[Watch] Saim Ayub drops David Warner in the slip cordon during the 3rd AUS vs PAK TestÂ
Pakistan youngster Saim Ayub has not had the prettiest of Test debuts so far after recording a duck on Day 1 and kickstarting the second day with a dropped catch. He dropped a simple chance at first slip to hand David Warner a huge reprieve in his final Test appearance.
Australia resumed their innings from the overnight score of 6-0, trailing by 307 runs after an action-packed first day at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The opening pair of Warner and Usman Khawaja started cautiously against the new ball as the visiting seamers had a bit of overcast covering to make their case.
Pakistan seemingly created the opportunity after Aamer Jamal induced Warner's outside edge while coming around the wicket. With the ball pitched on a good length, the left-handed batter, batting on 20 runs, tried to play with a straight bat, but could only watch the ball travel to first slip.
The ball was at a comfortable height for Ayub to claim it, but much like the display of his predecessors in the slip cordon, it popped right out before he could wrap his hands around it. Babar Azam, at second slip, was brought down to his knees in despair after witnessing the dropped catch right in front of his eyes.
Have a look at the dropped catch right here:
Pakistan have put up a poor fielding display on the tour of Australia so far. Abdullah Shafique dropped a couple of easy opportunities, one of which arguably cost them the Boxing Day Test.
Shafique dropped Mitchell Marsh at first slip, which would have reduced the hosts to 46-5 in the second innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Instead, the Aussie all-rounder went on to score 96 runs to stretch Australia's lead.
David Warner dismissed for 34 runs in his potential final Test innings
Much to the relief of Saim Ayub, the veteran opener could not make the most of his second life. David Warner had endured a scare while batting in the final over of Day 1 against Sajid Khan, but he could not evade an outside edge chance in the dying stages of the first session on Day 2.
Warner edged one to Babar Azam at first slip off Salman Ali Agha's bowling. The off-spinner was introduced into the attack for the first time in the contest and got the breakthrough right away. He had dismissed Warner in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test as well.
Warner's batting in the second innings is contingent on how Australia and Pakistan fare with the bat in the next set of days, as well as the fickle weather, that has hampered proceedings in Sydney during the New Year's Test in recent times.