After solid start, Pakistan reeling at 125-5 at tea on day 1
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s pace trio took four wickets for three runs in 39 balls before spinner Nathan Lyon chimed in with his first ball of the second session as Pakistan slumped to 125-5 at tea on day one of the first cricket test.
Openers Azhar Ali and Shan Masood survived the morning session after Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat Thursday, and lifted the total to 75 before Pat Cummins trigged a top-order collapse with a wicket on the last ball of the 33rd over.
Masood had faced 97 balls for his 27 runs before playing inside the line and edging to Steve Smith at second slip, having edged through a vacant third slip between two fielders earlier in the over.
On the second ball of the next over, Josh Hazlewood (2-30) had Pakistan skipper Azhar well caught at first slip by Joe Burns, who reached forward to grab an excellent catch at grass height.
Azhar faced 104 balls and hit five boundaries in a patiently compiled 39, a contrast to the next two batsmen to fall.
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The Australian pacemen bowled too short in the first session but got their lengths right to start the third, forcing the Pakistan batsmen to play and getting the rewards.
Haris Sohail scored one run in 26 minutes before he was caught behind off Mitchell Start in the 39th over to make the total 77-3. Five balls later it was 78-4 when veteran batsman Babar Azam Babar slashed extravagantly at Hazlewood and edged to Burns at slip.
Lyon bowled four overs in the first session and returned for a second spell in the 46th over, striking immediately when he had Iftikhar Ahmed (7) caught at short leg to make it 94-5.
Asad Shafiq (18) and Mohammad Rizwan (19) added an unbeaten 31 from seven overs before the second interval.
The highlight of the morning session was Naseem Shah’s inclusion in the starting XI, making the 16-year-old Pakistan fast bowler the youngest player to make his test debut in Australia.
Naseem earned his place in the team after taking 1-21 in eight overs in a tour match last week in Perth, a day after his mother died in Pakistan.
“It was very emotional this morning when he got his cap,” Azhar said of the selection. “We’re really excited to see Naseem play.”