Melbourne Test: Marsh becomes 16th Test batsman to get out on 99

Shaun Marsh joined an unwanted select group in Test cricket when he was run out for 99 as Australia chased a declaration on the final day of the third Test against India on Tuesday

Melbourne: Shaun Marsh joined an unwanted select group in Test cricket when he was run out for 99 as Australia chased a declaration on the final day of the third Test against India on Tuesday.

Marsh, knowing a declaration was imminent shortly before lunch, set off for a chancy single only to be caught short diving to make his ground by Virat Kohli's throw at the non-striker's end. Marsh became only the 16th player in Test cricket to be run out one short of a century and the third Australian.

Shaun Marsh. Pic/ PTI

Bill Brown (1948) and Arthur Morris (1953) were the other Australian unfortunates and all three were caught short of their ground at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Englishman Graham Gooch and South African Jacques Kallis were others run out on the same score in a Test at the MCG.

Soon after Marsh's dismissal, skipper Steve Smith declared the Australian second innings at 318 for nine setting India a record 384-run chase to win the MCG Test.

It was Marsh's highest score against India and he was closing in on his third Test century and first home Test ton after knocks of 148 in South Africa and 141 in Sri Lanka.

Marsh, who dawdled for most of his innings, went after quick runs and hoisted Ravi Ashwin for a six and a four off successive balls to reach 96 but became edgy on 99 with a lunch-time declaration imminent. He still had an over to lunch to play but chose to take a risky single on the last ball of Umesh Yadav's penultimate over.

The last player before Marsh to be run out for 99 was India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni against England in Nagpur in 2012.

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