A RESULT looks unlikely after poor weather yet again played an unwelcome part in the Boxing Day Test.
Steve Smith scored his 17th Test hundred and Peter Handscomb notched another half century, but Pakistan had some joy late with two quick wickets as the Aussies finished day four with a 22-run lead over the visitors.
Australia 6/465 from 113.5 overs after rain stopped play. Smith 100, Starc 7. Pakistan 9/443 declared.
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Rain, rain go away, come again another day.
And make sure that day isn’t Friday, or any of the days between January 3-7. Please.
Poor weather continues to ruin the Boxing Day Test as no play was possible after tea was taken 20 minutes early on day four. By that point Steve Smith had registered his 17th Test ton to propel the Aussies to 6/465 — a lead of 22.
Smith’s third MCG century in as many summers was more a picture of grit than stylish batsmanship, though of course he still played some impressive strokes in his innings.
Pakistan did a fine job of tying the Australian captain down early in the day and again when they took the second new ball. As is custom he walked across his stumps and whipped through the leg side, but there was rarely any fluent off driving on show.
When he did get on the front foot to full offerings, more often than not he opened the face and sliced the ball through point. He wasn’t at his best, but even Smith at 80 per cent is better than plenty of batters at the top of their game.
Usman Khawaja missed out on reaching triple figures ahead of his captain in the morning. Starting the day on 95, Pakistan gave him nothing loose. He ended up throwing his hands at a wide ball that probably wasn’t full enough for the shot and was caught behind for 97 — the second time he’s been dismissed three short of a century this summer.
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| It wasn’t always pretty, but it was still damn effective.Source:News Corp Australia |
Peter Handscomb joined Smith at the crease and continued his seamless transition into Test cricket. He took the majority of the strike and raced past his leader, again favouring the leg side but also hitting square on the off side when given width.
He survived a short ball barrage from Wahab Riaz and notched yet another half century before a somewhat anticlimactic end to his innings when he sliced in the air to point.
Nic Maddinson scored 22 — his best Test innings to date yet still unfulfilling — doing nothing to ease the pressure on his shoulders as Shaun Marsh returns to competitive cricket in the Big Bash League. Matthew Wade too fell for just nine, continuing his miserable run with the bat since replacing Peter Nevill in the Test team against South Africa in Adelaide.
Mohammad Amir failed to claim a wicket but was easily Pakistan’s best bowler. He beat Peter Handscomb time and time again, but any outside edges either landed short or flew wide of fielders behind the wicket.
A result is highly improbable at this stage. Smith will likely look to bat until at least lunch on Friday — unless the visitors bowl the Aussies out — and will assess what he has to gain by declaring with a slender lead and sending the visitors in to survive the rest of the day.
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