Live Cricket Score, Pakistan vs Australia, 2nd Test, Day 4: Steven Smith scores 17th Test ton

Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live cricket blog and updates’ post of the fourth day’s play in the Boxing Day Test, between Australia and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This is Devarchit Varma, and I will be bringing you the live cricket scores and updates from the fourth day’s play. Australia will resume their first innings at a strong position of 278 for 2, and they will look to post a big total against Pakistan’s 443 for 9 declared. Azhar Ali and David Warner shone with the bat for their respective sides on Day Three, with the former creating a record with his 205 not out.

Azhar scored 205 not out as Pakistan declared their first innings post lunch on Day Three, with him falling a 3 runs short of Sir Vivian Richards’ highest score of 208 at MCG. Azhar became the fourth visiting batsman to score a double hundred at MCG, and missed the West Indies legend’s 32-year-old record by a whisker. In their reply, Australia were bolstered by a rapid 144 from Warner, which came off 143 balls. Warner struck 17 boundaries and 1 six, and added a quickfire 198 runs for the second wicket with Usman Khawaja.

Live cricket scorecard: Australia vs Pakistan, 2nd Test at Melbourne

Khawaja remained 5 runs short of his sixth Test hundred, and he was accompanied by Steven Smith batting on 10 not out. Both these batsmen are coming off impressive half-centuries in the second innings of the Brisbane Test, and they will be expected to carry on Australia’s charge towards a big first-innings total.

Australia eye a first innings lead, but for that they will first have to wipe off 165 runs which Pakistan have as lead. The wicket has remained suitable for batsmen, as the third day witnessed as many as 411 runs being scored and only 5 wickets fall. Pakistan have been unimpressive so far with their bowling effort, with Wahab Riaz bowling 10 no-balls for over-stepping and Yasir Shah being cantered for 97 runs in 16 overs.

Yasir claimed the first wicket in the Australian ranks in form of Matt Renshaw, who missed to connect on a slog-sweep and the ball crashed into his wickets. Warner was the second batsman to be dismissed, caught by Sarfraz Ahmed off Wahab.

Earlier in the third day, Pakistan added 123 runs from 22 overs in the first session. Azhar resumed his inning at 139 not out and went on to add another 57 to his overnight total. Sohail Khan came out all guns blazing. He smashed 4 sixes and 6 boundaries to score 65 from as many balls. For Australia, Josh Hazlewood remained the most impressive bowler as he returned with the figures of 32.3-11-50-3. Jackson Bird claimed 3 wickets as well, but he gave away 113 runs for 3 wickets in his 34 overs.