Scores Upcoming Results
30-Dec-2016 05:52:00 GMT
Australia v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Melbourne, day 5

Australia rattle nervy Pakistan to seal 2-0

Melbourne: Mitchell Starc tore through the tail and Pakistan crumbled for 163 as Australia won the second test in Melbourne by an innings and 18 runs after tea on day five to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

Australia captain Steve Smith smashed an unbeaten 165 and gave his bowlers 68 overs to bowl out Pakistan after declaring his side's first innings at 8-624 before lunch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Pakistan stumbled to 91 for five at tea and surrendered after 53.2 overs, with Starc finishing with 4-36 in the second innings and 84 with the bat.

The loss was Pakistan's fourth match in succession and their 52-year wait for a series win in Australia continues.

Pakistan resumed their second innings after lunch on one for 6, and lost number three batsman Babar Azam for three with the first ball of the session when he was trapped lbw by pace spearhead Mitchell Starc.

Azhar and Younus Khan dug in for an hour but Lyon removed the latter two overs after the drinks break for 24, with the veteran duped by the bounce and prodding to Peter Handscomb at short leg, where he took a sharp catch just above the grass.

Captain Misbah-ul-Haq was out two balls later, undone by an appalling sweep-shot off the spinner that left Pakistan reeling at four for 63.

Misbah telegraphed the manner of his dismissal with his first shot off Lyon, then completed the feat on the second, top-edging a wide delivery towards a running Nic Maddinson, who took a leisurely catch at short fine leg.

Lyon grabbed his third victim late in the session when Asad Shafiq deflected a catch off his body for Handscomb to take a fine catch at leg.

Pakistan's unconvincing reply got off to a bad start when paceman Josh Hazlewood bowled opener Sami Aslam for two shortly before lunch after Australia captain Steve Smith declared with a first innings lead of 181 runs.

Smith and tail-ender Mitchell Starc hammered Pakistan's bowlers in a 154-run partnership after Australia had resumed on six for 465 in the morning.

Starc blasted seven sixes, a record at the MCG, before he was caught by Asad Shafiq for 84 from 91 balls, pulling Sohail Khan to square leg.

Smith finished with 13 fours and a six in his 17th test century, coming within five runs of Don Bradman's record batting average at the MCG.

Lyon was out for 12, lofting a return catch to bowler Yasir Shah before Smith promptly declared and bolted off the ground to a warm ovation from the sparse crowd.

The third and final test starts in Sydney on Jan. 3.

Brief scores
Pakistan -
9/443 dec (Azhar 205, Sohail 65, Hazlewood 3-50) and 163 (Starc 4-36, Lyon 3-33)
Australia - 8/624 dec (Smith 165*, Warner 144, Khawaja 97)
Result - Australia won by an innings and 18 runs


Scores Upcoming Results
Related links

Top