AUS v PAK 1st Test, Day 2 Review: Australia run through Pakistan after sliding with the bat

The day-night Test match at Gabba is gradually coming true to its reputation; the ball has a lot of pace behind it now, is swinging and has assistance for the spinners. After a run filled first day for Australia, today it appeared to be a different wicket from the onset. The batsmen were not able to time the ball as well as they did yesterday with the ball hurrying on to the bat.

Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz started off superbly well today. Steve Smith who was batting on an overnight score of 110 and Peter Handscomb on 64, the skipper tried to go out aggressive very early in the inning almost trying to carry on from where he left yesterday. He had yet another life when Amir dropped a skier off Yasir Shah but he pushed at Wahab delivery and Sarfaraz Ahmed ended his stay having scored 130 runs.

Thereafter the Pakistan bowlers gained strength with each passing over. They didn’t let any incoming batsman settle in. Handscomb though had got his eye watched his partners change while doing most of the scoring himself. He got to his maiden century playing his second Test match and that should have done a world of good to his confidence. He too couldn’t continue longer after the century and chopped on a back of the length delivery from Wahab. Australia had by then lost 7 and he was the 8th to walk back.

With the ball moving a lot more and the pace from the wicket Pakistani faster bowlers pierced through the middle and lower middle order. Wahab and Amir shared 8 wickets amongst them while Yasir pocketed the remaining two and Australia after a run filled first day were closed for 429 after batting 40.1 overs today.  To Pakistan’s credit the Aussies lost the last seven wickets for just 106 runs.

The ball was now in the hands of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood two bowlers who absolutely enjoy bowling with the Pink cherry that they can swing around at will. Starc struck first with the wicket of Azhar Ali. It was angled across the batsman who poked at it and Usman Khawaja at third slip dived to his left and somehow managed to hold on to it. Babar Azam spent some time at the crease but was guilty of going behind a wide delivery only to land the ball in the hands of the Australian skipper.

Hazlewood in his second spell was on a hat-trick when he sent back Younis Khan for a golden duck. Things fell out of order for the visitors there after and the Aussie pacers were all over them. Jack Bird chipped in with the big wicket of Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and in no time half of the team was back in the pavilion with just 54 runs on the score board.

Sarfaraz hung in there and defied the bowlers while no one else had the game to tackle the charged up Starc, Hazlewood and Bird. Pakistan lost the 8th wicket that of Yasir Shah for 67 to Starc who once again had the batsman caught behind the wickets. By stumps they managed 97 runs without losing any further wickets, Sarfaraz was unbeaten on 31 with Mohammad Amir as his partner who saw through 35 deliveries for his 8 runs. Starc and Hazlewood shared three wickets each while Bird pecked a couple.

Pakistan still trail by a huge 332 runs, it will be interesting to see if Smith imposes a follow on or decides to bat again in the second innings.

Brief Scores:

Australia: 429 (S Smith 130, P Handscomb 105; W Riaz 4/89)

Pakistan: 97/8 (S Ahmed 31*; J Hazlewood 3/19)