Italy made two birdies in their first four holes in very tough conditions to join a six-way tie for the lead early on day two of the ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf.
England, South Korea and hosts Australia held a one-shot lead overnight but they all made early bogeys in the wind and rain at The Metropolitan Golf Club to slip to nine under in the foursomes alongside Italy, India and Belgium.
Malaysia, Ireland and Mexico were then at eight under, two shots clear of five other teams, with just five of the 28 teams under par for the day.
Long putts were the order of the day in the early stages, with India's Anirban Lahiri holing a monster on the first to get himself and Gaganjeet Bhullar within one of the lead.
The conditions were playing havoc and all three of the overnight leaders dropped shots after getting in bunker trouble on the first, with Gavin Green hitting an excellent shot from the sand to help Malaysia save par.
That made it a six-way tie at nine under and Italy were just one back after Renato Paratore had made a very long birdie putt on the first.
The Italians moved into a share of the lead with another gain on the fourth and they replaced Malaysia who dropped a shot on the third after Green went a long way right off the tee.
Mexico had birdied the second and sixth and Abraham Ancer rolled home from just off the green at the ninth to help them turn in 33 and sit just a shot off the lead.
Belgium and Ireland began their rounds with three and four pars respectively to sit two shots ahead of Finland, Scotland, Sweden, South Africa and Canada.
