Marsh backs Australia to defend any total at MCG

Mitch Marsh will again Australia in to defend any complete towards Pakistan after the allrounder steered the hosts out of main bother within the Boxing Day Test.

Australia will head to the MCG on day 4 of the second Test with a lead of 241, largely due to Marsh’s glowing 96 amid a barrage of Pakistani swing bowling.

Marsh joined Steve Smith when Australia have been reeling at 4-16 on Thursday, however their 153-run stand has possible batted Pakistan out of the match on a carrying pitch.

The final group to attain greater than 300 within the fourth innings of an MCG Test was Pakistan in a shedding trigger again in 1990.

Marsh joked that Australia’s tail might nonetheless push their lead as much as 500 when Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc resume at 6-187 on Friday.

“I think if we were all out now we would feel very much in the game,” Marsh stated.

“I don’t necessarily want to put a number on it for our bowlers, but we know that they can certainly hold the bat.

“A few good partnerships with some drained bowlers now, hopefully we are able to rise up in the direction of the 300 mark, however I suppose something from right here we’ll take.”

Marsh praised MCG curator Matt Page for putting together a pitch that has resulted in two entertaining days of cricket once the rain cleared after a dreary opening on Tuesday.

The MCG was infamously slapped with a “poor” rating by the International Cricket Council following a dull Ashes draw in 2017.

But in the years since, the MCG has become one of the best wickets in the country and is on track to produce a result for a sixth straight Test.

“We’re now deep into the third innings but bowlers are nonetheless massively within the recreation, and that bodes effectively for us if we are able to get a couple of extra runs,” Marsh stated.

“With our bowlers, hopefully there’s nonetheless sufficient seam motion – actually with the brand new ball it form of died off a bit bit across the 35-over mark.

“But there’s still enough and I guess that’s what you want, you want it to be entertaining.”