Sydney Test: Australia on top against Pakistan despite Jamal's six-wicket haul

Sydney, Jan 5 (AP) Fast bowler Aamir Jamal took six wickets to help Pakistan take a slender first-innings lead over Australia on Friday before the home team's bowlers regained the advantage in the third Test.

The Australians took seven wickets in the session before stumps on Day 3 to leave Pakistan facing the prospect of losing yet another Test match Down Under.

Jamal was instrumental in Australia losing its last four first-innings wickets for 10 runs to be all out for 299, trailing Pakistan by 14 runs.

It was the first time since December 2020 Australia had been behind in a home Test match ahead of the second innings.

But then, the Australian bowlers took over. Josh Hazlewood snared four wickets and Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Travis Head took one each as Pakistan slumped to 68 for seven at stumps, an overall lead of 82. Pakistan's last Test match win in Australia was in 1995, at the SCG.

After almost an early domination by the batters, the afternoon belonged to the bowling attacks.

Aamir finished with figures of six for 69, his second six-wicket haul in just three Tests. His 18 wickets are the most for any rookie Pakistan bowler in a three-Test series.

Only minutes after the tea interval, Aamir dismissed Australia's last recognized batter Mitchell Marsh, who chipped the ball straight to mid-off on 54 and was caught by Shan Masood.

Aamir, who picked up the wickets of Usman Khawaja (47) and Travis Head (10) in earlier spells, then dismissed Australia skipper Pat Cummins lbw for a second-ball duck in his 21st over. He removed Lyon (5) and Hazlewood (0) in his next over to finish off the innings.

“I'm over the moon now,” Aamir told local broadcaster Fox Cricket after Australia's innings ended. “I'm feeling proud to be representing my country at such a level and performing for them. This is a wonderful achievement for me.

“I just back myself every time. If I've been conceding runs I still back (myself) because when you try to get some wickets you get boundaries as well.” Aamir has also been a star at the crease. Batting at No. 9 in the first innings he made 82 to frustrate the Australians on Day 1.

He'll be batting on Saturday as Pakistan tries to set a decent target for Australia and avoid a series sweep.

Meanwhile, Australia opener David Warner, who was dismissed for 34 in the first innings in his final Test, revealed that his lost “baggy green” Test caps had been recovered.

Warner's couple of baggy green caps went missing in transit between Melbourne and Sydney this week and Warner thought they'd been stolen from his luggage. Ahead of Friday's play, Warner took to social media to say the caps had been located.

“It's a load off my shoulders going into the last couple of days,” Warner said on Instagram. “Any cricketer knows how special their cap is and I'll cherish this for the rest of my life. I'm very grateful to all those involved in locating it . . . ” AP