Mitchell Marsh slams 162, Australia run Pakistan A ragged

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh celebrated his elevation to joint Australia vice-captain with a punishing hundred on Monday as the touring batsmen warmed up for the Pakistan Test. The 26-year-old scored 162 with 17 boundaries against Pakistan A in Dubai.

Australians extended their domination in the four-day first-class match against Pakistan A riding on a mammoth hundred by newly appointed vice-captain Mitchell Marsh.

The junior Marsh smashed 162 runs with 17 boundaries, the older one – Shaun Marsh fell in the nineties as Australians piled on 494/4 in reply to Pakistan A’s 278 all out. The Australians lead by 226 runs.

Australians scored 287 runs on the third day by losing only two wickets. Travis Head too scored an unbeaten 90

Mitchell, made vice-captain alongside Josh Hazlewood on Thursday, added 207 with brother Shaun, whose 230-ball knock had 13 boundaries.

Mitchell then added 106 with Head for the fourth wicket. Head had hit ten boundaries as Pakistan's Test pacers Wahab Riaz and Rahat Ali failed to get a wicket.

Another left-arm pacer Waqas Maqsood finished with 2-66 while part-time spinner Iftikhar Ahmed had 2-149.

Head then shared an unbroken stand of 87 with Marnus Labuschagne (39 not out), who had replaced Matthew Renshaw after his head injury on Sunday.

Pakistan and Australia play the first Test in Dubai from Sunday while the second Test is in Abu Dhabi from October 16.

Brief Scores: Australia 494-4 (M. Marsh 162, S. Marsh 94, T. Head 90 not out) Pakistan 'A' 278 (Abid Ali 85, Sami Aslam 51; N. Lyon 8-013)