Australia celebrate the wicket of Imam in the closing stages of the second day in Lahore. Photo: cricket.com.au
It was a day full of action in Lahore, which saw milestones with the bat, and wickets fall, with Australia leading Pakistan by 301 runs at Stumps on day two.
Cameron Green and Alex Carey set the tone for Australia in the first session, both surpassing 50 and making it through the first session untroubled. After that however, session two belonged to Pakistan, as they quickly wrapped up the Australian innings for under 400 runs. All before Australian captain Pat Cummins picked up the big wicket of Imam Ul-Haq.
Here are the moments that mattered from the second day in Lahore:
Australian batters settle in to reach the 250 mark
Inside the opening 25 minutes on day two, Australia went past the 250 mark, following some brilliant attacking play from Cameron Green & Alex Carey.
Having survived the tricky part of the final period on day one, after Australia lost quick wickets, it was imperative Green and Carey stood firm and built a strong partnership.
Inside the opening six overs of the day, Australia had struck three fours, none more impressive than the one which allowed the tourists to reach the vital landmark. Green relaxed onto the back foot and hit the ball through the offside for four as the two batters also reached a 50 partnership.
Carey, Green reach milestones as Australia push forward
Both Cameron Green and Alex Carey were in complete control throughout the opening session on day two of the second test. Both batters came to the crease with an attacking mindset and capitalised as they hit boundaries for fun.
After building a solid partnership on the morning of day two, Green and Carey quickly got themselves to a milestone and pushed on past that. Firstly, Australia’s wicket-keeper reached the milestone with a drive down the ground for a single.
After a brilliant 93 in Karachi, Carey continued his fine form in Lahore as he raised the bat for 50 runs from 73 deliveries.
On the other hand, Green would take a backseat role in the innings, reaching his milestone from 117 balls on the back of a drive down the ground. This left the Australians in a commanding position at the lunch break as the partnership surged past 100.
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Nauman breaks big partnership as Carey departs
With Green and Carey continuing their good form after the lunch break, Pakistan was desperate for a breakthrough. They turned to veteran spinner Nauman Ali.
With Carey in a commanding position, having worked his way to 67, Nauman would spin one into the pads of Carey, and after a big shout, he was dismissed. Carey sent the decision upstairs, but replays and technology showed the ball was travelling halfway up middle and leg stump, and Carey had to go.
Green goes as Pakistan take control
With Carey having been removed less than five overs earlier, pressure mounted on the established batter in Cameron Green. However, Naseem Shah would have other ideas.
With Green moving into the seventies and showing no signs of slowing down, Naseem swung one back into Green and beat the bat. Green was bowled for 79 from 163 deliveries and left Australia reeling at 7/353.
It was a deserved wicket for Naseem, having bowled brilliantly throughout the innings, and put Pakistan in a commanding position.
Pakistan cleans up the Australian tail for under 400
With Carey and Green dismissed, the focus of the Pakistani bowlers turned to removing the Australian tail as cheaply as possible.
Mitchell Starc survived 33 deliveries before being caught for just 13 runs. Starc, attempting to work the ball aerially through the offside, was caught at mid-off as Shaheen claimed the wicket of the Australian paceman. Just one over later, Nathan Lyon was removed for just four by Naseem, and Pakistan asserted their dominance of the Australian lower order.
Shortly after, spinner Mitch Swepson was removed by young quick Naseem Shah, adding just nine runs to the Australian total and bringing the Australian innings to an end. The tourists all out for 391.
Cummins strikes to remove in-form Pakistan opener
With the lead under 400 runs, Australia set out to take early wickets in the final session of the second day in Lahore.
Imam, having notched up twin tons in Rawalpindi, made the Australian side aware of how important it was to claim his wicket. After quality bowling from Australia’s frontline pacemen in Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins in the opening part of Pakistan’s innings, captain Cummins struck the opening blow.
Having conceded just four runs from his opening three overs, Cummins trapped Imam for LBW, and he was dismissed for 11 off 41 deliveries.
The wicket put Australia right on top in the final stages of the second day in Lahore.
Pakistan build partnership to frustrate Australian bowling attack
With Pakistan in a dangerous position at 1/20 following the big wicket of Imam, focus quickly turned to taking the next key wicket of either Abdullah Shafique or Azhar Ali. However, the mindset of the Pakistani batters was very different.
For Pakistan, it was all about surviving until the end of the day and resetting on day three. They went about their business brilliantly. Abdullah reached 45* from 117 deliveries, while Azhar also played in a defensive mindset, reaching 30* from 79 balls.
The tourists couldn’t create many chances in the final session of day two. However, their mindset will shift towards day three as they attempt to claim the final nine wickets of the Pakistan innings.
At stumps, Pakistan finds themselves at 1/90, still trailing the Australians by 301 runs.
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