MELBOURNE, Dec 28 (AFP): Mitchell Marsh hit a counter-attacking 96 in a fighting rescue mission with a dogged Steve Smith Thursday to help Australia build a 241-run lead and regain control of the second Test against Pakistan.
The hosts were reeling at 16-4 after dismissing Pakistan for 264 in reply to their first innings 318 in Melbourne.
But Marsh and Smith put their heads down to compile what could be a match-saving 153-run partnership.
At stumps on day three, the hosts were 187-6 with Smith out for 50, off 176 balls, in the last over of the day, leaving Alex Carey unbeaten on 16. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mir Hamza both took three wickets.
It could have been a different story but Abdullah Shafique spilled a regulation catch in the slips when Marsh was on 20.
Marsh eventually fell four runs short of a deserved century, but it took a superb one-handed diving catch at slip from Agha Salman to remove him.
"Obviously that one hurts at the end," Marsh said of Smith's dismissal. "But from 16-4, if you'd told us we'd have a 240-run lead at the end of the day, we'd take that.
"It's evenly poised," he added. "As we saw, I think there's still enough in the wicket so add a few more runs tomorrow and we'll give it our all."
After Cummins took 5-48 and Nathan Lyon 4-73 to dismiss Pakistan, Australia needed to negotiate a tricky 15 minutes of the morning session.
Australia 318 and 187 for 6 (Marsh 96, Smith 50, Hamza 3-27, Afridi 3-58)) lead vs Pakistan 264 (Shafique 62, Masood 54, Cummins 5-48, Lyon 4-73) by 241 runs
Marsh's 96 leads Australia fightback after Pakistan blitz
FE Team | Published: December 28, 2023 20:25:04
Marsh's 96 leads Australia fightback after Pakistan blitz
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