DUBAI: Younis Khan proved the selectors were wrong to drop him from the national one-day team by hitting a sedate 25th Test century on Wednesday as Pakistan reached 219-4 on the opening day of the first Test against Australia.

Younis, who had criticised the selectors for axing him from the recent ODI series against Australia, made 106 off 223 balls before he was trapped lbw by a sharp Mitchell Johnson (3-22) delivery with the second new ball.

Captain Misbah-ul-Haq, looking to regain form after losing the ODI series 3-0, was unbeaten on 34. Asad Shafiq was not out on a nervy nine and survived two confident lbw appeals against off-spinner Nathan Lyon in the final over.

Younis hit 10 fours and completed his first Test hundred against Australia when he lofted Lyon over midwicket for his only six of the innings. He not only equalled Inzamam-ul-Haq’s Pakistan record of most centuries in Test cricket, he also became the first Pakistani to score centuries against nine other Test playing nations and overall the 12th batsmen in the world to reach the honour.

Younis reached the 25th ton mark in his 92nd Test as compared to Inzamam’s 120. Younis came in during the fourth over of the day and revived Pakistan by adding 108 runs for the third wicket with Azhar Ali (53), defying Australia for nearly 3½ hours after Johnson and Peter Siddle had cut Pakistan to 7-2.

Azhar, dropped on 22 off Johnson, made a sedate 53 off 167 balls, including six fours, before playing a loose drive against Johnson to give Australia its only wicket in the middle session.

Johnson gave Australia a perfect start after Misbah had won the toss and elected to bat, snaring the recalled Mohammad Hafeez leg before wicket with his third delivery through a toe crushing yorker for zero.

Ahmed Shehzad was then brilliantly setup by Siddle before he bowled him round his legs. Both pacemen bowled with lot of aggression in their miserly spells.

Younis took 13 deliveries to score his first run and was also hit on the left bicep when he tried to leave Johnson’s short pitched delivery.

Azhar was fortunate to escape just before lunch when Chris Rodgers dropped a low two-handed catch at point which could have given Johnson his second wicket.

Pakistan struggled to 50-2 at lunch, but after the break Younis and Azhar batted with authority and did not hesitate to use their feet against the spinners on a wicket devoid of any grass.

Azhar reached his 16th half century in Test matches off 141 balls by sweeping Lyon for his sixth boundary of the innings while Younis marked their century stand when he hit the spinner straight for two successive boundaries.

Younis completed his fifty off 136 balls by driving Lyon for a single to mid-off before Johnson struck late in the session.

Australia captain Michael Clarke used his fast bowlers in short spells. Johnson was the pick as 13 of his 20 overs were maidens and he conceded only 22 runs. He often beat the outside edges of batsmen with some impressive reverse swing bowling after lunch before removing Azhar and Younis.

In all Younis batted for five hours and 17 minutes.

Younis added 108 for the third wicket with Azhar Ali (53) and another valuable 83 with Misbah to steady the innings.

He played an innings of maturity and guile after Pakistan had lost both openers by the fourth over, with Mohammad Hafeez (nought) and Ahmed Shehzad (three) dismissed by Johnson and pace partner Peter Siddle.

It was Johnson who gave Australia the breakthrough as early as off the fifth ball of the match, trapping Hafeez leg-before with a superb yorker.

Ahmed was set up by Siddle as he exposed his leg-stump and was bowled.

Clarke introduced debutant left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe in the sixth over, but Azhar and Younis negotiated the spin better than pace.

Pakistan were 50-2 at lunch and continued to bat solidly as Ali was the first to reach his 16th half-century with a sweep boundary off Lyon.

Johnson returned for his third spell to remove Azhar whose uppish drive was well caught at short cover by Alex Doolan. He hit six boundaries during his 216-minute stay.

Lyon and O’Keefe strived for spin but the pitch gave little assistance to them except for the final few overs, but Johnson stood out with his fire power and speed.

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh and O’Keefe made debuts for Australia, but are still searching for a first wicket in Test cricket after bowling 26 overs between them.

Marsh is the second son of former Test opener Geoff Marsh to play Test cricket for Australia. His older brother, Shaun, made his debut in 2011. The senior Marsh was on hand on Wednesday to hand Mitchell his Test cap as he did to Shaun against Sri Lanka.

Pakistan also awarded Test caps to leg-spinner Yasir Shah and fast bowler Imran Khan after both impressed in Pakistan ‘A’s warm-up victory against Australia last week.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN (1st Innings):

Ahmed Shehzad b Siddle 3 Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Johnson 0 Azhar Ali c Doolan b Johnson 53 Younis Khan lbw b Johnson 106 Misbah-ul Haq not out 34 Asad Shafiq not out 9

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-12) 14

TOTAL (for four wkts, 90 overs) 219

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-7, 3-115, 4-198.

TO BAT: Sarfraz Ahmed, Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan.

BOWLING: (to-date): Johnson 20-13-22-3; Siddle 17-8-27-1; O’Keefe 15-2-49-0; Marsh 11-4-18-0; Lyon 24-2-78-0; Smith 3-0-11-0.

AUSTRALIA: D.A. Warner, C.J.L. Rogers, A.J. Doolan, M.J. Clarke, S.P.D. Smith, M. Marsh, B.J. Haddin, S.N.J. O’Keefe, M.G. Johnson, P.M. Siddle, N.M. Lyon.

UMPIRES: M. Erasmus (South Africa) and R.A. Kettleborough (England).

TV UMPIRE: N.J. Llong (England).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2014