DUBAI: Opener Mohammad Hafeez celebrated his recall with an impressive century as Pakistan dominated the opening day of the first Test against Australia in Dubai on Sunday.
Pakistan were 255-3 at the close of play, with Haris Sohail unbeaten on 15 and nightwatchman Mohammad Abbas one not out as Australian bowlers toiled away with little success on a flat Dubai Stadium pitch. Hafeez, a late inclusion in the squad after a double hundred in a domestic match, led the run-feast with a knock of 126 — his 10th Test hundred — during a 278-minute stay at the crease and put on 205 runs for the opening stand with Imam-ul-Haq, who made a career best 76 playing in this match.
Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and decided to bat, and Hafeez and Imam laid the platform for a big first innings as Australia’s pace-cum-spin attack was held wicketless before tea. Hafeez, whose last of 50 Test appearances came in England two years ago, brought up his hundred by pushing spinner Jon Holland for two after hitting a pair of boundaries off Mitchell Starc the previous over.
However, He was given a life on 74 when Mitchell Marsh could not hold on to a tough chance on the boundary off the bowling of Holland having covered some 20 yards in the outfield. Hafeez, whose innings included 15 boundaries, was finally trapped leg before wicket by Peter Siddle by a ball which beat him on the front push. It was only after tea that Australia were able to take wickets, with off-spinner Nathan Lyon getting Imam caught behind in the 63rd over of the day. Imam hit seven boundaries and two sixes — both off Holland — to improve on his previous best score of 74 not out made against Ireland at Malahide in May.
Azhar Ali scored 18 before giving away his wicket to Holland, caught at mid-off by Starc. Australia captain Tim Paine brought on Lyon in the ninth over but Pakistan reached lunch at 89-0 before adding a further 110 runs in the second session.
Lyon, Holland and Siddle finished a challenging opening day with a wicket apiece. Australia bowled well despite the unhelpful conditions, with Starc the most menacing for much of the day, getting swing early on while regularly coming close to finding Hafeez’s outside edge. The odd yorker kept the batsmen on their toes, and on another day in another country he might have finished with a five-wicket haul. Here, he ended the day wicketless.But the day would end on a very different note. Life seemed to have crept back into this pitch, and, by extension, this Test match.Australia handed Test caps to Aaron Finch, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne while Pakistan included off-spinner Bilal Asif for his first Test at the age of 33. (AFP)
