Pakistan reach 5-328 v Aust in Dubai

Pakistan were building towards a formidable first-innings total on Thursday, having reached 5-328 at lunch on day two of the first Test against Australia.

Australia’s two frontline spinners Nathan Lyon (0-127) and Steve O’Keefe (0-63) were both wicket-less after four sessions, despite the emergence of footmarks outside the right-hander’s off stump.

The only wicket to fall in the morning session on day two was Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq’s departure for a patient knock of 69 in four hours and 15 minutes.

Australia’s breakthrough came not from one of their five frontline bowlers but through the part-time legspin of Steve Smith, as Misbah holed out to mid-on at 5-291.

Asad Shafiq and Misbah added 93 for the fifth wicket.

Misbah, who wore several blows on the upper body against Australia’s pace attack, is the first player in his 40s to score a Test half-century since England’s Graham Gooch in 1994.

Shafiq is 56 not out at lunch and wicketkeeper/batsman Sarfraz Ahmed has smashed four boundaries in his unbeaten 27 off 18 balls.

Pace bowler Mitchell Johnson has 3-33 off 25 overs and Peter Siddle (1-30 off 21) is also proving difficult to get away.

But Australia’s spinners including Smith (1-34 off five overs) have been unable to put the brakes on the home side who scored at almost four runs per over on Thursday morning in a 109-run session.

Johnson spoke overnight about the importance of making early breakthroughs with the second new ball on day two.

“It is definitely going to turn a lot more. We saw Nathan Lyon turning it out of the footmarks,” Johnson said on Wednesday night.

“It (batting) is just going to get harder as the game goes on.”

Short-leg fieldsman Alex Doolan dropped a sharp chance in the second over of the day on Thursday after Shafiq on nine had lunged forward to spinner Lyon.

It was the second dropped catch of the innings, after Chris Rogers had grassed one at point on Wednesday when Azhar Ali was on 22, on his way to a total of 53.

Pakistan had reached 4-219 at stumps on day one after choosing to bat on a lifeless, dry pitch.

Younis Khan hit 106.

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