Australia got off to a good start in the Boxing Day test against Pakistan, but rain disrupted play and tight bowling kept them to 187 for three at the end of the first day.
Marnus Labuschagne, who scored 44 not out, and Travis Head, who was unbeaten on 10, will continue their innings on Wednesday as the hosts aim for a series victory with a game to spare.
Following a dominant 360-run win in the first test in Perth, the world test champions were eager to capitalize on their advantage when they were asked to bat on a greener wicket at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Pakistan needed something to boost their spirits after a heavy defeat and a couple of injuries. Left-arm seamers Shaheen Afridi and Mir Hamza created trouble for the Australian openers.
David Warner, in the penultimate test of his career, almost departed for two in the third over when he edged a delivery to the slips, but the catch was grounded by Abdullah Shafique.
Warner was eventually dismissed for 38 just before lunch when he loosely reached for a wide delivery from spinner Agha Salman and edged it to Babar Azam in the slips.
“It was quite challenging,” said Warner. “When they put the ball in the right areas, they challenged our front-foot defence. A lot of play and misses…”
“They didn’t give us too many freebies, which in Perth I felt they did a bit. So yeah, it was a tough start.”
Usman Khawaja, displaying the names of his daughters on his boots in protest against the International Cricket Council, was dismissed for 42 when he edged a Hasan Ali delivery to Salman in the slips.
Labuschagne and Steve Smith weathered a thorough examination before heavy rain sent a large part of the 62,167 crowd scurrying for the exits and forced an early tea break.
When play resumed, Smith was initially given out leg before wicket on 19, but a review showed that the delivery would have missed the stumps.
Another review for caught behind off the bowling of Aamer Jamal did result in Smith being sent back to the dressing room for 26, after the technology confirmed a faint edge off his bat.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, Editing by William Maclean)
