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Australia v Pakistan: Josh Hazlewood leads fearsome assault as Pakistan crumble

Chris Barrett

A fearsome old-fashioned fast bowler's spell from Josh Hazlewood triggered Pakistan to crumble hopelessly on the second night of the first Test at the Gabba, leaving Australia in total command and on the brink of taking a 1-0 series lead.

Steve Smith's team knows what it's like to be on the wrong end of a collapse after the tumult of Australia's series against South Africa. It is significantly more enjoyable to be on the other side of the ledger and that is exactly where the hosts found themselves on Friday night, with the tourists' ambitions in tatters at 8-97 in their first innings, trailing by 332 runs.

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Aussies eye victory as Pakistan collapse

Steve Smith and Peter Handscomb helped the home side cruise to a 429-run total before the visitors limped to 97 at the cost of eight wickets on day two.

Pakistan's brittleness with the bat was exposed methodically under lights in Brisbane as a day-two crowd of 23,344 lapped up the carnage.

The visitors simply could not cope as Hazlewood led the Australian assault with a potent mix of superb length, an extra yard of pace and an ample supply of firepower.

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Twice, he struck Pakistan's plucky young opener Sami Aslam on the helmet - fortunately he was not harmed - and while the 21-year-old was able to resist the onslaught longer than all but wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed (31 not out), his team were in disarray around him. 

Even veterans Younis Khan, who tormented Australia with the bat in the United Arab Emirates in 2014, and captain Misbah-ul-Haq had no answers and when the former prodded at a Hazlewood delivery on his first ball, the inspired paceman was on a hat-trick.

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A stellar evening for the Australians wasn't capped by Hazlewood accomplishing that feat but it mattered not for Smith's men. They could wrap up the match on Saturday if they decide to enforce the follow-on on Mickey Arthur's team, although if precedent is any guide they are likely to bat again. 

While Hazlewood (3-19) was the frontman of this four-star bowling performance, the ever-accurate and economical Jackson Bird (2-7) had the ball seaming around and was deservedly rewarded, while Mitchell Starc (3-45) also cashed in from the Vulture Street end.

"It is tough (batting) under lights and we know that the pink ball swings under lights," said Peter Handscomb, who earlier scored his first Test century. 

"But credit goes to our bowlers and the way we bowled in the session to actually get that bit more out of the wicket. It's great to see us in this position.

"Just the fact that (Hazlewood) is able land it on a five-cent coin..he's definitely one or strike bowlers, if not the best bowler in the country."

Unlike Pakistan, who were let down by profligacy in the field, the Australians were very sharp, with the evening featuring a series of high-quality slips catches. Usman Khawaja, pilloried in the past over perceived lethargy in the field, snatched three of them at third slip, two of them top-drawer grabs, while Smith and Matt Renshaw were no slouches with smart takes in the cordon, too. The only waste was a missed stumping by Matthew Wade that cost Nathan Lyon a wicket of his own in the penultimate over.

Handscomb's ton had earlier confirmed that Australian selectors got it right with their youth policy in overhauling the national team following the embarrassment of Hobart.

The Victorian, one of three new faces added to the top six for Australia's previous match in Adelaide, rammed home his credentials as a long-time fixture in the Test line-up with his maiden hundred.

On the back of Smith's 16th Test century, which came to an end on 130 on Friday, Handscomb's patient 105 helped steer Australia to a first innings total of 429, with the icing on the cake being applied by a lusty last-wicket partnership between Lyon and Bird.

Handscomb's ton will have brought a smile not only to his mother Pat and his girlfriend Sarah, who were at the ground to witness it, but also to interim chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns and the remainder of the panel.

It was only a matter of weeks ago that the Australian team was in crisis after an innings defeat to South Africa in Hobart, a fifth straight loss in Tests, and with a grim outlook being painted of the rest of the summer and beyond there was very little cause for optimism.

All of a sudden Smith's team have reason to be awash with it, with the initial forays of Handscomb and opener Renshaw indicating they are very much cut out for this level of the game.

The third member of the cast of batting newcomers to the side, Nic Maddinson, hasn't enjoyed as fruitful an introduction to Test cricket as the other two, looking unconvincing in adding only one run on Friday to his scoreless debut in Adelaide. Should Shaun Marsh be fit for the Boxing Day Test, he will almost certainly return.

Even so, having had two of the three new additions to the top six be immediate successes is a big win for a selection panel that has copped plenty of criticism and had its former chairman Rod Marsh resign last month.

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