The start of play on the third day of the post-lunch session of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan was delayed by seven minutes after the third umpire Richard Illingworth got stuck in the lift at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.The on-field umpires-Michael Gough and Joel Wilson-informed the two batters David Warner and Steve Smith about the delay and play resumed after the fourth umpire took Illingworth's place until he returned to the box.
"We have got a stoppage in play because the third umpire is stuck in a lift. We had a bit of delay before because of a little bit of drizzle. Now everything is ready go, but we have an umpire stuck in the lift."Do you any other sport that has so many different delays for so many different reasons?" former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram said on air. Illingworth eventually returned back to doing his duties as the third umpire. Before going into lunch, Pakistan had dented Australia early in their second innings, reducing the hosts to 16 for 4, with Shaheen Afridi removing Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, cheaply. However, Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith stitched a key partnership to stabilize the Aussie innings.
