Australia vs. Pakistan: 2nd Test, Day 1 – Match report

It was yet another grand welcome, perhaps the grander one with all the Arab citizens of United Arab Emirates (UAE) grants welcome to the two test playing nations, viz., Australia and Pakistan to come and play their second test match of the series on their soil, serving as a neutral venue. The Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, viewed quite a decent turnover while the interests never seemed to be thinning down. Umpires M. Erasmus of South Africa and RA Kettleborough of England along with the TV umpire N.J. Llong of England, Match referee R.S. Madugalle of Sri Lanka and Reserve umpire Ahsan Raza of Pakistan were all of immense repute. The day started quite a normal for the Aussies, who did manage to take the first two wickets at a decent rate as Pakistan won the toss at the earliest and decided to bat first. Australian speed star bowler, Mitchell Johnson and Lyon, together managed to pull up a couple of wickets. But, it was the Pakistan’s man in form, Younis Khan along with Azhar Ali, both of who made a ton each, who made the day look easier for the Pakistanis. Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad scored 35 runs off 64 balls (he kept playing back to the length balls. It was all okay as long as he was playing with a straight bat, but this time he looked to work it off the stumps into the leg side and missed), while Mohammad Hafeez made 45 runs from 89 subtle deliveries (that was on a good length along the corridor, with a bit of gentle shape away. Little did he feel for it with his bat when his feet followed after he went for the shot, and the thin edge went through to keeper Haddin). However, after the fall of those two wickets in early morning, players Azhar Ali scored 101 runs from some 223 balls and remained not out for the rest of the day. The next batsmen to come to the crease and made the day for Pakistan is the man in his top form, Younis Khan. Younis scored 111 runs from 155 deliveries and also remained not out at the end of the day. With a handful of potential batsmen down in their pockets, namely Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Zulfiqar Babar and Sarfraz Ahmed and not to forget the two batsmen still playing on the crease, the match, if not wickets are taken at quick successions as early as possible, will sway away from the hands of the baggie greens.

 

Scorecard:-

 

Pakistan innings304/2(88.0)R/R: 3.45

Batsman		Status	Runs		Balls	4s	6s	SR
Ahmed Shehzad		lbw b Nathan Lyon	35		64	3	0	54.69
Mohammad Hafeez		c Brad Haddin b Mitchell Johnson	45		89	1	0	50.56
Azhar Ali		Batting	101		223	6	0	45.29
Younus Khan		Batting	111		155	10	1	71.61
Misbah-ul-Haq (C)
Asad Shafiq
Sarfraz Ahmed (W)
Zulfiqar Babar
Imran Khan
Yasir Shah
Rahat Ali
Extras: 9 (b – 3, w – , no – 6, lb – , penalty – 0)
Fall of Wickets	1/57 (Ahmed Shehzad 18ov.) 2/96 (Mohammad Hafeez 34.2ov.)

 

Bowlers	O	M	R	WKT	NO	WD	ECON
Mitchell Johnson	18	4	50	1	2	0	2.78
Mitchell Starc	11	0	37	0	0	0	3.36
Peter Siddle	17	5	39	0	1	0	2.29
Nathan Lyon	23	1	86	1	0	0	3.74
Mitchell Marsh	6	0	23	0	0	0	3.83
Glenn Maxwell	8	1	36	0	0	0	4.5
Michael Clarke	2	0	7	0	0	0	3.5
Steven Smith	3	0	17	0	0	0	5.67