Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah Make Saeed Ajmal's Absence Almost Forgotten
When Chris Rogers was asked, prior to leaving Australia for the UAE, how he felt about not having to face Saeed Ajmal in his team's Test series against Pakistan, the veteran left-hander wasn't ashamed to admit it: He was "elated."
A prolific first-class accumulator, but one who's uncomfortable against spin, the 37-year-old's remark was hardly a surprise.
"When I heard that news [of Ajmal's suspension], I was pretty elated for about 48 hours," Rogers said before joining the tour, per The Age. "I had my own troubles with Graeme Swann, so I didn't know how I was going to go against Ajmal. That might prolong my Test career a little bit longer."
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You would have been hard-pressed to find a team-mate of his who didn't share that sentiment.
Now, however, the Australians might be wishing they didn't have to face up to spin of any kind, after seeing their hopes of a historic fourth-innings chase in the first Test in Dubai all but ended on Saturday by Ajmal's understudies, Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah.
In the space of 23 balls and just five runs in the late afternoon UAE sun on Day 4, the pair charged with the daunting task of compensating for the absence of Ajmal—described colourfully by ESPN Cricinfo's Jarrod Kimber as Pakistan's "alien-lizard-spin-god spinner"—routed the visitors with two wickets apiece, dismissing Australia's two trump cards in David Warner and Michael Clarke and effectively ending this match as a contest.
Warner, who'd commenced his second knock just as he did his first, was the first to go, undone by Babar after a bright opening when running down the wicket and caught stranded by the left-armer's straighter one that found its way into the gloves of Sarfraz Ahmed for an easy stumping.
Five balls later, Alex Doolan was next, trapped in front by Babar when stuck at the crease, making a mockery of his pre-series comments about his improved footwork against spin.
Desperately in need of a commanding innings from the captain, Australia then painfully watched Clarke removed by Yasir from the other end only a couple of overs later, trapped lbw when unable to get his bat out in front of his pad.
Nathan Lyon, sent in as a night watchman, did the same. And it could of been worse if Steve Smith hadn't escaped a pair of close calls.
When the ordeal was over—it will resume all too quickly for Australia tomorrow morning—a scoreboard that had read 44-0 rapidly changed to 49-4.
It could have read game, set, match.
No doubt, after being dismantled by Pakistan's spinning duo on Saturday, the Australians will give a small shudder if they cast a thought to what damage Ajmal might have inflicted upon them, had he been available.
When England, a team as susceptible to the turning ball as Clarke's men, visited the Middle East in 2012, the currently sidelined spinner grabbed 24 scalps in just three Tests at 14.70. Based on what's been witnessed from Australia this week, it would have been something similar in this series.
Perhaps more remarkable, though, is that Pakistan don't have to ponder what Ajmal might have done for them. Of their 14 Australian wickets in this Test thus far, 10 have been claimed with spin, nine of them falling to Babar and Yasir.
When the match began on Wednesday, the pair—a debutant and the owner of two Test caps—didn't have that many career wickets between them.
That inexperience was supposed to be a decisive advantage for Australia, who, despite selection concerns of their own, entered this Test with significantly more repute than their opponents.
But none of that matters, it would seem, unless you're able to cover your weaknesses.
In the lead-up to this Test, Pakistan's coach Waqar Younis spoke of exactly that, believing his side had the tools to open up Australia and cause the sort of surprise currently being witnessed.
"They are a fine team, very professional side and do their things well but yeah, we have definitely seen some weaknesses and we are working on it and hopefully we will deliver the goods," the former fast bowler said after Pakistan A's tour match against the visitors, per ESPN Cricinfo.
Babar and Yasir are those tools.
The left-armer, probing away with his mix of off-breaks and arm-balls, has been a revelation despite making only his third appearance at 35 years of age. His change of angle to remove Warner, the key figure for Australia, reflected a spinner possessing more than a little nous—the sort you'd expect from a player with 345 first-class wickets at 20.80 who's had to bide his time.
Yasir, although seven years his junior, boasts a record much the same and showed he owns the variety needed to trouble a batsman as fine as the Australia captain. He even drew praise from the finest there has ever been in his leg-spinning craft.
All that's left now is to complete the destruction, and should Babar and Yasir do so, they'll lead Pakistan to just their second Test victory over Australia in almost 20 years.
Saeed who?
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