00:00Good evening everyone. You join us for this match between Afghanistan and Australia. I'm
00:24Mike Atherton. The home side getting first pick, they'll have a bat.
00:50Ready for the first ball here in the commentary box. What should be an enthralling contest
00:54between these two teams.
00:57Yeah, yeah.
00:59Middle. What a start.
01:02That's a brilliantly aggressive shot. Gets onto the front foot and it's flown over the
01:07boundary.
01:08I'd like to see them aim for the top of off now. As a bowler you've got to make them play
01:13on your terms.
01:16Yeah.
01:18Right out of the middle.
01:20You don't chase those down. Brilliantly timed off the back foot and that's raced to the
01:24boundary.
01:27Back to back boundaries. The bowler will be searching for something now. Just a dot ball
01:32or two to settle things down.
01:34Waiting.
01:35Does very well to get quickly across to that one.
01:39But they didn't pick it up. Very late on the shot.
01:52Huge edge. That's out. Caught.
02:02Oh dear. It's been a poor innings under pressure. And now they've got the key batter out cheaply.
02:08It's a tough period as they come to the wicket. They'll take plenty of time to set themselves
02:13up before facing their first ball.
02:21Finds the edge.
02:22Didn't time it at all but managed to get it away to the boundary.
02:29Boundary off the last ball. Wants to come off this delivery I wonder.
02:36This is everything.
02:39That's wild. Nothing elegant about that shot. Just not timing it at all. That's poor play.
02:4514 runs added there. Afghanistan are 14 for 1.
02:50Start. The left arm paced bowler is coming on to bowl from the south end.
03:03Quick on to that in the infield.
03:06Little bit of confusion out in the middle but they've got back quickly. No harm done.
03:11Both batters survive.
03:21Wow that's missed a lot.
03:23Just through the shot too early.
03:36Saw that early. No one's catching that. Great shot.
03:39On to the front foot early. Placed it perfectly into the gap. Timed it nicely for 4 more.
03:46They shouldn't get too discouraged with that last ball. The first step as a bowler is to
03:51get the batter playing which they've managed. If they can find the right spot the reward
03:56will eventually come.
04:00Just need one of the cameramen to send that one back. A little bit of width but clinically
04:04put away.
04:06Tried for something a bit different the last ball. The captain shouldn't mind that. If
04:10they get it right they might just get the wicket.
04:15Pushed nicely into the covers. Might go all the way.
04:19That was pure elegance. Right out of the textbook that shot.
04:26Just need to keep it simple. Line and length. Around about off stump. And that'll force
04:31the mistake.
04:37Right in the slot. Right where they like it. The ball races to the boundary.
04:42This is where they can be so good because they were so quick to get back and on to this.
04:47Playing all their shots in that over. A very expensive over.
04:55Really good innings comes to an end. That's going to be a tough total to chase. Someone
05:00is going to need to step up with a big score.
06:01This is a really defendable total. The openers will need to get their eye in very quickly
06:19and get the scoreboard ticking over if they are to have any chance.
06:31Yes. Strokes it languidly away to the fence. A lovely shot.
06:39There was minimal follow through. Just great timing to punch it through the field for four.
06:45A good contest here at the moment. Four off the last ball and it'll be interesting to
06:49see how the bowler can respond.
06:52Yes. Massive edge. Misses everyone and that's racing away.
06:59Really got through them. Just got on to it in time with enough bat speed to pick up four.
07:12Wait. Finds the fielder with that shot. A little late on that. No run scored.
07:30Yes. Good bit of timing there. The short ball is picked up early. Not the best delivery
07:42but it was certainly a very good shot to dispatch it.
07:46A little short on that occasion. Needs to adjust the length slightly to be just a little
07:51fuller. Too short on this pitch and as we've seen already it makes it very easy to score.
08:00Had all the time in the world to get in position to play that ball. Timed it nicely for four
08:05runs.
08:06A boundary off the last ball. Is it a sign they're trying to push the run rate?
08:16Great shot through the gap. Perfect timing.
08:20You can't fault the bowling. Sometimes your opponent is just too good. Wonderful front
08:25foot shot and there was absolutely no point in chasing that.
08:28The team will be after a positive innings from this batter. A great opportunity to come
08:33in and put some runs on the board.
08:49The right arm medium bowler is coming into the attack from the south end.
08:58Big edge. Out. That's a special catch.
09:18A trudge back to the pavilion. A disappointing display in the end. For someone with such
09:23batting skills this goes down as a fail.
09:26Into the wicket they'll be looking to play within the V early and expand as they get
09:31settled.
09:41Absolutely nailed it.
09:43Really just seemed to have put that one into the slot with the first ball to the new batter.
09:47All the same it's a glorious shot for your first ball.
09:56How's that? Huge appeal.
10:09It's a big call with the match so close to completion you feel it's worth a review.
10:20Nothing picked up from the bat. This could spell trouble. How close is that? Could be
10:25the wicket. Clearly impact in line. Not much to argue there. Afghanistan with a fantastic
10:31review. That will be very pleasing.
10:40An innings that promised much and really in the end delivered very little. Pretty disappointing
10:45all round.
10:46The field will come up now you'd think. Pressure should definitely be on the new batter who
10:51strides to the middle. They'll be looking for another quick wicket.
11:04Pick that well and that's on its way to the boundary. It was just a little bit too full
11:10and it was beautifully timed.
11:14Getting nicely settled at the crease now would have been really happy with that last shot.
11:22Gone. Played all around it.
11:30So that's the third wicket down. Not a happy person walking off the field. There's a real
11:35feeling of disappointment.
11:38It's a long way to walk out here just to walk straight back. They'll just want to get this
11:43first one behind them and then push on.
11:52Yes. Picks the gap perfectly.
11:54And that marks the end of the match. Australia have taken the victory. Thank you very much
12:02for joining us here for this match.
12:04This could very easily have gone either way. Brilliant cricket from both sides.
