Publications
Partners
London - Ben Hilfenhaus took two wickets as Australia proved they too could exploit swinging conditions every bit as much as Pakistan on the second day of the first Test at Lord's on Wednesday.
Pakistan, at lunch, were 49 for two having bowled Australia out for 253 earlier on Wednesday
Vice-captain Salman Butt, the most experienced member of the top four, was 22 not out and 20-year-old debutant Umar Amin nought not out.
Hilfenhaus, assisted by two catches from debutant wicketkeeper and fellow Tasmanian Tim Paine, took two wickets for 18 runs in eight overs to remove both opener Imran Farhat (four) and Azhar Ali, who made 16 in his first Test.
Pakistan, who haven't beaten Australia in a Test for 15 years, have suffered some spectacular batting collapses against Ricky Ponting's men in recent times.
Although they'd bowled out Australia for a seeminly modest total here, they'd dismissed them for just 127 first time around at Sydney in January and still lost by 36 runs after slumping to 139 in their second innings.
This match saw Pakistan fielding debutants at both numbers three and four after the experienced Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan were both suspended following the fall-out from this year's series loss in Australia.
But they might be eased in by a big first-wicket partnership ended when Farhat was caught behind off a Hilfenhaus outswinger to the left-hander to give Paine his first Test dismissal.
Ali though got off the mark with a single off Hilfenhaus and then steered him behind point for his first Test boundary while watchful left-hander Butt added several well-struck fours of his own.
Ali though fell shortly before lunch when he pushed flat-footedly at a Hilfenhaus outswinger and Paine held the simple catch.
Australia had earlier added 24 more runs to their overnight total of 229 for nine before teenage left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer wrapped up the innings by bowling Doug Bollinger for four with an inswinging yorker.
Aamer, 18, finished with impressive figures of four wickets for 72 runs in 19.5 overs and fellow seamer Mohammad Asif had three for 63.
But the obdurate Michael Hussey, who resumed on 39 not out, was unbeaten on 56, having faced 100 balls with a six and eight fours in two-and-a-half hours at the crease after Simon Katich (80) and Michael Clarke (47) had weighed in on Tuesday after Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss.
Australia, as happened repeatedly during last year's Ashes series in England, struggled against the swinging ball but it was starting to look as if Pakistan would do well to match their total.
This two-Test series is being played in England because Test cricket in Pakistan has been suspended since the armed attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore in March last year.
