Watson and Ponting lead Aussie fightback

Pakistan, without a Test win over Australia in 15 years, had looked in pole position after skittling the Antipodeans for just 88 on Wednesday, but career-best figures of six for 33 from Shane Watson and a defiant unbeaten 61 from Ricky Ponting yesterday began to turn the tide of the game.

After bowling Pakistan out for 258 mid-way through the day, Australia were 136 for two when bad light forced a premature end – meaning they trailed by just 34 runs.

That seemed the most unlikely of scenarios when Pakistan had forged a 130-run lead with five wickets still in hand.

But Watson claimed four for seven in 13 balls just after lunch, breaking the game open.

Scoreboard

Pakistan v Australia At Headingley Carnegie

Overnight: Australia 88. Pakistan 148-3.

Pakistan First Innings

Amin c North b Hilfenhaus ...................25

Akmal c Paine b Johnson ....................21

Shoaib Malik c Paine b Watson ...........26

Kamran Akmal c North b Watson .........15

Aamer lbw b Watson .............................0

Umar Gul b Watson ...............................0

Danish Kaneria run out ........................15

Mohammad Asif not out ........................9

Extras (b11 lb9 nb9 pens 0)...29

Total (64.5 overs)..................258

Fall: 1-80 2-133 3-140 4-171 5-195 6-222 7- 222 8-224 9-234

Bowling: Bollinger 17-4-50-0. Hilfenhaus 20.5-3-77-2. Watson 11-3-33-6. Johnson 15-0-71-1. Smith 1-0-7-0.

Australia Second Innings Close

S R Watson b Amin .............................24

S M Katich b Aamer .............................11

R T Ponting not out .............................61

M J Clarke not out ...............................32

Extras (b4 w2 nb2 pens 0) .......8

Total 2 wkts (41 overs) .........136

Fall: 1-15 2-55

To Bat: M E K Hussey, M J North, T D Paine, M G Johnson, S P D Smith, B

Bowling: W Hilfenhaus, D E Bollinger.Aamer 9-2-19-1. Mohammad Asif 13-1-42-0. Umar Gul 5-0-36-0. Amin 6-1-12- 1. Danish Kaneria 8-0-23-0.