Come the end of Day 2 of this Test match, and as feared the game is as good as over as a contest. Australia’s batting capitulation and much more resolved effort by the Pakistan team in their second innings has already put so much ground between the two teams that only a second miracle in as many Test matches could possibly save the Australian team – and one suspects that Sarfraz will not allow that to occur on this occasion.
While Pakistan’s bowling was good and varied, it was the exposure of the cracks in the batting that was the most disappointing aspect of the Australian batting. While Aaron Finch looked composed again and was undone by a good delivery, all of Shaun Marsh, Travis Head and Mitch Marsh fell by pushing too hard at the ball, something that all reports told us that had been worked on before the series started. Tim Paine was unfortunate but was undone by a viciously spinning ball last ball before lunch, and yet it was Marnus Labuschagne who topped it all off. Having done all of the hard work in getting to 25 runs, he lazily left his bat in the air as a returning Mitch Starc straight drive flicked Yasir Khan’s fingers and crashed into the stumps to find him out of his ground. This kind of brain fade speaks volumes for the Aussies mind set on the second day. They just didn’t appear to be up for the day, while the Pakistan bowlers came to play hard.
The Marsh brothers are again posing serious problems for Australian supporters if not the selectors themselves. Shaun managed three before nicking off Abbas to first slip, while Mitch got to 13 before doing the same off Yasir. Their combined tally over six innings is a paltry 35 runs, and in a team where they now command senior status in the batting line up they just have to do better. No doubt the easy targets are the new boys, and with the heavy support of the Australian coach it seems unlikely the Marsh brothers will be under any selectorial pressure anytime soon. However, Australia cannot start to challenge in Test matches if they are not contributing, and this will be all the more problematic against India this home summer.
Having been given a wake up call in the first innings, the Pakistan batting looked much more secure in the second, and little opportunity was afforded to the Australian bowlers. At 2/144 at stumps, and a lead of 281 already, they could bat all day on Day Three and get to a lead of 600 and still have two days to bowl Australia out. Unlike the 1st Test that would be far too much time to have to survive on a much tougher surface for the Australians to combat. While the 1st Test draw was seen as a wonderful achievement under the circumstances – which it was – there appears little hope for a second act.
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