3 minute read

In statistics that sum up Pakistan's tour of Australia, veteran legspinner Yasir Shah has been their best batsman and worst bowler across Brisbane and Adelaide.

It says something about Pakistan's dreadful tour of Australia that legspinner Yasir Shah has their best batting average and worst bowling average.

Because as good as Yasir's maiden Test century was against Australia on Sunday, it is far from his job in Pakistan's team.

Left to come in at 6-89 late on Saturday night, Yasir out-performed every one of the seven batsmen above him with his 113 at the Adelaide Oval.

In doing so, he became the oldest Pakistani to score a maiden Test century and took his average for the tour to 60.33 after the first-innings knock.

The only problem? His bowling average for the series is almost double that - sitting at 100.5 after having claimed four scalps but got for 402 runs.

It's part of the reason why Pakistan are staring at a second straight innings defeat come day four in Adelaide.

Yasir was meant to be Pakistan's most experienced bowler, ready to bounce back from a tough tour last time he visited in 2016-17.

Instead, he will return home with figures of 0-197 in Adelaide having gone at more than a run a ball in Australia's first-innings blitz.

"I was trying to perform at my best even the last time I came here," Yasir said.

"It's every spinner's wish to do well in Australia because that raises your image and profile.

"I've put in a lot of hard-work. I was the top wicket-taker in domestic cricket.

"The last time I bowled too fast. And I was bowling at a faster pace than what I wanted to here too and I didn't use my variations well.

"David Warner played really well to score a triple-ton. He didn't let me settle and get my lines and lengths. And at times, he even scored runs off our good balls."

Pakistan's bowlers can't be blamed for their team's woes alone though.

While Australia's top-order have dined out on batter-friendly wickets, they have struggled to deal with the bounce.

In all bar the first innings in Brisbane they have slumped to scores of 3-40, often edging off the balls they need not have played at.

"Australia have a world-class bowling attack. They have experienced bowlers," Yasir said.

"The mistake we're committing is not surviving the new-ball.

"We need to survive for the first 10-15 overs after which time the pink ball doesn't swing much and there's no reverse swing to trouble the batsmen.

"Our batsmen need to try and spend more time at the crease."