David Warner caught in 'rubbish' scenes as Justin Langer savages 'poor' Pakistan act

Justin Langer has torn strips off Pakistan after David Warner was handed a huge reprieve in his farewell match in Test cricket. The Aussie opener resumed on four on the second day on Thursday, and showed plenty of intent as he moved to 20 in quick time.

But Pakistan's fielding woes came to the fore once again when Saim Ayub dropped an absolute sitter at first slip to hand Warner a lifeline. Warned edged a ball from Aamer Jamal straight to Ayub, but the debutant grassed the simple chance.

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It came to Ayub at knee height and hit him straight in the palms before spilling out. It marked the third dropped catch at first slip for Pakistan so far this series, with Abdullah Shafique dumped from the position after grassing two chances.

"We've seen some of the easiest catches dropped by Pakistan and we said it before the series started - if Pakistan have any chance of competing in this series, they must take their catches," Langer said on Channel 7. "That's almost again impossible to drop. He's obviously nervous. He is on debut. He missed out yesterday, but again, Pakistan have to get this right."

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Salman Ali Agha had replaced Shafique at first slip for the match, but was off the ground when the chance came to Ayub. The fact that Salman wasn't on the ground just 10 minutes before the drinks break left Langer aghast.

"I don't understand how they keep rotating these slips around," Langer added. "We talk about how settled the Australian cricket team is at the moment. David Warner fields at first, Steve Smith fields at second, Usman Khawaja at third. You have the gully, Mitch Marsh.

"And Babar had gone back to first slip. Now he is fielding at second slip. It's craziness to me, and it's costing Pakistan big time. David Warner's licking his lips. He's had some good fortune this series, but he's licking his lips. It's very, very poor cricket. Pakistan could've had Warner twice now. The chance last night with the ball bouncing just over the stumps. That's a shocking put-down.

"Interestingly enough, Salman had just gone off for that over and he's back on. Would he have been in that slip cordon? You talk about attention to detail. Salman, I assume, has gone off for a bathroom break. He's got five minutes until the drinks break. He's got five minutes! And it could again cost Pakistan the Test match.

"All we talked about last Test match, besides the Pakistan sundries, was their dropped catches. It was the number one topic last Test. And to drop another one as simple as that, on a wicket as good as this, will be very costly for Pakistan."

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Michael Hussey said on Fox Cricket: “That should be taken nine times out of 10. Pakistan just had to take their chances today, that’s such a let-off for David Warner.” Brett Lee added: “That’s as easy as it gets at first slip.

Thankfully the drop didn't cost Pakistan too dearly, with Warner dismissed for 34 not long after. Salman atoned for his gaffe at being off the field for the drop, bowling the ball that sent Warner packing after he edged to Babar at slip.

Michael Vaughan had earlier savaged Pakistan's bowling to start the day. “That’s not good,” Vaughan said after a poor ball from Hasan Ali. “So far he’s not getting it right for the skipper or the team. So far they’ve just been too inconsistent. That’s rubbish.”

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