Australia on top after Day one by Jinu Sabastian

---

Ground:	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Scorecard:	Australia v Pakistan
Player:	SR Watson, SM Katich, RT Ponting
Event:	Pakistan in Australia 2009/10

---

DateLine: 26th December 2009

 

A century by an Australian batsman in the Australian summer continued to elude the hosts as Shane Watson and Simon Katich fell in the scores of nineties. But that did not stop the Australian side from posting a challenging score of 305 for the loss of three wickets on day one.

 

Ponting won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch that looked good for batting and his openers did not disappoint the skipper as they put on 182 for the first wicket in 60.1 overs. After a jittery first hour the Australian opening duo rarely looked in any sort of trouble as they repelled the Pakistani bowling attack easily. Katich on 12 was dropped by Akmal at gully who was late to reacting to a fierce cut from the southpaw while Misbah could not hold on to one that took the outside edge of Watson who was on 43 at that time. Both the batsmen made the Pakistani team pay fro their drops as they opened up and went after the bowling.

 

As Watson was nearing his maiden Test century a horrible mix-up ensued between the two batsmen that would have made the duo of Inzamam and Md. Yousuf proud. Katich knocked the ball into the covers and called for a single but later changed his mind. Watson who was ball watching strolled to the other end only for his horror to realise that Katich had not run. Both the batsmen ended up at one end as the stumps at the other end was broken. Confusion reigned in the middle and finally the umpires declared Watson out. Watson had made 93 in 191 balls with 11 hits to the fence. Ponting joined Katich who suddenly dropped down the shutters of his shop.

 

Ponting took over the scoring duties as he was regularly tested by the short-pitch bowling from the Pakistani faster men but the skipper was way too good for them. Katich meanwhile moved slowly to his century but on 98 tragedy struck him. Asif got one to bounce a little too much fro the batsman's liking who played the cut shot from the middle of his bat but found Salman Butt at backward point. Ponting followed soon when Asif got him to edge one to slip where Misbah took a tumbling catch just after the Australian skipper crossed the fifty run mark.

 

Hussey (38 n.o.) and nightwatchman Hauritz (5 n.o.) got Australia past the 300 run mark and ensured that no more wickets fell.