Pakistan hits back on Day Three
AUS 88 & 215/5
PAK 258
Pakistan has pegged back the Aussies on Day 3 of the second and final test at the Headingley, Leeds with an early wicket of Ricky Ponting courtesy of Mohammad Aamer as the overcast conditions made batting a real challenge on the third consecutive day of the match.
The Tasmanian, who completed his 12000 Test runs on the second day of the match, edged a wide delivery to wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal after making 66 runs.
There was more to celebrate for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 as Mr. Cricket Mike Hussey fell to another beauty from Aamer that bounced of the good length and looped into the hands of a diving Umar Akmal in the second slip.
Hussey scored only 8 runs, following his first innings failure where he fell for 5 runs to a late swinging delivery from Umar Gul.
The next one to go was Marcus North, who scored his second duck in the two match series to cap off a disappointing run with the bat after he bowled his team to a win in the first test with a six-wicket haul.
Michael Clarke completed his half century off 99 balls which included five hits to the fence in what was a typical fighting innings.
He found good company in wicketkeeper Tim Paine who is playing his second test.
The duo went about their task with a lot of ease with an aim to build a sufficient lead against Pakistan. On the other hand, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 when asked to bat last in tricky conditions.
Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 looked in imperious touch after surviving some anxious moments especially against Mohammad Asif, who kept probing away on and outside his off-stump.
The lanky Asif was extremely unlucky not to take any wicket in his opening spell when he troubled all the batsmen who faced him.
Paine and Clarke scored some delightful boundaries against Mohammad Aamer in the latter part of the first session.
The Pakistani team on the other hand looked nervous, and adopted a defensive field to keep a check on the Aussie lead.
They have to be on the guard since their negative approach in the Sydney test which cost them the game when they had the Australians on the ropes. They were facing defeat when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Yusuf-c77475’s diabolical captaincy resulted in a stunning reversal of fortunes for Pakistan.
At lunch, the Aussies lead by 45 runs, with five wickets in hand.
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