Pakistan vs. Australia, 1st Test: Day 2 Highlights, Scorecard, Report
Australia made a good start in reply to Pakistan's first-innings score of 454 all out on Day 2 of the first Test between the sides in Dubai, reaching 113-0 at stumps.
Bat dominated ball as Asad Shafiq (89) and Sarfraz Ahmed (109) powered Pakistan toward a healthy total.
Australia's response was measured, and the absence of spinner Saeed Ajmal was felt by Pakistan as they pressed to break the opening partnership.
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Resuming at 219-4 overnight and having lost their Day 1 centurion Younis Khan, the Pakistan innings could have fallen away fast.
| Batsman | Dismissal | Bowler | Runs | Mins | Balls |
| Shehzad | b Siddle | 3 | 17 | 9 | |
| Hafeez | lbw | b Johnson | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Azhar Ali | c Doolan | b Johnson | 53 | 214 | 167 |
| Younus Khan | lbw | b Johnson | 106 | 314 | 223 |
| Misbah-ul-Haq | c Johnson | b Smith | 69 | 251 | 182 |
| Shafiq | c M Marsh | b O'Keefe | 89 | 233 | 151 |
| Sarfraz Ahmed | st Haddin | b Lyon | 109 | 149 | 105 |
| Yasir Shah | c Rogers | b O'Keefe | 2 | 26 | 15 |
| Zulfiqar Babar | retd out | 7 | 26 | 14 | |
| Rahat Ali | c Rogers | b Lyon | 0 | 2 | |
| Khan | not out | 0 | 0 | ||
| Extras | 0nb 0w 2b 14lb | 16 | |||
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | |
| Johnson | 31.0 | 18 | 39 | 3 | |
| Siddle | 24.0 | 11 | 50 | 1 | |
| O'Keefe | 30.0 | 3 | 107 | 2 | |
| M Marsh | 17.0 | 4 | 44 | 0 | |
| Lyon | 37.0 | 4 | 148 | 2 | |
| Smith | 6.0 | 0 | 50 | 1 |
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Shafiq were steady rather than spectacular, progressing at that same even pace that had typified the previous day.
Misbah's departure after a painstaking 182-ball 69 was a surprise, coming at the hands of erratic part-timer Steve Smith.
However, it was in some ways a blessing in disguise, allowing wicketkeeper Sarfraz in to change the momentum of the game entirely.
He raced to a half-century in just 42 balls, with seven crisp boundaries, and then only needed another 38 deliveries to convert it into a century.
"Sarfraz Ahmed last 6 Test innings : 48, 55, 52*, 103, 55 and 109. A total of 422 runs at an average of 84.40 #PakvAus #Cricket
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) October 23, 2014"
His innings featured some clean hitting, making the spinners in particular toil.
Steve O'Keefe did eventually strike, collecting a couple of late wickets toward the end of the innings, as did fellow spinner Nathan Lyon. Their collective figures of 67-7-255-4 were nothing to celebrate, however.
That said, Pakistan have a poor record from strong first-innings positions, and Australia whittled away their advantage in the 31 overs until stumps.
"Since 2009, Pakistan's highest first innings totals in the UAE have all come at Dubai. Lost 2 of the 3 where they got 300+.
— karachikhatmal (@karachikhatmal) October 23, 2014"
The partnership of Chris Rogers and David Warner played to form, the former anchoring as the latter knocked the ball around with fluency.
Warner's half-century was brought up with a reverse sweep, and it represented the sixth successive Test in which he has passed that mark.
| Batsman | Dismissal | Bowler | Runs | Mins | Balls | |
| Rogers | not out | 31 | 136 | 110 | 1 | |
| Warner | not out | 75 | 136 | 77 | 7 | |
| Extras | 1nb 0w 4b 2lb | 7 | 7 | |||
| Total | for 0 (31.0 ovs) | 113 | 113 | |||
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Overs | |
| Rahat Ali | 7.0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 7.0 | |
| Hafeez | 10.0 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 10.0 | |
| Khan | 6.0 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 6.0 | |
| Zulfiqar Babar | 5.0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 5.0 | |
| Yasir Shah | 3.0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 3.0 |
His play scarcely slowed down as stumps approached, and another effervescent session in the morning on Friday could swing an evenly poised contest in Australia's direction.
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