The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Pakistan score crushing win over Australia in second Test

Pakistan and Ireland have a long history in Test cricket. (AFP PHOTO/KARIM SAHIB)
Roar Guru
3rd November, 2014
67

Australia’s nightmare tour of United Arab Emirates is over after Pakistan completed a two-nil series sweep with a 356-run victory in the second Test on Monday.

Set a gigantic target of 603 to win on a pitch which assists the spinners, Australia resumed on on 4-143 and reached 5-238 at lunch.

Australia lost 3-0 in 12 balls after the lunch break and soon collapsed to be all out for 246.

It’s Australia’s third-biggest loss by a runs margin in Test history.

Steve Smith on 97 was trapped in front by legspinner Yasir Shah from the second delivery after the interval.

Wounded warrior wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (13), battling a sore shoulder, was bowled by left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar in the next over.

And Mitchell Johnson fell for a duck in the following over to Yasir.

Yasir also bowled Mitchell Starc and Zulfiqar removed Nathan Lyon for a duck.

Advertisement

Zulfiqar claimed 5-120 and Yasir took 3-44.

Australia had started well on Monday.

Mitchell Marsh, in his second Test match, added 107 for the fifth wicket with Smith.

The 23-year-old Marsh hit 47 off 130 deliveries, completing a strong match with the bat after top-scoring with 87 in Australia’s first innings of 261.

Marsh was caught at leg slip off the bowling of offspinner Mohammad Hafeez.

But hopes of a dramatic draw soon faded.

Coach and selector Darren Lehmann admitted on Sunday night that Australia had been totally outplayed again, after their 221-run loss in the first Test in Dubai.

Advertisement

“We’ve got to get to the drawing board and make it right,” he said.

“In subcontinent if you like conditions in the last six Test matches … we certainly haven’t played well enough.”

Monday’s loss follows Australia’s 4-0 humiliation on spinning tracks in India in 2013, which was under the direction of then-coach Mickey Arthur.

It seems little has changed in this respect.

Australia’s record of one win in 16 Tests in Asia since Shane Warne’s 2007 retirement is a stark reminder of the team’s inability to exploit turning pitches with the ball or survive them with the bat.

Sixth-ranked Pakistan have jumped three places with their two-nil sweep over second-ranked Australia.

AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST LOSSES BY RUNS MARGIN
– 675 v England in Brisbane, Nov 1928
– 408 v West Indies in Adelaide, Jan 1980
– 356 v Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, Oct 2014
– 347 v England at Lord’s, July 2013
– 343 v West Indies at Bridgetown, April 1991
– 338 v England at Adelaide, Jan 1933

Advertisement
close