How a toilet break added to Pakistan's slips woes

By: Scott Bailey and Jasper Bruce Time published 2024-01-04 at 11:59 AM (GMT +11:00)

Pakistan had reconfigured their slips cordon for the third Test against Australia at the SCG, but an ill-timed toilet break led to another chance going down.

DAVID WARNER.
DAVID WARNER. Picture: Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images

An ill-timed toilet break has contributed further to Pakistan's summer of woe in the slips after debutant Saim Ayub took the tally of sitters dropped in the cordon to three for the series.

Ayub offered David Warner a life when Australia's retiring opener was on 20 on at the SCG on Thursday, putting down a regulation chance at first slip off quick Aamir Jamal.

The chance ultimately did not prove overly costly for Pakistan, with Warner out shortly after for 34 when he again edged to the slips.

But it was another reminder of where it has all gone wrong for Pakistan in the three-match series, after they slumped to a 2-0 deficit in Melbourne.

Ayub's drop was as easy as the two sitters put down by Abdullah Shafique in the slips in Melbourne, which ultimately went a long way to costing Pakistan that match.

Shafique also grassed another chance on the opening morning in Perth, albeit in different circumstances when running back to take a chance over his head.

The opener was banished from the slips in Sydney as a result of those drops, with Agha Salman moving to second slip and Babar Azam fielding at first slip.

Salman, however, required a toilet break during the first session, forcing him off the field for two overs when the catch was dropped by Ayub at first slip with Babar at second.

"I was off the field for a pee break," Salman said.

"Just for two overs. Probably seven or eight balls, actually. I was off for Sajid (Khan)'s over and when I came back one ball of the Jamal over had been bowled.

"I was sitting next to the subs bench and I saw the video and I knew I was in trouble!

"I think there's a curse on first slip."

Salman said it was unfair to be too critical of the 21-year-old Ayub.

"It can happen to anyone. If Babar was there he would have dropped that catch too," Ayub said.

"As I've said, catches get dropped. Australia dropped some too. It's completely a part of the game and it can happen to anyone.

"Catches in the slips are never easy, even if they appear that way on TV. We're also taking many catches in the slips but no one's talking about those."