Chasing a mammoth target of 490, Pakistan reached stumps at 70 for 2 with Azhar Ali 41 not out and Younis Khan unbeaten on naught. Earlier in the third day, Australia declared their second innings at 202 for 5 from 39 overs during the dinner break after dismissing Pakistan for 142 in the first hour of the day’s play.
After their shambolic collapse late on day two, there was expectation that Pakistan would once again crumble under the lights. However, their top-order stubbornly resisted with some belated rearguard fight.
Pakistan openers Sami Aslam and Azhar started relatively briskly compared to their excruciating crawl in the opening dig. The openers safely navigated the opening 11 overs until Mitchell Starc removed Aslam (15) who loosely drove and nicked to slip.
Runs came at a trickle after the wicket with Azhar and young gun Babar Azam stoutly defending probing Australian bowling. Australia’s trio of quicks were highly accurate as Pakistan’s run rate nosedived under two runs an over. However, it was Nathan Lyon, Australia’s off-spinner, who broke through claiming the wicket of Babar (14) much to the delight of the Gabba faithful.
Earlier, Pakistan started the day in a despairing hole and lurching at 97 for 8 but a resilient partnership between wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed (59 not out from 64 balls) and Mohammad Amir (21) ensured the visitors passed three figures.
On a good batting wicket, Sarfraz and Amir combined for a 54-run stand to ensure Smith would not enforce the follow on. The resistance ended when Amir feathered a Bird delivery, which was originally given not out but reversed through DRS, much to the annoyance of the dismayed Pakistan paceman.
Soon after, the innings ended comically when Rahat Ali was run out by a direct hit from David Warner. Rahat tried to slide his bat in but replays confirmed it bobbled in the air ending Pakistan’s innings an hour into the day.
With Smith deciding against the follow on, Australia set about making quick runs in a bid to declare at night to make use of the pink ball’s menace under lights. Warner, Australia’s explosive opener, loomed ominously and promptly hit three boundaries in the first four deliveries of the innings.
However, Warner’s assault was fleeting and he perished trying to belt Amir’s shortish delivery outside off-stump but only succeeded in bunting it to mid-on. Fellow opener Matt Renshaw (6) fell soon after as Pakistan’s pacemen were far more penetrating than their lucklustre efforts on the opening day.
It wasn’t the rollicking start Australia envisioned but Steve Smith (63) and Usman Khawaja (74) soon restored order with a third-wicket partnership of 111 and scored runs at a brisk pace to ensure a declaration was imminent. After his sublime hundred in the first innings, Smith’s golden touch continued, while Khawaja cashed in after a lazy dismissal in the opening dig.
Peter Handscomb, fresh off his maiden Test century in the first innings, continued where he left off with a rapid 26-ball 35 to underline his supreme confidence. In a contrast to his white hot teammate, fellow newcomer Nic Maddinson’s tough initiation into the Test arena continued with another single digit failure although he could be forgiven for this failure.
In a highly unfortunate circumstance for him, Maddinson came to the crease less than 10 minutes before the dinner break but immediately showcased his intoxicating talent by clubbing Wahab Riaz down the ground to score his first boundary in Test cricket. However, Maddinson (4) holed out trying to hook the next delivery he faced meaning he has scored just five runs from his three innings.
Rain is forecast in Brisbane tomorrow but, if it does fall, is likely to merely delay the inevitable Australian victory.
Brief Scores: Australia 429 & 202/5 decl. (Usman Khawaja 74, Steve Smith 63; Rahat Ali 2-40) lead Pakistan 142 (Sarfraz Ahmed 59*; Josh Hazlewood 3-23, Jackson Bird 3-23, Mitchell Starc 3-63) & 70/2 (Azhar Ali 41*; Nathan Lyon 1-13) by 420 runs.
