Renshaw falls short of double ton but Australia bat on

By Nick Mulvenney

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Matt Renshaw fell short of his double century but Australia continued to pile on the runs on the second day of the third test against Pakistan on Wednesday, reaching 454 for four at lunch.

Peter Hanscomb continued his fine form by passing 50 for the fourth time in his fourth test and was inching towards his second century on 83 not out at the break.

Debutant all-rounder Hilton Cartwright opened his test account with a crisp four through the covers off the first ball he faced and will resume on 25 not out.

Australia got off to a fine start in their bid to sweep the three-match series when David Warner scored a century in the first session at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday and resumed on 365-3.

Renshaw's maiden test century was another highlight for the hosts on day one of the contest but he was able to add just 17 runs to his overnight 167 before chopping the ball onto his stumps off the bowling of Imran Khan.

Although he fell short of becoming the youngest Australian to score a double century, breaking a record held by Donald Bradman since 1930, the 20-year-old's 184 has all but secured him a ticket to India for the four-test series beginning in February.

Handscomb's place in the touring party must also be safe after he became just the second Australian to make more than 50 runs in each of his first four tests.

Brought into the side with Renshaw in the wake of the Hobart humiliation at the hands of South Africa in November, the 25-year-old has proved a rock in what had become a fragile middle order.

Resuming on 40, he brought up his half century off 109 balls with a single to fine leg and immediately applied himself to the task of converting it into a century.

A couple of farcical fielding errors early in the session gave the impression that Pakistan were not at their sharpest.

Cartwright benefited from a missed stumping opportunity and Younus Khan gave him another life shortly before the break when he dropped the debutant at first slip off Azhar Ali's part-time spin.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)