Warner's 144 leads Australia's strong reply to Pakistan's 443

Hosts finished day three at the score of 278-2, trailing visitors by 165 runs in first innings

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: Australian opener David Warner scored a stunning 144 to take hosts to 278-2 at the end of third day's play of the second Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Wednesday.

The left-hander smashed 17 fours and one six in his stay of 143 balls, as he along with Pakistan-born Usman Khawaja added 198 runs for the second wicket.

For Pakistan, pacer Wahab Riaz and leg-spinner Yasir Shah picked one wicket each.

Earlier, opener Azhar Ali became the first Pakistani batsman to score a double hundred on the Australian soil as visitors declared their first innings at the score of 443 for nine just after lunch.

Azhar finished the innings with an unbeaten 205, as Misbahul Haq’s men added 132 runs on third morning of the match in just 25 overs, courtesy sublime hitting from pacer Sohail Khan, who scored run-a-ball 65 with the help of six boundaries and four massive sixes.

In achieving that milestone, Azhar became the first Pakistani to score two scores of over 200 in a calendar year, whereas he also became the first visiting team’s batsman to score a double ton at MCG in more than three decades, with only the West Indies great Viv Richards has hit a higher score (208) at the venue.

For Australia, pacers Josh Hazlewood and Jackson Bird finished with three wickets each.