Pakistan grabbed the prized wickets of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne in quick succession to seize the momentum from Australia on the third day of the third Test in Sydney on Friday.
The hosts went to lunch at 199-4 with Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh both on six to trail Pakistan by 114 runs.
Smith and Labuschagne, who both average over 70 in Tests at the Sydney Cricket Ground, looked set in the extended morning session before a stunning late double-wicket breakthrough.
Smith fell into a carefully laid Pakistani trap of stacking a trio of fielders around short extra cover off medium pacer Hasan Ali’s bowling.
Smith duly walked down the wicket next ball to play an aerial drive, only to be caught by Babar Azam above his head.
Australia’s premier batsman made 38 off 86 balls and looked stunned as he glared at a patch in the pitch, before walking disconsolately from the ground 30 minutes before lunch.
He was followed six balls later by Labuschagne, bowled for 60 by offspinner Agha Salman.
Labuschagne played forward only to be beaten by a sharply turning ball out of the rough and spearing through the bat-pad gap to knock over his middle stump.
Pakistan celebrated two quick wickets for no runs after Australia had looked primed to wear away at the tourists’ first-innings total of 313.
It was grinding cricket in the morning session with 83 runs coming off 33 overs at a run rate of 2.49 per over.
It was deserved reward for the toiling Pakistanis, who have battled away with disciplined bowling and determined fielding despite already losing the three-match series.
Australia clinched the series with a tense 79-run win in the second Test in Melbourne over Christmas.
rsm/pst
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