Perth (Australia): Australia hit back with two late wickets as Pakistan clawed to 132 for two and trailed by 355 runs in the first Test Friday.
Pakistan fast bowler Aamer Jamal grabbed six for 111 in his debut test, claiming the last four of the five wickets before Australia was bowled out for 487 after it resumed Day 2 at 346 for five.
Opening pair Abdullah Shafique (42) and Imam-ul-Haq (38 not out) thwarted the pace trio of captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc before offspinner Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc struck in the last session.
Lyon had Shafique caught at leg slip for 42 off 121 balls as the Pakistan right-hander fell in the trap and attempted an aggressive shot while walking out of his crease. Lyon moved closer to the 500-wicket mark as he took his tally in Test cricket to 497 by finishing the day at one for 40.
Captain Shan Masood nearly chopped Lyon’s delivery back onto his stumps off the first ball he faced before showing plenty of aggression, hitting five boundaries in his knock of 30. The left-hander, who scored a double century in the warm-up First-Class game against a Prime Minister’s XI, attempted one too many shots to edge Starc late in an eventful last session.
Umpire Richard Illingworth adjudged Masood not out, but Australia went for a successful television referral that showed the Pakistan skipper had got a thick edge as the ball flew into the hands of the wicketkeeper.
Imam, who shared a 74-run opening wicket stand with Shafique, was batting on a patient 136-ball knock with nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad not out on 7 off 18 deliveries.
Imam stonewalled the world champion side for almost a couple of sessions with the Australian pacers beating the outside edge of the left-hander’s bat numerous times without any luck.
Lyon came close to separating the opening pair after tea when Shafique was on 33, but television replays clearly showed the ball had missed the bat as Alex Carey collected the ball down the leg side and Australia wasted one of its reviews.
Earlier, Jamal’s impressive debut helped Pakistan bowl out Australia shortly after lunch.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh’s attempt at his fourth test century ended on the first delivery after lunch, bowled on 90 by fast bowler Shahzad. The home side added only 11 runs after going to lunch at 476 for seven, as Jamal cleaned up the tail quickly.
Pakistan went into the test match without a specialist spinner and handed debuts to the 27-year-old Jamal and Shahzad.
Jamal roared in delight and then kissed the stadium turf after claiming his fifth wicket. He raised the ball to warm applause from the crowd as he walked off with his teammates after Australia’s innings was brought to a close.
Jamal’s haul marked the first time an overseas player had taken five wickets on debut in Australia since India’s Abid Ali took six for 55 at Adelaide Oval in 1967.
Thursday’s first day of the three-match series, David Warner hit a commanding 164 off 211 balls in his farewell Test series as Australia reached 346 for five. Warner’s first Test century in a year vindicated captain Pat Cummins’ decision to bat first on a hard bouncy pitch.
The 37-year-old Warner, who will be retiring after the last test in his Sydney hometown early next month, made Pakistan toil in the first two sessions before he holed out at deep square leg in the last hour. He hit 16 fours and four sixes.
Warner had endured a lean patch in test cricket since his double hundred against South Africa in Melbourne last year. He was heavily criticized by former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson in the days leading up to the first test, who said Warner had become a liability to the team and didn’t deserve to have a big farewell when he retires from Test cricket.
“People make comments, but you get on with it and you know you’ve got to go out there and score runs, and today, I did that,” Warner said Thursday.
“If people are out to get you or make a headline from your name, then so be it. I can’t worry about that. I’ve got to worry about what I’ve got to do for the team — keep scoring runs and putting the team in a great position.”
The Australians are the world test champions. Pakistan hasn’t won a test match in Australia since 1995.
AP
