SYDNEY: Aamer Jamal took six for 69 as Pakistan claimed a slender first-innings lead in the third Test against Australia on Friday but the home bowlers hit right back to leave the match in the balance heading into the final two days of the series.

Paceman Josh Hazlewood (4-9) tipped the scales towards the home side with three wickets in the penultimate over of the day to leave Pakistan reeling on 68-7 with a lead of 82 runs.

Pakistan’s last genuine hopes of building an imposing fourth-innings target for Australia to chase in the fourth innings on a deteriorating pitch hinge on Mohammad Rizwan, who is six not out, and bowling hero Aamer, who is yet to score.

“It’s quite tough, (a chase of) under 100 would be outstanding but anything under 130 would be ideal,” said Hazlewood. “There’s a lot of rough there, Rizwan’s obviously the key so hopefully we see that back of him nice and early tomorrow.”

Hazlewood swung the contest after Australia snared two wickets for just one run in the first eight balls of the second innings to rock the Pakistan top order.

“On this wicket we were attacking the stumps as much as Pakistan were doing,” Hazlewood said. “A lead of 82 but, as you can see, the wicket, it’s quite tough. Anything around 130 would be ideal to chase.

“Rizwan is a dangerous player, hopefully we will see the back of him early tomorrow.”

A bumper crowd of more than 37,000 packed into a Sydney Cricket Ground swathed in pink for the annual Jane McGrath charity day but the early action was underwhelming.

Pakistan’s bowlers delivered 33 dot balls at one stage as Australia, who had resumed on 166 for two, took their time in their pursuit of the tourists’ 313.

Steve Smith departed for 38 and Marnus Labuschagne (60) joined him in the dressing room before lunch, undone by a peach of a delivery from spinner Salman Ali Agha that clattered into his wickets.

Seamer Aamer, whose brilliant rearguard 82 was the highlight of day one, got in on

the act by removing Travis Head lbw for 10 and spinner Sajid Khan bowled Alex Carey for 38 just before tea to leave the hosts on 289-6.

Australia would have been confident of a first-innings lead but Aamer came out firing after the break to secure his second six-wicket haul of the series after taking 6-111 on debut in the first Test in Perth.

The 27-year-old, playing only his third Test, took four wickets in just seven balls, first winkling out Mitchell Marsh for 54 caught behind.

Pat Cummins and Hazlewood both went for ducks and Nathan Lyon managed just five runs as Australia gave up their last four wickets for 10 runs to be dismissed for 299, a deficit of 14 runs.

“I’m over the moon,” Aamer said. Feeling proud to be representing my country at such a level and performing for them.

“This is a wonderful achievement for me. I just back myself every time. Even if I concede runs, I back myself.”

Pakistan are looking to end a losing streak of 16 Tests in Australia since their last win in 1995 but quickly discovered that there was a long way to go yet.

Abdullah Shafique’s miserable series continued when he was bowled by an absolute jaffa from Mitchell Starc in the first over to make it a pair of ducks in the match.

Skipper Shan Masood went for a golden duck two balls later, caught behind off Hazlewood, as the post-tea fireworks continued and Pakistan slumped to 1-2.

Young debutant Saim Ayub, out without scoring in the first innings, showed poise and technique in putting on 56 runs with Babar Azam, before he was lbw to Lyon for 33. It was Lyon’s 507th Test wicket.

Babar fell 14 balls later, getting a nick off Tra­vis Head to wicket-keeper Alex Carey for 23 and then came Hazlewood’s devastating late spell.

Australia have already wrapped up the series after victories in the first two Tests in Perth and Melbourne but are desperate to send David Warner out a winner at his home ground in his final Test.

SCOREBOARD

PAKISTAN (1st Innings) 313 (Mohammad Rizwan 88, Aamer Jamal 82, Salman Ali Agha 53; P.Cummins 5-61)

AUSTRALIA (1st innings, overnight 116-2):

D. Warner c Babar b Salman 34

U. Khawaja c Rizwan b Aamer 47

M. Labuschagne b Salman 60

S. Smith c Babar b Hasan 38

T. Head lbw b Aamer 10

M. Marsh c Shan b Aamer 54

A. Carey b Sajid 38

M. Starc not out 1

P. Cummins lbw b Aamer 0

N. Lyon c Saud b Aamer 5

J. Hazlewood c Salman b Aamer 0

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-7, W-2, NB-2) 12

TOTAL (all out, 109.4 overs) 299

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-70 (Warner), 2-108 (Khawaja), 3-187 (Smith), 4-187 (Labuschagne), 5-205 (Head), 6-289 (Carey), 7-293 (Marsh), 8-293 (Cummins), 9-299 (Lyon)

BOWLING: Sajid 26-5-73-1, Hamza 21-9-53-1 (1w), Hasan 21-6-53-0, Aamer 21.4-2-69-6 (2nb, 1w), Salman 20-3-43-2

PAKISTAN (2nd Innings):

Abdullah Shafique b Starc 0

Saim Ayub lbw b Lyon 33

Shan Masood c Carey b Hazlewood 0

Babar Azam c Carey b Head 23

Saud Shakeel c Smith b Hazlewood 2

Mohammad Rizwan not out 6

Sajid Khan b Hazlewood 0

Salman Ali Agha c Warner b Hazlewood 0

Aamer Jamal not out 0

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-2) 4

TOTAL (for seven wickets, 26 overs) 68

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Abdullah), 2-1 (Shan), 3-58 (Saim), 4-60 (Babar), 5-67 (Saud), 6-67 (Sajid), 7-67 (Salman)

BOWLING: Starc 4-1-15-1, Hazlewood 5-2-9-4, Cummins 4-0-17-0, Lyon 9-2-16-1, Head 4-1-7-1

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2024