Sports

Pak vs Aus: Pakistan fight back in Melbourne Test

Morning session belongs to pacers Aamer Jamal, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali

By AFP
December 27, 2023
Aamer Jamal celebrates dismissing Australia´s batsman Marnus Labuschagne on the second day of the second cricket Test match between Australia and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne on December 27, 2023. —AFP
 Aamer Jamal celebrates dismissing Australia´s batsman Marnus Labuschagne on the second day of the second cricket Test match between Australia and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne on December 27, 2023. —AFP

MELBOURNE: Pakistan roared back into the second Test against Australia in Melbourne on Wednesday, grabbing seven wickets in the morning session to dismiss the hosts for 318 at lunch.

The visitors removed Travis Head (17), Marnus Labuschagne (63), Alex Carey (four), Mitchell Starc (nine), Mitchell Marsh (41) and Pat Cummins (13), and Nathan Lyon (eight) on the second morning.

Aamer Jamal spearheaded the charge with 3-64.

Australia resumed on 187-3 after a rain-marred opening day saw David Warner, Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith depart in overcast conditions conducive to seam bowling after Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.

But Labuschagne was a rock, digging in for an overnight 44 off 120 balls.

He padded up alongside Head on nine with the sun shining, smacking a boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi in the opening over to signal Australia´s intent to get the scoreboard moving.

The explosive Head drove Hasan Ali to the ropes off his first ball and followed it up with another in the same over to quickly get in the groove.

But his attacking flair cost him, lashing at a wide Afridi delivery that took a thick edge and was well collected by a diving Agha Salman in the slips.

At the other end, Labuschagne kept plugging away to bring up his 17th Test half-century.

Marsh was given out twice in successive balls during a fiery Ali over while on seven by West Indian umpire Joel Wilson.

He reviewed both decisions -- for lbw and caught behind -- and survived.

Marsh responded by driving Ali for four in his next over then smashed a big six and another boundary when part-time spinner Salman came on.

But just as the match appeared to be slipping away from Pakistan, Jamal bagged the crucial wicket of Labuschagne, who edged to Abdullah Shafique at slip.

Carey and Starc quickly followed him back to the dressing room as Pakistan cashed in with a new ball, before Marsh holed out to Jamal at backward point off Mir Hamza and the tail folded.

Australia won the first Test of the three-match series in Perth by 360 runs.