SYDNEY: Pakistan have lost their both openers but they are gradually enhancing their lead over Australia here at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the second Test.They have built a 63-run lead over Australia's first innings total, going to tea break at 190 runs for two wickets with skipper Mohammad Yousuf and Faisal Iqbal batting on 27 and 24, respectively.
Pakistan lost their both wickets during the second session – first went Imran Farhat, caught behind by Brad Haddin off Nathan Hauritz on an attempted sweep shot and later, Salman Butt, also caught behind off Mitchell Johnson.
Imran made 53, his 13th half-century in 32nd Test. He hit four boundaries in his 140-ball innings.
Butt scored 71, his eighth fifty in 26 Tests, with nine fours. He faced 164 balls.
Both provided a solid opening stand of 109 runs, the second century partnership by the pair in Test cricket.
Butt’s last ton in the long form of the game came in November 2005 against England, and his only other score of 100 or more was at this ground in the corresponding Test in 2005, when he hit 108.
Yousuf and Iqbal patiently carved out a 46-run partnership off 54 balls in the middle session, arresting any momentum shift that the Australians may have achieved with their two wickets.
Ricky Ponting's men wasted one of their referral opportunities when Yousuf was on 3.
Haddin and the slips cordon confidently went up for a caught behind appeal off Shane Watson's bowling, and with Ponting in the dressing room Michael Clarke asked for the decision to be sent upstairs.
But television replays clearly showed the ball came nowhere near the bat, instead clipping the top of the Pakistani captain's pad before reaching Haddin's gloves.
Watson was clearly dismayed, after missing a chance to have his first wicket for the innings in the opening session.
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