Australia A v Pakistan: Test hopefuls fail to deliver
The country’s brittle batting stocks have been exposed by Pakistan’s attack after the tourists ripped through Australia A’s Test hopefuls.
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Update: A star-studded Australia A side has been bowled out for 122 in a calamitous tour match performance against Pakistan in Perth, where forgotten man Cameron Bancroft has provided a timely reminder of his staying powers. Joe Burns was clean-bowled for a golden duck and fellow Test hopefuls Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and Will Pucovski also fell cheaply as the hosts crumbled on day two of the pink-ball clash at Optus Stadium.
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Pakistan were 0-7 at stumps, leading by 313 runs in the three-day match. Australia A were reeling at 9-57 in reply to Pakistan’s 428 before Bancroft (49) and Riley Meredith (19no) restored some pride, batting longer for the 10th wicket than the first nine combined.
The resistance came to an end when left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi found Bancroft’s edge shortly before stumps.
Having only been added to the XI when Nic Maddinson withdrew on mental health grounds, Bancroft has at least given national coach Justin Langer and chief selector Trevor Hohns something to think about after coming in at No.6 and facing 155 balls.
They might have more questions than answers after veteran seamer Imran Khan (5-32) spoiled a much-anticipated Australia A bat-off on a pitch that appeared to have livened up significantly from a tame opening day.
What a ripper from Imran Khan!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 12, 2019
Australia A are five down now.
Watch #AusAvPAK: https://t.co/fej6gSpsJZ pic.twitter.com/mKyF0nJoyF
Australia A have lost their fourth wicket.
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 12, 2019
Will Pucovski and Cam Bancroft are at the crease. Tune in to see how the 'As' respond: https://t.co/fej6gSpsJZ pic.twitter.com/MGSpkEUirf
Travis Head hits it straight to backward point!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 12, 2019
Australia A in a bit of bother now at 3-37. Watch #AusAvPAK: https://t.co/fej6gSpsJZ pic.twitter.com/h7GvoCt46o
Yasir was trapped lbw by Jhye Richardson (3-79) just before the tea break, bringing Pakistan’s stubborn resistance to an end.
Sixteen-year-old quick Naseem Shah did not bat and will take no further part in Tuesday’s play following the death of his mother overnight.
The tourists opted not to replace Naseem, preferring to retain the tour match’s first-class status.
Pakistan’s depleted pace brigade should get some assistance from a pitch that appeared to have livened up after a tame opening day.
Mohammad Rizwan was notably dismissed by a rearing Richardson delivery which struck him on the glove and was caught in the slips.
“I think their quicks held better line and length for periods of time that made it challenging out there and they definitely reaped rewards for bowling well,” Bancroft said.
“I’m sure some guys will be disappointed. They probably had a bit more control of their destiny a little bit in their innings.” Imran skittled Burns with his first delivery before Afridi cleaned up Harris (16) with a superb off-cutter.
Outside Smith and Labu Australia's batting stocks are embarrassing #AUSAvPAK
— Richie Lamberton (@RLamberton) November 12, 2019
Bancroft opens
— 🕹 Stu ðŸ (@MrStustar) November 12, 2019
Marsh at 6
🔒 it ima #AUSAvPAK
Harris is the incumbent Test opener but his inconsistency has potentially opened the door for Bancroft to partner David Warner at the Gabba despite the West Australian’s mediocre Sheffield Shield form this season.
Head (13) and Khawaja (6) both fell to the part-time offspin of Iftikhar Ahmed, Head picking out backward point and Khawaja caught behind.
Imran then found the edge of Pucovski (5), who had been duelling with Head to claim the vacant middle-order spot in Australia’sTest side. Australia A skipper Alex Carey chopped on to an Imran delivery for a seventh- ball duck to give Pakistan a crack at the tail.
The collapse came despite Pakistan being a bowler down with 16-year-old quick Naseem Shah withdrawn following the overnightdeath of his mother. The tourists opted not to replace Naseem, preferring to retain the tour match’s first-class status.
Stumps board from the Australia A-Pakistan three-day clash at Optus Stadium
Pakistan 1st Innings
S MASOOD c Abbott b Meredith 22 (52)
A ALI lbw Neser 11 (24)
H SOHAIL c Carey b Meredith 18 (25)
A SHAFIQ retired out 119 (245)
B AZAM retired out 157 (197)
I AHMED b Neser 6 (15)
M RIZWAN c Burns b Richardson 6 (22)
Y SHAH lbwRichardson 53 (70)
S AFRIDI c Carey b Richardson 25 (54)
I KHAN not out 1 (8)
Sundries (4b 1lb 1w 4nb) 10
Seven wickets (dec)for 428
Fall: 13 (A Ali), 47 (Sohail), 60 (Masood), 344 (Ahmed), 348 (Rizwan), 415 (Afridi), 428 (Y Shah).
Bowling: M Neser 27-10-57-2, J Richardson 29-7-79-3 (1nb), S Abbott 24-3-84-0 (1w 2nb), R Meredith 18-1-105-2 (1nb), T Head20-0-98-0.
Batting time: 492 mins. Overs: 118.
Australia A 1st Innings
M HARRIS b Afridi 16 (22)
J BURNS b Khan 0 (1)
U KHAWAJA c Rizwan b Ahmed 6 (30)
T HEAD c Azam b Ahmed13 (18)
W PUCOVSKI c Ahmed b Khan 5 (14)
C BANCROFT c A Ali b Afridi 49 (155)
A CAREY b Khan 0 (7)
M NESER c Shafiq b Khan2 (9)
J RICHARDSON lbw Khan 0 (2)
S ABBOTT lbw Y Shah 2 (8)
R MEREDITH not out 19
(79) Sundries (5lb 5nb) 10
Total 122
Fall:0 (Burns), 19 (Harris), 37 (Head), 40 (Khawaja), 42 (Pucovski), 44 (Carey), 50 (Neser), 50 (Richardson), 57 (Abbott), 122(Bancroft).
Bowling: S Afridi 16.4-5-42-2 (4nb), I Khan 12-3-32-5 (1nb), I Ahmed 6-2-6-2, Y Shah 15-6-24-1, H Sohail 2-0-2-0, S Masood1-0-1-0, A Ali 4-0-10-0.
Batting time: 232 mins. Overs: 56.4.
Pakistan 2nd Innings
S MASOOD not out 4 (9)
A ALI not out 1 (9) Sundries (2lb) 2
No wickets for 7 Fall.
Bowling: J Richardson 2-1-4-0, M Neser 1-0-1-0.
Batting time: 12 mins. Overs: 3.
Umpires: Paul Wilson, S Nogajski.
Match Referee: Bob Stratford.
Originally published as Australia A v Pakistan: Test hopefuls fail to deliver