ZCZC
BSP-01
CRICKET-AUS-PAK
Warner, Labuschagne put Australia in total control at lunch
BRISBANE, Australia, Nov 23, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Teenage pace sensation Naseem
Shah claimed his maiden Test wicket Saturday but Australia remained in total
control against Pakistan on the third morning of the first cricket Test at
the Gabba in Brisbane.
Australia were 395 for three at the break, 155 runs ahead of Pakistan, who
made 240 in their first innings.
Marnus Labuschagne was 102 not out after making his first Test century,
with Matthew Wade alongside him on 29.
Pakistan bowled far better in the first session on Saturday than they had
throughout the previous day and were able to put some pressure on the
Australian batsmen.
They attacked Australian opener David Warner from around the wicket, with
the 33-year-old struggling to get the ball away.
Warner only added three runs to his overnight score of 151 when he became
16-year-old Naseem Shah’s first Test wicket.
Naseem, whose pace has been impressive during this Test, troubled Warner
from around the wicket and eventually claimed him when the nuggety opener was
unable to avoid a short pitched ball and edged it to wicketkeeper Mohammad
Rizwan, to leave the Australians 351 for two.
The Pakistanis’ hearts must have sunk when they saw Steve Smith striding to
the crease following his phenomenal Ashes series earlier this year, where he
scored 774 runs at an average of 110.57.
But after hitting a boundary off Yasir Shah, the leg-spinner clean bowled
Smith, the seventh time in six Test matches that Yasir has dismissed the
Australian number four.
Labuschagne brought up his maiden Test century when he edged Shaheen Afridi
for a boundary through the vacant third slip position.
He took 161 balls to reach his milestone with 12 boundaries.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0828 hrs