AUS vs PAK | Twitter reacts as disciplined Pakistan restrain Australia before bad light stops play on Day 2

AUS vs PAK | Twitter reacts as disciplined Pakistan restrain Australia before bad light stops play on Day 2

SportsCafe Desk

By SportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Only 46 overs were possible on Day 2 of the New Year's Test at the SCG before dark skies and incessant showers brought play to a halt. Australia trudged along cautiously while chasing a first innings total of 313 but Pakistan managed to snare two scalps to keep the match hanging in the balance.

Australia resumed from their overnight score of 6/0, after the retirement-bound David Warner and fellow opener Usman Khawaja had walked out to the crease for a solitary over at the end of the first day, and were immediately restrained by clinical new-ball bowling from Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali. The duo gave away just 14 runs with the help of six maidens in their combined 10-over spell before Sajid Khan and Aamer Jamal were brought into the attack. The latter took just two deliveries to capitalize on the pressure and create a wicket-taking opportunity but debutant Saim Ayub spilled a dolly at first slip to let Warner escape on 20.

The Knagaroos pair kept the scoreboard trickling thereon even as the visitors ensured to maintain pressure and eventually handed the ball to Salman Agha Ali in the 25th over in search of a breakthrough with the partnership having grown to 70. The all-rounder obliged immediately, ragging one across Warner (34) to extract a thick outside edge that Babar Azam held onto by the skin of his teeth at first slip. A similar passage of play emerged either side of Lunch, only with Marnus Labuschagne exhibiting even more conservativeness than Warner, until Jamal added to his heroics by strangling Khawaja down the leg side for 47 to reduce the hosts to 107/2. 

At the end of the 47th over, the umpires called for an early Tea after play needed to be stopped for bad light given the overcast conditions and a stream of drizzle ensued to spell the end of Thursday's action. Australia ended on 116/2, trailing by 297 runs with Manrus Labuschagne unbeaten on 23 off 66 balls and Steve Smith having raced to six after facing seven deliveries.

Day 2 called off

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