Cricket: http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 maintain advantage over Pakistan in Lords Test
At the end of an enthralling day of test cricket the Australians have taken control of the first test against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 at, the home of cricket, Lords.
As expected the extremely fragile Pakistani batting line-up crumbled against the Aussie pace attack. But what would disappoint the fans of the game further is that the top and middle order crumbled against the man who is now no more than an occasional bowler in test cricket.
Shane Watson was the star of the Aussie attack as the limp Pakistani batting line-up lived up to its notorious reputation of handing the easiest five-wicket hauls to unknown test bowlers.
After removing the last Australian batsman in the morning session, the Pakistani batsman found the going extremely tough. Despite an extremely solid batting performance by Salman Butt, who held the innings together with a gritty half century, before becoming a victim of Watson himself as all frontline batsmen deserted him.
Imran Farhat and debutant Azhar Ali were snapped by Ben Hillfenhaus who made a great return to test cricket with a probing new ball spell.
Umar Amin who was also making his test debut had to return to the pavilion for only one run, snapped behind the stumps by Tim Paine off Mitchell Johnson.
Umar Akmal and Kamran Akmal the two middle-order batsmen who were to be the backbone of a wafer thin batting line up were sent back to the pavilion courtesy of almost identical lbw decisions against the medium pace of Watson.
The brothers, who resemble each other, dismissals resembled each other too to the sheer disappointment of the Pakistan team management.
Boom Boom Afridi made an outrageous return to test cricket smashing two sixes and four fours in a typically whirlwind 31 off only 15 balls, but when it seemed that he had gotten over his early nerves he spooned the easiest of catches to Johnson off http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326, after he had taken 14 runs including a massive six over long off in the same over.
His dismissal left the hosts of the match, being played on neutral ground, tottering at 117 for 6.
The going only got worse for them as Umar Gul and Mohammad Aamer perished cheaply, before the dismissal of Salman Butt who played the sheet anchors role in an otherwise pathetic batting display by the Pakistanis.
The innings folded when Kaneria fell to Watson, for 14 as the Aussies acquired a crucial 105 run lead in the first innings.
The Australian reply was confident, as the two openers Watson and Katich steadied the early nerves against the moving ball with an enterprising 61 run partnership.
At this juncture the Pakistani looked down and out, but the tide was turned when Watson fell to Mohammad Asif, soon afterwards the pacer removed the Aussie captain for a duck.
From the other end, Umar Gul roared back castling Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 with a ball that nipped back off the seam and sent the off stump tumbling.
On the next ball, Mr. Cricket Mike Hussey, was dismissed courtesy of a good diving catch by Imran Farhat in the first slip as the Aussie top order withered away.
The Australians ended the day’s play at 100 for 4, with an overall lead of 205 runs with six wickets remaining in their second innings.
Despite the wonderful comeback at the far end of the day, the Pakistani team faces an uphill battle on day three as they seek to avoid their 13th consecutive defeat to the Aussies in the longest format of the game.
Even if they bowl the Australians out for a lead of less than 300, they would have to bat out of their skins to win the match.
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