Pakistan were in a backs-to-the-wall struggle to save the day-night first Test as Australia took a strangle-hold on the third day at the Gabba yesterday. At the close, the tourists were 70-2 with Azhar Ali not out 41 and 112-Test veteran Younis Khan yet to score after facing 19 deliveries.
Pakistan trailed by 419 runs. They made a much better fist of playing in the tricky twilight session with the pink ball, losing just two wickets after their catastrophic 24-7 in the first innings on the previous evening.
The openers lasted into the 12th over before Mitchell Starc got Sami Aslam to edge to Matt Renshaw at first slip for 15.
Photo: AP
Babar Azam fell to spinner Nathan Lyon in the final half-hour when he edged to Steve Smith at slip for 14.
It was slow going, but at least the tourists were not shedding wickets in clumps to keep Australia at bay and still with two long days to play.
Australia will be pressing hard the fourth day today to win the series opener.
Photo: AFP
They have not lost at the Gabba in 27 Tests stretching back to 1988. The highest winning run-chase in the fourth innings at the Gabba stands at 236-7 by Australia against the West Indies in 1951.
However, Pakistan will have to go well beyond the record highest-ever Test run chase of 418-7 set by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003.
Skipper Smith did not enforce the follow-on after Pakistan were dismissed for 142 in the first session, even though they were 287 runs in front on the first innings.
Instead Australia amassed a formidable lead over the beleaguered tourists to set up a declaration during the dinner break and heading into the final twilight session. Smith went after the runs and brought up his 19th Test half-century off 59 deliveries with his eye on a declaration.
He was caught at long-on by Rahat Ali going for a heave off leg-spinner Yasir Shah for 63 with 11 fours.
Usman Khawaja, out cheaply in the first innings, cracked 74 before he was splendidly caught by Misbah-ul-Haq off Rahat nearing the dinner break.
Nic Maddinson once again failed and was out for 4, caught off Wahab Riaz.
Both the Australia openers were out before tea. David Warner fell for 12 when he went to hit Mohammad Amir through midwicket only to miscue his pull shot to Wahab Riaz at mid-on, while Matthew Renshaw was caught at second slip off Rahat Ali for 6.
Earlier Pakistan’s last two partnerships battled for almost an hour before they were all out for 142.
Wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed top scored with a fighting unbeaten 59 as the tourists added 45 runs to their overnight total 97-8.
Sarfraz and Mohammad Amir put on a stubborn 54 runs for the ninth wicket before Amir was adjudicated caught behind off a faint edge, detected by Hot Spot.
Technology again thwarted Pakistan when after repeated replays Rahat Ali was given run out by Warner for 4.
Replays showed that Rahat’s bat was millimeters off the ground when the bails were dislodged by Warner’s throw from mid-off.
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