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Posted: 2022-03-14 04:35:48

Australia has followed up two straight days of batting with its first good day in the field of this tour of Pakistan to ensure the hosts cannot win the second Test in Karachi.

After adding 51 runs in a bit over half an hour and finally declaring on 9-556 on the morning of day three, Australia's well-rested bowling attack picked up the baton and ran with it, dismissing Pakistan for 148, thanks largely to a session of devastating reverse swing.

Despite spending just 53 overs in the field and leading by 408 runs with his bowlers in scintillating form, captain Pat Cummins still chose not to enforce the follow-on, sending his batters out again.

They added 81 runs to take the lead to 489 before stumps, losing David Warner for 7 along the way, setting up another declaration early on day four.

After declaring on the third morning in Karachi, Cummins opted for the traditional subcontinental bowling approach in the first innings — opening with seamers to take the shine off the ball before handing it to spinners.

Nathan Lyon bowled the eighth over and rookie leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson got his first Test over in the 13th.

Neither bowler could break the opening pairing of Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq, but there was to be no repeat of the massive partnerships from the drawn first Test, with some poor running and a brilliant direct-hit run-out from Swepson ending Shafique's innings on 13.

Australia crickters Marnus Labuschagne (left) and Steve Smith (right) run to hug Mitchell Swepson (centre) after a run-out.
Mitchell Swepson made his first major impact in the Test team by running out Abdullah Shafique.(AP: Anjum Naveed)

Lyon (1-13) started things off after lunch and would have thought he was due for a long spell after getting the dangerous Imam, coming off twin tons in a player-of-the-match performance in Rawalpindi, for just 20 straight after the resumption.

But it was Lyon's last ball of the session, with Cummins (1-39) spotting some movement through the air as he bowled the next over and immediately recalling Mitchell Starc (3-29), who started a near-unplayable spell of reverse swing.

He had Azhar Ali (14) sharply caught by Cameron Green at gully and trapped Fawad Alam LBW in successive balls in the 26th over.

While he could not complete the hat-trick, the wickets kept coming, with Cummins in on the act less than five scintillating overs later, finding Mohammad Rizwan's (6) outside edge en route to Alex Carey.

Green (1-23) proved his importance as an extra seam option when he kept up the attack in the next over, swinging one back into the pads of Faheem Ashraf to have him LBW for 4.

That got Australia into the tail, and Starc returned to the attack to get rid of Sajid Khan (5), thanks to some sharp hearing from Carey, who talked the bowler and captain Cummins into a review for caught behind that overturned the on-field decision.

Australia Test cricketers Mitchell Swepson and Pat Cummins high five and smile after a wicket in a match against Pakistan.
Mitch Swepson (left) got 15 runs, a run-out and two wickets on an excellent day for the debutant.(AP: Anjum Naveed)

After a six-wicket session, any slim hope of a Pakistani recovery was dashed when a mix-up saw Marnus Labuschagne run out Hasan Ali (0), and that was compounded when Swepson (2-32) got his first Test wicket, removing the last recognised batsman, Babar Azam (36).

Pakistan's captain tried to bash out of the ground the first ball of the debutant's new spell, but could only slice it to Usman Khawaja at long-off.

After some lofty hitting Shaheen Shah Afridi also fell, LBW to Swepson, with Cummins signalling as the team walked off that Australia, true to form, would not be enforcing the follow-on.

Look back at how the day's action unfolded in our live blog.

Pinned

By Jon Healy

Key Event

STUMPS: Australia is 1-81 (Khawaja 35*, Labuschagne 37*), leading by 489

Regardless of what you think of the decision not to enforce the follow-on, Australia cannot lose this Test, and Pat Cummins was proven right with that first-innings declaration, so maybe we should all just shut up.

That session of batting was a bit of fun and perhaps there'll be a bit more tomorrow, although I wouldn't expect too much.

But today was all about that second session, when Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green bowled those sensational spells of reverse swing.

Also, congratulations to Mitchell Swepson for getting his first Test wicket, Babar Azam no less, finishing with 2-32 in his first Test innings.

AP

I'll be interested to see how Australia's batters play it tomorrow, and whether the bowlers can find the same sort of swing, or whether the spinners will play more of a role.

Join me then won't you?

By Jon Healy

17th over - Sajid Khan continues

Khawaja paddles sweeps for a couple.

Another single for Khawaja, and that ends the day's play.

By Jon Healy

16th over - Nauman Ali gets his first bowl of this innings

Khawaja clips a single to start, getting one run ahead of Marnus, who caught up to his senior batting partner on 31 in the last over.

SIX! Labuschagne charges and slaps over mid-off for a maximum. The bat twisted in his hands a bit, but he still got enough on it to carry the rope.

By Jon Healy

15th over - Sajid Khan is bowling his 61st over of this Test

BANG! Swept hard in front of square by Labuschagne.

Khawaja's been dropped! It was almost a carbon copy of the ball that got him in the first innings, but this time found a slight outside edge, and Rizwan couldn't handle.

Devastating for Sajid.

By Jon Healy

14th over - Faheem Ashraf continues his spell

Khawaja walks at him, but the ball's too wide to do anything with.

By Jon Healy

13th over - Off-spinner Sajid Khan resumes

FOUR! Reverse sweep from Labuschagne. He's not as good at it as some, but that was a beauty.

CRACK! A Virat Kohli-esque cover drive from Marnus for four. Lovely stroke.

And then a prod for a single as Sajid tries coming around the wicket.

By Jon Healy

12th over - Faheem again to Khawaja

He's around the wicket to the left-hander, who's defending.

Just poking runs around against Faheem. Khawaja tries a big slash, but just whacks it straight down into the ground.

SMACK! Short, and crushed on the pull by Khawaja past mid-wicket. Still beautiful, but a little more oomph in that one than his usual laconic style. These guys want to get going.

By Jon Healy

11th over - Sajid Khan to Khawaja

Sajid drops short and wide, and Khawaja leans back to cut to the deep.

Edgy from Labuschagne wide of slip, and good running gets them back for a third run.

Just working Sajid around. Runs to be had all over the place. This has got to be demoralising for Pakistan now. They already can't win and the Aussies are just having some hit and giggle.

By Jon Healy

10th over - Faheem Ashraf enters the fray

Marnus Labuschagne is ready to attack.

CRASH! My God. That was just behind a good length, and Marnus has murdered that with a cross-bat shot through wide mid-on. He was in total control. Sensational timing.

By Jon Healy

9th over - Saji Khan is into the attack

He finds a good chunk of spin away outside off as Khawaja flashes at one.

The next one is straighter, and Khawaja sweeps for two to backward square.

FOUR! Reverse sweeping now. Beautifully played. Wasn't as much of a feature of his first innings here, but he's so good at it.

A pair of singles and two leg byes to end the over.

By Jon Healy

8th over - Hasan Ali to Khawaja

The opener has a big slash outside off and he cue-ends it down into the ground Mohammad Rizwan can't handle, and that's a cheeky single.

These two look really busy out there. Keen to feel bat on ball.

By Jon Healy

7th over - Shaheen with a sha-hiny ball

Khawaja clips off his pads behind square.

Labuschagne defends back to Shaheen, who shapes to ping the ball back at him. Marnus gets into a defensive stance. He's ready when you are, Shaheen.

Change of angle, coming over the wicket, and Labuschagne follows it, carving through cover for a single to end the over.

By Jon Healy

6th over - Marnus Labuschagne is out there on a pair

FOUR! No pair for Marnus. He clips off his pads and it flies across the turf to get him off the mark in style.

By Jon Healy

WARNER IS GONE!

He played at a wide one and sent it flying at gully, where Fawad Alam took a seriously sharp chance. 7 off 16. No great intent to take on the bowling from Warner. In fact, he looked as tentative as I've ever seen him. What are we doing here?

But look, I've already been proven wrong about Pat's first-innings declaration, so I'll reserve judgement.

By Jon Healy

6th over - Hasan Ali for a third over. How long before we see spin?

By Jon Healy

5th over - More Shaheen

Khawaja pushes to mid-on and scurries through well on the arm of Nauman Ali. He may have touched at his back again after that. Hope he's OK.

Oh Warner's got himself in all sorts trying to evade a bouncer. Shaheen thought he heard a noise, and the bat was in the vicinity, but no review.

Warner's back foot is really going towards the leg side. A lot of back and away movement.

By Jon Healy

4th over - Hasan comes in again

Is that a drop? Hasan speared one down leg and Rizwan couldn't take it cleanly. I wasn't certain Warner got any bat on it. Don't think he did.

Just a hint on snicko. Really tough chance though.

By Jon Healy

3rd over - Shaheen bowling again

Warner whips off his toes for a single. He wanted two, but the ball got there too quickly.

FOUR! Full toss outside off, and Khawaja just opens the face, finding the third-man rope.

Another single out to point. Khawaja making it look easy again, but he's stretching out his back or hammies after that. He's spent a lot of time out there in this Test. He must be gassed.

By Jon Healy

2nd over - Hasan Ali from the other end

Warner joins Khawaja in getting off the mark, taking an easy single off his toes.

Khawaja is showing great intent, pushing and running hard. Not sure if it's showing Australia's plan, or if it's just an in-form batter doing what in-form batters do.

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