AAPPRECIATIONPPRECIATION | Page 3 FOOTBALL | Page 7 Murray wins Guardiola BBC award; pins hopes To Advertise here German award on Chelsea Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 for Kerber wobble Tuesday, December 20, 2016 CRICKET Rabia I 21, 1438 AH Nair triple ton puts GULF TIMES India in command against England SPORT Page 2 CRICKET / AUS VS PAK, DAY 5, 1ST TEST Australia deny Pakistan in Hosts prevent world-record chase as Pakistan fall short of gripping Test fi nale 490-run target by 40 runs Pakistan’s Asad Shafiq reacts on his dismissal at 137 on the fifth day of the first Test against Australia in Brisbane yesterday. (AFP) Australia’s captain Steve Smith (centre) adjusts his collar as he walks off the field with teammates after beating Pakistan in the first Test in Brisbane yesterday. (AFP) clearing the stumps and the decision AUSTRALIA 2nd innings 202-5 dec. was reversed. PAKISTAN 2nd innings (o/n: 382-8) AFP ing back.” aiming for, for the match,” said Shafi q. since their last defeat in 1988. But Starc’s brutish delivery to Shafi q S. Aslam c Renshaw b Starc 15 Brisbane, Australia The highest ever successful Test run In the process, Pakistan posted their It was also Australia’s second straight grabbed the vital breakthrough, before A. Ali c Wade b Starc 71 chase of 418 for seven was set by the highest fourth innings total, surpass- win after Test series defeats to Sri Lan- Smith’s throw-down to catch Yasir out B. Azam c Smith b Lyon 14 West Indies against Australia in Anti- ing their previous best of 382 for three ka and South Africa this year prompted of his ground and snatch victory. Y. Khan c Smith b Lyon 65 ustralia prevented a world- gua in 2003. to beat Sri Lanka in Pallekele last year. a team shake-up. Pakistan, despite coming up short, M. ul-Haq c Wade b Bird 5 record, 490-run chase by Pa- And Pakistan looked on course to “I’m happy, because after the fi rst Australia have now won all three of showed by their spirited response that A. Shafiq c Warner b Starc 137 kistan yesterday to win a grip- beat that on the back of Asad Shafi q’s innings, it was looking very diffi cult for the pink-ball Tests they have played at they can do better in the rest of the S. Ahmed b Starc 24 ping fi rst Test by just 39 runs knock of 137, but he was caught shortly us to come back in this game,” said Pa- home over the last 12 months. three-Test series, with Melbourne next M. Amir c Wade b Bird 48 Aand preserve their 28-year unbeaten before Yasir’s run out. kistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq. But for much of yesterday’s fi nal ses- up on Boxing Day. W. Riaz c Smith b Bird 30 streak at Brisbane’s Gabba ground. His magnifi cent innings came to end “But the way all the team, all the sion the Australians were frustrated by Smith chose not to enforce the fol- Y. Shah run out (Smith) 33 Relieved skipper Steve Smith ran out when a Mitchell Starc lifter came off batsmen showed their character, that Pakistan’s tailenders chipping away at low-on after Pakistan were dismissed R. Ali not out 1 Yasir Shah for 33 to take the last wicket the shoulder of his bat and lobbed to was wonderful, and we got some spe- their lead. for 142, even though they were 287 runs Extras (lb5, w2) 7 and end Pakistan’s brave attempt to reel David Warner in the gully for the cru- cial knocks from the tailenders as well. Shafi q and Yasir were fi nding runs in front on the fi rst innings. Total (all out, 145 overs) 450 in the mammoth target on the last day cial catch. “A lot of positives, I’m happy and easy to score. Nathan Lyon made a The Australians added a brisk 202 Fall of wickets: 1-31 (Aslam), 2-54 of the day-night Test. Man-of-the-match Shafi q faced 207 proud the way the team played in the fantastic fl ying two-handed eff ort at for fi ve batting again and in the end it (Azam), 3-145 (Azhar), 4-165 (Misbah), “I think I lost all my fi ngernails. Some balls in 336 minutes and hit 13 fours and fourth innings.” point, but narrowly missed catching just proved enough to get the home side 5-173 (Younis), 6-220 (Ahmed), 7-312 game of cricket, wasn’t it?” said Smith. a six. While he was at the wicket, Pa- Yasir on 27. over the line. (Amir), 8-378 (Wahab), 9-449 (Shafiq), “A lot of credit has got to go to the kistan’s hopes of a remarkable victory BRUTISH DELIVERY There was a big moment when Yasir 10-450 (Yasir) way they played. But I thought our were still realistic. The victory, in the fi rst day-night Test was hit on the back leg while shoulder- SCORECARD Bowling: Starc 38-10-119-4 (1w), Hazle- bowlers stuck at it all day, we bowled a “There is energy, we have to go for at the Gabba, extended Australia’s un- ing arms to Josh Hazlewood and given AUSTRALIA 1st innings 429 all out wood 42-11-99-0, Bird 33-6-110-3 (1w), lot of overs, our quicks just kept com- the match here, so that’s what I was beaten record to 28 Tests at the venue out on 30, but a review showed the ball PAKISTAN 1st innings 142 all out Lyon 29-3-108-2, Maddinson 3-0-9-0 Misbah hails ‘classy’ Shafi q for fi ghting ton Smith the most relieved aft er Australia’s great escape Reuters innings, one of the classiest in- Reuters man, off the hook when he was But those fine eff orts may be Australia, however, seemed Brisbane, Australia nings I have ever seen,” Misbah Brisbane, Australia on 72. drowned out in the debate as to plagued by doubt and inertia told reporters after the 39-run Shafiq survived to stumps after how Australia found themselves on the final day at the Gabba loss. raising an impressive 100 and in such a perilous position on and Smith’s initially conservative akistan captain Misbah- “In the context of the game, he relief was palpable in all lifted Pakistan’s hopes of closing day five in the first place. field settings were roasted ul-Haq hailed Asad the way he handled the pres- of Australia’s players yes- out a famous victory before be- Pakistan were skittled for 142 by former captains Michael PShafiq’s defiant century sure playing with the tail, Tterday after they survived ing dismissed for 137 by a pearl early on day three, 88 runs short Clarke and Mark Taylor as as among the “classiest” he he just made a match out of a huge scare to defeat Pakistan of a short-pitched delivery by of avoiding the follow-on, but they called the game on televi- had ever seen after the knock nothing. by 39 runs in the first Test, but paceman Mitchell Starc. Smith chose not to enforce it and sion. of 137 all but drove Pakistan to “So, a lot of positives for us. none would have felt it more That Pakistan were able to get instead opted to bat the tourists “The Australian captain’s tactics a famous victory over Australia “Especially in Australia batting than captain Steve Smith. so close to completing a record out of the game. this morning has been nothing in the first test in Brisbane is your main problem but A bundle of nervous energy at run chase took the gloss off With victory secured, it would be short of ridiculous,” tweeted yesterday. the way we showed that, we the best of times, Smith grew another outstanding batting unfair to say the tactic backfired former England skipper Michael Needing to score a record 490 are looking forward and can increasingly fidgety as man-of- eff ort by Smith, who top-scored but Misbah-ul-Haq’s side may Vaughan. to win, Pakistan fell short by 40 be confident in the next two the-match Asad Shafiq and Yasir for Australia with 130 in the first take more out of the match, Smith may undertake extra runs but not before giving the matches.” Shah marched quickly toward innings and backed it up with 63 having won back belief in their catching practice during train- home side a huge scare on day Shafiq’s ninth test ton had an improbable victory target of in the second. batting and resilience, and ing before the Boxing Day five at the Gabba. him surpass West Indies great 490 in the first day-night Test at He also wrapped up the match in restored confidence lost by a 2-0 (December 26) Test but had no Man-of-the-match Shafiq came Garry Sobers as the most the Gabba. some style, throwing down the thrashing in New Zealand. regrets about not enforcing the to the crease at 165 for four delivery after nearly six hours prolific century-scorer among Well might he have. stumps from the slips to run out The final total of 450 was follow-on. late on day four and anchored of resistance. specialist number six batsmen. Smith dropped two simple Yasir after the stocky legspinner Pakistan’s highest ever fourth “I think I would go the same three doughty tail-end partner- “At the moment, I could not It was also only five runs shy of catches in the slips late on day inexplicably wandered out of his innings tally, the highest ever plan,” he said.