Australia opening batsman Aaron Finch has declared himself fit for the Boxing Day test against India in Melbourne and said his injured finger would need to be cut off to prevent him from playing in front of his home state's fans.

Finch's right index finger suffered a nasty blow when he was struck in the glove by a Mohammed Shami delivery in the second test in Perth, forcing him to retire hurt during Australia's second innings.

He came back to face only one more delivery before being caught behind off the same bowler but it mattered little as Tim Paine's Australia went on to claim a rousing 146-run win to level the four-match series at 1-1.

As a one-day specialist, Victoria batsman Finch has played to huge crowds at the MCG, including the World Cup triumph against New Zealand in 2015. 
But Finch has yet to savour a Boxing Day test at the ground, one of the game's biggest carnivals.

"With a Boxing Day test, being from Victoria, it's going to have to be cut off (to not play)," Finch joked to reporters at the MCG before training on Sunday.

"It's going to be a catch and bat today and reassess, but it feels like it's improved 100 per cent over the last couple of days.

"I got sent some new bats, so I've been walking around the lounge room and waving them around. It feels OK.

"If anything changes in the next couple of days, we'll have to sit down and chat about that but, at this stage, it's still business as usual and I plan to field at slip and do whatever else is needed."

After twin failures in the first test defeat in Adelaide, Finch scored 50 in the first innings in Perth in a vital 112-run opening partnership with Victoria teammate Marcus Harris.

The rookie opening pair then shored up their places in the squad with a 59-run stand in Australia's second innings.

Compared to India, who have injuries nagging both their top spinners and major form concerns over both their opening batsmen, Australia head into the Wednesday's Boxing Day test in a relative state of calm.

Australia are unlikely to tweak their attack for the MCG, and only middle order batsman Peter Handscomb is really sweating on his place after managing only 68 runs from his four innings.

Seam-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Marsh could replace Handscomb and offer support for Australia`s pacemen on a drop-in wicket that did little for the bowlers in a dull draw against England last year.

But selectors would be replacing one out-of-form player with another. 
Marsh has managed scores of 11, 21, 30 and six from his last four innings for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield, and was dismissed for three on Thursday in his last knock in the local 'Big Bash' Twenty20 competition.

Australia opening batsman Aaron Finch has declared himself fit for the Boxing Day test against India in Melbourne and said his injured finger would need to be cut off to prevent him from playing in front of his home state's fans.

Australia opening batsman Aaron Finch has declared himself fit for the Boxing Day test against India in Melbourne and said his injured finger would need to be cut off to prevent him from playing in front of his home state's fans. Finch's right index finger suffered a nasty blow when he was struck in the glove by a Mohammed Shami delivery in the second test in Perth, forcing him to retire hurt during Australia's second innings. He came back to face only one more delivery before being caught behind off the same bowler but it mattered little as Tim Paine's Australia went on to claim a rousing 146-run win to level the four-match series at 1-1. As a one-day specialist, Victoria batsman Finch has played to huge crowds at the MCG, including the World Cup triumph against New Zealand in 2015. But Finch has yet to savour a Boxing Day test at the ground, one of the game's biggest carnivals. "With a Boxing Day test, being from Victoria, it's going to have to be cut off (to not play)," Finch joked to reporters at the MCG before training on Sunday. "It's going to be a catch and bat today and reassess, but it feels like it's improved 100 per cent over the last couple of days. "I got sent some new bats, so I've been walking around the lounge room and waving them around. It feels OK. "If anything changes in the next couple of days, we'll have to sit down and chat about that but, at this stage, it's still business as usual and I plan to field at slip and do whatever else is needed." After twin failures in the first test defeat in Adelaide, Finch scored 50 in the first innings in Perth in a vital 112-run opening partnership with Victoria teammate Marcus Harris. The rookie opening pair then shored up their places in the squad with a 59-run stand in Australia's second innings. Compared to India, who have injuries nagging both their top spinners and major form concerns over both their opening batsmen, Australia head into the Wednesday's Boxing Day test in a relative state of calm. Australia are unlikely to tweak their attack for the MCG, and only middle order batsman Peter Handscomb is really sweating on his place after managing only 68 runs from his four innings. Seam-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Marsh could replace Handscomb and offer support for Australia`s pacemen on a drop-in wicket that did little for the bowlers in a dull draw against England last year. But selectors would be replacing one out-of-form player with another. Marsh has managed scores of 11, 21, 30 and six from his last four innings for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield, and was dismissed for three on Thursday in his last knock in the local 'Big Bash' Twenty20 competition.

Finch says finger would need to be cut off to miss Boxing Day

Skipper&nbsp;Steve&nbsp;Smith&nbsp;scored his 17th Test century to give Australia a 22-run lead over Pakistan as rain again disrupted play in the second Test in Melbourne on Thursday.

Smith&nbsp;reached his fourth Test hundred of the year before a storm lashed the Melbourne Cricket Ground just before tea and forced the rest of the fourth day&#39;s play to be abandoned.

Smith&nbsp;was unbeaten on 100 with Mitchell Starc not out seven in Australia&#39;s 465 for six.

It is unlikely there will be a result in the Test with just Friday&#39;s final day to play.

The Australians were hoping to build a 100-plus run lead to try and put the tourists under pressure on the final day in the weather-disrupted Test.

&quot;We were planning to play a little more positively this afternoon and try and get as many runs as we could, but the rain hasn&#39;t helped us,&quot;&nbsp;Smith&nbsp;said.

&quot;So now it&#39;s about summing it up in the morning and seeing where we can go.

&quot;It&#39;s obviously going to be difficult to get a result, the wicket hasn&#39;t broken up much and it&#39;s playing well.&quot;

Smith&nbsp;passed 1,000 runs in a calendar year for the third time in a row during his knock, taking his 2016 total to 1,040 at 67.60 with his patient 100 not out coming off 168 balls with nine boundaries.

Usman Khawaja was dismissed three runs short of his century early in the day, the second time this season that the Pakistan-born batsman has been dismissed on 97.

Khawaja had added just two runs to his overnight 95 off 12 balls when he edged Wahab Riaz to wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed in the day&#39;s fifth over. Khawaja left the ground with his head bowed.

Khawaja also missed out on a century against South Africa in the second innings of last month&#39;s first Test in Perth.

The Australians lost the wickets of under-pressure pair Nic Maddinson and Matthew Wade in the middle session.

Handy Handscomb

Maddinson, fighting to nail down his Test spot, failed again, deceived by wrist-spinner Yasir Shah&#39;s flight and was bowled off-stump for 22 off 55 balls.

Under pressure after scores of 0, 1 and 4 in his three Test innings, Maddinson advanced down the wicket but failed to get to the pitch of the ball and left the wicket shaking his head.

Wicketkeeper Wade again missed out -- this time he was caught in the slips for just nine after a slash outside off-stump at Sohail Khan.

Wade, like Maddinson, has struggled for runs since his recall for last month&#39;s third Test against South Africa and has scores of 4, 7, 1 not out and now 9 in his four innings since.&nbsp;

In contrast, Peter Handscomb claimed his third half-century in three Tests to push along the Australian scoring.

He was dropped off a sharp caught-and-bowled chance by Mohammad Amir on 51, but three runs later he found Sami Aslam at point off Sohail.

Handscomb, playing on his home pitch, added 92 runs with&nbsp;Smith&nbsp;off 141 balls.

Starc slammed Shah for a mighty six -- measured at 103 metres -- high into the stands to get off the mark and will resume on Friday with&nbsp;Smith.

Azhar Ali, who scored an unbeaten 205 in Pakistan&#39;s 443 for nine in the first innings declaration, was fielding at short leg when he received a fearsome blow on the helmet off Wade&#39;s full-blooded pull shot and was taken from the field for observation for concussion.

Paceman Riaz continued to have problems bowling no-balls. He overstepped 12 times in his 27 overs.

&quot;We need to cut down these no-balls, it&#39;s not acceptable,&quot; Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood said.

(AFP)

Smith?reached his fourth Test hundred of the year to give his team a lead of 22 runs before a storm curtailed Day 3 of the Test

Skipper Steve Smith scored his 17th Test century to give Australia a 22-run lead over Pakistan as rain again disrupted play in the second Test in Melbourne on Thursday. Smith reached his fourth Test hundred of the year before a storm lashed the Melbourne Cricket Ground just before tea and forced the rest of the fourth day's play to be abandoned. Smith was unbeaten on 100 with Mitchell Starc not out seven in Australia's 465 for six. It is unlikely there will be a result in the Test with just Friday's final day to play. The Australians were hoping to build a 100-plus run lead to try and put the tourists under pressure on the final day in the weather-disrupted Test. "We were planning to play a little more positively this afternoon and try and get as many runs as we could, but the rain hasn't helped us," Smith said. "So now it's about summing it up in the morning and seeing where we can go. "It's obviously going to be difficult to get a result, the wicket hasn't broken up much and it's playing well." Smith passed 1,000 runs in a calendar year for the third time in a row during his knock, taking his 2016 total to 1,040 at 67.60 with his patient 100 not out coming off 168 balls with nine boundaries. Usman Khawaja was dismissed three runs short of his century early in the day, the second time this season that the Pakistan-born batsman has been dismissed on 97. Khawaja had added just two runs to his overnight 95 off 12 balls when he edged Wahab Riaz to wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed in the day's fifth over. Khawaja left the ground with his head bowed. Khawaja also missed out on a century against South Africa in the second innings of last month's first Test in Perth. The Australians lost the wickets of under-pressure pair Nic Maddinson and Matthew Wade in the middle session. Handy Handscomb Maddinson, fighting to nail down his Test spot, failed again, deceived by wrist-spinner Yasir Shah's flight and was bowled off-stump for 22 off 55 balls. Under pressure after scores of 0, 1 and 4 in his three Test innings, Maddinson advanced down the wicket but failed to get to the pitch of the ball and left the wicket shaking his head. Wicketkeeper Wade again missed out -- this time he was caught in the slips for just nine after a slash outside off-stump at Sohail Khan. Wade, like Maddinson, has struggled for runs since his recall for last month's third Test against South Africa and has scores of 4, 7, 1 not out and now 9 in his four innings since. In contrast, Peter Handscomb claimed his third half-century in three Tests to push along the Australian scoring. He was dropped off a sharp caught-and-bowled chance by Mohammad Amir on 51, but three runs later he found Sami Aslam at point off Sohail. Handscomb, playing on his home pitch, added 92 runs with Smith off 141 balls. Starc slammed Shah for a mighty six -- measured at 103 metres -- high into the stands to get off the mark and will resume on Friday with Smith. Azhar Ali, who scored an unbeaten 205 in Pakistan's 443 for nine in the first innings declaration, was fielding at short leg when he received a fearsome blow on the helmet off Wade's full-blooded pull shot and was taken from the field for observation for concussion. Paceman Riaz continued to have problems bowling no-balls. He overstepped 12 times in his 27 overs. "We need to cut down these no-balls, it's not acceptable," Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood said. (AFP)

Steve Smith ton hands Australia advantage over Pakistan in Melbourne Test

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Finch says finger would need to be cut off to miss Boxing Day

Steve Smith ton hands Australia advantage over Pakistan in Melbourne Test