NewsBite

Marsh brothers bomb as Australia faces mammoth chase in Pakistan

LAST summer’s Ashes looked a distant memory as the Marsh brothers continued their horror form by joining a historic list.

James McKern
7 min read
October 11, 2018 - 5:57AM
Australia's Mitchell Marsh is dismissed during their test match against Pakistan, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
Australia's Mitchell Marsh is dismissed during their test match against Pakistan, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

Live: Australia vs Pakistan

Australia had yet another day to forget in Dubai as Pakistan took full control of the opening Test.

AUSTRALIA’S first red ball showing after losing Steve Smith and David Warner wasn’t ever going to be pretty, especially on a UAE track.

Fans braced for impact but nobody could see what was coming last night.

For the second straight day Australia suffered a batting collapse which has put Pakistan in the driver’s seat to claim victory in the opening Test.

Pakistan 482 & 6/181 declared

Australia 202 & 3/136 (Head 33, Khawaja 50)

12.10am

‘Oh god’: Marsh brothers bomb

An Australian batting collapse is as easy as betting on the sun rising. You know it’s coming, it’s just a matter of when.

Australia started the day with the ball in hand and once again struggled to get the better of the Pakistan batsmen, who comfortably extended the lead to 462 runs before declaring.

Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja then strolled out to the middle and looked settled as they got the mountainous run chase underway.

Just like they did in the first innings, the duo had the scoreboard ticking over and quickly closed in on another 100-run opening stand.

It was on the devil’s number (87) that disaster struck.

Finch was beaten all ends up by an inswinging delivery from Mohammad Abbas that clattered into his pads and was going on to take middle and leg stump.

Channelling his inner Shane Watson, Finch opted to review the decision which did indeed show the ball would have uprooted his stumps.

Shaun Marsh then strolled out to the crease and in the blink of an eye was sent packing after edging the final ball of Abbas’ over through to the keeper.

The nightmare wasn’t over just yet though, next up it was Mitch Marsh’s turn, but he was too slow to react and had the ball slam into his front pad.

In the space of 13 deliveries, Abbas tore away any faint hopes the Aussies had of claiming a historic victory in Dubai.

Mitch Marsh appeared to announce himself as a reliable Test player during last summer’s Ashes with the first two centuries of his career. But after beginning March’s series in South Africa with a 96, he has scored six, four, 45, five, 16, four, 0, 12 and 0.

Shaun Marsh also tonned up twice against the Poms, but hasn’t posted a half century since, reeling off scores of 40, 33, 24, one, 26, 0, 16, seven, seven and 0.

Khawaja and debutant Travis Head thankfully steadied the ship a little and saw out the remainder of the day’s play as Australia made their way to 3/136.

The collapse will put a shining light on the Australian selectors who raised eyebrows when they left out Glenn Maxwell from the Test side.

Maxwell was the last Australian batsman to score a Test century in the subcontinent, but was omitted from the tour.

Former selector Mark Waugh said he would have had Maxwell included, but also called for calm despite the recent collapses.

“It’s not the time to panic. I don’t think there’s many players there that would make a big difference. The only player I would have picked that is not there is Glenn Maxwell,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket prior to the day’s play.

“He’s a guy with ability, can change the game, he’s a good player of spin, he can actually take the attack to the bowling side.

“That’s the only guy I would have in there that is not there, and maybe you can bring Matt Renshaw back for the second Test. That’s about the best we’ve got at the moment.”

The final day of the first Test will see Australia needing 325 runs for victory, but in a more likely outcome they’ll need to survive three sessions with seven wickets in hand.

9.30pm

Pakistan tactics savaged

Former Test cricketer Brendon Julian has savaged the Pakistan fielding tactics as Australia get their run chase underway.

With a handy lead of more than 400 runs, the team had three men deep on the boundary on the leg side with Aaron Finch on strike.

Julian couldn’t quite figure out why they’d go so defensive and allow the Aussies to take their time in chipping away at the total.

“I’m surprised that the field’s out. I thought you’d want to keep the batsmen on strike, make them hit it over the top,” Julian said on Fox Cricket.

“You’ve got plenty of runs to work with. If the batsmen want to go the aerial route then why not. Wouldn’t bother me at all.

“Just give the Australian batsmen the impression that you’re on the attack to bowl them out, don’t wait for it to happen.

“There isn’t any pressure on the Australian’s at all.

“If you think they’re going to hole out then you put them back, but it’s day four of a Test match. You’ve got a lead of 423 with three on the boundary.

“If they want to come down the wicket and hit it over the top then so be it, let them do that all day.

“At the moment they wouldn’t be feeling any pressure without men around the bat, they’re not creating the illusion, the Pakistan bowlers, that the pressure is on them.

“They probably think they’ll just sit back and wait.”

As the teams walked off for lunch, Mark Waugh and Brett Lee both questioned the fielding tactics of the team with the upper hand.

“Khawaja would’ve been out if they had a short leg, or a man at leg gully,” Waugh said.

“I can’t believe the field positioning by the Pakistani’s, they’ve been very negative with only a couple of men around the bat.

“You’ve got 462 on the board, you’ve got to get a leg gully in there.”

Brett Lee wasn’t entirely on board with Waugh’s train of thought, but still agreed they hadn’t structured the field in the right way.

“Maybe not negative, but they haven’t actually put the fieldsman in the right position,” Lee said.

8.05pm

Lyon nabs wicket, Pakistan declare

Pakistan came out after the lunch break with one goal in mind, add further punishment to the Aussies with some quick runs.

Asad Shafiq was the destroyer with the blade as he raced to 41 runs, but it was Nathan Lyon who lured him into one shot too many.

A pull shot didn’t come out of the middle and found it’s way into the hands of Mitch Marsh, the declaration followed straight after.

The wicket for Lyon was number 310 in his Test career and draws him level with Brett Lee in a tie for fifth overall among Australian Test wicket takers.

4pm

Furious fight after Aussie black eye

An all-too-familiar batting collapse has exposed Australia’s frailties in Asia and left the tourists battling to save the first Test against Pakistan after losing 10 wickets for just 60 runs.

Pakistan were 3-45 in their second innings at stumps on day three, leading by 325 runs after Australia were bowled out for 202 in Dubai.

Left-arm spinner Jon Holland trapped Azhar Ali (four) lbw with the final ball of Tuesday’s play after earlier dismissing first-innings centurion Mohammad Hafeez (17) courtesy of a sharp catch by Marnus Labuschagne at silly point. The breakthroughs will provide some slight hope but Tim Paine’s men will rue a post-lunch collapse which undid a highly-promising start.

Five wickets down at tea, Australia’s hopes of salvation had rested on the shoulders of Paine and vice-captain Mitch Marsh.

But Marsh (12) was trapped lbw by paceman Mohammad Abbas shortly after the interval and Paine (seven) soon followed, unsuccessfully reviewing his dismissal from offspinner Bilal with replays confirming a faint edge to short leg. Bilal, 33, thrived in his maiden Test with figures of 6-36 and Abbas snared 4-29.

Ace legspinner Yasir Shah went wicketless but would have had Mitch Marsh dismissed for three if he had gotten his hands to a caught-and-bowled opportunity which bounced off his chest.

Rough day, skip.
Rough day, skip.

Australia’s tail failed to wag but the blame will rightly fall on a middle order that failed to contribute a score of note.

Labuschagne and Travis Head made debut ducks and No.3 batsman Shaun Marsh managed just seven.

Test debutant Aaron Finch (62) and Usman Khawaja (85) made strong starts but were unable to go on with them and swing the contest in Australia’s direction. “Myself and Ussie today not really going on and getting huge scores, that probably leaves us hanging a bit,” Finch said.

“That’s both of our responsibility to really kick on and not open up both ends of the game and allow them to be bowling at new batters all the time. “That was probably the biggest mistake we made today.” Finch and Khawaja both appeared on track for centuries after putting on Australia’s second-highest opening partnership in Asia.

However, some shrewd tactics from Sarfraz brought the 142-run stand to an end as Finch drove an Abbas delivery straight down the throat of a well-positioned Asad Shafiq at short mid-on.

Khawaja’s growing confidence in conditions he had typically struggled in was on display when he reverse-swept Yasir for four off consecutive deliveries. But the promoted opener also fell poorly to Bilal with a top-edge caught at short leg.

Head lasted just nine balls and Labuschagne two as Australia’s hopes of getting close to Pakistan’s imposing first-innings total of 482 slipped away. Australia have only won on three occasions in Test cricket after conceding at least 482 runs in the first innings.

Pakistan will resume on day four with Imam-ul-Haq 23 not out and Asad Shafiq yet to score.

— AAP

More related stories

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/live-australia-vs-pakistan-first-test-day-four/news-story/2b06d0b3f52d7baff14ca65f435d4d9c