Ponting doubles up Pakistan

Tourists hurt by two late run outs after opening stand of 63

Last updated: 16th January 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Ponting doubles up Pakistan

Ponting: Dropped on 0

Third Test Match
Hobart
Australia 519-8 dec (R T Ponting 209, M J Clarke 166) v Pakistan 94-4

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Ricky Ponting hit his fifth Test double century as Australia continued to dominate Pakistan on day two in Hobart.

The Australian captain made 209, while his understudy Michael Clarke managed a career-best 166, to help the hosts declare on 519-8.

Pakistan's reply started off steadily enough thanks to an opening stand of 63 before they lost four late wickets to reach the close on 94-4.

Their cause was not helped by two run outs, opener Salman Butt at the heart of mix-ups that saw the end of Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Akmal.

Double strike

Peter Siddle claimed the other two wickets to fall in one over, removing Imran Farhat for 38 and then getting the recalled Khurram Manzoor caught at second slip without troubling the scorers just four deliveries later.

Ponting was there to take the catch having already put his team in a superb position with a fine innings that was ironically ended by Mohammad Aamer - the same man who had dropped him on 0 the previous day.

The proud Tasmanian had faced 354 balls and hit 25 fours to become the register the first Test double century at the Bellerive Oval.

By that stage Clarke had already departed, the vice-captain bowled without offering a shot to a delivery by leg spinner Danish Kaneria from around the wicket, ending a mammoth fourth-wicket stand worth 352.

Breezy

Marcus North's tough summer continued when he made just 21, but Brad Haddin made a breezy 41 before the declaration came just before tea.

After a tough time of it in the field, Pakistan's reply started promisingly enough thanks to the efforts of Farhat and Butt, who looked comfortable for 22.1 overs.

That situation soon changed, though, when Siddle struck twice in a hurry, Farhat caught behind driving away from his body before a nervy Mansoor offered a sharp chance to the safe hands of Ponting.

Some careless running then heaped more misery on the visitors, who now face the prospect of being swept in the three-Test series.

Butt sent back both Yousuf and Akmal despite it not being his call, leaving him to watch on from the non-striker's end as his team-mates were caught short of their ground by throws from Mitchell Johnson and Siddle respectively.