Cameron Green and Alex Carey lead Australia fightback as pair hit half centuries in Lahore

Alex Carey and Cameron Green revived the innings with patient half centuries as Australia progressed to 320-5 at lunch on Day 2 of the third and final cricket test against Pakistan.

Left-handed Carey successfully overturned a contentious caught behind decision against him and was batting on 60 at the first interval Tuesday. Green also showed lot of resilience on a slow wicket to remain unbeaten on 56.

Both batsmen denied Pakistan a breakthrough in the 28-over morning session on yet another hot day after resuming on 232-5.

The pair each hit half centuries to take the tourists past 300 runs on a hot day in Lahore

Umpire Aleem Dar adjudged Carey out to Hasan Ali’s full pitched delivery when the batsman was on 27, but television replays showed the ball had missed Carey’s bat and pad and might have clipped the off stump before wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan gloved the bumped ball.

Carey raised his second half century on the tour from 73 balls when he smashed two successive boundaries in off-spinner Sajid Khan’s one over that included a reverse swept four to the point boundary.

Carey and Green extended their sixth-wicket stand to 114 runs after joining late on Day 1 when Pakistan struck three times in the last session and had Australia in trouble at 206-5. The wicketkeeper eventually fell for 67 runs in the second session.

Green moved towards 80 runs and his resilient batting served to frustrate the hosts

Pakistan finally got the breakthrough as Nuaman Ali (L) dismissed Carey for a total of 67 runs

Green used his feet well against both Sajid and left-arm spinner Nauman Ali and also defied the Pakistan pacers’ relentless reverse swing on low-bouncy wicket.

Green, resuming on 20, completed his half century off 117 balls when he drove past diving Sajid for two runs at mid-on.

Pakistan used its strike pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-56) and Naseem Shah (2-45) in two shorts spells but the batters resolutely handled the reverse swing.

Australia’s historic first tour of Pakistan in 24 years has added significance going into the series decider after matches Rawalpindi and Karachi.

Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium is hosting its first test in 13 years since a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team’s bus in 2009 that led to a lengthy absence of international cricket in Pakistan.