- Australia vs Pakistan, 1st Test, Brisbane, 2nd day
BRISBANE: A withering spell of fast bowling backed up by exceptional catching had Pakistan on their knees as Australia took charge of the day-night first Test in Brisbane on Friday.
Australia’s three-man pace attack — Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Jackson Bird — decimated the tourists’ first innings under the Gabba lights.
Starc and Hazlewood took three wickets each and Bird chimed in with two for seven to leave skipper Steve Smith pondering whether to enforce the follow-on after a seven-wicket final session.
At the close, Pakistan were hanging on at 97 for eight and trailing by 332 runs with Sarfraz Ahmed on 31 and Mohammad Amir not out eight.
“We lost the session completely, the credit goes to the Australian bowlers,” fast bowler Wahab Riaz said.
“We will definitely try to fight back, obviously it’s a huge lead right now, but we can try our level best, try to restrict them, if we get to bowl again.” Rookie Peter Handscomb hit a maiden century in Australia’s first innings 429, but it was the bowlers coupled with inept Pakistan batting which had the pink ball hurtling to an early resolution. Hazlewood put the tourists on the skids with two wickets in two balls in his fifth over.
Babar Azam got a thick edge which flew to Steve Smith at second slip for 19 and veteran Younis Khan feathered the next ball to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade for a duck.
Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq was never comfortable under the lights and played well away from his body, nicking to Matthew Renshaw at first slip off Bird for four.
Asad Shafiq soon followed, prodding at Starc to give Khawaja another slips catch for two.
Sami Aslam, who was twice clocked on the helmet as he turned his head away from rising Hazlewood deliveries, was caught behind off Bird for 22 off 100 balls.
Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah followed within minutes of each other but Sarfraz and Amir saw out play to stumps.
Handscomb made the most of his opportunity and followed up a half-century on debut against South Africa in Adelaide last month with a polished 105 in Australia’s first innings of 429.
Handscomb was out shortly after tea when he chopped a Wahab delivery on to his stumps, one ball after Josh Hazlewood was caught at first slip in Mohammad Amir’s previous over. – Agencies
