Shafiq attacks Aussie spinners

PAKISTAN pressed its advantage in the first Test in Dubai with classy run-scorer Asad Shafiq attacking Australia’s spinners early on day two.

The host team was 4-329 at lunch, with Shafiq 43 not out and Haris Sohail unbeaten on 46.

Peter Siddle broke through for Australia in the fifth over of play, dismissing Mohammad Abbas (one) with a delivery which went straight through the nightwatchman’s defence.

The wicket propelled Siddle ahead of Merv Hughes as Victoria’s most prolific Test paceman and the ninth-most successful Australian quick with 213 dismissals.

Siddle’s tight line and length in the 37C heat was again admirable, the 33-yearold heading to lunch with figures of 2-28 off 22 overs.

Shafiq was slow to get off the mark but accelerated in the second half of the session, going after Nathan Lyon and Jon Holland with some typically wristy strokes and dancing down the pitch to smack a Lyon delivery back over the offspinner’s head for six.

Lyon had figures of 1-85 off 41 overs and left-arm spinner Holland 1-98 off 22.

Australia had not taken the new ball after 119 overs with Siddle, Mitchell Starc and Mitch Marsh all generating reverse-swing from an old ball which was been heavily worn by the dry deck.

Starc (0-68) bowled a fiveover spell at the start of the day after suffering debilitating cramps in both his calves and groins late on day one.

The left-arm paceman revealed in an interview before play that he had downed bottles of pickle juice to overcome the cramps.

Pakistan resumed on Monday at 3-255 after openers Mohammad Hafeez (126) and Imam-ul-Haq (76) combined for a 205-run stand on a roadlike pitch. AAP SCOREBOARD - PAGE 31