The pair was positive on the second morning, carrying Australia into a position of control on a slow Lahore pitch
Lunch Australia 320 for 5 (Carey 60*, Green 56*, Naseem 2-45, Shaheen 2-56) vs Pakistan
Having started day two in a delicate position, Australia reached lunch at 320 for 5 with Carey 60 not out and Green unbeaten on 56 as they eye maiden Test centuries. Their sixth-wicket partnership of 114 has regained Australia’s advantage in what has been a topsy-turvy first innings so far on a slow Lahore pitch.
After captain Pat Cummins won a crucial toss, Usman Khawaja, Australia’s only centurion of the three-match series which remains deadlocked after two draws, has top-scored with 91 and Steve Smith made 59 but around them were failures from the top-order batters.
But Green and Carey, who made a career-best 93 in the second Test, struck a timely partnership as the pair batted fluently to score over three runs an over in the opening session in a far cry from sedate periods on day one when Australia were pinned down by nagging Pakistan bowling.
They were relatively untroubled although Carey was reprieved in a comical series of events when he was given out for a supposed lbw shout off a piercing Hasan Ali yorker. Replays showed the delivery missed his boot and bat but shaved the off stump only for the bails not to dislodge. But umpire Aleem Dar had given him out caught behind only for reviews confirming the ball bounced well in front of wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.
It was all rather confusing but Carey survived and then notched his second straight half-century having come into the series under some pressure after an inconsistent Ashes with bat and gloves.
After Australia lost three late wickets on day one, Green and Carey came together with Australia wobbling at 206 for 5 and were relied upon to engineer a fightback with the tourists in danger of an under-par total in the historic series, the first between the countries in Pakistan since 1998, overwhelmingly dominated by bat.
Resuming on day two at 232 for 5, Pakistan started with young quicks Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who starred with four wickets between them on day one. They were armed with a second new ball but were unable to crack the stout defences of the batters, particularly Green who was intent on getting his huge frame forward.
He mixed defence with beautiful stroke making, as Green played elegantly through the covers matched by a sweet timing Carey who targeted the covers to perfection.
Shaheen resorted to the occasional bouncer, forcing Green onto the back foot before unleashing full-pitched deliveries with the first hint of reverse swing 12 overs into the second new ball.
With Shaheen and Naseem thwarted, left-arm spinner Nauman Ali came on 30 minutes into the day’s play but turn was minimal and Australia took advantage. As his confidence grew, Carey unleashed reverse sweeps to devastating effect and he counterattacked offspinner Sajid Khan, who came into the attack later in the session.
It was a letdown for Pakistan, who came into the second day upbeat after an unwavering opening-day performance from their five-pronged attack amid batting-friendly conditions in the first Test played in Lahore since 2009.
Shaheen conjured menacing reverse swing before lunch but to no avail as Australia marched towards a big first-innings total.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth
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