David Warner and Shaheen Afridi during first Australia vs Pakistan Test.© X (formerly Twitter)
Australian opener David Warner has had a superb start in the three-match Test series against Pakistan on Thursday. The southpaw hushed all doubters about his form in Test cricket on the opening day of xxthe first Test against Pakistan, slamming a typically explosive 164 off 211 balls in a spectacular start to his farewell series. During his knock, Warner also got involved in a verbal exchange with Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi and he later gave a detail of what actually happened.
“It’s been a long few months for Shaheen [Afridi] as well, he’s bowled a lot in the World Cup. You’ve got to try to apply pressure to their senior bowler in the first Test match. The chit chat is just normal stuff – there’s nothing. He’s not trying to get under my skin or anything, it’s just normal banter,” said Warner.
Talking about the game, Australian spin king Nathan Lyon moved to within three wickets of joining the elite 500 club Friday as Pakistan dug deep to stay in touch on day two of the opening Test in Perth.
The visitors were 132-2 at stumps, trailing by 355, with a dogged Imam-ul-Haq not out 38 and nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad on seven after they lost skipper Shan Masood late in the day.
But it was a slow grind after Aamer Jamal took 6-111 on debut to help dismiss the hosts for 487 in their first innings.
Mitchell Marsh starred with 90 after David Warner’s defiant 164 on day one.
Abdullah Shafique was the first to fall in reply, getting a big inside edge from Lyon to Warner at leg slip after battling to 42.
It was the veteran Lyon’s 497th Test wicket as he closes in on 500 to join a group of just seven other players.
Haq was stoic at the other end, weathering a fiery bowling blitz from Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins on a pitch that still had some zip.
It took him 85 deliveries before his first boundary, guiding one fine off his hip.
An aggressive Masood made 30 before his stay ended 10 minutes before close, caught behind by Carey off Starc on review.
Masood had earlier taken a nasty blow to the back when he turned to avoid a Haq drive but was able to continue after treatment.
(With AFP Inputs)
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