Finally, it's moving day in Pakistan
Phil Mickelson, currently universally maligned for his inflammatory remarks about the Saudi-funded golf rival league and the PGA Tour, nearly always made his move on a Saturday, day three of a normal tournament golf week.
Finally, after 12 days of unbending deadlock, Australia's bowlers unlocked the wicket vault, well, two of them did! Seizing the initiative on day three, of the third and final test, and so decisively arrested home court ascendancy from Pakistan.
The question is now: 'will Australia hand back their front-running position' as Mickelson has done so often before. Or can we deliberate over a result, rather than lament over another mind-numbing draw?
Pat Cummins and Mitch Starc did unlock the vault, bowling Australia into a commanding position, at the end of day three. It is hard to fathom how seven wickets can fall so hastily when previously wickets have been as precious as a barber who knows how you want your haircut.
It was accurate, energetic, swing bowling that did the trick, well, reverse swing to be politically correct.
The pair harnessed both the time of day and the unpredictable nature of the ball, enabling fresh looks at new batsmen throughout the last session. At one point the Sydney-siders claimed 4-0 in eight balls, and eventually, 7-20, happy Ashes memories flooding back to the Australian camp.
Cummins initiated the slide with a reflex-driven, caught and bowled catch that accounted for the well-set Azhar Ali. At that stage Pakistan stood at 2-214; which has a poignant sense of deja vu to it - 3-214 became 4-248 when the confused Fawad Alam departed.
Throughout the series, Fawad has looked like a right-hander trapped in a left-hander's body. My guess is Mr. Alam switched him around when he was young!
Phil Mickelson was having none of this. Lefty didn't listen to his childhood distractors; he stood firm on his left bias! Well, he hasn't listened to anyone for a while now.
Enter Mitchell Starc, by coincidence a lefty also. And, for the record, his lefty bias earned him selection ahead of Josh Hazlewood: this test and the last.
Starc accounted for Fawad and then castled Mohammad Rizwan with an inside-out bail trimmer. Undoubtedly, the ball of the innings.
I read an interesting comment on Starc, intimating we are all missing how good Starc has been, and why we would have ever doubted him.
Agreed, he is a difficult guy to dislike. The scowl has been replaced by a mischievous smile; his moralistic standing has climbed with him forgoing some of the riches that cash-laden T20 leagues offer. And, of course, his attachment to Ms. Healy is genuine and inspiring to many. He should not be doubted.
Wickets are difficult to come by in Pakistan; no Australian bowler had a strike rate (SR) below 100 until Cummins and Starc reversed the norm.
Previously; Nathan Lyon's wickets were coming every 144 balls, Starc's SR was 160, Cameron Green 156, and Mitchell Swepson 130.
Both Cummins and Starc were magnificent.
And all this on Pakistan's day of days.
March 23 is Pakistan Day, celebrated annually as Republic Day, marking the passing of the Lahore resolution in 1940.
As it stands the home side trails by 134 runs; Australia has a full deck of second-innings cards to play with, and will be wanting to make significant progress today, day four.
You feel David Warner is about to explode, and how could you not cackle at the tete du tete with Shaheen Afridi. A thunderous pull shot was followed by a boots and all, back defensive, to a decidedly quicker ball, and then the 'David and Goliath meeting' in front of his stumps. Beaming smiles ensued.
Australia's first innings total of 391 - is banked and locked away.
Yes, there might have been more, with four players scoring between 59 and 91. Nevertheless, I can guarantee you, Andrew McDonald will be thinking he has four players in match form, and David Warner is ready to escalate.
Lastly, I wanted to make mention of Cameron Green.
Green's first innings looked like his most assured to date.
He owns a 'tell all' face - the facial expressions give away the inner workings of a fiercely competitive psyche. He laments at being result-driven, yearning for a more process-driven mindset. He talks of switching his scoreboard focus to a partnership number, and not his run tally.
He is well on his way, and most importantly, is prepared to tinker with his methods.
I would offer a more prominent bowling contribution that has helped him also, and indirectly helped Mitch Swepson and his team. Green is on the right path; he has good people around him, players and coaches. His first three-figure score is not far away.
The interim Coach will enjoy his right-handed pregame throwing today. Be assured of that.
