Aussies on back foot asPakistan dominateearly
AUSTRALIA was in early trouble in Pakistan, with the home team 1-105 at lunch and doing it with ease.
It was a long session, figuratively and literally for the visitors, on the first morning of the Rawalpindi Test.
It took a crazy shot and a brilliant catch from captain Pat Cummins to bring a wicket, but Nathan Lyon needs credit for claiming opener Abdullah Shafique just before the break.
The session was extended for Friday prayers and was an epic for the Australians who had Lyon on early and went through five bowlers, including Travis Head who
contributed three either side of the drinks break.
Pakistan won the toss and picked additional spin, the Australians went line and length with Josh Hazlewood replacing ScottBoland and Lyon the only turner.
The inexperienced Imam-Ul
Haq, who has been brought back in after three years in the wilderness, started slowly but looked assured, unbeaten on 57 from 99 balls.
His opening partner Shafique threw it all away trying to hit Lyon over the top one time too many.
Shafique did not get to the pitch of the ball and was well held by Cummins who had to track a spiralling sky ball.
The question has to be asked: has Australia got selection wrong in the first Test match of the Benaud Qadir trophy?
Maybe the selectors should have read the fine print on the trophy: Abdul Qadir and Richie Benaud were not seamers.
When Head was brought on to bowl his part-timers 70 minutes into the morning, it could have been seen as creative captaincy but it could also have been interpreted as an admission you are a slow bowler short.
Even before drinks, there was a sense Australia might be a spinner short. Lyon was getting significant spin and bounce when brought on to bowl early.
Conditions are only going to get more favourable for the slow bowlers. Pakistan has spinners almost from top to tail, with Sajid Khan, Nauman Ali and Iftikhar Ahmed named alongside just two seamers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
If that’s not enough, it has Fawad Aam offering additional support.