Pakistan threatened to lead the second test after dismissing Australia for 318 and was making a promising start on Wednesday, but home skipper Pat Cummins reduced them to 194 for six before stumps. The tourists seemed in good condition at 124-1 an hour after tea but will continue on day three 124 runs behind, hoping to win their first test in Australia since 1995 to even the series at 1-1.
Pat Cummins put Australia ahead over Pakistan
Cummins (3-37) transformed the scenario in two overs, catching Abdullah Shafique for 62 and dismissed dangerman Babar Azam for one with a stunning delivery that had the Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd shouting. Off spinner Nathan Lyon broke Imam-Ul-Haq and Shafique’s stubborn opening combination before dismissing Shan Masood for 54 to help Australia recover.
Masood played a gritty captain’s innings for his seventh test half century, but he wasted it by trying to smash the ball over Lyon’s head and sending it to Mitch Marsh at point. Josh Hazlewood bowled Saud Shakeel for nine, and Cummins got Agha Salman behind for five late in the session. At the conclusion, Mohammad Rizwan was unbeaten on 29 and Aamer Jamal was two not out from 26 balls.
“I thought we bowled decently before tea without too much reward, they obviously batted quite well,” Cummins said. We feel like we’re well into their order after getting a few huge wickets at the end. “I thought our batters did well to get over 300, I think the pitch is just going to get better and better.” Pakistan finished Australia’s first innings before lunch after the Boxing Day test’s rain held off.
The tourists, who have lost 15 consecutive tests in Australia since 1995, captured the last seven wickets for 131 runs, led by Jamal with 3-64. Marnus Labuschagne scored 63, but Pakistan surrendered 52 extras, a sloppiness Australia would always like to exploit. Pakistan broke that trend early in their innings when Shafique and Masood put on 90 runs for the second wicket with gutsy and disciplined batting against Australia’s world-class pace attack. Australia comfortably won the first test in Perth two weeks ago by 360 runs. New year’s Sydney will host the third and final test.
