DUBAI, UAE (Reuters) – Debutant Pakistan off-spinner Bilal Asif ripped through the Australian middle-order with six wickets as the visitors were bowled out for 202 on the third day of the first Test in Dubai yesterday.

Australia openers Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch had launched a strong reply to Pakistan’s first innings total of 482, reaching 137-0 without at lunch.

Pakistan were rewarded for their intelligent field placement as the tourist lost their first wicket at 142, with Finch caught for 62 after a sharp catch at silly mid-on from Asad Shafiq.

But the second session belonged to the 33-year-old Asif, who made full use of a lively pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and dismissed Khawaja (85), Shaun Marsh (7), Travis Head (0) and Marnus Labuschagne (0) in the space of 11 runs.

Asif finished with an impressive 6-36, while seamer Mohammad Abbas grabbed 4-29.

Pakistan earned a commanding first-innings lead of 280 runs but captain Sarfaraz Ahmed decided not to enforce the follow-on.

They returned to bat for the final hour with Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez adding just 37 for the opening wicket, in contrast to 205 runs they scored in the first innings.

Left-arm spinner Jon Holland removed Hafeez for 17 in the 13th over before nightwatchman Asif was sent back for a duck by off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

Azhar Ali was trapped leg-before for four runs by Holland as Pakistan finished the day at 45-3, extending their overall lead to 325 runs with two days to play.

Abu Dhabi will host the second and final Test from October 16.

PAKISTAN 1st innings (482; M.Hafeez 126, H. Sohail 110)
AUSTRALIA 1st innings (o/n 30-0
Usman Khawaja c Imam ul-Haq b Bilal Asif 85
Aaron Finch c Asad Shafiq b Mohammad Abbas 62
Shaun Marsh c Asad Shafiq b Bilal Asif 7
Mitchell Marsh lbw Mohammad Abbas 12
Travis Head c Haris Sohail b Bilal Asif 0
Marnus Labuschagne c Imam ul-Haq b Bilal Asif 0
Tim Paine c Imam ul-Haq b Bilal Asif 7
Mitchell Starc c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Abbas 0
Peter Siddle b Mohammad Abbas 10
Nathan Lyon c Imam ul-Haq b Bilal Asif 6
Jon Holland not out 0
Extras: (b-6, lb-7) 13
Total: (all out, 83.3 overs) 202
Fall of wickets: 1-142, 2-160, 3-167, 4-171 5-171, 6-183, 7-183 e, 8-191, 9-202.
Bowling: Mohammad Abbas 19-9-29-4, Wahab Riaz 11-2-39-0, Yasir Shah 28-6-80-0, Mohammad Hafeez 3-1-2-0, Bilal Asif 21.3-7-36-6, Azhar Ali 1-0-3-0.
PAKISTAN 2nd innings
Imam ul-Haq not out 23
Mohammad Hafeez c Marnus Labuschagne b Jon Holland 17
Bilal Asif c Travis Head b Nathan Lyon 0
Azhar Ali lbw Jon Holland 4
Extras: (lb-1) 1
Total: (three wkts, 16.2 overs) 45
Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-38, 3-45.
Bowling: Mitchell Starc 3-1-9-0, Nathan Lyon 8- 1-23-1, Peter Siddle 2-1-3-0, Jon Holland 3.2-1-9- 2.