Aussies have a mountain to climb
DUBAI: Pakistan batted sensibly on the fourth morning of the First Test yesterday before declaring their second innings at 181-6 to set Australia a huge victory target of 462 in Dubai.
Resuming the day at 45-3, Pakistan batsmen Imam-ul-Haq (48) and Haris Sohail (39) missed out on half-centuries but their 65-run partnership took the lead close to 400 runs.
Imam was the first to fall on the day, offering left-arm spinner Jon Holland an easy return catch.
He was soon joined in the dressing room by Sohail, who was adjudged leg before off the bowling of debutant Marnus Labuschagne after Australia sought a review of the umpire’s original decision.
Asad Shafiq and Babar Azam then combined to add 71 to peg Australia back further on a Dubai pitch, which is increasingly getting difficult to bat on.
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon tempted Shafiq into playing a lofty shot which was held by Mitchell Marsh at deep midwicket with the batsman falling on 41.
Lyon’s 310th Test wicket saw him join Brett Lee as the fifth leading wicket-taker for Australia in the longest format of the game.
Abu Dhabi will host the second and final Test from Oct 16.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka's new captain Dinesh Chandimal won the toss and put England in to bat in the first of five one-day internationals in Dambulla yesterday.
However, rain has interrupted play.
Chandimal said he expected the pitch, which was under the covers for much of Tuesday, to offer seam movement for his fast bowlers early on.
World No 1 England handed ODI debuts to fast bowler Olly Stone, 25, and left-arm spinner Liam Dawson, 28, leaving out both Curran brothers.
Sri Lanka's XI features left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan, who was left out from the Asia Cup squad, and fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep, who has not played an international since January, largely owing to injury.
Monsoon rains impeded Sri Lanka's training on the day before the match, and had also washed out one of England's warm-up games, but good weather is forecast for the game.
England have won 29 of their last 39 ODIs, while the hosts are ranked eighth and have lost 30 of their last 40 completed games.