2016-17 Pakistan Tour of Australia - Australia Vs Pakistan Second Test @ MCG Dec 26-30,2016 - Australian Captain Steve Smith announces team for Boxing Day Test against Pakistan Sunday Dec 25,2016

3-Test Series Results

First Test @ Brisbane Dec 15-19,2016

Scorecard

Australia 429 and 202/5 Declared

Pakistan  142 and 450

Match Result - Australia won by 39 runs

MOM - Asad Shafiq (Pakistan)for his 137(207 Balls 4x13 and 6x1)

Series Result -  Australia led the 3-match series 1-0

Second Test @ MCG Dec 26-30,2016
Scorecard
Pakistan 443/9 Declared and 163/10
Australia 624/8 Declared
Match Result - Australia won by an innings and 18 Runs
MOM - Steve Smith(Australia)for his 165*(246 Balls 4x13 and 6x1)-17th Test Match Ton 
Series Result - Australia led the 3-match series 2-0

Australian captain Steve Smith on Sunday Dec 25,2016 announced an unchanged XI for the Boxing Test against Pakistan, with selectors sticking to the side which beat the visitors in Brisbane.

The series opener, a pink ball day-night Test, was won by Australia, by 39 runs with skipper himself scoring a brilliant hundred in their first innings at Gabba.

He was ably supported by Peter Handscomb, who also score a century, and Matt Renshaw.

The win was however set up by the pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Jackson Bird, all of them taking three wickets each as Australia dismissed Pakistan for a lowly 142 in their first innings.

For the visitors, skipper Misbh-ul-Haq has reportedly said that the playing XI will only be announced after knowing the true colour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) pitch.

Meanwhile, in the run up to the Boxing Day Test, Cricket Australia has arranged elaborate security arrangement after terror-related arrests.

Australia XI: David Warner, Matthew Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Nathan Lyon

Day One Monday Dec 26,2016

Jackson Bird Puts Australia On Top Against Pakistan

Pakistan won the toss and chse to bat first

Australia kept the same 11 which won the first Test of the three-match series in Brisbane by 39 runs, keeping faith in struggling rookie batsman Maddinson.

Pakistan made one change, replacing seamer Rahat Ali with Sohail Khan.

Australian seamer Jackson Bird claimed two crucial wickets 2/53just before rain ended play on the opening day

Jackson Bird struck twice in quick succession just before the rain set in to give the home team the ascendancy, removing experienced duo Younis Khan (21) and Misbah-ul-Haq (11).

When tea was called early due to rain, the visitors were 142 for four with opener Azhar Ali on 66 and first Test centurion Asad Shafiq on four, and that proved to be the stumps score as well.

The rain continued after tea and play was abandoned without any more action
Scoredcard
Pakistan 142/4 in 50.5 Overs at the close of play on Day one with Azhar Ali  66* and Asad Shafiq 04* at the crease
Fall of Wickets(Pakistan)
Sami Aslam                    09(41 Balls 4x1)
Babar Azam                    23(43 Balls 4x3)
Younis Khan                   21(59 Balls 4x1)
Misbah ul Haq                 11(13 Balls 4x1 and 6x1)

Day Two  Tuesday Dec 27,2016

At close of play Pakistan were 310/6 with Azhar Ali 139* and Mohammad Amir 28*

Day Three Wednesday Dec 28,2016

Pakistan Declared its innings at  443/9 in 126.3 overs with Azhar Ali 205*
Wicket Takers(Australia)
Josh Hazzlewood           3/50(32.3 Overs)
Jackson Bird                   3/113(34 Overs)
Nathan Lyon                    1/115(23 Overs)
Mitchell Starc                  1/125(31 Overs)
At close of play Australia were 278/2 in 58 Overs
Fall of Wickets(Australia)
Matt Renshaw                 10(40 Balls 4x1)
David Warner                 144(143 Balls 4x17 and 6x1)-17th Test Match Ton
Usman Khawaja               95*
Steve Smith                      10*

Day Four Thursday Dec 29,2016 
At close of play Australia were 465/6 113.5 Overs with Steve Smith 100* and Mitchell Starc 07*
Fall of Wickets(Australia)
Usman Khawaja               97(165 Balls 4x13)
Peter Handscomb             54(90 Balls 4x8)
Nic Maddinson                 22(55 Balls 4x2)
Mathew Wade                   09(27 Balls)


Day Five Friday Dec 30,2016 
Australia Declared its innings at 624/8 in 142.0 overs  with Steve Smith 165*(246 Balls 4x13 and 6x1)
Fall of wickets(Australia)
Mitchell Starc                  84(91 Balls 4x3 and 6x7)
Nathan Lyon                    12(8 Balls 4x2)
Wicket Takers(Pakistan)
Sohail Khan                  3/131(31 Overs)
Yasir Shah                     3/207(41 Overs)
Wahab Riaz                   2/147(32 Overs)
Pakistan were all-out for 163 in 53.2 Overs
Wicket Takers(Australia)
Mitchell Starc                 4/36(15.2 Overs)
Nathan Lyon                   3/33(14 Overs)
Josh Hazzlewood            2/39(13 Overs)
Jackson Bird                    1/46(11 Overs)

Mitchell Starc shone with bat and ball as Australia dismissed Pakistan for 163 to secure an innings and 18 run win.
Scorecard
Pakistan 443/9 Declared and 163/10
Australia 624/8 Declared
Match Result - Australia won by an innings and 18 Runs
MOM - Steve Smith(Australia)for his 165*(246 Balls 4x13 and 6x1)-17th Test Match Ton 
Series Result - Australia led the 3-match series 2-0

7 Tests lost by Pakistan this year - their most in any calendar year. They won four of their first six Tests, but ended up losing the next five. Their previous most was six defeats, in 1995 and 2010.

Australia's 624/8 Declared is the highest total at the MCG in a Test Match
Australia beat their own record of 604 runs that was scored in the 1936-37 Ashes. This is also Australia's highest total against Pakistan surpassing the 617 in Faisalabad in 1979-80.

369* Runs scored by Smith in his last three innings at the MCG without being dismissed. He scored 134* and 70* in last year's Boxing Day Test against West Indies and has followed it with 165* in this Test

Australian Captain Steve Smith's remarkable stats

• The innings brought up his 1,000th run in a calendar year for the third time in succession, a feat achieved by only one other Australian batsman, opener Matthew Hayden, who reached the mark in five consecutive years from 2001-05

• Out of players who have batted at least five times at the MCG, only the great Don Bradman has a higher average, with 128.53 from his 17 innings versus the current captain's 114.60 from eight

• With four centuries this year, Smith has 17 tons from a total of 90 innings in his career, with only Bradman (50 innings), former India batsman Sunil Gavaskar (81) and Hayden (82) reaching the number faster
• Smith has now hit centuries in three successive Boxing Day Tests, with his latest ton following 192 against India in 2014 and an unbeaten 134 against West Indies in 2015