Perth, Dec 15: Australia hit back with two late wickets as Pakistan clawed to 132-2 and trailed by 355 runs in the first test on Friday.
Pakistan fast bowler Aamer Jamal grabbed 6-111 in his debut test, claiming the last four of the five wickets before Australia was bowled out for 487 after it resumed Day 2 at 346-5.
Opening pair Abdullah Shafique (42) and Imam-ul-Haq (38 not out) thwarted the pace trio of captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc before offspinner Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc struck in the last session.
Lyon had Shafique caught at leg slip for 42 off 121 balls as the Pakistan right-hander fell in the trap and attempted an aggressive shot while walking out of his crease. Lyon moved closer to the 500-wicket mark as he took his tally in test cricket to 497 by finishing the day at 1-40.
Captain Shan Masood nearly chopped Lyon’s delivery back onto his stumps off the first ball he faced before showing plenty of aggression, hitting five boundaries in his knock of 30. The left-hander, who scored a double century in the warmup first-class game against a Prime Minister’s XI, attempted one too many shots to edge Starc late in an eventful last session.Umpire Richard Illingworth adjudged Masood not out, but Australia went for a successful television referral that showed the Pakistan skipper had got a thick edge as the ball flew into the hands of the wicketkeeper.
Imam, who shared a 74-run opening wicket stand with Shafique, was batting on a patient 136-ball knock with nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad not out on 7 off 18 deliveries. Imam stonewalled the world champion side for almost two sessions with the Australian pacers beating the outside edge of the left-hander’s bat numerous times without any luck.
Lyon came close to separating the opening pair after tea when Shafique was on 33, but television replays clearly showed the ball had missed the bat as Alex Carey collected the ball down the leg side and Australia wasted one of its reviews.
Earlier, Jamal’s impressive debut helped Pakistan bowl out Australia shortly after lunch.Allrounder Mitchell Marsh’s attempt at his fourth test century ended on the first delivery after lunch, bowled on 90 by fast bowler Shahzad.
The home side added only 11 runs after going to lunch at 476-7 as Jamal cleaned up the tail quickly. Pakistan went into the test match without a specialist spinner. (AP)
