Australia and Pakistan in ding dong battle in a MCG Test cliff- hanger. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports editor)
Pakistan’s bowlers made the Test series interesting by rolling Australia for 318 as seven wickets fell for 133 throwing open the challenge to their batters to take the Boxing day contest to a real fight.
Pakistan’s pace quartet were sharp, mostly accurate and deserved greater success if they held onto their chances which would have made Australia’s tally much less than it was. Also erratic bowling at times cost them precious runs that could have made it interesting. The extra bounce gave away too many runs over the wicket-keeper to the boundary.
Australia for once, looked all at sea as they struggled to come to grips with a focused Pakistan attack that appears to have new belief in themselves.
Pakistan in reply looked set to take control as the openers put on 34 then Abdullah Shafique and skipper Shan Masood took them to a commanding 90 run second wicket partnership before Australia struck back to balance the scales.
Australian skipper Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazelwood struck telling blows to have them facing a deficit when they slumped to 194 for 6 by the close.
Lyon got rid of danger man Imam- UL -Haq then Cummins removed proven performers Barbar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan to break the backbone of Pakistan’s batting.
The tantalising battle between bat and ball makes this game sit precariously in a balance, and a winner hard to pick. It can go either way.
The mindset of Pakistan on this tour is one of a team determined to compete and although they were comprehensively overrun in Perth, they gave it their all before falling in the second innings on a treacherous and challenging wicket.
Melbourne has proved to be similar in many ways apart from a better controlled bounce. But it is a bowler friendly wicket, nevertheless.
How the wicket plays on day will be key as the batters on both sides Test themselves against genuine pace and movement from two of the best bowling attacks in the world.
Australia needs 250 plus in front to get a semblance of belief that they can tie up the series.
Pakistan’s batters could be key to make the series a contest.
