29 December,2009 08:12 AM IST | | Khalid A-H Ansari
History beckons as Australia and Pakistan go into the fourth day of the first Test today.
If Australia win, the victory will enable Ricky Ponting to become the most successful captain in Test history, ahead of Steve Waugh, who led Australia to 41 Test wins.
And, if Pakistan, 307 runs in arrears with seven Australian wickets in hand, manage to turn the Test on its head and win, they will become the only team to score more than 332 runs in the fourth innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) after England's record in 1928-29 to win.
With two days to go and fine weather forecast for today and tomorrow, Australia, 111 for three in the second inning, are in the driver's seat.
All local attention this morning will be focussed on overnight batsmen Shane Watson (64) and Michael Clarke (21) in anticipation of the first Australian Test century this (Antipodean) summer after 20 home team batsmen have fallen short after passing 50 in three completed Tests and three days of the fourth.
Watson, who has finally realised his potential this year with sterling performances as batsman, bowler and fielder and was run out in farcical circumstances in the first inning in this Test, appears most likely to get the monkey off the Australian batsmen's back.
He will be desperate to convert his unbeaten 64 into a century today, following his 96 and 89 against the West Indies at Adelaide and Perth respectively and 93 in the first innings here in Melbourne.
The youthful Pakistanis have won many hearts with their gutsy showing, following their insipid first inning display which saw their pace attack, depleted through injury to pace bowler Umar Gul and spinner Danesh Kaneria, look woefully inadequate as Australia piled on 454 for five before Ponting made an attacking declaration.
With Pakistan tottering on 109 for four at the end of the second day, Umar Akmal (51), night watchman Mohammed Aamer (15 in 125 minutes) and Misbah-ul-Haq fought back tenaciously yesterday to take their side to 258, 196 runs in arrears.
Nineteen-year old Umaru00a0 has made the cognoscente sit up and take notice with his impressive batting which combines impeccable technique with explosive strokeplay.
Struck on the helmet by a nasty rising delivery from Doug Bollinger, the 19-year old batsman, who scored a century and 75 on debut against New Zealand recently, smashed the bowler for 4,4,6,4 and 1 in his next over. His sparkling 51 came off 80 deliveries.
Younger brother of wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal, Umar has four 50s from just seven innings in addition to his century for an impressive average of 61.42.
Senior batsman Misbah said of the young Umar: "He is an exciting player, he just wants to dominate any bowling - it's really good to see him dominating the Australian attack."
The Australians' bid for quick runs was foiled by the fired up Pakistani quicks Mohammed Asif and 17-year old tearaway Mohammed Aamer, who sent back Simon Katich (2), Ricky Ponting (12) and Michael Hussey (4) with just 40 on the board before Watson and Clarke fought back with an unbeaten 71- run stand.
The Pakistani pace bowlers had said they planned to bowl short to Ponting, a weakness exploited by the West Indians. However, their plan had been foiled by the flat wicket in the first innings.
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This time around Aamer tempted the captain with bouncers and Ponting duly obliged when scooping a catch to Salman Butt at deep square leg after hooking two to the boundary.
Combined with a regulation catch which Ponting floored at second slip to give Misbah, then on 22, a reprieve, the captain's newfound shortcoming against the rising delivery is prompting critics to ponder the 35-year old's future as captain, his gutsy first inning 57 notwithstanding.
Australia will surely want to go for quick runs this morning to give their bowlers enough time to get the increasingly confident Pakistani batsmen out on a track which is expected to remain placid into the last day.
However, the tourists will be handicapped by the fact that, in their inexperience, they have wantonly wasted both their reviews when it was obvious the batsmen u2014 Ponting and Watson u2014 were patently not out.
POSTSCRIPT: It is learnt that Pakistan have summoned former captain and star batsman Younis Khan in a bid to strengthen their batting. He is expected to be available for the second Test at Sydney starting on January 3.
Scores: Australia: First innings 454 for five declared and 111 for three. Pakistan: 258.
