Australia lost their first four wickets for 16 runs in their second innings but a 153-run stand between Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh had the hosts in a good position with two days to play in the second cricket Test against Pakistan.
Marsh was out for 96 and Smith for 50 to leave Australia at 187/6 at stumps on Thursday and with a 241-run lead going into the fourth day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Marsh fell just short of his fourth Test century after Agha Salman hung onto a spectacular diving catch in the slips. Smith battled his way to his first Test 50 since the Ashes from 176 balls, the second-slowest half-century of his career.
“It’s obviously disappointing. I thought we navigated our way out of a tricky situation in that partnership with (Smith),” Marsh said. “I guess there’s a lot of history at this ground, the Boxing Day Test, and a bloody big honours board that I was close to getting on, but it wasn’t meant to be. Hopefully, I get one more crack at it.”
Captain Pat Cummins took his 10th five-wicket haul in Test matches earlier to help Australia earn a 54-run first-innings lead. But Pakistan came back from the innings break to take the wickets of Usman Khawaja for a duck and Marnus Labuschagne for five, leaving Australia two wickets down for only 6 runs and an overall lead of 60 at lunch.
Cummins, who swung the Boxing Day Test in Australia’s favour late on Day II, grabbed two wickets on Thursday morning to finish with figures of 5/48. Pakistan’s tail showed far more resistance than expected to push their overnight score from 194/6 to be dismissed for 264 in reply to Australia’s 318.
Australia’s 54-run lead after the first innings was helped by Pakistan’s 52 extras.
Fast bowler Aamer Jamal frustrated Australia’s bowling attack on Thursday, hitting an unbeaten 33 in just his second Test. Shaheen Afridi, who averages 6.74 with the bat, also got his highest Test score of 21.
Cummins had strong support from spinner Nathan Lyon (4/73).
Australia won the first Test in Perth by 360 runs. The third Test in the three-match series is scheduled to begin on January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Illingworth stumped by lift
The start of the post-lunch session was delayed during the third day’s play of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan here on Thursday after third umpire Richard Illingworth got stuck in a lift at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), leading to funny scenes on the field.
After the players walked out post lunch, play couldn’t be resumed for several minutes. On-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough were informed that Illingworth had not reached his station at the MCG. The broadcasters also panned the cameras toward his empty seat.
“The game is delayed because the third umpire...is stuck in the lift,” Cricket Australia’s social media arm posted on X. The Englishman was trapped in a lift while returning from the dining area back to his designated seat. Reserve umpire Phillip Gillespie ran towards the box to substitute Illingworth as the third official.
“We were having a bit of a chat ... and the doors open and then close and then didn’t move again,” sports commentator Mel McLaughlin, who was trapped in the lift with Illingworth and a few others, said afterwards.
“..we’re all just trying to keep things calm and keep Richard talking and being entertained because we knew he was a little bit distracted and knew he had to get out there.
“He ran quite quickly straight upstairs.”
With inputs from Reuters, PTI
