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Rediff.com  » Sports » Asif, Sami send Australia crashing

Asif, Sami send Australia crashing

January 03, 2010 15:03 IST
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- Scorecard

Mohd AsifMohammad Asif claimed a career-best 6 for 41 as Australia were shot out for a paltry 127 on Day 1 of the second Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.

The pacer's impressive showing -- his sixth five-wicket haul in just his 16th Test -- came after Ricky Ponting opted to bat despite overcast conditions and rain having forced the game to start only after lunch, and Mohammad Sami had reduced Australia to 10-3.

When bad light stopped play for the day 10 minutes before stumps, the visitors were 14 without loss, with Imran Farhat on nine and Salman Butt on three.

Sami and Asif made the best of the conditions to skittle out Australia in just 44.2 overs for their lowest Sydney total in 15 years.

It was their poorest all-out total at the SCG since Darren Gough ran through Mark Taylor's team for 116 in 1995.

Australia were on 62 for seven before to tea but a 44-run eighth-wicket partnership between Nathan Hauritz (21) and Mitchell Johnson (38) took them past 100.

Sami, playing his first Test in more than two years, ran through Australia's top order. An eleventh-hour inclusion following the withdrawal of Mohammad Aamer due to a groin injury, he sent back Phil Hughes and Ponting before they could score, and the Shane Watson to have the hosts reeling. He finished with figures of 3 for 27.

Asif then stepped in to dismiss the next six batsmen.

Doug Bollinger was the last man out to Umar Gul, leaving the tourists 14 overs to survive till stumps.

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