Ricky Ponting led Australia's recovery in the second and final Test against Pakistan at Headingley here on Thursday. Australia were 136 for two in their second innings, just 34 behind, when bad light forced an early close on the second day. Ponting, the Australia captain, was 61 not out - the first fifty of the match on either side - and Michael Clarke 32 not out following a wicketkless final session.
Their stand was worth 81 - almost as many as Australia made when dismissed for just 88 in a dramatic first innings collapse. Australia had been 170 behind on first innings after Pakistan made 258. All-rounder Shane Watson took six wickets for 33 runs in 11 overs - the second time in as many matches he'd taken Test-best figures - as Pakistan failed to bat Australia out of the game.
Australia have won their last 13 Tests against Pakistan and in January triumphed by 36 runs at Sydney despite a first innings deficit of 206. Ponting's innings saw him get the 40 runs he needed to join India great Sachin Tendulkar as the only other batsman to have scored 12,000 Test runs. An edged four to third man off left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer took Ponting him to the milestone on a ground where he made his first Test hundred back in 1997.
Mohammad Asif's figures of none for 42 off 13 overs were harsh on the seamer, who saw a number of close calls against both Ponting and Clarke go in the batsmen's favour. Australia were 62 for two, still 108 behind, at tea. Ponting had survived several lbw appeals while padding up to be 18 not out and Clarke was unbeaten on two. Watson helped Ponting add 40 for the second wicket. But the opener, on 24, fell to occasional medium-pacer Umar Amin when he played on trying to cut and Australia were 55 for two.
Watson, who took two wickets Wednesday, produced a post-lunch burst of four wickets for seven runs in 13 balls as Pakistan were dismissed for 258. The all-rounder's return saw Watson surpass his previous best of five for 40 achieved in Australia's 150-run series-opening win at Lord's last week. Pakistan, 218 for five at lunch, were 222 for seven in the space of two Watson balls.
Kamran Akmal (15) was well caught low down at first slip by Marcus North and next ball Aamer was lbw, playing no stroke. Danish Kaneria and Asif added 24 at a run-a-ball for the last wicket before a comical mix-up saw Kaneria run out after Pakistan had started a rain delayed second day on 148 for three.
Scoreboard
-- Australia 1st Innings 88 (Mohammad Aamer 3-20, Mohammad Asif 3-30)
-- Pakistan 1st Innings (overnight: 148-3)
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Imran Farhat lbw b Watson 43
Salman Butt b Hilfenhaus 45
Azhar Ali c Paine b Watson 30
Umar Amin c North b Hilfenhaus 25
Umar Akmal c Paine b Johnson 21
Shoaib Malik c Paine b Watson 26
Kamran Akmal c North b Watson 15
Mohammad Aamer lbw b Watson 0
Umar Gul b Watson 0
Danish Kaneria run out (Smith) 15
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Mohammad Asif not out 9
Extras: (b11, lb9, nb9) 29
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Total: (all out, 64.5 overs, 286 mins) 258
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Fall of wickets: 1-80, 2-133, 3-140, 4-171, 5-195, 6-222, 7-222, 8-224, 9-234 , 10-258
Bowling: Bollinger 17-4-50-0 (5nb); Hilfenhaus 20.5-3-77-2 (3nb); Watson 11-3-33-6; Johnson 15-0-71-1 (1nb); Smith 1-0-7-0
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Australia 2nd Innings
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S. Watson b Amin 24
S. Katich b Aamer 11
R. Ponting not out 61
M. Clarke not out 32
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Extras (b4, w2, nb2) 8
Total: (2 wkts, 41 overs, 184 mins) 136
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Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Katich), 2-55 (Watson)
Bowling: Aamer 9-2-19-1; Asif 13-1-42-0; Gul 5-0-36-0 (2nb); Amin 6-1-12-1 (2w); Kaneria 8-0-23-0;
Toss: Australia
Match position: Australia are 34 runs behind Pakistan with 8 wkts standing
Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG) and Rudi Koertzen (RSA)
TV umpire: Nadeem Ghouri (PAK)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG).
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