Taylor, Langer steer Australia to commanding position

KARACHI, OCT 24: An unbroken 103-run second wicket partnership between skipper Mark Taylor and Justin Langer today edged Australia closer...

KARACHI, OCT 24: An unbroken 103-run second wicket partnership between skipper Mark Taylor and Justin Langer today edged Australia closer to their first Test cricket series win in Pakistan for 39 years.

At the close of the third day of the third Test, Australia, 1-0 ahead in the three-match series, were 130 for one in their second innings — an overall lead of 158. Taylor was on 64 and Langer on 45.

Earlier, Taylor’s opposite number Aamir Sohail had been instrumental in guiding his side to within 28 runs of Australia’s first innings total of 280 with a gutsy 133.

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It was Sohail’s fifth Test century and second against Australia.

Despite suffering from a chest infection and high temperature, Sohail batted for a little under six hours and faced 272 balls. His innings was spiced with 18 boundaries and a six off leg spinner Stuart MaCgill.

SCOREBOARD

Australia (1st innings): 280

Pakistan (1st innings): A Sohail c Langer b Miller 133, S Afridi c Taylor b McGrath 10, Ijaz Ahmad c Healy b McGrath5, Inzamam-ul-Haq c Lehmann b McGrath 9, S Malik c McGrath b MacGill 0, Y Yohanna b Robertson 9, Moin Khan c Slater b McGrath 20, Wasim Akram lbw b MacGill 35, Shakeel Ahmed c Langer b McGrath 1, Arshad Khan lbw b MacGill 7, Shoaib Akhtar not out 6. Extras (b 6, lb 5, w 1, nb 5): 17. Total: 252

Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-40, 3-51, 4-54, 5-69, 6-116, 7-214, 8-239, 9-240

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Bowling: McGrath 25-6-66-5 (w 1), Miller 14-2-53-1 (nb 1), MacGill 25.4-5-64-3 (nb 4), Robertson 22-5-46-1, Lehmann 1-0-6-0, Steve Waugh 2-0-6-0

Australia (2nd innings): M Slater c Yohanna b Arshad Khan 11, M Taylor batting 64, J Langer batting 45. Extras (b 1, lb 3, nb 6): 10. Total (for one wicket): 130

Fall of wicket: 1-27

Bowling: Wasim Akram 7-0-29-0, Shoaib Akhtar 6-1-8-0, Arshad Khan 24-7-41-1, Shahid Afridi 9-2-25-0, Shakeel Ahmead 7-0-23-0.