Pakistan strike late to even out first session

Tea Australia 2 for 89 (Renshaw 46*, Smith 4*) v Pakistan
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Matt Renshaw was solid in the opening session © Associated Press

Mohammad Amir and Yasir Shah struck in the last half-hour of the first session to open up opportunities for Pakistan after Australia’s openers had safely negotiated the early passages of the day-night Test at the Gabba.

David Warner fell victim to a marginal lbw decision by the umpire Ian Gould to end an opening stand of 70 and hand Amir his first wicket, before Usman Khawaja flicked Yasir Shah directly to Misbah-ul-Haq in the very next over.

These wickets left the match delicately poised and the Australian captain Steven Smith accompanying the young Queensland opening batsman Matt Renshaw at the crease. Renshaw has so far played an exemplary innings, showing his usual sound judgment around the off stump but also showing an ability to hit with power through midwicket and down the ground.

The hosts retained Nathan Lyon despite widespread speculation over his spot on match eve, meaning Chadd Sayers remained 12th man, as he was in the third Test against South Africa in Adelaide. The team was unchanged from that match, allowing the debutants Renshaw, Pete Handscomb and Nic Maddinson to all hang onto their spots.

There was some swing for Amir and Rahat Ali in the early overs, but Renshaw and Warner did very well to cover any movement and also punish any errors in line or length – in Warner’s case he started by punching Rahat to the cover fence first ball. Wahab Riaz’s greater pace was unable to make much of an impression, and Misbah was left to call on Yasir as early as the 11th over of the innings.

Bounce was plentiful even if the Gabba pitch will likely quicken up in pace on day 2, but Yasir’s early overs were characterised by a somewhat odd tactic – attacking the leg stumps of Renshaw and Warner with a 6-3 leg side field. For the most part the batsmen took advantage of this, the only semblance of a chance coming when Yasir strayed wide of the off stump and Warner edged fractionally short of slip.

However Amir was brought back in the lead-up to the break and was able to pin Warner as he shuffled across the stumps to try to work the ball to the leg side. Gould’s finger was raised and Warner did not review – ball-tracking showed the ball would have clipped the outside of the leg stump.

Khawaja got started with one neat leg glance, but he was soon to be on his way when he lifted a Yasir delivery on the pads directly into the midriff of Misbah. Renshaw finished the session with a boundary from Azhar Ali, but much more work must now be done in the evening.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Source: ESPN Crickinfo