Draw looms as Australia’s batsmen build on rain-affected day

Australia reached 449-7 at stumps in its first innings on Day 4 on a grassless wicket with Marnus Labuschagne (90) and Steve Smith (78) scoring half centuries

Australia's batters flourished on a flat wicket Monday to cut Pakistan's lead to 27 runs as the first Test heads toward a draw.

Australia reached 449-7 at stumps in its first innings on Day 4 on a grassless wicket with Marnus Labuschagne (90) and Steve Smith (78) scoring half centuries. Cameron Green (48) showed himself to be a test allrounder by spending more than two hours at the crease, facing 109 balls.

No. 8 batter Mitchell Starc spent almost the last hour and was not out on 12 with skipper Pat Cummins not out on 4 as stumps were drawn three overs before scheduled because of bad light.

Pakistan had declared its first innings at 476-4 late on Day 2 on the back of big centuries from Azhar Ali (185) and Imam-ul-Haq (157).

“There’s not a great deal of pace and bounce in (the wicket) for the seamers, that’s for sure," Smith said. "I thought it would break up a little bit more and probably turn a bit more from the start, but it probably hasn’t done so."

Opening batter Usman Khawaja narrowly missed out on a century in the country of his birth on Sunday when he was dismissed for 97, but shared a rapid 156-run opening wicket stand with David Warner, who made 68.

On a docile wicket where there was no appreciable turn for the spinners, left-arm spinner Nauman Ali grabbed 4-107 mainly because Australia's batters went for extravagant shots.