Oz make good use of placid batting conditions on Day 4

Top kocks from Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and Cameron Green gave Australia a strong hand on Day 4 of the Rawalpindi Test on Monday. At Stumps on Day 4, Australia’s score read 449/7 still trailing hosts by 27 runs. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are currently standing unbeaten at the crease. Beginning from 271/2, Smith and Labuschagne continued with their partnership and took Australia through 300-run mark. They faced an early shock when Shaheen Afridi dismissed Labuschagne, who missed his ton by just 10 runs.

Nauman Ali then sent back Travis Head for just eight runs, leaving the team’s total at 326/4. Later, Cameron Green joined Smith and the duo stitched a brief partnership and kept the scoreboard moving for the visitors. But fate had other plans and Nauman Ali came as a saviour for Pakistan. He then removed Green and Smith for 78 and 48 runs, respectively.

Alex Carey was also dismissed after a brief stint and then the duo Starc and Cummins joined hands and took their side’s total to 449/7.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 476/4d (Azhar Ali 185, Imam ul-Haq 147; Nathan Lyon 1-161) vs Australia 449/7 (Usman Khawaja 97, Marnus Labuschagne 90; Nauman Ali 4-107).