Pakistan's first home Test against Australia in nearly a quarter of a century looked headed for a draw despite Nauman Ali grabbing four wickets Monday as the tourists reached 449-7 on the fourth day of a rain-hit match in Rawalpindi.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
When umpires called off play with three overs still to be bowled, Mitchell Starc was on 19 and skipper Pat Cummins four -- with Australia just 27 behind Pakistan's first innings total of 476-4 declared.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia are on their first tour to Pakistan since 1998, having previously refused to visit over security fears.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But despite no rain forecast for Tuesday, the likelihood of a result in the opening Test of the three-match series looks bleak, barring a Pakistan batting collapse in the second innings on a wicket that still looks full of runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The pitch at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has produced 925 runs for just 13 wickets, and is unlikely to yield the spin needed for a result.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Still, Pakistan grabbed five wickets Monday, including that of top-ranked Test batsman Marnus Labuschagne (90) and veteran Steve Smith (78), with Nauman taking 4-107 in 37 precise overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Nauman broke a stubborn fifth-wicket stand of 81 between Smith and Cameron Green (48) by having the young allrounder caught off a miscued sweep at leg slip by Iftikhar Ahmed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia were looking for quick runs to go ahead in the first innings, but they were further jolted as Nauman dismissed Smith off a miscued sweep that caught the gloves and landed in wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan's safe hands.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Smith batted two minutes short of five hours, hitting eight boundaries.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Alex Carey made 19 before he was bowled by quickie Naseem Shah in the fading light.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, overnight rain had left the outfield at the stadium waterlogged and the umpires only allowed play to start after lunch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia, 271-2 overnight, progressed to 288-2 when Pakistan took the second new ball after 80 overs -- and were instantly rewarded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Left-arm paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi forced an edge off Labuschagne which Abdullah Shafique took diving to his right in the slips.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Labuschagne lasted 190 minutes during which he hit 12 boundaries.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Travis Head, fresh from being man-of-the-series in Australia's 4-0 Ashes win back home in January, hit two boundaries before he miscued a drive off spinner Nauman and was caught behind by Rizwan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shaheen (1-80), Naseem (1-89) and Sajid (1-122) were the other successful Pakistan bowlers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n