Australia recovers from poor second-innings start to lead by 241 runs over Pakistan in second Test
The Hindu
Australia battles Pakistan in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh's 153-run stand puts hosts in good position with 241-run lead.
Australia lost its first four wickets for 16 runs in its 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 December 28 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 Salman Ali Agha 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 honors 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 total 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 six runs and an overall lead of 60 at lunch.
Cummins, who swung the Boxing Day test in Australia's favor late on day two, grabbed two wickets on Thursday morning to finish with figures of 5-48. Pakistan's tail showed far more resistance than expected to push its 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.