Australia bat towards safety on benign pitch in first Test against Pakistan

Australia’s first Test in Pakistan in almost 24 years is destined to end in a draw, with a benign Rawalpindi pitch appearing to ensure no positive result will be possible.

On a day shortened by a wet outfield that cost the game 27 overs, Australia were 449 for seven when bad light stopped play on Monday’s penultimate day in reply to the hosts’ 476.

Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith both missed out on centuries that appeared there for the taking, with each caught behind after Usman Khawaja also hit a 97 on day three. But, realistically, the missed chances will only make a mere statistical difference, with a stalemate almost certain in the first Test of the inaugural Benaud-Qadir Trophy and only batting practice looming on day five.

The only concern for Australia was a blow to the bowling hand of Mitchell Starc from Shaheen Shah Afridi late in the day, although he was able to bat on. The Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan also found himself in pain, after several knocks to his right hand.

In one of the most dominant displays of bat over ball in history, each of the 11 wickets have come at an average of 84.09 across the four days. Labuschagne would have walked away more frustrated than most on Monday night after throwing away a century when caught at slip on 90. The Queenslander prepared for the tour by batting on rubber matting with aluminium and metal sheets, setting up for unpredictable bounce and turn in Pakistan. In truth, he could have just had throwdowns on the front driveway.

Not even the ball that dismissed him did anything to beat the right-hander, as he drove hard at a Shaheen ball well away from his body. Until that point he had looked unbeatable, flicking three fours through the leg-side to start the