A withering spell of fast bowling backed up by exceptional catching had Pakistan on their knees as Australia took charge of the day-night first Test
Australia’s Peter Handscomb celebrates his maiden Test ton on Day Two of the first Test against Pakistan in Brisbane yesterday. Pic/AFP
Brisbane: A withering spell of fast bowling backed up by exceptional catching had Pakistan on their knees as Australia took charge of the day-night first Test here yesterday. Australia's three-man pace attack — Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Jackson Bird — decimated the tourists' first innings under the Gabba lights.
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Starc and Hazlewood took three wickets each and Bird chimed in with two for seven to leave skipper Steve Smith pondering whether to enforce the follow-on after a seven-wicket final session.
At the close, Pakistan were hanging on at 97 for eight and trailing by 332 runs with Sarfraz Ahmed on 31 and Mohammad Amir not out eight.
Rookie Peter gets going
Rookie Peter Hanscomb hit a maiden century in Australia's first innings 429, but it was the bowlers coupled with inept Pakistan batting which had the pink ball hurtling to an early resolution. Hazlewood put the tourists on the skids with two wickets in two balls in his fifth over. Babar Azam got a thick edge which flew to Steve Smith at second slip for 19 and next ball veteran Younis Khan feathered to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade for a duck. Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq was never comfortable under the lights and played well away from his body, nicking to Matthew Renshaw at first slip off Bird for four.
Khawaja sharp at slip
Asad Shafiq soon followed prodding at Starc to give Khawaja another slip catch for two. Sami Aslam, who was twice clocked on the helmet as he turned his head away from rising Hazlewood deliveries, was caught behind off Bird for 22. Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah followed within minutes of each other but Sarfraz and Amir saw out play to stumps.
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