Young Australia lead the charge on Day 2

Young Australia lead the charge on Day 2

After their sheer dominance over the opening day's action in the third and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Australia wouldn't have thought of anything other than batting Pakistan out of the contest on Day 2. On Wednesday (January 4), the whole of SCG waited with baited breath to see their latest sensation, Matt Renshaw get to his maiden double ton but that didn't transpire as he got out after playing a few confident shots early on a pleasant summer morning. The sight to behold was that of Renshaw walking back to a rousing applause, and the debutant Hilton Cartwright making his way into the middle, to join Peter Handscomb - the new look Australian middle-order. By the time, they reached Lunch, the hosts had already put up 454 on the board for four wickets.

Earlier in the day, Mohammad Amir and Imran Khan began the proceedings for Pakistan and it didn't take Renshaw too much time to collect his first boundary off the day, as he exquisitely timed a cover drive in the second over off Imran. Misbah's comical fielding efforts from the opening day perhaps weren't enough, as he slid to stop a drive from Peter Handscomb at mid off, and almost hurled the throw at Wahab Riaz, who himself was giving it a chase from mid on. Although, there was no damage done it made for a good laugh early in the day's play.

The 20-year-old's batting had looked seamless, till he chopped one onto the stumps from Imran Khan, ending a wonderful knock worth 184 runs. As he walked off to a warm applause from the SCG crowd, there was a mixed emotion running around, one that celebrated his essay but also rued that he missed on what could have been a well deserved double ton. The gloom didn't last long as the youth brigade seemed to be making the right noises, when Hilton Cartwright, who is making his debut, got off the mark with a glorious cover drive in the 95th over.

Handscomb helped himself with another fifty. Interestingly, he is yet to be dismissed for less than a fifty thus far in his nascent Test career. Yasir Shah was introduced a little late than usual, reportedly because he was suffering from back problems. Wahab Riaz came in from the other end but the duo looked innocuous as Australia carried on without any hassles. The poor fielding standards kept returning to the fore and the debutant benefitted from it, when a drive went through Azhar Ali's legs for four in the 105th over, highlighting the apathy of the tourists.

Handscomb kept growing in confidence with regular boundaries, playing well both from the crease and outside. Azhar Ali was brought into the attack an over before Lunch and he produced an opportunity right away, when Cartwright edged one to the first slip. Younis Khan, however, dropped a regulation chance, summing up Pakistan's poor day on the field. Handscomb would have set sights on a second Test century, walking out at Lunch at 83, with Cartwright (25) for company.

Earlier in the third Test, Australia had won the toss and elected to bat. Powered by David Warner's record breaking ton, he smashed a century inside the first session of play on Day 1, and Matt Renshaw's solidly compiled hundred, Australia had put up 365 for 3 by Stumps on the opening day.

Brief Scores: Australia 454/4 (Matt Renshaw 184, David Warner 113; Wahab Riaz 2-70) v Pakistan