Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith’s impressive partnership led Australia’s fightback on day three of the second Test against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Ending the day at 187/6, Australia secured a lead of 241 runs with keeper Alex Carey unbeaten on 16 runs.
Aussies started the morning session at 107/4, with Marsh (57*) and Smith (26*) at the crease. Their resilient partnership saw them cross the 150-run mark in 44.1 overs. However, Marsh fell agonizingly short of a century, departing at 96, culminating in a massive 153-run stand with Smith. However, Smith was dismissed for 50 off the final ball of the day.
Mir Hamza (3/27) and Shaheen Afridi (3/58) were among the top bowlers for Pakistan for the day.
Earlier, a counter-attacking half-century by Mitchell Marsh and his partnership with Steve Smith helped Australia overcome early jolts and swell their lead to 161 runs at the end of the second session of day three of the second Test against Pakistan at the MCG on Thursday.
At Tea, Australia was 107/4, with Marsh (57*) and Steve Smith (26*) unbeaten.
Starting this session on 6/2, with David Warner (1*) joined by Travis Head, Mir Hamza removed them for six and zero respectively. Australia were tottering at 16/4, before Smith joined forces with Marsh. Marsh did not waste much time, as he smashed Aamer Jamal for three fours in the 14th over to put pressure back on bowlers.
Smith played the anchor role on the other end, helping Marsh express himself. The duo reached 50-run stand in 87 balls.
In later overs, Marsh went after Pakistan’s lead pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, smashing him for some boundaries. The all- rounder registered his third successive fifty of the series in 70 balls, with eight fours.
In 28.4 overs, Australia reached the 100-run mark. The duo helped Australia end the session without any loss of wicket.
Earlier, a five-wicket haul by skipper Pat Cummins put Australia in a commanding position before the visitors clawed their way into the contest as Shaheen Shah Afridi struck two crucial blows to rock the hosts early on the opening session of day three of the second Test against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday.
Pakistan started the day at 194/6, with Mohammed Rizwan (29*) and Aamer Jamal (2*) unbeaten. They reached the 200-run mark in 56.2 overs, before skipper Pat Cummins gave Australia the opening wicket in the session, removing Rizwan for 42 off 51 balls. Pakistan was 215/7.
Lower middle order batters Jamal and Shaheen stitched a solid 25-run partnership to take Pakistan close to 250, but Lyon trapped Afridi leg before wicket for 21, reducing Pakistan to 240/8. ‘
Cummins removed Hasan Ali (2) to get his 10th Test five-wicket haul while Lyon removed Mir Hamza (2).
Pakistan ended their innings at 264/10 in 73.5 overs, trailing by 54 runs.
Cummins (5/48) was the top bowler for Australia, while Lyon also took 4/73 in 18.5 overs. Josh Hazlewood also got one wicket.
Brief Scores: Australia: 318 and 187/6 (Mitchell Marsh 96, Steve Smith 50, Mir Hamza 2/13) lead Pakistan: 264 (Abdullah Shafique 62, Shan Masood 54, Pat Cummins 5/48).