Australia vs Pakistan: Hosts in commanding position after visitors lose three wickets while following-on on rain-curtailed Day 3

Adelaide: Rain halted Australia’s charge towards a win over Pakistan with the visitors struggling at 39-3 in their second innings on the third day after following-on in the day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval. [caption id=“attachment_7723931” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Australia’s Pat Cummins celebrates the wicket of Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas during their second Test match in Adelaide. AP[/caption] After Mitchell Starc’s six wickets gave Australia a 287-run first-innings lead in the second Test, rain interrupted play in the final session three times before being called off for the day. Starc earlier took 6-66 to help knock over Pakistan for 302 in its first innings, giving Tim Paine the chance to become the first Australian captain to enforce the follow-on in four years. However, the Australians were far from perfect on Sunday, when spinner Yasir Shah became Pakistan’s oldest player to score a maiden Test century. Australia missed six chances to remove him in the field, as Pakistan added 206 to their overnight total of 96-6 and Babar Azam went close to back-to-back centuries. Pat Cummins finished with 3-83 to become the first bowler to reach 50 wickets this year. On Saturday, David Warner put Australia in command when he produced the biggest innings ever in the day-night Test cricket format and surpassed some of Don Bradman’s records before finishing unbeaten on 335 when Paine declared at 589-3. To add to the batting heroics for Australia, Warner also shared a 361-run stand with Marnus Labuschagne (162), a record for Australia against Pakistan, and had partnerships of 121 with Steve Smith (36) and 99 with Matthew Wade, who finished unbeaten on 38 from 40 balls. Australia won the first Test in Brisbane by an innings and five runs.