Pakistan spring batting surprise on second day

Pakistan sprung a batting surprise on Australia, showing grit and concentration to end with a slight edge on the second day of the 2nd test in Sydney.

Pakistan reached 331 for nine at stumps on Monday in reply to Australia's 127.

They lost five wickets for 54 runs after the second new ball was taken with Doug Bollinger (3-70), Shane Watson (2-40) and Mitchell Johnson (2-64) leading Aussie attack.

Danish Kaneria was two not out with Mohammad Asif yet to score.

Starting the day in somewhat harmless conditions compared to the first day mayhem, Imran Farhat and Salman Butt displayed application and self assuredness against an entourage of Aussie fast men that looked for blood right from the go. And they were nearly successful too when Peter Siddle induced an Imran Farhat edge that was floored by Marcus North in the slips.

From there on, Farhat and Butt gave the hosts no more chances. The batting was a little circumspect but wise considering the nature of the pitch which still carried a mop of dry, brown grass. Butt, who has a batting average of 41.44 against the Aussies, was more fluent of the two openers scoring 71 from 164 balls while Farhat made a well grinded 53 off 140. The combination of these players seems to have put a foot between the revolving door that is the Pakistani opening slot and good performances against one of the best sides in the world will surely give them a lot of confidence.

Their 109-run partnership was only broken after the introduction of Nathan Hauritz into the attack, who buoyed by some magic words by Shane Warne seems to have found a new life. Farhat was the first to go after top edging a shortish delivery from the spinner to wicket-keeper Brad Haddin. Haddin was also involved in the second dismissal, that of Butt who nicked a full Mitchell Johnson delivery straight through. In the lead up to the first test the captain of Tasmania, George Bailey, had remarked that Salman Butt looked the most threatening of the Pakistani batsmen. Scores of 153 (tour game), 45 and 33 in the first test and 71 so far in this one certainly seem to suggest the batsman is keeping his head.

Faisal Iqbal, who gave good company to Mohammad Yousuf with 27 off 86 balls, then departed after skying one to deep backward point where Shane Watson took a good catch off the bowling of Peter Siddle. That brought to the crease Umar Akmal whose presence almost immediately started producing runs. Out of the first six deliveries that he faced four were boundaries. Hauritz was well and truly spanked. Akmal continued his warrior ways for a good hour, even after the dismissal of captain Mohammad Yousuf who flirted with a wide, short delivery from Johnson after scoring 46 from 56. But just as it seemed the 'pink test' would turn truly red for Ricky Ponting, Akmal bid adieu. His 49 from 48 balls had taken the wind out of the Aussies and would have surely floored them had he stayed for another half-an-hour.

His departure saw a procession of wickets, Misbah-ul-Haq (11) to an attempted pull off Bollinger that travelled only as far as the keeper and Kamran Akmal (14) to a slice to point before Mohammad Sami and Umar Gul fell going for big shots. Brad Haddin picked up five catches behind the stumps.

Pakistan will look towards Mohammad Asif and Danish Kaneria to add 20-30 quick runs tomorrow to stretch the lead of 204 runs a little bit more. The Australians will be a little annoyed for having to come out to bowl at the last wicket but will need to be completely focused when they eventually take guard.

It was an odd day at Sydney, first because of Pakistan's uncustomary batting and second for Australia's strategy-less bowling. It has put Pakistan in a position where they can entertain some hopes of a win.