Mitchell Marsh scored 96 in a partnership of 153 with Steve Smith to dig Australia out of a deep gap and assist steer it to a lead of 241 over Pakistan on the finish of the third day of the second Test on Thursday.
Having dismissed the vacationer for 264 within the opening session, Australia slumped to 16 for 4 as Pakistan’s seamers produced their finest spell of bowling within the collection to carry the vacationer proper again into the sport.
Marsh, although, was dropped within the slips by Abdullah Shafique on 20 and went on to fall agonisingly in need of his fourth Test century, steadying the ship with Smith and serving to Australia to 187 for six at stumps.
“To get a test match 100 would have been nice but ultimately I just wanted to extend that partnership as long as possible,” mentioned Marsh.
“Our bowlers can bat and we’ve got a lot of faith in them and if we can sneak another 60 for a 300 lead in the fourth innings, it’ll be a great couple of days.”
Smith was dismissed for 50 with the ultimate ball of the day, and Alex Carey (16 not out) will resume with a brand new accomplice on Friday, trying to blow out the lead and lay the platform for a victory that may seal the collection with a take a look at to spare.
Pakistan had blown a powerful place on day two and even stiff tail-end resistance from Mohammad Rizwan (42), Aamer Jamal (33) and Shaheen Afridi (21) on Thursday morning didn’t encourage a lot confidence that they may flip the match round.
Australia captain Pat Cummins (5-48) accomplished his tenth five-wicket haul to finish the Pakistan innings three overs earlier than lunch and hand his facet a first-innings lead of 54.
Afridi (3-58) rapidly made it seem extraordinarily slender as he led a spellbinding show of swing and seam bowling from the Pakistan assault.
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The seamer induced Usman Khawaja into an edge with the second supply of the innings to ship the Australia opener again for a duck and eliminated Marnus Labuschagne caught behind for 4 with the final ball earlier than the break.
Australia went into lunch on 6-2 however the worst was not over for the house batters.
David Warner, enjoying his closing Test innings on the Melbourne Cricket Ground, edged a Mir Hamza supply onto his personal stumps and departed shaking his head with six runs to his title.
With the following ball, Hamza produced the supply of the match to date, which nipped in and went straight by way of Travis Head’s defences to shatter the Australian’s stumps.
All-rounder Marsh watched Hamza’s hat-trick ball sail nicely broad of his off stump and set about rebuilding Australia’s innings with former captain Smith enjoying a supporting function.
Marsh rode his luck when Shafique dropped a regular slip catch – because the fielder had with Warner within the first innings – however there have been few possibilities after that, till Hamza produced one other peach and Agha Salman took a effective catch at first slip.
It was the second time Marsh had fallen simply in need of a century within the collection after he was dismissed for 90 throughout Australia’s 360-run victory within the first Test in his dwelling metropolis of Perth.
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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