A FRANTIC final session saw 11 wickets fall for just 78 runs as both Australia and Pakistan suffered remarkable batting collapses at the SCG. Putting the cherry atop proceedings in the penultimate over on day three was a three-wicket maiden from Aussie quick Josh Hazlewood to put his side in the box seat.

In yet another cunning bowling change from captain Pat Cummins, Hazlewood was handed the ball and struck immediately to nab Saud Shakeel for the fourth time in the series, before removing nightwatchman Sajid Khan and Salman Ali Agha without scoring in a scintillating set of six.

The New South Welshman finished the day with figures of 4-9 (5), leaving Pakistan’s hopes of posting a defendable target hanging by a thread. At stumps, the visitors fell to a meagre 7-68 to lead by 82 runs with arguably their greatest hopes – Mohammad Rizwan and Aamir Jamal – remaining at the crease.

The procession of wickets lived up to the whirlwind results across International Test cricket this week, with Australia’s collapse of 5-10 in 21 balls on either side of tea fitting the bill. After starting out 2-1 in response, Pakistan later lost 5-9 in 7.1 overs, including Hazlewood’s moment of magic.

There was a sense of the tourists’ hard work coming undone. Debutant Saim Ayub (33) and star number four Babar Azam (23) put on a stylish third wicket stand of 57, but were found out by the spin of Nathan Lyon and Travis Head respectively as the dry pitch began to dust up and wreak havoc.

Opener Abdullah Shafique was skittled by an inswinging Mitchell Starc classic to boast an unfortunate pair for the Sydney Test, but many of his compatriots either fell to lazy dabs outside the line of the stumps, or relatively straight deliveries pitched in a typically troubling channel.

Earlier, Australia resumed its first innings in the hands of prolific pair Marnus Labuschagne (60) and Steve Smith (38). Both went to work across an industrious first couple of hours but were sent packing before lunch, breaking a 79-run stand which lasted 179 deliveries.

Things looked like unravelling when Head departed for just 10 shortly after the break, but Mitch Marsh (54) and Alex Carey (38) consolidated to bring Australia within striking distance of a first innings lead. That all changed on the other side of tea.

After Carey’s dismissal saw both sides head back to the sheds, Jamal came out firing to start the third session and tore through the hosts’ lower order to claim his second Test six-for in just three outings. Australia fell a run shy of 300 after cruising at 5-289, 14 runs short of Pakistan’s total.

With Pakistan struggling to add to its lead, the intriguing armwrestle continues tomorrow morning. Play will resume 30 minutes early (10am local) once again and plenty is set to play out in quick time if today’s late flurry is anything to go by.

SCORECARD

STUMPS, DAY THREE

TOSS: Pakistan won the toss & elected to bat.

1ST INNINGS: Pakistan 10-313 (77.1)
Mohammad Rizwan 88 (103), Aamir Jamal 82 (97), Salman Ali Agha 53 (67)
Pat Cummins 5-61 (18), Mitchell Starc 2-75 (16), Mitch Marsh 1-27 (7)

2ND INNINGS: Australia 10-299 (109.4)
Marnus Labuschagne 60 (147), Mitch Marsh 54 (113), Usman Khawaja 47 (143)
Aamir Jamal 6-69 (21.4), Salman Ali Agha 2-43 (20), Mir Hamza 1-53 (21)

3RD INNINGS: Pakistan 7-68 (26.0)
Saim Ayub 33 (53), Babar Azam 23 (52), Mohammad Rizwan 6* (18)
Josh Hazlewood 4-9 (5), Travis Head 1-7 (4), Mitchell Starc 1-15 (4)

Pakistan leads by 82 runs with 3 wickets remaining.

SESSION BREAKDOWN:
1st Session: Australia 3-83
2nd Session: Australia 2-90
3rd Session: Australia 4-10 | Pakistan 7-68

DAY THREE PROGRESSION:
Australia 2-116 > 10-299, adding 8-183.
Pakistan 7-68, leading by 82 runs.