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.

Resuming at 219-4 overnight and having lost their Day 1 centurion Younis Khan, the Pakistan innings could have fallen away fast. 

Total	all out (145.0 ovs)	454
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.