Australia are left with a mountain to climb if they are to get anywhere close to winning the second Test to square the series against Pakistan after a fruitless first day of play at Abu Dhabi. Join The Roar for a live coverage of the second day starting from 5:00pm (AEDT).
When Australia went into the second Test match knowing they had to win the game to prevent Pakistan from taking their first series against them in two decades, they would have hoped for a better start than what they had the first day.
But they seem to have now endured what can easily be described as the worst-case scenario given the context of the series.
First they lost the toss on a track which was slower than the one at Dubai. Then they went wicketless for about 54 overs in the day, thereby allowing Younis Khan and Azhar Ali to add to the Pakistani century count.
In turn, they are now left with needing a miracle to have any chance of drawing level in the series.
At 2/304, it is Pakistan’s game to lose and while one has often seen the hosts go down from such scenarios, even that will be clutching at straws at the moment.
The ball did nothing for most part of the day. There was very little lateral movement and the two wickets that Australia manage to scalp were almost against the run of play.
The Pakistan batsmen defended when they wanted to, accelerated as they desired and towards the end, pulled down their shutters very easily without the fear of handing back the initiative to Australia.
There were a couple of missed chances but when things aren’t meant to go your way, very little does.
Going into the second day, Australia will hope they can get rid of the two century-makers as soon as they can. They must be sick of watching Younis so calmly take them apart and looking at him bat, it does look like he is in that zone that the top batsmen often talk about.
A double-century beckons for him, the way he is going and a score of at least 500 for Pakistan is easily achievable as well. In fact, by looks of things, and given they just need a draw to win the series anyway, Pakistan could decide to grind Australia out of the game.
If the Aussie bowlers fail to extract anything like they did on the first day, expect Pakistan to bat out another full day and score as many too.
For Australia to have a chance, they need to trigger a collapse that sees Pakistan not score more than 400 and then bat themselves into a position where they can at least level things out on the first innings.
From then on, Australia will need to hope the pitch cracks up sufficiently to get the better of the Pakistani batsmen quickly enough in their second dig before having to bat last and chase down whatever target’s set for them.
For now, however, all of this sounds like a distant dream. And why not, given Australia have picked up just four Pakistani wickets over the last 166 overs they have bowled.
Join me for this second day of the second Test between Pakistan and Australia on Friday here and you can follow the live score of this game from 5:00pm and post your comments in the section below.
Listen to Australia Pakistan live on Roar Radio:
Silver Sovereign
Roar Rookie
I have to congratulate the genius selectors for dropping the only other specialist spinner in the squad for more pace bowling in dry sub continent like conditions. Hows that working out for you? Have you learnt your lesson yet? O'Keefe is still the equal highest wicket taker for Australia with one less innings bowled. Hughes could have helped big time here with Haddin dropping out of the keeping. Hughes has experience as a backup. Another mistake there. Haddin's injury is a blessing in disguise for Australia. That should be it for him. Hartley who is only 30 or 31 and is in great form should play against India and in the world cup. The second half of Hartley's first class career has seen him average around 40 or more, with his average now being 32 after an 80 not out today. Not to mention he is the best keeper in the country. Clarke needs some big runs tomorrow. We should start a new nickname for him, Marcus North. His all or nothing innings' over the last couple of years are a problem. Plus his results as captain apart from the Aussie ashes and south Africa tests, are big loss to in the England Ashes, thrashing in India and now another towling against Pakistan. Certainly questions need to be asked. And certainly when he mentioned Marsh as a future test captain with no mention of Smith, me thinks that he is a little uncertain about his future and trying to shut down his nearest contender for the leadership
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The pitch continues to look and play flat. It will be up to the tired bodies and minds of the Aussie batsmen to help themselves to it in the same way that the Pakistanis did. The worry for Australia usually comes when the ball gets slightly older and a wicket falls after a longish partnership. Wickets have fallen in heaps in such conditions then. We will see tomorrow whether this pitch is really a feather-bed that it has been made out to be or if the Pakistani spinners can find something for themselves out of it. That's that from me, will be back with tomorrow's play. Have a good night!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That ends another day that belonged to Pakistan. They continued batting the manner they have been all this series, pushed the score on to 400 and then to 500 before finally calling it quits at 6/570. Younis made a double-century, Misbah chipped in with a century and Australia barely got themselves into the contest. In reply, Australia had 32 balls to face and lost Rogers' wicket to Imran Khan.
Craig Watson
Guest
Oh no. Buck has nicked one. Did not have to play...nervous jab.!
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
That was lucky for the Aussies, if they'd have had to hang around another 2-3 overs I could see another wicket falling.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Two balls into the Babar over and the umpires have decided the light isn't too good to continue. End of the day's play with Australia at 1/22 in 5.2 in reply to 6/570 by Pakistan.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The light-meter has come out but for now Zulfiqar Babar will get his first chance to bowl. Replaces Hafeez and will be up against Lyon. Wouldn't have minded seeing Yasir against Lyon, having gotten rid of him last innings.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Lyon's gotten off the mark with a neat clip off his pads to fine-leg. Warner is forced to defend the last one of the over, one that swings back into him. Exchange of pleasantries between the batsman and the bowler. 1/22 in 5.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Nathan Lyon has walked out as the night watchman. So Maxwell won't bat at three after all. Rogers was looking to push at the ball, and I suppose that was with hard hands too. Nothing much in the delivery in terms of movement but good lines and lengths. 1/21 in the 5th
Nudge
Guest
Totally agree. And what's more that tampering seems to occur a lot worse when Australia bowl first. It's unbelievable
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Oh dear.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gone, is it? Definite edge but has it carried? Oh yes, it has, comfortably at that. It was on the off-stump channel by Imran and Rogers was forced to have a tap at it, manages only an edge and is caught by the keeper! One down with just 21 on the board.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Speaking of field positions, here we go with another fielder close-in for Warner as well. One comes in at silly-point. Warner flicks the next one against the spin for a couple of runs. Off the last ball, Warner is looking to go back to defend and the ball skids through, for which he gets his bat down in a hurry. 0/21 in 4
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Hafeez had an extra fielder for Rogers at leg-slip. Not for Warner, which is strange, given the match situation.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Absolutely. I, for one, I am sick of all the innings changeover pitch tampering.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Nice show of intent from Rogers as he leans into the delivery and drives it through the covers for three. Back to Warner... ...who defends the first one from Imran and then pulls another to deep square-leg for a single to end the over. 0/19 in 3.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Signs that Imran Khan is getting back into bit of a rhythm. Gets his length right and beats the outside half of the Warner bat... ...and then goes up to the batsman to wish him luck or something. Warner short-arm-jabs one to deep square-leg for a single next ball. 0/15 in 2.3
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A good first over from Hafeez that included one that turned away from the batsman and beat him. Just those two runs in the over, 0/14 in 2. 10 more overs remaining.
Nudge
Guest
It's amazing how many times in Australia's last 13 or 14 tests though that the team batting first has racked up a huge first innings score on an absolute highway only for the pitch to completely deteriate in the space of a change of innings and miraculously turn into a minefield.
Craig Watson
Guest
Tough period for Davey and Bucky to negotiate before stumps. Boys must be frazzled being out in that furnace for almost two days. C'mon 'baggys' show plenty of fight.