Marnus Labuschagne's maiden Test century and highest first-class score, which he narrowly missed converting into a double, followed by an evening surge from the quick bowlers put Australia well on track for victory at the Gabba on Saturday, ESPN reports.
A lead of 340 would have been overwhelming for Pakistan even before they stumbled to the close on 3 for 64 against Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
Australia ended up losing their last five wickets for 35 but it barely mattered, and gave them the perfect period to bowl in the evening. Starc raced in and struck in his second over when he had Azhar Ali lbw with a bail-trimmer, and then continued Haris Sohail's poor tour when the left-hander sparred at a short delivery he could have left alone much in the manner of the first innings.
Cummins, who was handed the first new ball for the first time in Australia, was then brought straight back into the attack to target Asad Shafiq and the move worked a treat as he edged to third slip. Shan Masood and Babar Azam did well to survive to the close, Masood coming close to nicking Nathan Lyon to slip in the penultimate over of the day when the umpires' soft signal was not out.
In January, there was much surprise - and a degree of ridicule - when Labuschagne was elevated to the No. 3 spot, but he will end the year having cemented the role for the foreseeable future. His hundred came from 161 balls with one of his least convincing shots of an innings filled with classy, classical strokeplay, when he edged Shaheen Afridi to third man. His progress continued to be serene until after tea when he steered Afridi to gully and had to haul himself from the crease, acknowledging congratulations from the Pakistan players and the crowd. Though David Warner could only add three to his overnight score, before becoming Naseem Shah's maiden Test wicket, and to the almost disbelief of the crowd Steven Smith was bowled by Yasir Shah for 4, Matthew Wade joined Labuschagne in a stand of 110 which kept Australia motoring.
Resuming on 1 for 312, it was Labuschagne who dominated the early scoring as Warner struggled for the fluency of the previous day - adding 3 off 25 balls - as Pakistan finally opted for a sustained around-the-wicket line. In a match that has become an almighty struggle for the visitors, Warner's dismissal was an absorbing moment as 16-year-old Naseem worked him over from around the wicket before
finding his under edge with a rapid short ball (and his foot was behind the line this time).
