Rawalpindi Test 2nd day: Confident Pakistan bat against Australia

Rawalpindi Test 2nd day: Confident Pakistan bat against Australia

Cricket

The home side resumed batting at 245 for one.

RAWALPINDI (AFP) - The Australian and Pakistan teams paid tribute to the legendary spinner Shane Warne with a minute’s silence Saturday as play resumed in the first Test in Rawalpindi.

"It’s a sad way to start the day," the television commentator said as players wore black armbands to pay homage to Warne, who died of a heart attack in Thailand on Friday.

A handful of early morning spectators also stood in respect in the stands.

The Australians are playing in Pakistan for the first time since 1998, having declined to tour previously because of security issues.

The home side resumed batting at 245 for one.

Azhar Ali was five runs away from a century as Pakistan batted at a snail’s pace to reach 302-1 at lunch on the second day of the first Test against Australia in Rawalpindi on Saturday.

Haq was the slowest of the Pakistan pair Saturday morning, adding just six runs in the first hour and not hitting a boundary until the 90th minute.

Haq was lucky to survive a caught-behind appeal on 143 off Lyon the Australians didn’t challenge, when replays showed it hit the bat.