and it goes for four past third slip.Fifth ball: Fine follow-up, draws a genuine edge from Khawaja and soft hands save him again. Streaks past the fielder to the boundary again.Sixth ball: Full and too straight, Khawaja whips through wide mid-on for three. The type of start that leads to Australia dominating for a clean sweep series - don’t tell me we haven’t seen this before.

Shahzad opens up at the other end on debut with a maiden. Gets his radar working after a few balls down the leg-side.Australia: 0-14 (Warner 2*, Khwaja 12*)

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