{"id":40430,"date":"2023-12-27T08:16:05","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T08:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/australia-take-control-of-second-test-as-pakistan-flounder\/"},"modified":"2023-12-27T08:16:05","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T08:16:05","slug":"australia-take-control-of-second-test-as-pakistan-flounder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/australia-take-control-of-second-test-as-pakistan-flounder\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia take control of second Test as Pakistan flounder"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MELBOURNE: Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon put Australia in the driving seat of the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday to leave Pakistan tottering at 194-6, still 124 runs behind on day two.<\/strong><\/p>\n

At stumps, Mohammad Rizwan was on 29 and Aamer Jamal not out two after Cummins took the crucial wickets of Abdullah Shafique (62) and Babar Azam (one), then Agha Salman (five).<\/p>\n

Lyon chipped in by removing Imam-ul-Haq (10) and Shan Masood (54), while Josh Hazlewood bowled Saud Shakeel for nine as Pakistan\u2019s dream of a first Test win in Australia since 1995 faded.<\/p>\n

The visitors had claimed seven wickets in the morning session on a pitch offering seam and swing, restricting the hosts to 318.<\/p>\n

Aamer Jamal spearheaded Pakistan\u2019s charge with 3-64 after Australia resumed on 187-3 after being sent into bat, with Marnus Labuschagne top-scoring on 63.<\/p>\n

Openers Haq and Shafique made a positive start in reply, surviving a series of loud appeals.<\/p>\n

But veteran spinner Lyon, fresh from taking his 500th wicket during the first Test in Perth, finally earned a reward when Haq edged to Labuschagne at slip.<\/p>\n

Undeterred, Pakistan upped the run rate after tea with Masood hitting Lyon for six and Shafique reaching his first Test 50 in Australia, and fifth overall, with a four off Mitchell Starc.<\/p>\n

But their 90-run partnership was broken by Cummins, who showed sharp reflexes to stick out his left hand for a catch off his own bowling to end Shafique\u2019s stay.<\/p>\n

Fired up, he then clean bowled danger man Azam before Lyon returned to claim his second wicket when Masood miscued and Mitchell Marsh did well to hold a catch with the sun in his eyes.<\/p>\n

Hazlewood took care of Shakeel before Cummins brought himself back and accounted for Salman, caught by wicketkeeper Alex Carey to leave Pakistan in trouble.<\/p>\n

Jamal strikes<\/p>\n

Labuschagne, digging in for an overnight 44 off 120 balls padded up again alongside Travis Head on nine with the sun shining, smacking a boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi in the opening over.<\/p>\n

The explosive Head drove Hasan Ali to the ropes off his first ball and followed it up with another in the same over to quickly get in the groove.<\/p>\n

But his flair cost him on 17, lashing at a wide Afridi delivery that took a thick edge and was well collected by Salman in the slips.<\/p>\n

At the other end, Labuschagne kept plugging away to bring up his 17th Test half-century.<\/p>\n

Marsh was given out twice in successive balls during a fiery Ali over while on seven by West Indian umpire Joel Wilson. He reviewed both decisions \u2014 for lbw and caught behind \u2014 and survived.<\/p>\n

But just as the match appeared to be slipping away from Pakistan, Jamal bagged the wicket of Labuschagne, who edged to Shafique at slip.<\/p>\n

Carey and Starc quickly followed as Pakistan cashed in with a new ball, before Marsh holed out to Jamal off Mir Hamza on 41 and the tail folded.<\/p>\n

Australia won the first Test of the three-match series in Perth by 360 runs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n