Mitch Marsh makes mockery of Pakistan call as Aussies dominate in first Test

Pakistan debutant Aamir Jamal has been forced to eat his words after a brutal display of batting from Aussie cricket star Mitch Marsh on day two of the first Test in Perth. The home town hero stole the show in the first session on Friday after racing onto 90 runs but fell just short of a memorable century after being removed first ball after lunch.

Marsh and Alex Carey started day two with the Aussies on 5-346 at Optus Stadium on Friday after David Warner's 26th Test century put the hosts firmly in the driving seat on Thursday. Jamal had been arguably the pick of Pakistan's bowlers on day one after taking figures of 2-63 off 12 overs, including the big wickets of Warner (164 runs) and Travis Head (40).

'UN-AUSTRALIAN': David Warner in 'horrible' development after century

'SORRY TO HEAR': Cricket world rallies around Cameron Green after reveal

The 27-year-old - playing in his first Test match for Pakistan in Perth - went into day two refusing to give up and took the superb figures of 6-111 to help bowl Australia out for 487 in their first innings. However, it was the quick's bold prediction before the start of the day's play that was made to look silly by the big-hitting home town favourite, Marsh.

"The second (new) ball has been taken and both of the bowlers are bowling well," Jamal said before the start of play on day two. "We are planning to get them out in the first hour of the morning.

"I think both batsmen are going after the ball. They're playing their shots, they can't resist against the bowling. So if they're going after us, we might get them out in the early hour."

Pakistan call brutally backfires

The optimistic call didn't exactly come to fruition for Jamal and the Pakistanis as Marsh kept Australia's foot firmly on the visitors' throats. The West Australian earned the loudest roar so far this Test series after belting Jamal to the boundary to bring up his half century off just 66 balls.

The Pakistani quick did remove Marsh's batting partner Carey later in the same over after a superb delivery that zipped back off the seam and clattered into the wicketkeeper's off stump. The almost unplayable delivery angled in at the off stump from around the wicket, hit the pitch at a good length and nipped back to send Carey packing for 34.

Any hope for Pakistan that the wicket would slow Australia's scoring rate were brutally extinguished by Marsh, who showcased his full range of power hitting and willingness to punish anything bowled at a short length. The all-rounder raced into the 60s after a couple of boundaries off Jamal and spinner Agha Salman, before targeting Pakistan's pace debutant in the 103rd over.

Mitch Marsh falls just short of superb hundred

Marsh began the over by belting Jamal for a massive six after picking up a shortish delivery and hoisting it over the midwicket boundary. Marsh's new partner Mitchell Starc got in on the act after hitting Jamal for consecutive fours off the same over, before Marsh had the home side approaching 450 with another boundary off Salman.

Starc then survived an LBW shout after a sharp piece of bowling from Jamal but the Pakistan debutant got his man with another unplayable delivery on the very next ball. Jamal forced Starc into playing at a pitched-up straight delivery that did just enough in the air and off the seam to catch a thin outside edge and hit the top of the off stump.

Aussie skipper Pat Cummins showed his intent to attack as he raced to nine at the lunch break, with Marsh needing a further 10 runs to complete his century. The local favourite had fans holding their breath for a dream century after he ended the first session on 90, with Australia in a commanding position of 7-476.

Unfortunately for Marsh, the fairytale home century failed to materialise after the break as Khurram Shahzad clean-bowled the all-rounder after tempting him into another attacking shot. Fans were gutted to see the West Australian miss out on his ton but sung the 32-year-old's praises on social media.

Sign up to our newsletter and score the biggest sport stories of the week.