Pakistan’s Mohammad Aamer claimed wickets with the first two balls after lunch to help reduce Australia to 88 all out for their lowest Test total in 29 years on the first day of the second Test yesterday.
Left-arm fast bowler Aamer, aged 18, first bowled Steven Smith with a ball that swung into him sharply to make it 73 for seven in bowler-friendly conditions at Headingley.
Then left-hander Mitchell Johnson looked to drive a delivery heading for his leg-stump through mid-on, only to see the ball swing prodigiously away from him and smash into his wicket.
PHOTO: AFP
The hat-trick ball to Ben Hilfenhaus was also good, passing the outside edge of the bat close enough to excite the smattering of Pakistani fans in the sparsely filled stadium.
The final wickets fell when Hilfenhaus, attempting to take a second run, was run out by Umar Amin and Tim Paine edged Mohammad Asif behind for a top score of just 17.
Australia were bowled out in 33.1 overs at 2pm.
Australia’s most recent lowest total was 83 against India back in 1981.
Aamer finished with figures of three for 20, Asif claimed three for 30 and Umar Gul took two for 16.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting earlier won the toss and batted despite overcast conditions that favored the bowlers, helped by heavy overnight rain.
England were bowled out for 102 at the same ground on day one of a Test match against Australia last year after deciding to bat first.
Pakistan must win to level the two-match series after losing the first Test match at Lord’s on Friday.
Australia are seeking an eighth consecutive Test victory.
■SRI LANKA V INDIA
AFP, GALLE, SRI LANKA
Hosts Sri Lanka were well-placed to win the first Test against India after spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan wreaked havoc in his final match yesterday.
The world’s leading wicket-taker grabbed 5-63 in the first innings as India were forced to follow-on after being shot out for 276 on the fourth day in reply to Sri Lanka’s 520-8 declared.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga then claimed three wickets to leave the tourists’ second innings tottering at 181-5 at stumps, still 63 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat.
India, the top-ranked Test side, lost 12 wickets during the day on a wicket that took only slow turn at the Galle International Stadium.
Muralitharan, who dismissed Yuvraj Singh with the last ball of the day, will return for his final day in Test cricket today two short of the 800-wicket mark as Sri Lanka press for the lead in the three-match series.
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