Watson ton spurs Australian charge

Captain Mohammad Yousuf was unbeaten on 45 while Umar Akmal was giving him company with 27 at the end of the fourth day’s play, Pakistan requiring a further 252 runs with seven wicketes in hand to complete the highest run-chase ever in Test hisotry.

Earlier, the home side rode on Shane Watson’s maiden Test hundred to build on their overnight 111 for three before declaring at 225 for eight for an overall lead of 421 runs.
The most successful fourth-innings score to win a Test at the MCG is England’s 332 for seven in 1928. The highlight of Australia’s innings was Watson’s first Test ton. The Queensland all-rounder, who was on 64 overnight, completed the hundred after spending 39 balls in the 90s, but only after being dropped on 99.

In front of over 15,000 fans, Watson who had fallen agonisingly short of a first Test century with scores of 96, 89 and 93 this summer, converted his seventh Test fifty into a ton in the third over after lunch. Watson brought up his milestone when he drove paceman Mohammad Aamer that flew straight through the hands of Abdur Rauf at backward point.

His ton came off 186 balls in 293 minutes including nine fours and a six.
The hundred was the first by an Australian in Tests since Michael Hussey’s ton against England at The Oval in August.

Pakistan did not have the best of starts as Doug Bollinger claimed the first breakthrough when he had Imran Farhat trapped in front for 12. The leg before appeal was initially turned down by umpire Rudi Koertzen before the Aussies referred the decision to the third umpire, who ruled in favour of the bowler.

SCORE BOARD

AUSTRALIA (I Innings): 454/5 decl

PAKISTAN ( Innings): 258 all out

AUSTRALIA (II Innings, 111/3 in 34 overs):

Watson (not out)    120
Katich c K Akmal b Asif    2
Ponting c Butt b Aamer    12
Hussey lbw Aamer    4
Clarke c K Akmal b Aamer    37
North b Aamer    8
Haddin c K Akmal b Aamer    0
Johnson (run out)    22
Hauritz st K Akmal b Ajmal    8
Extras (LB-2, W-3, NB-7)    12     
Total (for 8 wkts decl, 73.1 overs)    225
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-32, 3-40, 4-143, 5-161, 6-161, 7-198, 8-225.
Bowling: Asif 16-3-38-1, Aamer 24-6-79-5, Ajmal 23.1-1-73-1, Rauf 10-3-33-0.

PAKISTAN (II Innings):

Farhat lbw Bollinger    12
Butt lbw Johnson    33
Iqbal b Hauritz    48
Yousuf (batting)    45
U Akmal (batting)    27
Extras (B-1, LB-1, W-1, NB-2)    5     
Total (for 3 wkts, 45 overs)    170
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-80, 3-116.
Bowling: Bollinger 10-3-31-1, Siddle 8-3-26-0, Hauritz 15-2-62-1, Johnson 10-2-36-1, Katich 2-0-13-0.