M Abbas to Marsh, This one stays low too, is very full and straight, Mitch just about avoids gets LBW and makes it BBW. Abbas' figures read 8-0-32-1.
M Abbas to Marsh, On a length outside off, stays low, Mitchell gets his bat down to punch but gets a bottom edge.
M Abbas to Marsh, FOUR! WHAM! Wow. No second thoughts about Australia's thoughts on chasing down 538. Who wants a draw? Anything slightly off line and length and it is going to go. Short and outside off, Marsh's eyes light up and he bludgeons the pull through square leg. Not a soul moves.
Mitchell Marsh comes in at number 4, replacing Head.
M Abbas to Head, OUT! Caught behind! Head's troubles are over. Abbas has struck in his 4th over of the morning. The channel is perfect, in the corridor of uncertainty. The length is near perfect, somewhere between full and good. The enticing is excellent. 'C'mon Travis, feel for it, play at it.' The response is even better. Because Head does not control his urge to feel for balls outside off. He could have left it alone, but wants to go on a drive in this heat. Bad decision. To drive the car, you need to keep your feet on the accelerator. To drive the ball, you need to get your feet to the pitch of the ball. Travis does not do the latter. Goes at it flat-footed and gets a thick outside edge behind. The 61-run stand is broken and Abbas roars in delight at Head's face. Very, very well set up. Perfect Test cricket. Testing the batsman's patience.
M Abbas to Head, Pretty straight, Head defends it down the ground.
M Abbas to Head, On a length around middle and off, watchfully defended.
Y Shah to Finch, A touch short, Finch goes back to punch it through the off side but is done in by the lack of bounce. Mistimes it towards cover.
Y Shah to Finch, Around off, worked to the leg side.
Y Shah to Finch, Floated around off, spinning away, pushed away defensively.
Y Shah to Head, Full and outside leg, played past leg slip for a run.
Y Shah to Head, NEARLY! Close shave for Travis Head. Tossed up outside off, the southpaw gets down and across to sweep but misses the ball. It spins in, misses the bat, misses the glove and luckily for the batsman, also misses the stumps! Not far from the leg stick.
Y Shah to A Finch, Tossed up outside off, driven through the covers for a single. The stand moves to 60.
M Abbas to Head, Outside off, punched towards cover.
M Abbas to Head, Lovely ball. Full and straight, Travis was looking to work that to the leg side but the ball moved away late and squared him up. Somehow managed to push it to the bowler.
M Abbas to Head, FOUR! Cut away! Not a bad ball from Abbas, on a length outside off and cutting back in. But Head is ready to take the risk of being too close to the ball to cut, goes through with the shot and gets it behind point for a boundary.
M Abbas to Head, The batsman shows the full face of the bat and defends the ball off the back foot.
M Abbas to Head, Around off, watchfully defended.
M Abbas to Head, On middle and leg, helped through mid-wicket for a couple.
Y Shah to Finch, The batsman defends it from within the crease.