Karachi
\nWicketkeeper Alex Carey hoped cracks on the pitch would help spinners take 20 wickets after Australia piled up 505-8 on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan in Karachi on Sunday.
\nThe left-hander became Pakistan skipper Babar Azam\u2019s only second Test wicket as he missed the part-timer\u2019s straight delivery and was bowled for 93 with just two overs left before close.
\nWhen stumps were drawn, Mitchell Starc was batting on 28 with touring skipper Pat Cummins yet to get off the mark after Usman Khawaja hit a memorable 160 in the country of his birth.
\n\u201cThere are some cracks opening,\u201d said Carey. \u201cI still think there\u2019s opportunities for us to pick 20 wickets going into tomorrow and day four and five.\u201d On missing a hundred, Carey admitted the opportunity was lost.
\n\u201cI am always disappointed when I get out. It was so close. Unfortunately, it\u2019s the way it goes.\u201d
\nWhen the wily Pakistan spinner Sajid Khan produced a sharp turning delivery that beat Khawaja\u2019s defensive push on the back foot to clip the top of the off stump, Pakistan had thought they would wrap up the Australian innings soon.
\nBut Carey and Starc frustrated the home team during their eighth-wicket stand of 98 as the National Stadium pitch offered slow turn and low bounce.
\nCarey batted for 187 minutes, hitting seven boundaries and two sixes in his highest Test score, improving upon his previous best of 51 against England at Adelaide in December last year.
\nSajid\u2019s spin partner Nauman Ali bowled Cameron Green for 28 in the last over before tea but Pakistan\u2019s plans to bat today were spoiled by Carey and Starc.
\nPakistan took the third new ball after 163 overs with Australia\u2019s total at 453-7 but none of the pace bowlers could get the breakthrough.
\nAshraf (2-55) and Sajid (2-151) were the main wicket takers in Pakistan\u2019s 180 overs of hard work.
\nThis is the first time Australia have batted 180 overs in Asia since their 179.3 overs, scoring 577 against India in the Delhi Test of 2008.
\nSajid had given Pakistan a double break in the post-lunch session with the wickets of a stubborn Khawaja and Travis Head for eight.
\nUntil then, Khawaja had defied Pakistan\u2019s attack for nine hours and 12 minutes in an anchoring role since Australia won the toss and opted to bat on Saturday. The left-hander from Queensland smashed 15 boundaries and a six in his third 150-plus masterly knock.
\nSajid had earlier dismissed Head, leg-before wicket off a sharp delivery, while nightwatchman Nathan Lyon was bowled by Ashraf in the first session for 38.
\nIt was a dull morning session as Australia added 81 after resuming on 251-3 as the pitch held its flat nature.
\nKhawaja added 54 for the fourth wicket with Lyon to frustrate the Pakistan bowlers who were looking for early wickets to halt Australia\u2019s progress.
\nAshraf could have dismissed Lyon on 31 but failed to hold on to a return catch to his left.
\nLyon capitalised on the reprieve with a sweetly-timed boundary but Ashraf had the last laugh three overs later, with a delivery that clattered into the stumps after brushing the Australian\u2019s pads.
\nLyon, dropped on naught by Imam-ul-Haq off pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi on Saturday, hit five boundaries during his stubborn knock of 38.
\nKhawaja was unflustered and pushed Hasan Ali for a single to complete his 150.
\nAustralia\u2019s first Test in Pakistan since 1998 ended in a draw in Rawalpindi where the pitch was rated as below average by the ICC.
\nAustralia will play three Tests, three one-day internationals and a single Twenty20 international on the tour.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Karachi Wicketkeeper Alex Carey hoped cracks on the pitch would help spinners take 20 wickets after Australia piled up 505-8 on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan in Karachi on Sunday. The left-hander became Pakistan skipper Babar Azam\u2019s only second Test wicket as he missed the part-timer\u2019s straight delivery and was bowled […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":249431,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[4934,423,20,744],"class_list":{"0":"post-249422","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-alex-carey","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-pakistan","11":"tag-test"},"yoast_head":"\n