Ponting leads Australian fightback vs Pakistan

July, 22 2010
LEEDS, England: Ricky Ponting's unbeaten 61 led Australia to 136-2 against Pakistan at Headingley to leave the second test delicately poised at the end of day two on Thursday. Ponting's score, the highest of the match, came from 103 balls and included six fours, leaving Australia 34 runs behind with eight second-innings wickets in hand. "It's sort of even at the moment," Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said. "If we can fetch a couple of wickets early tomorrow then things can swing back in our favor. We still have a chance." Umar Amin and Mohammad Aamer were the only bowlers to take wickets, as Ponting and Michael Clarke, on 32 not out, advanced from 62-2 at tea, cutting Pakistan's lead to just 34 at the close. Earlier, Shane Watson took a career-best 6-33 as Australia dismissed Pakistan for 258 in its first innings — a lead of 170. "It's hard to really believe, to be fair," Watson said. "The ball swung a bit which made things a little easier and it's not like it was hot out there either, but it's amazing how it's worked out. "The little bit of work I've been doing in the nets has paid off." New captain Salman Butt finished the innings as the top scorer with 45 for Pakistan, which began the day on 148-3. The morning session was delayed for 45 minutes due to rain but when play did begin, the opening over provided an explosive start as Mitchell Johnson conceded 11 runs before having Umar Akmal caught at mid-off from the sixth delivery. Akmal was given a reprieve as Johnson was called for a no-ball, although Umar Amin was nearly run out at the opposite end as he scrambled for a single. It proved to be a temporary stay of execution for Akmal, who was caught behind off Johnson for 21 in the 44th over, the fifth of the morning. Amin was the victim of a freak dismissal for 25 in the 51st over, when he ducked under a bouncer from Ben Hilfenhaus but left his bat in the air. The ball struck the toe-end of his bat and flew straight to North at square leg. Pakistan came out after lunch on 218-5 and Watson almost single-handedly dragged Australia back into the match with two wickets from the final two balls of the first over after the interval. He had Kamran Akmal caught at first slip by Marcus North for 15, and then trapped Mohammad Aamer lbw without scoring, although umpire Rudi Koertzen's decision appeared harsh. Umar Gul survived the hat-trick ball at the start of Watson's next over but was soon clean-bowled for a duck by the opening batsman, giving Watson his second five-wicket test haul, having claimed 5-40 at Lord's in the first match of the series. Watson added to his tally in the next over, as Shoaib Malik played a poor shot and holed out to wicketkeeper Tim Paine on 26. Watson was asked if Pakistan's risky batting had contributed to his success. "I thought it was good bowling!" he said, joking with reporters. "There's no doubt how Umar Akmal started the day was pretty interesting," Watson added. "We know how they bat and we knew we had to stay very patient, because we know they are a very aggressive batting side and they can't stay patient for too long." The last-wicket pair of Danish Kaneria and Mohammad Asif added 24 runs from as many balls in an entertaining cameo, before Kaneria was run out by Steven Smith for 15. Asif finished 9 not out. "We should have got another 50 or 60 runs to put them maybe under more pressure, but that didn't happen," Younis admitted. Mohammad Aamer struck in the fourth over of Australia's second innings, bowling Simon Katich behind his legs for 11, and Ponting was lucky to survive a strong lbw appeal on the next delivery. Butt's apparently charmed life on his debut as captain continued, when his decision to hand the ball to part-time bowler Umar Amin for the 16th over was instantly vindicated. Amin, having removed North in the first innings, bowled Watson for 24, as he tried to cut the ball and played on to his stumps, leaving Ponting and Michael Clarke to cling on until the tea interval at 62-2. As batting conditions improved in the evening, and with Pakistan setting defensive fields, Ponting scored his 12,000th run in test cricket with a four to third man off Aamer and brought up his 50, from 73 balls, with a single from Kaneria. Ponting and Clarke steadily eroded Pakistan's lead, reviving memories of the Sydney test in January, when Australia overcame a first-innings deficit of 206 to beat Pakistan by 36 runs. Aamer and Mohammad Asid bowled beautifully without reward, while Ponting lived dangerously, surviving another convincing shout for lbw and a stumping appeal before bad light halted play at 1635 GMT.
By: Ary News