Jaques, Hussey put Australia ‘A’ in command: Four-day match at Faisalabad

FAISALABAD, Sept 13: Fine centuries by Phil Jaques (152) and David Hussey (143 not out) put Australia ‘A’ in a commanding position against Pakistan ‘A’ with a first innings lead of 239 and six wickets intact on the second day of the four-day match at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, on Thursday.

The visitors were 438-4 at stumps after resuming their first innings at 109 without loss in reply to the home team’s moderate 199 in their first innings. After resuming their innings with Jaques on 56 and fellow-opener Chris Rogers at 50, Australia ‘A’ suffered a quick gust as medium-pacer Abdur Rauf got rid of Rogers, who was caught behind by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmad when the total was 125. Rogers could only add six runs to his overnight total.

Jaques, however, found a reliable ally in David Hussey as both strengthened the Australian innings with a second-wicket partnership of 131, before leg-spinner Mansoor Amjad broke it. Jaques had a marathon stay of more than five hours on the crease before Mansoor had him caught by Khalid when the total was 256. Jaques’s scintillating 210-ball knock was studded with 12 boundaries and two sixes. Soon the visitors also lost their captain Adam Voges for seven as off-spinner Atif Maqbool, who remained expensive (110-1), had him stumped by Sarfraz, at 277-3. But Hussey was there to help recover the loss with two notable partnerships — first with Cameron White (35, two sixes), adding 86 runs at the fourth-wicket stand to bring up the total to 363, and then with James Hopes (34 not out, one four) after Rauf had White out for a leg before wicket to claim his second wicket. Hussey and Hopes saw off the day after plundering 75 runs in their undefeated fifth-wicket partnership.

Rauf, who saved Pakistan ‘A’ from a total batting collapse with a knock of 73, also remained the more successful of bowlers in his side with two for 71 in 17 overs on a perfect batting strip. The other two fast bowlers Najaf Shah (72-0) and Mohammad Irshad (56-0) and spinners Atif (110-1) and Mansoor (107-1) proved quite costly for Pakistan.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN ‘A’ (1st Innings) 199 (Abdur Rauf 73; Dough Bollinger 3-34).

AUSTRALIA ‘A’ (1st Innings, overnight 109-0):

Phil Jaques c Khalid b Mansoor 152

Chris Rogers c Sarfraz b Rauf 56

David Hussey not out 143

Adam Voges st Sarfraz b Atif 7

Cameron White lbw b Rauf 35

James Hopes not out 34

EXTRAS: (B-4, LB-4, NB-3) 11

TOTAL (for 4 wkts, 116 overs) 438

TO BAT: Luke Ronchi, Stuart MacGill, Ashley Noffke, Dan Cullen, D. Bollinger.