Younus Khan led Pakistan’s fightback with a dogged century after the hosts made a terrible start to the first Test against Australia in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, yesterday.
After opting to bat first, Pakistan reached 219-4 at stumps on the first day with captain Misbah-ul-Haq (34) and Asad Shafiq (9) at the crease.
The 36-year-old Younus fell on 106, leg before wicket to Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson’s second delivery with the new ball.
Photo: AFP
Younus walked in at No. 4 with Pakistan having lost both their openers before the total had reached double figures.
The stylish right-hander propped his side up with a 108-run stand for the third wicket with Azhar Ali (53) and then added 83 for the next with Misbah.
He hit 10 fours during his 223-ball knock and got to his 25th Test century with a huge six off spinner Nathan Lyon over midwicket.
Azhar gave his senior batsman able support before he drove Johnson in the air and was caught by Alex Doolan at cover for Australia’s only success in the second session.
Australia captain Michael Clarke used Johnson (three for 22) in short spells, and the left-armer bowled with pace and venom to trouble the batsmen on the slow pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Johnson also struck in the first over of the match — hitting the toe of Mohammad Hafeez with a fast, inswinging yorker to dismiss the right-handed batsman for a duck.
Hafeez, returning from a hand injury that ruled him out of the one-day international series against the same opponents, reviewed the umpire’s decision, but was unsuccessful.
Peter Siddle, back in the Australia team after being dropped in South Africa earlier this year, then struck with the first delivery of his second over, and the fourth of the morning, when he bowled Ahmed Shehzad for 3.
Shehzad walked too far across his stumps as the ball crashed into his leg stump, reducing Pakistan to 7-2, before Azhar and Younis started the recovery.
Pakistan, without banned off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, handed Test debuts to fast bowler Imran Khan and leg-spinner Yasir Shah in a new-look bowling attack.
Australia also handed first caps to fast-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and left-arm bowler Steve O’Keefe, who paired up with Nathan Lyon in a two-pronged spin attack.
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