Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Pakistan ended day two on 90/1 trailing by 301 runs after brilliant spells from Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi helped them bowl Australia out for 391.

Resuming at 232/5, Australian batters Alex Carey and Cameron Green dominated the first session. Australia had appeared vulnerable at the start of day two after losing three wickets in the last session of day one, but Pakistan failed to capitalise on their overnight momentum, and the inexperienced pair of Carey and Green batted through the opening session to regain control of the match.

The batters slowly built their partnership, steadily pulling Australia out of the delicate situation; and they soon completed their respective half-centuries and continued to frustrate the Pakistani bowlers.

Nothing seemed to work for Pakistan in the first session. Despite starting with Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who bowled superbly on day one, Pakistan were unable to shake the two batters’ confidence. Untroubled throughout the first session, Australia recovered and regained the advantage and went to lunch at 320/5 with Carey (60*) and Green (56*) standing strong with their 114-run sixth-wicket partnership.

Immediately after the lunch break there was some respite for Pakistan as they were eventually able to break the 135-run partnership. Alex Carey was trapped at the crease by Nauman Ali’s quicker delivery as he walked back to the pavilion on 67. And shortly after, Green was done by a brilliant in-swinger from Naseem Shah, a delivery that came back in sharply ended his knock of 79. With two quick wickets of the set batters, Australia were under the pump.

Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins tried to steady the ship. But Starc, who was batting aggressively, lost his wicket on 13 while trying to hit Shaheen over mid-off. Pakistan cleared the Australian tail easily as Naseem Shah in the very next over dismissed Nathan Lyon (4) with a big reverse-swinging delivery. Shaheen with a brilliant inswinging yorker dismissed Mitchell Swepson on 9 and Australia were bowled out for 391. With their respective bowling figures of 4/79 and 4/58, Shaheen and Naseem starred with the ball for Pakistan.

With tea being taken early, Pakistan started their innings in the final session of the day. The in-form Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq started their innings looking solid against Starc and Cummins, batting easily through their first stint.

All-rounder Green was brought into the attack and Imam welcomed him with a beautiful drive towards wide mid-off, and Nathan Lyon was introduced into the attack from the other end, and he bowled at an accurate length to keep the Pakistani batters in check. But a change of end did the trick for Australia, as Cummins, in the very first ball of 13th over, dismissed Imam on 11, trapping him in front of the stumps.

Shafique, joined by Azhar Ali, would then stitch together a solid partnership and would ensure that Pakistan were not in any trouble for the remainder of the day’s play. Shafique will resume on 45* and Ali on 30*, as Pakistan will begin day three on 90/1, trailing by 301 runs.