Younis Khan became the first batsman in 90 years to hit three hundreds in consecutive innings against Australia yesterday, as Pakistan took an early advantage in their second Test in Abu Dhabi.
The 36-year-old, who smashed twin hundreds in the first Test, notched 111 not out for his 27th century to help Pakistan close the opening day on solid footing of 304-2 after they won the toss and batted on a flat pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
In the last over before stumps, Azhar Ali also sealed his sixth Test hundred and was unbeaten on 101 on a day Australia when used as many as eight bowlers and unusual fielding placings, but failed to break the Ali-Younis third wicket stand that has so far yielded 208 runs.
Younis lofted spinner Glenn Maxwell to long-on boundary for his tenth boundary to complete his hundred before raising his bat to his teammates and a few dozen people who gave him a standing ovation.
England’s Herbert Sutcliffe was the last man to score three hundreds in three consecutive Test innings against Australia in the 1924-1925 season.
Before Younis, three Pakistani batsmen Zaheer Abbas (versus India in 1982) Mudassar Nazar (versus India in 1982) and Mohammad Yousuf (versus the West Indies in 2006) had achieved the feat.
So ruthless was Younis that even the second new ball taken soon after it was due could not disturb him. He has so far hit 10 boundaries and a six during his 155-ball knock.
Things went wrong for Michael Clarke right from the toss when he wrongly called tails. He did everything, from using two short mid-wickets, a short mid-on and a man almost behind the umpire at bowler’s end, but even that failed to get him any wicket, leaving him frustrated in his bid to avoid Australia’s first series defeat against Pakistan since 1994.
Pakistan won the first Test by a big 221-run margin in Dubai.
Younis survived two leg-before reviews, off Maxwell when on 35 and off Steven Smith when on 68.
Ali, who hit six boundaries off 223 balls, also survived two sharp chances, on 34 and 46, summing up a unrewarding day for Australia.
Openers Ahmed Shehzad (35) and Mohammad Hafeez (45) were out either side of lunch.
Hafeez fell to an edge behind the wicket off paceman Mitchell Johnson, who toiled hard for his figures of 50-1.
Shehzad was shaping well during his 64-ball knock, hitting three fours before he missed a delivery from spinner Lyon and was trapped leg-before-wicket.
Clarke juggled his pace bowlers, before bringing Lyon on in the 14th over to get the necessary breakthrough.
Pakistan kept the same XI as in the first Test, while Australia brought in paceman Mitchell Starc, spinning all-rounder Maxwell for batsman Alex Doolan and left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe.
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