Azhar hits ton for Pakistan at rainy MCG

OPENING batsman Azharzhar Ali led the way as Pakistan consolidatedonsolidated their first innings on n a rain-hit second day of the secondecond Test against Australia in Melbourne yesterday.

Only 50.3 overs weree possible after 50.5 overs were bowled on Monday’s opening day ay as rain again curtailed play.

At the close after rainain forced an early finish, the tourists, sts, who resumed at 142 for four, were 310 for six, with Azhar providing the foundations. oundations.

Azhar was unbeatenen on 139, with Mohammad Amir hitting tting a breezy 28 off 23 balls with six fours ours trying to lift the scoring rate after the dismissals of Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz raz Ahmed.

Australia still believeeve the weather won’t prevent a resultt in the match.

“Knowing the MCGG quite well, it’s usually good to bat onn day three and fou r so we’re st i l l wel l a nd t r u ly i n t he ga me,” Aust ra l ia bowl i ng coach Dav id Sa ker sa id. “We“W ca n’t control t he weather. There’s s still a lot of t ime lef t.” Azhar, playing in his 56th Test, celebr celebrated his 12th Test centu century (pictured, AFP) andan third against AustraliaAustral after two runs beh behind the wicket to fine leg. A z ha r’s h hu ndred came off 2182 balls in 338 m minutes a nd c on s ol id a t e d h i s p o s i t i o n a s Pakistan’s leading runscorer t this calendar year. A At close, A z ha r had scored 1089 r u ns for t he f i f t h h ig hest ag g regate for t he year. The last Pa k ista n openerop to c a r r y h i s bat t h roug h a Test innings was Imran Fa rhat (117 not out) against New Zealand in Napier back in 2009.

It has never been done in Pakistan’s Tests against Australia.

Only Mohsin Khan with, scores of 152 and 149 back in 1983, has posted higher scores than Azhar as an opening batsman for Pakistan in Australia.

Pakistan will look to push their first innings total on beyond 350.

Shafiq half-century

Shafiq reached 50 before he gave skipper Steve Smith his third catch of the innings, ending an 115-run partnership with Azhar.

Jackson Bird got one ball to seam away and Shafiq was forced to play a shot and edged to Smith at second slip for his third wicket.

Shafiq, who scored a fighting 137 in Pakistan’s narrow loss in the first Gabba Test, faced 123 balls for his 18th Test half-century over three hours.

Josh Hazlewood got his reward for his nagging accuracy with the wicket of Sarfraz Ahmed for 10, snapped up by Matt Renshaw at first slip.

Hazlewood sent down 26 overs for the miserly figures of two for 33 with 11 maidens.

Mitchell Starc had problems with his front landing foot and struggled wicket-less for 77 runs off 23.2 overs.

Light rain sent the players from the field midway through the opening session, before play resumed and was then stopped again just before lunch.

It intensified during the lunch break and prevented any play to tea after washing out play post-tea on Monday’s opening day.

A total of 78 overs have been lost so far, but play is scheduled to start 30 minutes earlier each day for the remainder of the match.

But more showers and storms are foreca st over t he rema i ni ng t hree days.