December 17, 2023 10:48 pm | Updated December 18, 2023 08:04 am IST – Perth [Australia]
Australia’s Nathan Lyon, middle, holds the ball aloft after dismissing Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf to say his five hundredth take a look at match wicket throughout play on the fourth day of the primary cricket take a look at between Australia and Pakistan in Perth, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023. Australia defeated Pakistan by 360 runs.
| Photo Credit: AP
After his bowlers ran riot, taking the hosts to a thumping 360-run win over Pakistan within the opening Test, Australian skipper Pat Cummins on Sunday lauded openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and spinner Nathan Lyon for his or her dazzling performances.
Australia’s all-round present on the sector compounded Pakistan’s agony and prolonged their win drought in red-ball cricket on Australian soil, because the guests have been bundled out for simply 89 runs of their second innings at Perth.
“Great start to the summer. Everything fell in place really so could not be happier. We have played a lot of cricket here, it is an experienced side so the build-up was very chilled and relaxed. (On Warner) That was huge. His and Uzzy’s (Usman Khawaja) partnership at the start really set it up for us. To get 350 odd runs (on the first day), we were really ahead of the game from the first day,” skipper Cummins mentioned on the post-match presentation.
“(On Marsh) He is one of the favourites of the West (Australia), he is also one of my favourites. It is great to see him back in Australia and playing a Test after five (six) years. (On Lyon) 500 Test wickets around the world is huge. Could not be happier for him. He was out for six months with a calf injury and it is great to see him back. Going to get home for a few days and we will get together on the 22nd or the 23rd. It is always nice to have the families together for Christmas Day before we get to work,” he added.
After Australia received the toss and opted to take the primary strike, a 126-run partnership between David Warner and Usman Khawaja (41 in 98 balls, with six fours) obtained the hosts off to a tremendous begin.
Warner, in his swansong sequence in red-ball cricket, went on to carry up his twenty sixth Test century, smashing 164 in 211 balls with 16 fours and 4 sixes.
Building on the momentum, star all-rounder Mitchell Marsh (90 in 107 balls, with 15 fours and a six) together with useful knocks from Travis Head (40 in 53 balls, with six fours), Alex Carey (34 in 73 balls, with 4 boundaries) and Steve Smith (31 in 60 balls, with 4 boundaries) helped Australia attain 487 of their first innings.
Aamer Jamal (6/111) was the decide of the bowlers for the guests, taking six wickets in his debut Test. His fellow new-ball bowler Khurram Shehzad took two wickets whereas Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf obtained one scalp every. Openers Abdullah Shafique (42 in 121 balls, with six fours) and Imam Ul Haq (62 in 199 balls, with 5 fours) have been the highest contributors with the willow for Pakistan, as they have been bundled out for a modest 271 of their first innings, trailing the Baggy Greens by 216 runs.
Nathan Lyon (3/66) emerged as the highest bowler for Australia whereas Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took two wickets. Marsh, Head and Josh Hazlewood additionally picked up a wicket every. In their second innings, Australia declared at 233/5, securing a 449-run lead.
Khawaja (90 in 190 balls, with 9 fours) and Marsh (63 in 68 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) have been the highest contributors for the hosts.Set an enormous 450 runs to win, the guests succumbed to scoreboard stress and a few high quality bowling from Australia.
Saud Shakeel (24) was the one Pakistani batter to attain 20 or extra runs because the Asian giants have been skittled out for simply 89 in 30.2 overs. In a major career milestone, Lyon (2/14) obtained his five hundredth Test wicket whereas Starc (3/31) and Hazlewood (3/13) have been the decide of the bowlers for the Aussies.
Australia leads the sequence 1-0 going into the Boxing Day Test.
Marsh received the ‘Player of the Match’ for his scores of 90 and 63* throughout each innings and taking a wicket.
