Warner's 144 leads Australian reply

David Warner celebrated a belated Christmas gift from Pakistan to land his long-cherished Boxing Day Test century that has dragged Australia squarely back into Test that looked to be slipping away.

Dismissed from a no-ball that extended his innings and Pakistan’s hurt, Warner forged a union with Usman Khawaja (95no) that altered the tempo and the outlook of a match that still seems destined to end in a draw.

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After Pakistan had halted their first innings that had spanned more than seven (weather-affected) sessions at 443, Australia celebrated the best conditions this Test has delivered to reduce the deficit by more than half from just 58 overs.

That was essentially due to an audacious second-wicket partnership between Warner and Khawaja that brought 198 runs at almost a run a ball (214 deliveries) and which carried Australia to 2-278 at stumps.

A rate that Pakistan could not contemplate, let alone achieve as they battled in conditions that aided bowlers but infuriated sun worshippers on the first two days.

However, the sunshine that bathed the historic ground this evening is expected to give way to more showers and possibly thunderstorms come the morning at which point all hope of a result seems likely to disappear down the drain with the run-off.

Warner’s maiden Test century at a ground that has seen him average barely 25 in the elite format was greeted with a roar, a fist pump and an even more animated Toyota jump than is tradition which underscored its personal significance.

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Almost a year without a Test hundred and at a venue that has become something of a white whale for the left-hander, Warner rarely appeared ill at ease throughout his 143-ball stay.

Until the final phase, when left-arm quick Wahab Riaz tore a page from the play book of New Zealand’s Neil Wagner and relentlessly targeted the 30-year-old with a binge diet of short-pitched bowling.

One of which eventually brushed Warner’s glove, although it took forensic examination of the video evidence after Pakistan demanded a review to remove him for 144.

But it was a milestone that should never have arrived, after the opener was comprehensively bowled by a fast, reverse-swinging gem from Riaz that slammed into Warner’s pad and then cannoned into middle stump.

Riaz scarcely had time to form his celebratory shout and Warner had only become aware of what had happened when both men noticed umpire Ian Gould’s outstretched right arm and strident call of ‘no-ball’.

The anguish of the bowler and his team would have been demonstrably deep had it been an aberrant overstep or line-ball call.

However that pain was compounded by the video replays that showed Riaz had clearly infringed by some margin, as he had done the previous delivery which was also deemed illegal.

And did so again the next ball, in the midst of a costly and confidence-sapping spell in which he delivered seven no-balls in the space of eight overs but at the same time appeared as Pakistan’s most threatening bowler.

Until that moment, and with the exception of the unexpectedly uncharacteristic heave that cost Matthew Renshaw his wicket, Pakistan had created but a string of half chances.

The one that flew despairingly wide of Yasir Shah at backward point from the face of Warner’s bat when he pushed at Mohammad Amir having scored just two from the first 16 deliveries he faced.

The inside edge that Riaz drew from Khawaja when Australia’s number three had made nine, and which narrowly missed the stumps but instead cost a boundary to add to the injustice.

And then Riaz’s indulgent rash of no-balls seemed to sap Pakistan’s attack of its intensity as the Australians made hay in the rare burst of Melbourne post-Christmas sunshine.

Perhaps the tourists also felt they had copped the tough end of the assignment having been required – albeit through their own choice – to bat through two-and-a-bit days of heavy cloud cover on a pitch regularly rejuvenated by passing showers.

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By contrast, by the time Australia began their pursuit of 9(dec)-443 shortly after lunch on day three, the MCG pitch was displaying why it’s considered to be at its most friendly on the third day of any first-class match.

With the absence of swing and seam movement that had been so glaring when the Australians bowled supplemented by near perfect overhead conditions and a sense of purpose that was juxtaposed against the conservatism and caution of Pakistan’s elephantine and oft-interrupted innings.

A disparity best summed up by noting Australia very nearly scored more in the 28 overs between lunch and tea (1-131) and then 30 overs prior to stumps (1-147) than Pakistan had managed across the entirety of day one (4-142 from 50.5 overs) and day two (2-168 from 50.3 overs).

The tourists did make a belated bid to up the tempo shortly before lunch today, largely through the bold hitting of fast bowler Sohail Khan.

As opener Azhar Ali went about his business to post the first double-century by a Pakistan batsman on Australian soil, Sohail got stuck into spinner Nathan Lyon as rain once again threatened.

The tailender belted Lyon over long-on for six, then aimed two more from consecutive deliveries in his next over before his attempt at a hat-trick of boundary-clearing blows brought a top edge that swirled in the blustering northerly.

And which Warner failed to lay a hand on after scurrying in from deep backward square only to have the ball land safely on the turf, as the day threatened to descend into despair for the home team.

The day had initially looked set to deliver the aspiration aired by Bupa Support Team Assistant Coach David Saker the previous evening – to mop up Pakistan’s outstanding four wickets and get their reply underway before lunch.

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Mitchell Starc had made the breakthrough with a delivery that won’t feature in his lengthy highlights packages – sliding down the leg side, with Amir tickling a catch to keeper Matthew Wade as it whizzed past.

But as is becoming a disturbing theme, Australia’s bowlers were unable to push through the opposition’s lower order that was being marshalled by Azhar who batted throughout Pakistan’s nine-and-a-half-hour innings to remain 205 not out.

After the prolific right-hander celebrated his deserved double ton – his second 200-plus Test score of 2016 – with a triumphant celebration followed by a sajda in deference to his divine inspiration, Sohail finished with a flourish.

His 65 from as many balls faced lifting Pakistan to 443, a benchmark that seemed unthinkable when they teetered at 4-125 midway through the opening day.

Just as they had seemed out for the count in Brisbane a week earlier when they were 6-220 in pursuit of an unthinkable victory target of 490, only to get within sight of a history altering win.

The once mercurial Pakistan have shown themselves to be less volatile than Melbourne’s irascible weather, which seems destined to emerge the winner of a Test that continues to intrigue and frustrate in equal measure.