Australia grab early Pakistan wicket

Steve Larkin | March 14, 2022

Australia’s Test debutant Mitchell Swepson has broken Pakistan’s opening partnership with a brilliant direct-hit run out in the second Test in Karachi.

Pakistan are 1-38 in reply to Australia’s imposing 9(dec)-556 at lunch on Monday’s third day of play.

Swepson swooped at backward point and threw down the stumps to have Abdullah Shafique out for 13 when the score was 26.

Shafique’s partner Imam-ul-Haq (20no) prodded a Nathan Lyon ball in Swepson’s direction and Shafique inexplicably called for a run that was never on.

Swepson, moving to his right, picked up with his right-hand and his sidearm throw hit the stumps with Shafique more than one metre short of the crease.

Earlier, Australia halted their innings 35 minutes into Monday’s play after a flourish from captain Pat Cummins, who smacked three sixes and two fours in an unbeaten 34 from 36 balls.

Cummins added 51 runs with Swepson (15no) after Mitchell Starc was dismissed on the second ball of the day.

Starc (28 from 97 balls) lobbed a drive to Azhar Ali at cover to give left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi his first wicket of an Australian innings highlighted by Usman Khawaja’s 160, Alex Carey’s 93 and Steve Smith’s 72.

Pakistani paceman Faheem Ashraf finished with 2-55 and Sajid Khan took 2-167 from 57 overs.

Australia’s innings lasted 189 overs but isn’t the nation’s longest in Pakistan – Greg Chappell’s team batted 211 overs in making 617 in a drawn 1980 Test in Faisalabad.

Australia hold the dubious record of bowling the most overs in any Test innings – 335.2 – when England scored 7(dec)-903 in 1938 at London’s Kensington Oval.