The big story: Pakistan slump to 91/5 at tea
Early wickets found Pakistan in trouble as they slumped to 91/5 at tea on day five of the second Test against Australia, still trailing by 90 runs in Melbourne on Friday.
Resuming at 465/6, Australia piled on the runs in the morning session to declare at 624/8 with a lead of 181. Steve Smith remained unbeaten on 165, after adding 65 runs to his overnight score. He found support from Mitchell Starc, who made 84 runs. The two added 154 runs for the seventh wicket to frustrate Pakistan.
In reply, the visitors were tottering early at 6/2. They kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Spinner Nathan Lyon was among the wickets, cleaning off the Pakistan middle-order with three wickets, including the prized scalp of skipper Misbah-ul-Haq who fell for a duck.
Azhar Ali was on batting on 34, even as five wickets fell around him.
Other top stories
- Sri Lanka were at 240/5 at the end of day four in pursuit of a mammoth target of 488 set by South Africa. Earlier in the day, the Proteas declared at 406/6. The Lankan hopes were pinned on skipper Angelo Mathews, who is battling on with the tail, and has scored a half-century. Kusal Mendis scored 58.
- New Zealand beat Bangladesh in the second One-Day International at Nelson to take an unassailable lead in the series. The Kiwis scored 251 batting first. The Bangladeshis could only get to 184, losing by 67 runs.
- In the Big Bash League, Ashton Agar’s last-ball six helped Perth Scorchers over the line against Melbourne Renegades at the Dockland’s Stadium in Melbourne. The Scorchers won by six wickets.
- Veteran Indian spinner Erapalli Prasanna has asked Indian ace Ravichandran Ashwin to offer more flight on the ball. Prasanna heaped praise on Ravindra Jadeja before opining that off-spinner Jayant Yadav is ineffective in five-day cricket.