Labuschagne holds fort as Pakistan make inroads on rain-hit Boxing Day

Marnus Labuschagne survived a thorough examination from a new-look Pakistan pace attack on a tough MCG surface as Australia finished a truncated opening day strongly in the Boxing Day Test. As had been conjecture, awful weather conditions grasped Melbourne in the early evening with play halted for very nearly three hours prior to restarting late in the day. Just 66 overs were bowled the entire day, however Australia lost only one wicket in the last meeting to move into a great position. Labuschagne and Steven Smith impeded Pakistan after the resumption as batting seemed to get simpler in radiant circumstances. They added 46 off 147 balls to baffle Pakistan until Smith was gotten behind off Aamer Jamal, with replays affirming a weak edge after it was initially considered not out and Pakistan surveyed. Smith had minutes sooner been given out lbw subsequent to being caught by Shaheen Shah Afridi, yet the choice was upset on audit. It denied Afridi of his most memorable wicket in the match on the rear of figures of 2 for 172 in the series-opener. Like in Perth, Afridi battled for top speed - it has been a curse for him lately. Labuschagne, who entered averaging an unassuming 35 this year, was made to work and by stumps had surrounded his 50 years having confronted 120 conveyances. Travis Head completed on 9 not out having endure an apprehensive second in the last over when he edged offspinner Salman Agha yet commander Shan Masood couldn't clutch an extreme opportunity. After Pakistan copped a 360-run pounded in the principal Test on a zesty surface in Perth, their rejigged pace assault retaliated from a delinquent opening meeting with Afridi and reviewed seamer Hasan Ali summoning a propelled spell after lunch in miserable circumstances. Hasan supported his choice and was compensated by having opener Usman Khawaja got at second slip for 42 with a conveyance that dashed off the wicket. He bowled in a state of harmony with Afridi, who compromised by bowling across right-hand hitters Labuschagne and Smith and he once in a while took the ball leap off the pitch. Their supported bowling on a decent length constrained Labuschagne and Smith to be in endurance mode. With dark mists looming over the ground, Labuschagne was obviously disappointed about play going on notwithstanding the light pinnacles being turned on. In any case, downpour at long last tumbled to give Australia relief, who just scored 24 pursues in 15 overs lunch. Hasan was one of three changes for Pakistan, who picked to again handle a hard and fast speed assault with left-armer Mir Hamza likewise chose. They supplanted harmed seamer Khurram Shahzad and allrounder Faheem Ashraf, who was dropped, while offspinner Sajid Khan was ignored. Mohammad Rizwan returned as wicketkeeper and replaced Sarfaraz Ahmed, who had been disagreeably liked in Perth.