Pakistan, the killer blow was landed by young left-armer Mohammad Aamer, who took three wickets in the first hour, before the arrears had even been cleared. It was a sunny day, the clouds high, and the ball did not swing appreciably. Youthful exuberance and no mean skill enabled Aamer to prevail.
Pakistan teenage Pakistan, the killer blow was landed by young left-armer Mohammad Aamer, who took three wickets in the first hour, before the arrears had even been cleared. It was a sunny day, the clouds high, and the ball did not swing appreciably. Youthful exuberance and no mean skill enabled Aamer to prevail. took three wickets for just 12 runs in 16 balls, on his way to final figures of four for 86 in 27 overs, to leave Australia 215 for five at lunch.
Michael Clarke, the last of Australia’s recognised batsmen, was 76 not out, having started the day unbeaten on 32 and wicketkeeper Tim Paine, who top-scored with 17 in the first innings, was 17 not out.
However Clarke added just one to his interval score when, to Mohammad Asif’s first ball after lunch he was caught behind off a superb full length delivery that just seamed away enough to take the outside edge and end the Australia vice-captain’s four hours’ of resistance.
Australia were plunged into further trouble by a fortunate Kaneria wicket.Paine in what was only his second Test, made a composed 33 in two hours with five boundaries. But his innings ended when he spooned a Kaneria long hop to Azhar Ali at cover.Smith and Mitchell Johnson added valuable runs and with Australia 264 for seven after 80 overs, Pakistan took the new ball as soon as it was available.
But when Asif, unusually, dropped short, Smith pulled him for four to take Australia’s lead past a hundred.
But in the fifth over of the new ball, Johnson was lbw to Asif for 12.
However, new batsman Hilfenhaus cover-drove Asif for four before Smith lofted the seamer over mid-off for another boundary.
Kaneria succeeded where the quicks failed, Hilfenhaus edging him to Umar Akmal at slip after making 17 featuring four boundaries. Aamer took three for 20 as Australia were routed for 88 on Wednesday – their lowest Test total since being dismissed for 76 by the West Indies at Perth in 1984.
Australia resumed on their overnight score of 136 for two, 34 behind Pakistan’s first innings 258.
Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, was 61 not out, having become in the course of his innings only the second batsman, after India’s Sachin Tendulkar, to score 12,000 Test runs.
But Ponting had added only five more when he drove loosely outside off stump against Aamer and was caught by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal for 66, having put on 89 for the third wicket with Clarke.
SCORES IN BRIEF
AUSTRALIA: First innings 88 all out (Watson 5, Katich 13, Ponting 6, North 16, Paine 17, Smith 10; Aamer 3-20, Asif 3-30, Gul 2-16)
PAKISTAN: First innings 258 (Farhat 43, Butt 45, Azhar 30, Amin 25, Akmal 21, Malik 26; Hilfenhaus 2-77, Watson 6-33)
AUSTRALIA: Second innings 349 all out (Watson 24, Katich 11, Ponting 66, Clarke 77, Paine 33, Smith 77; Aamer 4-86, Asif 2-83, Kaneria 2-74)
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