Pakistan Top-order Capitulates Yet Again In Adelaide Test
Muhammad Rameez Published November 30, 2019 | 07:10 PM
Spineless Pakistani batting line-up proved too fragile, inconsistent and impatient to face the disciplined Australian bowling and collapsed like the house of cards after its top six batsmen fell for mere 96 runs in the first innings in pursuit of Australia's mammoth total of 589-3 on the second of the day-night pink ball second Domain test at the Adelaide Oval here on Saturday
In a dismal batting display by the Pakistan top-order batsmen at the Adelaide Oval, Babar Azam's innings was a joyride with fluency and finesse in batsmanship. Babar's effortless strokeplay was a treat to watch as the batsman consolidated an innings which was left in tatters by the foolish stroke-play by the quartet of the top-order batsmen. His fluent knock was a breeze of fresh air on an otherwise cold Adelaide evening.
Babar Azam stood like a rock and watched the brittle batting fall for folly of their own as all batsmen fell playing loose strokes behind the wickets and this is evident from the fact that Tim Paine had taken four catches behind the wickets while other two went to Cummins and Warner.
If Australia's top-order batsmen were the mainstay of the batting, Pakistan top-six betrayed the team in the worst possible way and at times looked that the Australians were pitted against school boys � so casual was approach of the batsmen. Iftikhar Ahmed was the worst of all who had some painful time at the crease for his 10 runs and then committed suicide by flashing at a harmless delivery far away from his body.
Muhammad Rizwan who had batted with flair in the Brisbane test fell a victim to his emotions and played a rash stroke off the bowling of Mitchell Starc who was rewarded for his consistency and speed with four wickets for mere 22 runs in 13 hostile over spread over two ruthless spells of quick bowling.
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood also bowled with accuracy and venom and shared one wicket each of Azhar Ali and Shan Masood respectively. Pat Cummins gave away 45 runs in his 14 overs while Hazlewood conceded 29 runs in eight overs.
In the morning session, David Warner spanked Pakistani bowlers all over the park after he started his innings at the overnight score of 166 while Labuschagne was equally aggressive but got out for 162 runs after adding 36 runs to his score from the first day of the test match.
Both the batsmen added a record 361 runs in partnership for the second wicket and it is the second highest partnership for Australia.
Australia declared after posting a daunting total of 589-3 in 127 as David Warner remained invincible with 335 not out while Matthew Wade was unbeaten on 38 when Australia decided to declare some half an hour before the close of second session. Steve Smith 36 and Joe Burns 4 during the Australian first innings.
Australian stroke-master Steve Smith became the fastest batsman to 7000 runs in 126 innings surpassing Englishman Walter Hammond's 131 innings when he reached 23 on the second morning.
He latter got out to Shaheen Shah Afridi for 36.
By scoring 7000 runs at an average of 64 in his 70th test match, Steve Smith also eclipsed Sir Don Bradman's 6996 which the latter scored at an average of 99.94 in 52 tests. Smith has scored 26 test centuries as compared with Bradman's 29.
The prolific run-scorer has joined the elite 7000 club of 10 Australian greats and, after scoring 36 runs at the Adelaide Oval, needs only 97 more runs to go beyond Greg Chappell's 7110 runs.
There are 10 Australian batsmen in the 7000 club including Ricky Pontin (13378), Allan Border (11174), Steve Waugh (10927), Michael Clarke (8643), Matthew Hayden (8625), Mark Waugh (8029), Justin Langer (7696), Mark Taylor (7525), David Boon (7422), Greg Chappell (7110) and Steve Smith (7013).
Mercurial and magnificent David Warner trampled many records on his way to the highest individual score of 335 not out during Australia's first innings on the second day of the day-night Pink Ball Second test match against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval here on Saturday.
Besides being the 7th Australian and 31st batsmen in the history of test cricket to score a triple hundred, David Warner also joined the elite club of Australian greats including Sir Donald Bradman (2), Bob Simpson, Bob Cowper, Mark Taylor, Matthew Hayden, and Michael Clarke to have scored a triple century.
Sir Don Bradman is the only Australian to have scored a triple century twice while the three other batsmen include Brian Lara, Chris Gayle (both WI) and Virender Sehwag (Ind).
By virtue of his 335 n.o., Warner also became the second highest individual run-scorer for Australia after Matthew Hayden's 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003. Warner surpassed Bradman's 334 against England in 1930.
David Warner also became the highest run-getter at the Adelaide Oval with his innings of 335 not out eclipsing Sir Donald Bradman's 299 not out at the same ground.
Warner's 335 n.o. is the 10th highest individual score in the history of test match cricket.
Yasir Shah was the most expensive bowler for Pakistan and gave away 197 runs in 32 overs ithout getting a wicket while Muhamamd Musa (debutant) also remained wicketless for 114 runs in 20 overs. Muhamamd Abbas gave away 100 runs in his 29 overs, Iftikhar Ahmed 75 in 15 overs as both bowlers could not get a wicket. Shaheen Shah Afridi was the only successful bowler and claimed all three Australian wickets for 88 runs in his 30 overs.
Pakistan faces an uphill task to avoid follow-on with only four wickets left in the innings on the third day of the test match. Babar Azam is batting on 43 (67) while Yasir Shah is not out on 4 (11).
The weather pundits have forecast rain on the 3rd day of the second test match at the Adelaide Oval.
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