Watson takes five for Australia

LONDON, (Reuters) – Australia grasped their  opportunity to exploit the swing and seam movement available at Lord’s yesterday by dismissing Pakistan for 148 on the second  day of the first test.

The Australians, who have won each of their last 12 tests  against Pakistan, needed only 40.5 overs to take a 105-run first  innings lead.

Pakistan fought back late in the day, dismissing captain  Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey for ducks, as Australia  struggled in their turn to 100 for four, an overall lead of 205.  Fifteen wickets fell in the day’s play.

Shane Watson was Australia’s individual hero, becoming the  first bowler to earn a place on a new honours board dedicated to  players involved in a test from two overseas countries.

Watson, who was promoted to opening batsman in last year’s  Ashes series, took five for 40 with his medium-pace from the  Pavilion End.

He survived a dazzling but all too brief cameo from Shahid  Afridi, captaining Pakistan for the first time in a test match,  who smashed 31 from 15 balls, including two sixes off Watson.

His vice-captain Salman Butt played an altogether more  responsible innings, melding resolute defence with wristy  elegance to reach 63 in 171 minutes before he was beaten and  bowled by Watson.

Watson, whose pace proved ideally suited to the conditions,  dismissed the Akmal brothers Umar (5) and Kamran (0) lbw in his  first two overs.

GUL STRIKES

Wicketkeeper Tim Paine, playing his first test in place of  the injured Brad Haddin, took four catches, including two off  Tasmanian team mate Ben Hilfenhaus.

In the morning session, Hussey, with 56 not out, again  demonstrated his ability to marshal the tail-enders by helping  Australia extend their overnight total of 229 for nine to 253  all out.

At the other end of the day, Watson celebrated his  achievements with the ball by opening his account with three  boundaries.

He lofted Danish Kaneria’s leg-spin for six over mid-wicket  to bring up his team’s half-century and drove Mohammad Asif for  a majestic four before he was caught by Imran Farhat at first  slip off the next ball for 31.

Ponting, in possibly his last test at Lord’s, lasted only  six balls before he was lbw to Asif without scoring.

Umar Gul dismissed Michael Clarke (12) and Hussey off  successive balls, leaving Simon Katich, top scorer in the first  innings with 80, unbeaten on 49 at the close.

SCOREBOARD

Australia first innings (229-9 overnight)
S. Watson b Mohammad Aamer                                              4
S. Katich c Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Asif                80
R. Ponting c Umar Amin b Aamer                                       26
M. Clarke lbw b Asif                                                                  47
M. Hussey  not out                                                                     56
M. North  b Asif                                                                             0
T. Paine  c Kamran Akmal b Umar Gul                                7
S. Smith  lbw b Danish Kaneria                                               1
M. Johnson  b Kaneria                                                               3
B. Hilfenhaus  b Aamer                                                              1
D. Bollinger   b Aamer                                                               4
Extras  (b 10, lb 2, w 2, nb 10)                                            24

Total  (all out; 76.5 overs)                                                 253
Fall of wickets: 1-8 2-51 3-171 4-174 5-174 6-206 7-208  8-213 9-222
Bowling: Mohammad Aamer 19.5-2-72-4 (w-2), Mohammad Asif  19-5-63-3, Umar Gul 17-3-32-1 (nb-9),  Shahid Afridi 3-0-25-0,  Danish Kaneria 18-7-49-2 (nb-1)

Pakistan first innings:
Imran Farhat c Paine b Hilfenhaus                                     4
Salman Buttb b Watson                                                         63
Azhar Ali  c Paine b Hilfenhaus                                          16
Umar Amin  c Paine b Johnson                                            1
Umar Akmal  lbw b Watson                                                   5
Kamran Akmal  lbw b Watson                                              0
Shahid Afridi c Johnson b Watson                                   31
Mohammad Aamer c Paine b Bollinger                           0
Umar Gul  c Watson b Bollinger                                          7
Danish Kaneria c Smith b Watson                                    14
Mohammad Asif  not out                                                       4
Extras (lb 2, nb 1)                                                                     3
Total  (all out; 40.5 overs)                                               148
Fall of wickets: 1-11 2-45 3-54 4-75 5-83 6-117 7-117 8-129  9-133
Bowling: D. Bollinger 11-3-38-2, B. Hilfenhaus 12-2-37-2  (nb-1), M. Johnson 10-2-31-1, S. Watson 7.5-1-40-5

Australia second innings
S. Watson  c Imran Farhat b Mohammad Asif           31
S. Katich not out                                                                    49
R. Ponting  lbw b Mohammad Asif                                   0
M. Clarke   b Umar Gul                                                        12
M. Hussey  c Imran Farhat b Umar Gul                         0
M. Johnson  not out                                                               2
Extras  (lb 1, nb 5)                                                                   6
Total (4 wickets; 29.3 overs)                                        100
Fall of wickets: 1-61 2-73 3-97 4-97
Bowling: Mohammad Aamer 8.3-2-30-0, Mohammad Asif 9-2-30-2,  Umar Gul 5-2-7-2 (nb-3), Danish Kaneria 7-1-32-0 (nb-2).