Pakistan push on to leave Australia facing fight to save first Test

Australia face a battle to stay in the first Test against Pakistan after the hosts piled on and declared at 476 for four, before bad light saved the tourists from a tough evening in Rawalpindi.

On a day already made emotionally hard by the deaths of Shane Warne and Rod Marsh, Azhar Ali hit 185 for Pakistan while Imam-ul-Haq turned his maiden century into 157. Their innings summed up Australia’s battle, as Pakistan reached their ninth highest score against the tourists as wickets were particularly hard to come by.

For just the 14th time in the history of Test cricket, the first three partnerships all passed 100, with Azhar’s and Imam’s reaching 208. Australia were then due to face 50 minutes in the evening, before a seven-minute hold-up amid confusion over the light and a slow roller resulted in only one over being bowled, before players were taken off the field with the tourists five without loss in reply. Regardless, Australia need a big day with the bat on Sunday or else find themselves in a fight to hold out for a draw.

It came on a day in which the Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey again found himself in the spotlight, grassing a chance off Mohammad Rizwan on zero before he went on to make an unbeaten 29. With Pakistan pushing towards the declaration, Rizwan got a thick edge trying to cut Nathan Lyon (one for 163) only for the chance to go to ground.

Carey’s glove work had come under question at times during the Ashes, after being picked ahead of Josh Inglis as the successor to Tim Paine. Carey was also involved in a decision not to review an Imam edge behind that was given not out, indicating to Pat Cummins there had been no nick before replays showed otherwise.

That though does not lay solely on the wicketkeeper