25/12Result
2nd Test, Pakistan tour of Australia at Melbourne, Dec 26-30 2016
Australia won by an inns & 18 runs
Player of the Match
Steven Smith
Steven SmithAustralia
25/12Result
2nd Test, Pakistan tour of Australia at Melbourne, Dec 26-30 2016
Australia won by an inns & 18 runs
Player of the Match
Steven Smith
Steven SmithAustralia

  • Pakistan 1st Innings

    BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    Sami Aslam
    9
    41
    53
    1
    0
    21.95
    11.3 oh man, who has written his script? They said they want to go "nice Garry" after the third ball he bowls. And Lyon has produced a goodie with the third ball he bowls. Quick sharp offbreak, perhaps there is bite with early moisture. On a length, on off. Sami caught in the crease, and is not to its pitch. So he pushes at it in panic. The ball turns and bounces to take the shoulder of his bat. Glover actually. Caught at slip. Nice, Garry 18/1
    Azhar Ali
    not out
    205
    364
    577
    20
    0
    56.31
    Babar Azam
    23
    43
    65
    3
    0
    53.48
    25.6 it's the last ball before lunch all right but what a beauty it is from Hazlewood. This is lovely bowling. He has been honing in on that off stump. Bowling in that corridor where the batsman has to play at balls. This is on a length, just outside off, Babar has to defend the off stump with his bat. The ball holds its line, takes an edge that is dying to Smith's right at second slip. He dives, gets his hands behind it, and the ball sticks in the tips of the middle and ring finger of the right hand 60/2
    Younis Khan
    21
    59
    72
    1
    0
    35.59
    42.1 Bird breaks through the Younis defence. They have been looking for the lbw with Younis moving too far across but this time he just bursts through. On a length, outside off. For a change the Younis shuffle has not taken him close to the line of the ball. So he sort of hangs his bat out. The ball finds a gate to go through. A slight inside edge helps it too. The length here is crucial. Not full enough to drive. Not short enough to go entirely back to 111/3
    Misbah-ul-Haq (c)
    11
    13
    20
    1
    1
    84.61
    46.5 superb catch. Soft signal is out for the short leg catch. That has been an excellent field position for Misbah, for starters. This is the second bat-pad from Misbah in this brief stay. This is an excellent and clean catch from Maddinson. This shortish ball seams back in to hit the inside edge and travel behind square, but it hits the pad flush and changes direction dramatically. Maddinson has to change direction and the ball is dropping in front of him and he gets the fingers under it 125/4
    Asad Shafiq
    50
    123
    179
    4
    0
    40.65
    87.6 good ball, and a good catch. Shafiq has been leaving alone outside off, and Bird has been getting closer and closer to off. This one is a perfect line. Around the fourth stump. You have to play it on line although you could argue this could be left alone on length as this is pitched just that tiny bit short of a length. Shafiq plays at it, though, and the seam movement takes a thick outside edge for Smith to puch it at second slip 240/5
    Sarfaraz Ahmed †
    10
    20
    36
    1
    0
    50.00
    94.5 No. 99 for Hazlewood. This is lovely bowling. Similar to how he got Babar Azam out yesterday. This is a length ball, around that fifth stump. The batsman has to play at it. And then it just holds its line enough to take an edge for the first slip to take 268/6
    Mohammad Amir
    29
    27
    51
    6
    0
    107.40
    105.1 and there is a tickle down the leg side. Not a bouncer. Just short of a length, pitched well outside leg, about thigh high. Amir tries to get inside it to glance it fine, but all he manages is an edge. Dismissal No. 50 for Wade 317/7
    Sohail Khan
    65
    65
    86
    6
    4
    100.00
    124.6 short of a length, angling in, dropped to leg for a single, but Sohail is sluggish. Maddinson comes in from forward square leg, chips in a gentle underam throw, but Sohail is only on the line. Slightly slow with his running and no desperation to get in. An entertaining innings nonetheless. He raises his bat as he walks off. Azhar still on 198 435/8
    Wahab Riaz
    1
    5
    8
    0
    0
    20.00
    126.3 tries the big slog. Hundredth Test wicket for Hazlewood. A length ball, cramps Wahab up as he looks to go over midwicket. Ends up slicing it back to Hazlewood 443/9
    Extras
    19 (b 4, lb 9, nb 1, w 5)
    TOTAL
    443/9d (126.3 Overs, RR: 3.5, 577 minutes)
    Did not bat: Yasir Shah
    Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Sami Aslam, 11.3 ov), 2-60 (Babar Azam, 25.6 ov), 3-111 (Younis Khan, 42.1 ov), 4-125 (Misbah-ul-Haq, 46.5 ov), 5-240 (Asad Shafiq, 87.6 ov), 6-268 (Sarfaraz Ahmed, 94.5 ov), 7-317 (Mohammad Amir, 105.1 ov), 8-435 (Sohail Khan, 124.6 ov), 9-443 (Wahab Riaz, 126.3 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    MA Starc31612514.0310
    JR Hazlewood32.3115031.5300
    JM Bird34511333.3201
    NM Lyon23111515.0000
    SPD Smith30903.0000
    NJ Maddinson301806.0000

  • Australia 1st Innings

    BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    MT Renshaw
    10
    40
    59
    1
    0
    25.00
    13.1 bowled him. That is the first. Pakistan needed this badly after having done all the hard work and having had no luck whatsoever. This is full, middle and off, Renshaw looks for a big slog sweep. Plays down the wrong line. Cleaned up. Expecting more turn than there is on this. Yasir is not a big turner anyway 46/1
    DA Warner
    144
    143
    234
    17
    1
    100.69
    48.5 they review a not-out call on the catch down the leg side. It's close to being a no-ball but he is fine by centimetres. Warner looks to get inside the line and pull it fine again, and this time Sarfraz goes for the catch. Replays show if there is something it has to be the glove. The HotSpot is not extremely conclusive but there is a smidgeon of a mark on the lower glove. The RTS shows a little blip too. Both are at the same time. Enough for the third umpire to overrule the on-field call. Warner almost gives himself out looking at replays, walking halfway down the wicket. I think he knew he felt it on the glove 244/2
    UT Khawaja
    97
    165
    229
    13
    0
    58.78
    62.1 Khawaja is gone on 97. Pakistan have bowled well this morning, giving them no freebies, and Khawaja plays the loose shot eventually. He has faced 12 balls for two runs this morning, and now Wahab bowls on a length, and outside off. Khawaja doesn't move his feet and just drives with his hands. You can't control it so far away from the body, and he edges it through 282/3
    SPD Smith (c)
    not out
    165
    246
    412
    13
    1
    67.07
    PSP Handscomb
    54
    90
    105
    8
    0
    60.00
    85.4 loose shot. And Sohail gets reward for a steady spell. Against the run of play, though. This is a wide a length ball. As Handscomb often does, he drives away from the body with his hands. You struggle to keep them down from that far. That's what happens here. Taken at point 374/4
    NJ Maddinson
    22
    55
    77
    2
    0
    40.00
    104.3 bowled him. Shah gets the field right and does Maddinson in. Maddinson leaves the crease to cover the turn on this flighted legbreak outside off. This is a ball the previous fields didn't let him bowl. Now he does. Maddinson not to the pitch of the ball, and it spins past his outside edge. Not as much turn as he expects here. Shane Warne points to a scrambles seam, which might suggest Shah intended to not turn it big 433/5
    MS Wade †
    9
    27
    36
    0
    0
    33.33
    111.3 Sohail has another. This is not the best ball but he will take this wicket. Short and wide. Just a little fuller than cutting length, and just not wide enough perhaps. Wade arches back to cut, gets a healthy edge and Shafiq takes a smart catch at first slip 454/6
    MA Starc
    84
    91
    128
    3
    7
    92.30
    140.1 finally Pakistan have a wicket. Starc looks for a six off Sohail too but mistimes the hook and is caught at deep backward square leg. Good on Starc. Not thinking of a possible hundred. Shafiq takes a safe low catch running in. Not before Starc has set the new record for most sixes in an innings at MCG 608/7
    NM Lyon
    12
    8
    7
    2
    0
    150.00
    141.6 he is caught and bowled off a skier. Lyon steps out, looks for a big hit, not to the pitch of the ball and just skies it up for a catch for Shah 624/8
    Extras
    27 (b 1, lb 12, nb 13, w 1)
    TOTAL
    624/8d (142 Overs, RR: 4.39, 647 minutes)
    Did not bat: JR Hazlewood, JM Bird
    Fall of wickets: 1-46 (Matt Renshaw, 13.1 ov), 2-244 (David Warner, 48.5 ov), 3-282 (Usman Khawaja, 62.1 ov), 4-374 (Peter Handscomb, 85.4 ov), 5-433 (Nic Maddinson, 104.3 ov), 6-454 (Matthew Wade, 111.3 ov), 7-608 (Mitchell Starc, 140.1 ov), 8-624 (Nathan Lyon, 141.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    Mohammad Amir3369102.7511
    Sohail Khan31713134.2200
    Yasir Shah41220735.0400
    Wahab Riaz32514724.59012
    Azhar Ali503507.0000

  • Pakistan 2nd Innings

    BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    Sami Aslam
    2
    8
    8
    0
    0
    25.00
    1.4 bowled him. Australia have one out of the ten. This is just tentative from Sami. Just a decent length ball, on off. Sami has to play at it. He plays to defend but is a little late on it. Gets an inside edge into the pad and onto the off stump 3/1
    Azhar Ali
    43
    112
    156
    3
    0
    38.39
    34.4 this one stays low. I think he has got him, but Azhar will review the lbw call. Uneven bounce for perhaps the first time in the Test and it has caught Azhar in front. Short of a length, nips in a little, stays low, and Azhar is caught in front. He is on his toes, deep in the crease and is hit on the flap of the pad. He is the best batsman. He has to review this. The tracking shows the ball clipping the top of the stumps. Umpires call then. So out it is, and they have finally got Azhar out. This could be it for this Test 101/6
    Babar Azam
    3
    6
    10
    0
    0
    50.00
    4.1 got him first ball. A perfect cherry first up. Babar Azam reviews it after a word with Azhar Ali. Perfect swinging ball, on a length, swinging bast the inside edge, no edge. It pitches middle, swings past the bat and hits him in front of leg. Tracking has this clipping leg. Umpire's call. So the original "out" call stays 6/2
    Younis Khan
    24
    37
    66
    2
    0
    64.86
    19.1 just when Pakistan were looking a little comfortable, Lyon produces the goods. Extra bounce here. Lyon bowls an offbreak on a length. Younis nowhere near it and pushes at it with his hands. The bounce surprises him. Off the high part of the bat it falls towards short leg where Handscomb takes a smart low catch 63/3
    Misbah-ul-Haq (c)
    0
    2
    3
    0
    0
    0.00
    19.3 what is Misbah up to? This is poor Test-match batting. Premeditation. Big-time premeditation. Sweeping everything. And the bounce for Lyon does him in. He sweeps this from outside off but is nowhere close to it, leaving himself prone to the bounce. The top edge is gobbled up at short fine leg 63/4
    Asad Shafiq
    16
    31
    39
    1
    0
    51.61
    29.5 Lyon produces another before tea. Is it that field change that has brought about this wicket? He has been defending to off solidly so far, but now with silly mid-off there he leaves his crease. He leaves the crease too early and Lyon shortens the length. He flicks it to leg where Handscomb stays low in his stance. The ball hits the left hand, then the armpit, and then the Handscomb hands come around when the ball is on its downward flight. A good fielding change and a really good catch to follow it up with 89/5
    Sarfaraz Ahmed †
    43
    62
    96
    4
    0
    69.35
    49.6 Starc has broken the game open. This is the old Pakistan treatment given to Pakistan. Think of Wasim Akram bowling Chris Lewis at the same venue all those years ago. All over Starc has been swinging it away from Sarfraz. Now he reverses the shiny side. It is now facing the batsman. This is quick, this is on target and this snakes back in. Through the gap between bat and pad. Top of off. This is genius 153/8
    Mohammad Amir
    11
    39
    55
    1
    0
    28.20
    46.5 and Bird has got the length right this over. He has bowled Amir. This has been an excellent over. The ball has been tailing away against the angle from round the wicket this over. Amir has left one but he is not sure because of the angle. Here he decides to play at it, the ball moves away and he has to follow it with his hands. Doesn't react fast enough, gets an inside edge onto his body and then onto the stumps. The umpire checks Bird's front foot, but he is fine. Amir is on his way after playing an important hand 143/7
    Sohail Khan
    not out
    10
    17
    34
    2
    0
    58.82
    Wahab Riaz
    0
    5
    8
    0
    0
    0.00
    51.5 Starc is too good. Hits the off stump again. He did a repeat of Chris Lewis last over, has he done an Allan Lamb here? Beats the outside edge with the slight tail away from Wahab. This is going to hurt Pakistan more because this is what they used to do to opponents 159/9
    Yasir Shah
    0
    3
    12
    0
    0
    0.00
    53.2 all ovah. Starc ends it. The shine is on the outside. Full, on the pads, Yasir looks to work on the leg side, but the ball swings away late, takes a hefty leading edge for an easy catch for Bird at mid-on 163/10
    Extras
    11 (b 4, lb 5, nb 2)
    TOTAL
    163 all out (53.2 Overs, RR: 3.05, 247 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Sami Aslam, 1.4 ov), 2-6 (Babar Azam, 4.1 ov), 3-63 (Younis Khan, 19.1 ov), 4-63 (Misbah-ul-Haq, 19.3 ov), 5-89 (Asad Shafiq, 29.5 ov), 6-101 (Azhar Ali, 34.4 ov), 7-143 (Mohammad Amir, 46.5 ov), 8-153 (Sarfaraz Ahmed, 49.6 ov), 9-159 (Wahab Riaz, 51.5 ov), 10-163 (Yasir Shah, 53.2 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    MA Starc15.243642.3400
    JR Hazlewood1333923.0000
    JM Bird1124614.1802
    NM Lyon1443332.3500

Close of Play

  • Mon, 26 Dec - day 1 - Pakistan 1st innings 142/4 (Azhar Ali 66*, Asad Shafiq 4*, 50.5 ov)
  • Tue, 27 Dec - day 2 - Pakistan 1st innings 310/6 (Azhar Ali 139*, Mohammad Amir 28*, 101.2 ov)
  • Wed, 28 Dec - day 3 - Australia 1st innings 278/2 (UT Khawaja 95*, SPD Smith 10*, 58 ov)
  • Thu, 29 Dec - day 4 - Australia 1st innings 465/6 (SPD Smith 100*, MA Starc 7*, 113.5 ov)
  • Fri, 30 Dec - day 5 - Pakistan 2nd innings 163 (53.2 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

Match Coverage

All Match News

Losing streak

5

No. of consecutive Tests lost by Pakistan, including this - their joint-most successive losses. They had lost 5 in a row in 1999-00 as well.

Ruling Boxing Day

575

Runs scored by Steven Smith in the last 3 Boxing Day Tests, including 165* in this match. He made 192 & 14 v Ind in 2014 and 134* & 70* v WI in 2015.

Hat-trick of 1000s

3

No. of consecutive years in which Smith has scored 1000+ runs. Only Hayden (5) did it more times. Lara, Trescothick, Pietersen also in 3 consecutive years.

Solid start

3

No. of consecutive Tests from debut in which Peter Handscomb has scored at least a fifty, including this. He made 54 on debut v SA and 105 in the last Test.

Openers dominate at MCG

2003

Last time openers from either sides scored centuries at MCG, before Azhar and Warner in this Test - Sehwag & Hayden.

Maiden ton at MCG

0

No. of Test 100s at MCG for Warner, before today. He had ave of 24.22 in 9 inns with best of 62. With this ton, he has 100s at all 6 Aus venues he has batted on.

Warner's 5000

19

No. of Aus batsmen to score 5000 or more runs in their Test career, including Warner. He is the 6th quickest after Bradman, Hayden, G Chappell, Harvey and Hussey.

Second double

1

No. of Pakistan players to make more than one double-century in a year. Azhar Ali, this year, became the first to do so.