ABU DHABI - Pakistan continued to benefit from the sublime form of run-machine Younus Khan to punish Australia in the field on second day of the second Test too at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium Friday.
Younus completed his fifth double century of the career and captain Misbahul Haq scored a ton to much delight of a capacity cricket crowd as Pakistan declared their first innings on 570-6. The innings also witnessed three Pakistani batsman scoring hundreds for the first time against Australia. Sarfraz Ahmad was unbeaten on 19 and Yasir Shah was playing on one when Pakistan decided to have a go at tired Australians in the last hour of the day.
And the decision immediately paid off when pacer Imran Khan found the outside edge of opener Chris Rogers on the first ball of the fifth over and Sarfraz took a simple catch on his right side to reduce Australians to 21-0. Australia were 22-1with David Warner playing on 16 and night-watchman Nathan Lyon on one when umpires called it stumps 6.4 overs early due to bad light.
Younus, who hit twin centuries in the first test in Dubai, continued to punish the Australians who could not stop the run-feast on the flat track. It took Younus 334 balls and he struck 14 boundaries and two sixes to reach his fifth double century. Only Javed Miandad is ahead of him now with six double centuries. Younus also became only the third Pakistani Test batsman to achieve a career milestone of 8000 runs. He is now behind Miandad (8832 in 124 innings) and Inzamumul Haq (8829 in 119). The 36-year-old right handed batsman crossed the historic mark with a single off Shaun Marsh of the 143.3 over of the Abu Dhabi Test.
Interestingly, on the very day in 1976, compatriot Miandad (19 years) became the youngest ever player to score a Test double ton. He scored 206 runs at Karachi's National Stadium against New Zealand. Known for his marathon Test innings and profound shot-making, the Pakistan legend has already achieved numerous feats in this series, involving a touring Australian side. Earlier, Younus became Pakistan's highest Test centurion (26) after breaking Inzamam's record (25) in the first Test in Dubai.
On the list of players with most Test centuries, he has overtaken West Indian great Gary Sobers and now level with Michael Clarke, Graeme Smith and Allan Border. On the first Day of second Test at Abu Dhabi, he scored a cracking century for three back-to-back Test centuries and thus joined the likes of Zaheer Abbas, Mudassar Nazar and Mohammed Yousuf to do so. Besides, he also became the 15th Pakistani to reach 1000 plus international runs against Australia in Test cricket. Younus also equalled the record of most 150 plus scores by a Pakistan batsman. He shares the top spot with Miandad, both on 10 150+ scores.
Younus added 236 with Ali which erased the previous highest third wicket stand against Australia of 223 held by Miandad and Taslim Arif from a 1980 match in Faisalabad, Pakistan. He also added 181 for the fourth wicket with Misbah.
Misbah also joined Younus in record-making when his century make him the fifth Test captain to score a century after the age of 40 as he batted himself to form. Warwick Armstrong, Dudley Nurse, Bob Simpson and Clive Lloyd have done it before Misbah. It was Misbah’s sixth century in the Tests laced with 10 boundaries and one six of 166 deliveries. Misbah also broke the Pakistani record of most runs by a Test captain when he reached on 61 in his 36th. Previously, the record was set by Imran Khan with 2,408 runs in 40 Tests.
Apart from battling a lifeless pitch suited to a draw, Australia also faced an injury drama involving vice-captain Brad Haddin. Wicketkeeper Haddin carried a right-shoulder injury into battle in the post-lunch session after going off the field for treatment on Friday morning. The incident happened in the sixth over of the day’s play when Haddin dived to take a catch to his right, gathering the ball on the half-volley and landing heavily on his shoulder. Haddin immediately called for team doctor Peter Brukner to assess the damage and the tough veteran of 59 Tests tried to carry on.
However, 37-year-old Haddin’s movements were heavily restricted and he left the field 15 deliveries later for treatment. Warner took over the gloves from his NSW teammate and missed a clear stumping opportunity two overs later off the bowling of spinner Lyon when Younus was on 125. Warner did however take a diving catch down legside off Mitchell Starc’s bowling in the next over to dismiss Azhar Ali at 3-332 after a record stand of 236 for the third wicket.
A combination of a day off from work for Abu Dhabi’s cricket fans and the host team’s dominance led to a crowd of several thousand pouring into the stands midway through the day’s play in a big improvement on day one’s attendance. The only real chance Australia had in the second session was when at 431-3, Misbah slashed at Lyon and the ball flew at great speed straight to Warner's face in the slip, but he removed himself from harm's way.
Misbah was finally dismissed by Steven Smith just moments after he completed his century. Smith bowled a flighted, loopy delivery and Misbha just guided at straight back to the bowler at the stroke of the tea. Younus also could not last longer after the tea when he completely missed line of a Peter Siddle’s delivery hile going down the pitch for a big shot and was clean bowled. Asad Shafiq also played a little stint that included one six and one four and scored 21 off 32 balls before being clean bowled by Mitchell Starc.
Scoreboard
PAKISTAN IST INNINGS:
(OVERNIGHT: 304-2)
Ahmed Shehzad lbw b Lyon 35
M Hafeez c Haddin b Johnson 45
Azhar Ali c Warner b Starc 109
Younis Khan b Siddle 213
Misbah-ul Haq c and b Smith 101
Asad Shafiq b Starc 21
Sarfraz Ahmed not out 19
Yasir Shah not out 1
EXTRAS: (b10, lb11, nb4, w1) 26
TOTAL: (for 6 wkts; 164 overs dec) 570
FOW: 1-57, 2-96, 3-332, 4-513, 5-537, 6-561
BOWLING: Johnson 25-7-59-1, Starc 27-3-86-2, Siddle 31-8-75-1, Lyon 37-1-154-1, Marsh 12-2-32-0, Maxwell 16-2-78-0, Clarke 6-0-24-0, Smith 10-0-41-1
AUSTRALIA IST INNINGS:
D Warner not out 16
C Rogers c Ahmed b Khan 5
N Lyon not out 1
TOTAL: (for one wkt; 5.2 overs) 22
FOW: 1-21 (Rogers)
BOWLING: Khan 3-0-18-1, Hafeez 2-0-4-0, Babar 0.2-0-0-0
TOSS: Pakistan
UMPIRES: Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong
TV UMPIRE: Marais Erasmus (RSA)
MATCH REFEREE: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)