A slow day in Dubai saw Nathan Lyon pick up 5-87 and Pakistan’s Abid Ali make a strong play for a Test call-up.
Australia kicked off their two-Test and three-T20 series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates with a warm-up match in Dubai against the Pakistan A side.
Lyon picked up the first wicket of the day as Pakistan made slow progress, Shan Masood edging him to Aussie wicketkeeper-captain Tim Paine for 14 off 31 balls. Sami Aslam (51 off 113 balls) was the second wicket to fall (another victim of the Paine-Lyon partnership) after adding 82 for the second wicket with Abid Ali.
Jon Holland removed Pakistan captain Asad Shafiq for 14 off 38 balls, and Lyon picked up another two wickets before Saad Ali added 75 for the sixth wicket with Abid Ali, before the Paine-Lyon partnership struck for the third time, with Lyon completing his five-for by removing Saad Ali with the score on 224-6. Saad Ali’s 36 came off 64 balls and included four fours.
Mohammad Rizwan added 13 runs before the close as Pakistan ended the day on 247-6 off 92 overs. Abid Ali will resume his innings tomorrow on 83 not out (four fours) after facing 254 balls on day one of the match. The 30-year-old is making a strong play for a maiden Test cap in his 97th first-class match as he goes in search of his 15th first-class century.
Lyon was the king of the day’s play, putting in a really big shift to bowl 36 of the 92 overs in the day, and picking up 5-87 (econ 2.41) for his efforts.
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