In a crucial rescue mission during the second Test against Pakistan, Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith forged a vital partnership of 153 runs, enabling Australia to establish a 241-run lead and regain control.
Following Pakistan’s dismissal for 264 in response to Australia’s first-innings total of 318, the hosts faced a shaky start in the second innings, finding themselves at 16-4 in Melbourne.
Marsh (96) and Smith steadied the innings, creating a potentially match-saving partnership. At the end of day three, the hosts were 187-6, with Smith scoring 50 off 176 balls before getting out in the last over of the day, leaving Alex Carey unbeaten on 16. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mir Hamza claimed three wickets each.
Although Abdullah Shafique’s dropped catch in the slips allowed Marsh to continue when he was on 20, he eventually fell just four runs short of a century, with Agha Salman making a superb one-handed diving catch at slip to dismiss him.
Reflecting on the day’s play, Marsh acknowledged the disappointment of Smith’s dismissal but emphasized the positive outcome of a challenging situation.
From being 16-4, the team managed to establish a 241-run lead, and Marsh expressed confidence in the team’s position. He noted that there is still enough in the wicket, and adding more runs on the following day will be crucial.
Australia faced a challenging start as Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne fell early. David Warner, in his final appearance as a batsman at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, scored six runs before departing.
Travis Head’s dismissal further deepened Australia’s troubles at 16-4. However, Marsh and Smith’s resilient partnership helped the team navigate through a difficult phase and set the stage for an intriguing continuation of the Test match.
