Australia head to Melbourne winners but not grinners

MELBOURNE: Australia head to Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan with some festive cheer after winning the series opener in Brisbane but Steve Smith’s side will not find many Christmas presents under the tree from local media.

Pundits described Australia’s 39-run win in the first day-night Test held at the Gabba as one of the most gripping matches of the year.

However, they could conjure only faint praise for the home side after they set Pakistan a mammoth 490-run chase and very nearly let them get there on day five.

“Australia will take a one-nil series lead to Melbourne, but it was Pakistan who skipped off the Gabba like winners,” cricket writer Malcolm Knox penned for Fairfax media. “For Australia to skim home with a 39-run margin, after leading by nearly 300 on the first innings, suggests a litany of blunders.”

After losing five Tests in succession in Sri Lanka and at home to South Africa, Australia have hit back to win their last two with a new-look side energised by two of their three rookie batsmen.

Smith, however, is under no illusions about his team’s growing pains.

“It showed we’re still not the finished product,” he told reporters. “We’ve got to continue to work hard, and keep the foot on the throat when we’ve got (opponents) in that position, and be ruthless.”

The comments seemed ironic when weighed against Smith’s waiving of the right to enforce the follow-on after Pakistan were skittled for 142 in their first innings, 287 runs short of Australia’s total. – Reuters