Australia vs Pakistan MCG Test day 3 RECAP: Late Steve Smith wicket leaves match delicately poised; Stunning catch removes Mitchell Marsh for 96
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Pakistan: Imam-Ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamir Jamal
That wraps up our LIVE coverage of day three of the Boxing Day Test, which will resume on Friday morning delicately poised.
Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc will resume for the Aussies tomorrow morning, looking to extend a 241-run lead.
The late wickets of Mitch Marsh and Steve Smith will give the Pakistan side the belief they are well in this match.
Carey will resume on 16, and will surely be eying a big score as questions about his batting begin to be asked.
Play will get underway at 10am.
Disaster! Steve Smith is out!
In the shadows of stumps, Shaheen Afridi began peppering the former Aussie skipper with short balls, and he finally got one to rear.
It took Smith’s gloves and ballooned to Salman Agha at gully.
Smith – who scored just one run in his final hour at the crease – was doubled over in the middle as he realised he’d fallen to a beautifully-set trap.
“This was a plan that should have been executed 40 overs ago,” Kerry O’Keeffe said.
Smith’s wicket brings about stumps. Australia lead by 241 going into day four.
Mitch Marsh reckons his defence was “like swiss cheese” in the first 20 balls of his innings.
Marsh has now moved into the 80s, and Steve Smith is 45 not out.
Speaking to Fox Sports during the drinks break, Marsh said he was relishing the atmosphere of playing in a Boxing Day Test, and was concentrating on “resetting” before every ball
It’s been good. It’s a great atmosphere, everyone’s hanging around, so hopefully me and Smudge can keep going,” he said.
The Aussies were in dire straits when Marsh came to the crease, as the Pakistan bowlers had the ball on a string.
He too, should be back in the pavilion, having been dropped on 20.
“(Being dropped) was a long time ago now, but I think it’s just resetting every ball.
“It’s not the easiest wicket, but the seam has died down a little bit as the ball’s got a little bit older.
“But yeah, I was a cat on a hot tin roof and I felt like I had a defence like swiss cheese in the first 20 balls, but I’m getting there.”
Australia will go a long way to winning this match should Marsh and Smith make it to stumps.
“(Smith) is always good to bat with – he’s calm and composed and hopefully he’s set for a big one.”
