Pakistan dig in as Lyon edges closer to 500 Test wickets

AFP | Perth                                                     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Australian spin king Nathan Lyon moved to within three wickets of joining the elite 500 club yesterday as Pakistan dug deep to stay in touch on day two of the opening Test in Perth.

The visitors were 132-2 at stumps, trailing by 355, with a dogged Imam-ul-Haq not out 38 and nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad on seven after they lost skipper Shan Masood late in the day.

But it was a slow grind after Aamer Jamal took 6-111 on debut to help dismiss the hosts for 487 in their first innings. Mitchell Marsh starred with 90 after David Warner’s defiant 164 on day one.

“Probably would have liked to have a couple (more) wickets, but we’re happy with the score we got,” Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey said. “We need to come back tomorrow and hit the right areas once again. We probably missed our lengths a bit, will have a chat tonight and come up better tomorrow.”

Abdullah Shafique was the first to fall in reply, getting a big inside edge from Lyon to Warner at leg slip after battling to 42. It was the veteran Lyon’s 497th Test wicket as he closes in on 500 to join a group of just seven other players.

Haq was stoic at the other end, weathering a fiery bowling blitz from Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins on a pitch that still had some zip. It took him 85 deliveries before his first boundary, guiding one fine off his hip.

An aggressive Masood made 30 before his stay ended 10 minutes before close, caught behind by Carey off Starc on review. Masood had earlier taken a nasty blow to the back when he turned to avoid a Haq drive but was able to continue after treatment.

Breakthrough

The visitors kept in the hunt for a first Test win in Australia since 1995 by dismissing the hosts early in the second session, after the home side went to lunch at 476-7. Marsh was bowled by paceman Shahzad for 90 on the first ball back and the tail collapsed with impressive speedster Jamal in the thick of the action.

“Quite satisfied the way the bowlers were able to fight back,” said Pakistan bowling coach Umar Gul. “I’m quite confident and quite happy with the performances, the way they brought us back from the first session on the first day.” Australia had resumed on 346- 5 after dominating the opening day, with Warner hitting 164 to silence his critics.

Marsh began on 16 and Carey 15, with Pakistan desperate for an early breakthrough. But the tourists struggled to make an impact on another scorching day, with some pedes[1]trian bowling before Jamal was introduced.

Hometown hero Marsh, Australia’s T20 captain, smacked consecutive boundaries off the first over he faced from Shahzad to set the tone. Preferred to Cameron Green as the team’s all-rounder, Marsh brought up a 66-ball 50 -- his fifth in 36 Tests -- with a classy pull to the ropes and looked destined to reach three figures. But Shahzad shattered his hopes after lunch, knocking over his stumps as he attempted a big drive.

Jamal then quickly removed Cummins and Lyon, both caught by Agha Salman. He earlier trapped wicket keeper-batsman Carey, who is eager to make runs to cement his Test spot after losing his place in Australia’s one-day team to Josh Inglis.

Carey survived a big lbw call from Shaheen Shah Afridi on the second ball of the day but had no answer to a lightning-quick Jamal delivery that rattled his off stump. He departed for 34, ending a dangerous 90-run partnership with Marsh. Starc also fell victim to Jamal, getting an edge to another pacy ball that removed the bails.