Sharma grabs 3 quick top Australian wickets in opening test

MOHALI: Ishant Sharma grabbed three big wickets in two overs to end Australia’s early flourish in the opening Test against India on Monday.

The tourists were strongly placed at 87 for no loss after an attractive half-century from opener Shane Watson (56), but slipped to 100-3 in their second innings at lunch on the fourth day for an overall lead of 123.

Opener Simon Katich completed 4,000 Test runs during his unbeaten 24, while Michael Hussey had yet to open his account at the break.

India were bowled out for 405 in their first innings on Sunday in reply to Australia’s 428.

Fast bowler Sharma removed Watson and skipper Ricky Ponting (four) in his first over of the second spell and nearly got a third wicket when he had Michael Clarke caught by Virender Sehwag at short mid-wicket.

But it was declared a no-ball after on-field umpire Billy Bowden

Australia test squad to tour India

MELBOURNE: Australia named the following 15-man squad for a two-test series against India in October.

The first test is in Mohali on Oct. 1-5, while the second test in Bangalore is from Oct. 9-13. Australia will also play three one-day internationals.

Squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Doug Bollinger, Peter George, Nathan Hauritz, Josh Hazlewood, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Marcus North, Tim Paine, Steven Smith, Shane Watson. AGENCIES

Pakistan press on after stunning Aussie collapse

LEEDS: Pakistan dismissed Australia for just 88 on the first day of the second and final Test at Headingley on Wednesday before building on their bowlers” work to be 148 for three at stumps.

Australia, after captain Ricky Ponting won the toss, collapsed in the face
of accurate seam bowling to their lowest Test total since being bowled out for 76 by the West Indies at Perth in 1984.

Pakistan”s three main seamers shared the wickets, with left-armer Mohammad Aamer taking three for 20, including two in the first two balls after lunch, in 11 overs.

Mohammad Asif had three for 30 in 11.1 overs and Umar Gul two for 16 in nine in overcast conditions that aided movement, but not excessively.

Tim Paine, last man out, top scored with 17 in an innings where Australia failed to cope with the swinging ball.

Salman Butt, the new Pakistan captain, then strengthened his team”s position as they tried to win a Test against Australia for the first time since 1995.

Butt, who made Pakistan”s only two fifties in a 150-run first Test loss at Lord”s last week, shared an opening stand of 80 with fellow left-hander Imran Farhat.

However, Butt just missed out on his third successive half century.

Butt struck eight boundaries, the best a backfoot drive off Ben Hilfenhaus through cover-point.

Hilfenhaus, who dropped a caught and bowled chance off Butt on 42, made amends by bowling him for 45 with a ball that swung back in sharply from around the wicket.

New batsman Azhar Ali, in only his second Test, started uncertainly but it was Farhat who fell next to end a second-wicket partnership worth 53.

Not for the first time Farhat, who batted for over two hours, failed to go on to a big score and was lbw for 43 to a full inswinger from Shane Watson.

And the medium-pacer, who took a Test-best five for 40 at Lord”s, made it two wickets for one run in 12 balls when Ali, on 30, edged an outswinger and was caught one-handed low down by diving wicketkeeper Tim Paine.

Ali”s exit ended a 79-minute innings and left Pakistan on 140 for three.

Ponting brought on Steven Smith only for the leg-spinner to be slogged for six by new batsman Umar Akmal.

Umar Amin was one not out and Umar Akmal eight not when bad light forced an early close.

Earlier, Aamer and Asif reduced Australia to 20 for two in the space of eight balls.

Left-hander Simon Katich, who made 80 and 83 at Lord”s, shuffled across his stumps in typical fashion and was struck in front by Aamer.

Veteran umpire Rudi Koertzen, in his last Test before retirement, gave him out lbw for 13.

Fellow opener Watson (five) was plumb lbw to an Asif ball that cut back and Michael Clarke managed just three before he was clean bowled by Gul.

Even Ponting, who before this match averaged over 105 at Headingley, never looked at ease.

He struggled to six in 41 minutes when he was lbw, aiming across the line at an Asif ball that nipped back.

Gul then had left-hander Michael Hussey lbw for five.

Butt, promoted from vice-captain after former skipper Shahid Afridi quit Tests after Lord”s, saw his hunch in bringing on Amin rewarded when the medium-pacer had Marcus North caught behind for 16.

Australia were 73 for six at lunch.

Two balls later they were 73 for eight after Aamer bowled Smith and Mitchell Johnson with swinging deliveries before Hilfenhaus survived the hat-trick.

The innings ended when Paine, in for an hour and 24 minutes, was caught behind off Asif.
Australia 1st Innings
S. Watson lbw b Asif 5
S. Katich lbw b Aamer 13
R. Ponting lbw b Asif 6
M. Clarke b Gul 3
M. Hussey lbw b Gul 5
M. North c K Akmal b Amin 16
T. Paine c K Akmal b Asif 17
S. Smith b Aamer 10
M. Johnson b Aamer 0
B. Hilfenhaus run out (Amin/K Akmal) 3
D. Bollinger not out 2
Extras (lb6, nb2) 8
Total (all out, 33.1 overs, 167 mins) 88
Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Katich), 2-20 (Watson), 3-27 (Clarke), 4-29 (Ponting), 5-41 (Hussey), 6-60 (North), 7-73 (Smith), 8-73 (North), 9-86 (Hilfenhaus), 10-88 (Paine)

Bowling: Aamer 11-4-20-3; Asif 10.1-1-30-3 (1nb); Gul 9-3-16-2 (1nb); Amin 2-0-7-1; Kaneria 1-0-9-0.

Pakistan 1st Innings
Imran Farhat lbw b Watson 43
Salman Butt b Hilfenhaus 45
Azhar Ali c Paine b Watson 30
Umar Amin not out 1
Umar Akmal not out 8
Extras (b11, lb6, nb4) 21
Total (3 wkts, 39 overs, 164 mins) 148

To bat: Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Asif

Fall of wickets: 1-80 (Butt), 2-133 (Farhat), 3-140 (Ali)

Bowling: Bollinger 11-4-24-0; Hilfenhaus 13-1-56-1 (3nb); Watson 6-2-12-2; Johnson 8-0-32-0; Smith 1-0-7-0

Toss: Australia

Match position: Pakistan lead Australia by 60 runs with 7 wkts standing

Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG) and Rudi Koertzen (RSA)

TV umpire: Nadeem Ghouri (PAK)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

Pakistan vs Australlia 1st Test Full Scoreboard

Pakistan vs Australlia 1st Test played at Lord’s London on 13th to 17th July 2010. Pakistan won the toss and choose to field. Australlia Classical win against Pakistan by 150 runs. Man of the match : Salman Butt, Simon Katich.

Pakistan vs Australlia 1st Test Full Scoreboard

Australlia Batting
Shane Watson b M Aamer 4(16b,1/4)
Simon Katich c K Akmal b M Asif 80(138b,9/4)
Ricky Ponting (c) c U Amin b M Aamer 26(39b,4/4)
Michael Clarke lbw b M Asif 47(77b,8/4)
Michael Hussey not out 56(100b,8/4,1/6)
Marcus North b M Asif 0(3b)
Tim Paine (wk) c K Akmal b U Gul 7(46b,1/4)
Steven Smith lbw b D Kaneria 1(7b)
Mitchell Johnson b D Kaneria 3(9b)
Ben Hilfenhaus b M Aamer 1(8b)
Doug Bollinger b M Aamer 4(28b,1/4)
Extras: (b 10, lb 2, w 2, nb 10) 24
Total: (10 wkts, 76.5 ovs) 253

Pakistan Bowling
Mohammad Aamer 19.5 2 72 4
Mohammad Asif 19 5 63 3
Umar Gul 17 3 32 1
Shahid Afridi 3 0 25 0
Danish Kaneria 18 7 49 2

Pakistan Batting
Imran Farhat c T Paine b B Hilfenhaus 4(19b,1/4)
Salman Butt b S Watson 63(94b,12/4)
Azhar Ali c T Paine b B Hilfenhaus 16(43b,2/4)
Umar Amin c T Paine b M Johnson 1(3b)
Umar Akmal lbw b S Watson 5(21b)
Kamran Akmal (wk) lbw b S Watson 0(3b)
Shahid Afridi (c) c M Johnson b S Watson 31(15b,4/4,2/6)
Mohammad Aamer c T Paine b D Bollinger 0(2b)
Umar Gul c S Watson b D Bollinger 7(20b,1/4)
Danish Kaneria c S Smith b S Watson 14(20b,1/4)
Mohammad Asif not out 4(6b,1/4)
Extras: (lb 2, nb 1) 3
Total: (10 wkts, 40.5 ovs) 148

Australlia Bowling
Doug Bollinger 11 3 38 2
Ben Hilfenhaus 12 2 37 2
Mitchell Johnson 10 2 31 1
Shane Watson 7.5 1 40 5

Australlia Batting
Shane Watson c I Farhat b M Asif 31(51b,4/4,1/6)
Simon Katich c K Akmal b U Gul 83(174b,14/4)
Ricky Ponting (c) lbw b M Asif 0(6b)
Michael Clarke b U Gul 12(25b,2/4)
Michael Hussey c I Farhat b U Gul 0(1b)
Mitchell Johnson b U Gul 30(54b,5/4)
Marcus North c K Akmal b M Asif 20(25b,2/4)
Tim Paine (wk) b S Afridi 47(85b,3/4)
Steven Smith lbw b D Kaneria 12(17b,1/4)
Ben Hilfenhaus not out 56(84b,6/4,1/6)
Doug Bollinger b D Kaneria 21(33b,3/4)
Extras: (b 6, lb 5, w 2, nb 9) 22
Total: (10 wkts, 91 ovs) 334

Pakistan Bowling
Mohammad Aamer 18 3 67 0
Mohammad Asif 21 3 77 3
Umar Gul 21 5 61 4
Danish Kaneria 17 2 74 2
Shahid Afridi 14 0 44 1

Pakistan Batting
Imran Farhat c S Watson b S Smith 24(48b,3/4)
Salman Butt st T Paine b M North 92(173b,15/4)
Azhar Ali c T Paine b B Hilfenhaus 42(87b,4/4)
Umar Amin c S Katich b M North 33(54b,4/4)
Umar Akmal c M Clarke b M North 22(30b,3/4,1/6)
Kamran Akmal (wk) b S Smith 46(83b,6/4,1/6)
Shahid Afridi (c) c M Hussey b M North 2(4b)
Mohammad Aamer c M Hussey b M North 19(48b,1/4)
Umar Gul c R Ponting b S Smith 1(10b)
Danish Kaneria c R Ponting b M North 2(11b)
Mohammad Asif not out 1(1b)
Extras: (b 2, lb 1, nb 2) 5
Total: (10 wkts, 91.1 ovs) 289

Australlia Bowling
Doug Bollinger 12 4 43 0
Ben Hilfenhaus 16 8 37 1
Mitchell Johnson 18 5 74 0
Steven Smith 21 5 51 3
hane Watson 6 0 26 0
Marcus North 18.1 1 55 6

Australia 253 all out against Pakistan

LONDON: Australia, after losing the toss, were bowled out for 253 on the second day of the first Test against Pakistan at Lord”s here on Wednesday.

Michael Hussey was 56 not out after Pakistan left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer took four wickets for 72 runs in 19.5 overs. This is the first of a two-Test series.

Australia to resumes innings today at Lord’s

LORD’S: Australia will resume its second innings in the first test against Pakistan at Lords on Wednesday.

Mohammad Asif took three wickets in a dramatic burst either side of tea as Australia finished on 229 for nine when bad light forced an early close on the first day of the first Test against Pakistan at Lord”s here on Tuesday.

Asif took three wickets for no runs in seven balls on his way to a return of three for 53 in 17 overs.

Meanwhile teenage left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer, his new ball-partner, made the early inroads on his way to a haul of three for 66 in 18 overs.

Australia”s batsmen all struggled after Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to field in overcast, seam-bowler friendly, conditions.

Only left-handed opener Simon Katich, who made 80 but might have been lbw for two, had so far got past fifty although Michael Hussey was 39 not out, with Doug Bollinger unbeaten on nought, at stumps.

Asif struck with the last ball before tea when he had Clarke lbw for 47 to end a third-wicket stand worth 120 with Katich.

And nine balls after the break, Katich pushed uncertainly outside off-stump against Asif and was caught behind by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal for 80.

Australia to resumes innings today at Lord’s

LORD’S: Australia will resume its second innings in the first test against Pakistan at Lords on Wednesday.

Mohammad Asif took three wickets in a dramatic burst either side of tea as Australia finished on 229 for nine when bad light forced an early close on the first day of the first Test against Pakistan at Lord”s here on Tuesday.

Asif took three wickets for no runs in seven balls on his way to a return of three for 53 in 17 overs.

Meanwhile teenage left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer, his new ball-partner, made the early inroads on his way to a haul of three for 66 in 18 overs.

Australia”s batsmen all struggled after Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to field in overcast, seam-bowler friendly, conditions.

Only left-handed opener Simon Katich, who made 80 but might have been lbw for two, had so far got past fifty although Michael Hussey was 39 not out, with Doug Bollinger unbeaten on nought, at stumps.

Asif struck with the last ball before tea when he had Clarke lbw for 47 to end a third-wicket stand worth 120 with Katich.

And nine balls after the break, Katich pushed uncertainly outside off-stump against Asif and was caught behind by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal for 80.

Pak bowlers dominate first day as Aussies make 229-9

LONDON: Mohammad Asif took three wickets in a dramatic burst either side of tea as Australia finished on 229 for nine when bad light forced an early close on the first day of the first Test against Pakistan at Lord”s here on Tuesday.

Asif took three wickets for no runs in seven balls on his way to a return of three for 53 in 17 overs.

Meanwhile teenage left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer, his new ball-partner, made the early inroads on his way to a haul of three for 66 in 18 overs.

Australia”s batsmen all struggled after Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to field in overcast, seam-bowler friendly, conditions.

Only left-handed opener Simon Katich, who made 80 but might have been lbw for two, had so far got past fifty although Michael Hussey was 39 not out, with Doug Bollinger unbeaten on nought, at stumps.

Asif struck with the last ball before tea when he had Clarke lbw for 47 to end a third-wicket stand worth 120 with Katich.

And nine balls after the break, Katich pushed uncertainly outside off-stump against Asif and was caught behind by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal for 80.

Katich, who has scored fifty in each of his last nine Tests, faced 138 balls with nine fours in more than three hours at the crease.

By contrast, three balls later, Marcus North, also a left-hander, was clean bowled between bat and pad by an Asif inswinger for nought.

Hussey pulled Kaneria for six to bring up the 200.

But Australia were 208 for seven after Test debutants Tim Paine (seven) and Steven Smith (one) fell cheaply to Umar Gul and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria respectively.

Pakistan, bidding for their first Test win over Australia in 15 years, saw Aamer, who starred in last week”s back-to-back wins over the Aussies at Edgbaston, strike first when he dismissed opener Shane Watson for four to leave Australia eight for one.

The 18-year-old had already had one close lbw decision against Katich, then on two, rejected when he rapped Watson, playing no stroke, on the pad.

English umpire Ian Gould turned down that appeal but next ball Watson again, curiously, padded up.

Gould was in the process of giving him out lbw when the ball trickled onto the stumps and dislodged a bail, meaning Watson was out bowled.

Watson”s exit brought Australia captain and star batsman Ricky Ponting to the crease in what could be the 35-year-old”s last Test at Lord”s.

Ponting, along with India”s Sachin Tendulkar and the West Indies” now retired Brian Lara, the other two outstanding batsmen of the last decade, had yet to make a Test century at the ”home of cricket”.

He had made 26 when he clipped Aamer firmly off his pads only for debutant Umar Amin to take an excellent catch at short-leg.

Rain delays first Pakistan-Australia Test

LONDON: Rain delayed the scheduled 11am local time (1000GMT) start of the first Test between Pakistan and Australia at Lord”s here on Tuesday.

The umpires were due to hold an inspection at 10.30am (0930GMT), the scheduled time for the toss.

This was the first of a two-Test series being played in England because top-class international cricket in Pakistan was effectively suspended following the armed attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March last year.

It also represented the first time a ”neutral” Test had been played in England since the 1912 triangular tournament where Australia and South Africa, along with England, made up the competing teams. The second and final Test of this series is due to start at Headingley on July 21.

Pakistan win toss, elect to field against Australia

LONDON: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to field against Australia in the first Test at Lord”s here on Tuesday.

Pakistan gave debuts to 25-year-old right-handed batsman Azhar Ali and 20-year-old left-handed batsman Umar Amin.

Australia gave debuts to wicketkeeper Tim Paine, in after Brad Haddin was ruled out of the tour with an elbow injury, and leg-spinner Steven Smith.

The inclusion of Paine, alongside captain and star batsman Ponting and seamer Ben Hilfenhaus meant Tasmania had three players in an Australia Test side for the first time.

Rain and overcast conditions, which should suit Pakistan”s seam attack, delayed the scheduled start of this match by at least 90 minutes, with play now due to get underway at 12pm local time (1100GMT). The match was leg-spinning all-rounder Afridi”s first Test in four years.

This was the first of a two-Test series being played in England because top-class international cricket in Pakistan was effectively suspended following the armed attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March last year.

It also represented the first time a ”neutral” Test had been played in England since the 1912 triangular tournament where Australia and South Africa, along with England, made up the competing teams.

Pakistan: Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi (capt), Kamran Akmal (wkt), Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Danish Kaneria

Australia: Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Marcus North, Tim Paine (wkt), Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger

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