Key events
Disappointing lack of massive no-balls here. Nets have changed.
“Is this the point at which one recalls that Mark Waugh’s nickname was Afghanistan… Because he was the forgotten Waugh.” Lovely stuff from Amar Breckenridge.
I think it was bestowed on Junior by teammates in the Essex changing room during his first stint in county cricket. It was in reference to the ‘Forgotten War’ of the Soviet Union invading Afghanistan in the late 1970s.
With relevant caveats, I can’t imagine such a politically savvy moniker emerging in contemporary times.
Afghanistan choose to bat against Australia with four spinners to follow. This either gets really interesting later this evening or the first innings is all out 110. #CWC23
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) November 7, 2023
I will take either scenario. The former adds to the intrigue of the competition. The latter means I get to bed before midnight here in Melbourne.
Adam Zampa is going to be crucial for Australia in the field this afternoon. He began the tournament looking at risk of failing to land his leggies on the cut strip. Now he has the longest streak in world cup history of taking three or more wickets. If he continues that run today he will equal the ODI record of Umar Gul.
Fielding first today is going to be hellish. It’s roasting hot in Mumbai (35C) with the stifling conditions made worse by poor air quality.
Then there’s the pitch; a batting paradise. 399, 382, and 357 have already been posted at the Wankhede Stadium batting first this tournament, with the ground boasting the highest average of sixes per match.
Afghanistan XI
One change for Afghanistan with Naveen-ul-Haq coming in for Fazalhaq Farooqi in the attack.
Afghanistan: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Noor Ahmad
Australia XI
Looks like Australia have hoodwinked us this afternoon. Smith is not fit enough to play after all so Labuschagne retains his place for now. I hope he keeps those sweet sweet Pegasuses on. As expected, Green misses out as well with Marsh and Maxwell coming straight back in.
Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Travis Head, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood
Afghanistan win the toss and elect to bat
“The wicket looks good now and we hope it will spin and seam later,” explains Hashmatullah Shahidi
Some sad news before we head to the toss with the greatest cricket channel on YouTube – and by a massive margin – shuttered for the time being, and potentially forever. Say it ain’t so!
This is very sad for cricket fans around the world. Rob has arguably done more to organically spread love and appreciation of the game’s history through video than anyone. And much would have been lost without his incredible archive. https://t.co/Ct1mCNdxsz
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) November 5, 2023
Steve Smith recovering from vertigo, Glenn Maxwell recovering from falling off a golf buggy, and Mitch Marsh returning after dashing back to Australia, means a couple of players are going to be squeezed out of the Australian XI.
Cameron Green has already resigned himself to his fate, and judging by this image of Marnus Labuschagne conducting fielding drills in keeping gloves and superb beige Nike Air Pegasus 83 sneakers, he will be joining Alex Carey and Sean Abbott on the bench.
That previous comment relates to what happened yesterday when Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews became the first man to be timed out in international cricket. He was, as you might expect, furious.
It re-energised that weary old zombie “the spirit of cricket”, which by the day is looking more and more anachronistic as non-striker run-outs, batter dissent, the whole Jonny Bairstow shemozzle, and now this, testify.
Feel free to send me your thoughts on the incident, and your perspective on the Preamble to the Laws, which appears to have ambled out of usefulness. Here’s Geoff to kick things off.
It is very funny that cricket has all these Laws detailing ways you can be dismissed but it’s considered unacceptably rude to actually enforce them.
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) November 6, 2023
The standing umpires today are Englishmen Alex Wharf and Michael Gough. Wharf, as you’ll see below, has a textbook technique for signalling six runs. Straight back, braced core, feet shoulder width apart, accessories clipped to his tool-belt like Batman and not a hint of sweat underneath those perfectly raised arms.
New Zealand’s Chris Gaffaney is watching on the telly. I wonder if he’ll have to time anybody out today?
Geoff Lemon witnessed Australia put England out of their misery on Saturday with a performance that was far from perfect, but still too good for the vanquished champions.
There is the search for the perfect game, but then there is the acknowledgment that the result is the result. Especially once you reach knockout tournament play, simply getting a job done matters far more than how.
Steve Smith has reported vertigo symptoms this week, but he appears fit to play. There is a chance Australia will have a full squad to choose from for the first time this world cup.
Good signs for Australia this afternoon at the Wankhede. Steve Smith is the first of the Aussies out on the ground. Has faced throwdowns for quite some time and looks to be talking tactics with Andrew McDonald #CWC23
— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron) November 7, 2023
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live OBO coverage of match 39 of the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Australia v Afghanistan will get under way in Mumbai at 2pm local time (7.30pm AEDT/8.30am GMT).
With five wins in a row, Australia have overcome a rocky start to the tournament to now be on the cusp of a spot in the knockout phase. Moreover, they seem destined to avoid the poisoned chalice that is fourth place on the group table, and a meeting with India in the semi-finals.
Australia have done all this without yet piecing everything together. For various reasons they have yet to name a first-choice XI, and the working parts of the side have not all clicked simultaneously. Depending how you look at things there is a lot more still to come from the perennial contenders, or they have ridden a fair amount of luck to this point that will eventually even itself out.
Afghanistan also remain in the mix for a semi-final berth, but with Australia today and South Africa to follow, their prospects are much dimmer. However, with four victories in the bank, this has already been a World Cup to remember, and the underdogs are already assured of a spot in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
That should do for now, so settle in while I steer you through the pregame and first innings, after which Adam Collins will see you through to the end of play.
If you’d like to get in touch while I’m on, please fire all communication to [email protected].
