MELBOURNE Openers Shane Watson and Simon Katich fell agonisingly short of centuries, but put Australia in a commanding position against Pakistan in the first Test at the MCG. The Aussie run spree was aided in large part by some shoddy fielding by the visitors.
Australia were 3-305 at stumps on the first day after Watson (93) and Katich (98) posted a stand of 182 and captain Ricky Ponting proved he had recovered from his elbow injury from last week, with 57 from 60 balls.
Michael Hussey finished 37 not out and nightwatchman Nathan Hauritz five not out.
Pakistan started the day on the back foot, with the in-form leg-spinner Danish Kaneria ruled out with a finger injury while Abdur Rauf was favoured over the 'off colour' Umar Gul.
Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer, Abdur Rauf and Saeed Ajmal looked good prospects on the bouncy Melbourne pitch, bowling some probing lines and bottling the scoring after the home side won the toss and elected to bat.
Fielding reprieves broke the stalemate, first when Katich was dropped at eight by Umar Akmal at gully off the bowling of Aamer, followed by Misbah-ul-Haq flooring a harmless Watson edge off a Saeed Ajmal doosra while the batsman was on 43.
This triggered an Aussie roller-coaster that powered the home side to 182 in 60 overs. The Pakistani bowlers looked clueless in the face of some aggressive stroke play and the fielders rolled around like moss. At one point, it seemed the day would end without any wickets falling but clearly Simon Katich or Shane Watson or both for that matter weren't in the mood to further disappoint the Paksitani fans.
In a bizarre incident which saw both men stranded at the striker's end it came down to the third umpire to decide which batsman he was going to send off. Upon close scrutiny by the television cameras it was clear Watson was the victim of an ill-judged call from striker Katich that, for once, found an alert fielder in the covers. 'Kato' followed Watson to the shed soon after and undoubtedly the two would have had a few words on the mix up. The only consolation Katich could have offered Watson would have been the fact that he too did not register a century after getting so close.
This brought Captain Ricky Ponting to the crease, determined face and arm-guard on display. He proved his 'shortcomings' were only a mere glitch as he smashed seven boundaries en route his 50th half-century. He fell to Asif in the slips on 57.
At the end of the day the Pakistani bowlers will argue their good work was undone by the fielders but pitch maps would indicate that they bowled way too short to trouble the batsmen, as is the case with most sub-continental sides touring Australia.
They are up against a potential mammoth if nightwatchman Nathan Hauritz, who's looked pretty comfortable so far, and Michael Hussey continue to bat the way they have. With Michael Clarke, Marcus North, Brad Haddin to follow it seems highly unlikely the Australians will be bowled out anytime soon on the second day which would put immense pressure on the visiting batsmen when they take their guard.
Australia 305/3 (90 overs, 3.38rpo)
Katich 98 Asif 2-69
Watson 93
