Abbas pushes Aussies to the brink

Dubai, October 10 

Mohammad Abbas took three wickets in seven balls to push Pakistan closer to victory in the first Test against Australia here today. The right-arm medium-pacer dismissed Aaron Finch (49) and the Marsh brothers — Shaun and Mitchell — for ducks as Australia slumped from 87 without loss to finish Day 4 at 136/3. At stumps, opener Usman Khawaja was batting on a fighting 50 and Travis Head on 34. 

Pakistan need seven more wickets while Australia require another 326 runs for an improbable victory to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Abbas said he was “happy to be among the wickets”. “I used the crease to bring the ball in and got wickets from those deliveries,” he said. “We need seven more wickets so, God willing, we will get them and get this win for which we have worked very hard and it will be good to take lead in the series.”  

Good start 

The Australian openers had put on 87 runs when Finch was trapped leg-before soon after tea with a sharp incoming delivery from Abbas. Two balls later, Abbas had the elder Marsh caught behind before trapping Mitchell right in front of the stumps in his next over. Pakistan-born Khawaja, who top-scored for Australia with 85 in the first innings, held one end intact with resolute batting.

Earlier, Pakistan, who were 45/3 overnight, declared 7.5 overs after lunch at 181/6 at the fall of Asad Shafiq’s wicket for 41. Pakistan had made 482 in their first innings, while Australia were dismissed for 202 in reply. — AFP 

Brief scores: Pakistan 482 & 181/6 dec; Australia 202 & 138/3 (Khawaja 50*, Finch 49; Abbas 3/26)