A SENSATIONAL bowling performance from Australian skipper Pat Cummins saw the home nation get back in the box seat for the second test against Pakistan at the MCG to remain ahead by 124 runs following day two.

Early doors it looked like Pakistan was going to dig deep and be a real worry for the Australians, surpassing the 100 with only one wicket lost after bowling out Australia for 318. Cummins was the only lower order player to hold his own, scoring 13 off 30 with the bat before taking 3-37 off 14 overs.

The Aussies resumed play at 3-187 with Marnus Labuschagne chasing a half century (44 not out) and Travis Head (nine not out) having just entered the crease late on day one. The former would happen, albeit slowly as he ground through another 50-plus balls for 19 runs as the opposition tightened up the run rate.

Unfortunately Labuschagne would lose Head in the 70th over just after the pair passed the 200 mark for the side, with Salman Ali Agha holding onto a catch off Shaheen Shah Afridi. While Labuschagne was playing it safe, Mitch Marsh came in and saw the need for immediate runs. He smashed 41 off 40 balls – including six boundaries and one over the fence in a blitzing strike rate of 68.33.

Labuschagne would depart as the pair hit a partnership of 46, Eventually caught by Abdullah Shafique off Aamer Jamal for the bowler’s second wicket of the day after snagging former Aussie captain Steve Smith via a successful DRS review.

Despite being 5-250, Australia’s comfortability dropped rapidly as Alex Carey came and went (four runs from 10 balls) and when Mitchell Starc also departed quickly – not before smashing two boundaries on his way to nine off 11 – the Aussies were 2-275 and had lost 3-25.

Marsh kept on trying to keep the run rate high, but all good things must come to an end, and he was eventually halted by some great bowling from Mir Hamza. From there, it was only really Cummins who held up the fort, making 13 off 30 as he and Nathan Lyon (eight off 19) dug their heels in for six overs, but eventually were bowled out for 318 from 96.5 overs.

Jamal finished with 3-64 off 19 overs to be the most dangerous, but also least economical of the four main bowlers, with Hamza (2-51 off 22 overs), Hasan Ali (2-61 off 23.5) and Afridi (2-85 off 27) combining for 17 maidens between them.

Pakistan then entered the crease to see out the final 55 overs of the day, and Australia’s gamble of sending spinner Lyon to roll the arm over paid off with the opening wicket of Imam-ul-Haq (10 off 44) after 34 runs.

Skipper Shan Masood and Shafique put on a 90-run second wicket partnership as Australia had done with its opening partnership, before skipper Cummins stepped up to end Shafique’s innings at 62 off 109. He had been a worry with a high strike rate, but the Australian captain took the all-important wicket.

There was still a major danger left at the crease in Masood, but after being 2-124, Pakistan started to crumble. Cummins grabbed his second scalp just seven runs later when he clean bowled Babar Azam, and when Marsh caught Mashood (56 off 76) off another great spell from Lyon, the Australians were right on top.

It would not stop there, as Saud Shakeel (nine off 29) and Agha (five off eight) headed to the creased as Josh Hazelwood and Cummins continued to put pressure on the Pakistan middle order. At 6-170, the visitors were in real trouble, but a late day two spell from heavy hitting keeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan (29 off 34) breathed some life into the side.

Cummins’ 3-37 was the pick of the bowlers, with Lyon (2-48) and Hazlewood (1-29) both taking wickets, the latter the most economical of the trio with four maidens off 12 overs.

Pakistan headed to stumps on day two with Rizwan and Jamal (two off 26) at the crease, but only bowlers to come. The visitors will be required to still make 124 from the remaining players just to draw level, with Australia more than likely to head into the second innings with a solid lead.