Aussies bounce back from 4-16 to build handy MCG lead

By: Shayne Hope Time published 2023-12-28 at 06:45 PM (GMT +11:00)

Mitch Marsh and Steve Smith steadied the ship after a rocky start, playing key roles as Australia built a 241-run lead over Pakistan by stumps on day three.

MITCHELL MARSH bowls during the Matador BBQs One Day Cup match at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney, Australia.
MITCHELL MARSH bowls during the Matador BBQs One Day Cup match at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney, Australia. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

AUSTRALIA v PAKISTAN, second Benaud-Qadir Trophy Test, MCG, day three.

SCORE: Australia 318 (Marnus Labuschagne 63, Aamir Jamal 3-64) and 6-187 (Mitch Marsh 96, Mir Hamza 3-27), Pakistan 264 (Abdullah Shafique 62, Pat Cummins 5-48).

SUMMARY: After a 45-minute rain delay to the start of play, Pakistan lost their final four wickets for 68 runs as Aamir Jamal (33no) showed some fight. Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-58) struck twice before lunch, removing Usman Khawaja (duck) and Labuschagne (four), and Mir Hamza got rid of David Warner (six) and Travis Head (duck) in successive deliveries soon after the break to leave Australia reeling at 4-16. But Marsh counter-punched and punished Abdullah Shafique for dropping him on 20, posting his second score in the nineties from four innings during this series. Marsh's 153-run partnership with Steve Smith (50) put Australia firmly in control.

PLAYER OF THE MOMENT: Pakistan had dragged themselves back into the contest, but the dropped catch allowed Marsh to give Australia the upper hand. While the aggressive 32-year-old fell agonisingly short of a century, his 96 from 130 balls turned the match. The impressive knock included 13 boundaries and brought fans at the MCG to their feet.

STAT OF THE DAY: Australia's horror top-order collapse to be 4-16 was their worst start to a Test innings at the MCG since 1911, when the hosts were reduced to 4-11 by England.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "This was a big, big opportunity which Abdullah Shafique, who is not having a great time in the slip, and this might be the difference between winning and losing this game." Pakistani great Waqar Younis on the Seven Network pondered the possible implications of the visitors dropping Marsh, before the Australian allrounder made them pay.