PERTH, Australia, 10 December 2004 — Pakistan registered an unconvincing 262 all out on the first day of their four-day tour match against Western Australia, despite steadying after a woeful start.
Coach Bob Woolmer, who fielded a full-strength side ahead of next week’s first Test against Australia, said he was disappointed after three of his top four batsmen failed to reach double figures.
“It was disappointing to watch it. In saying that there were some positives, Yousuf Youhana got a good knock, Salman Butt got a good knock and Abdul Razzaq played well so there were some good things came out of it,” Woolmer said.
In reply, Western Australia lost their captain and Test opener Justin Langer to a dubious lbw decision for four after a delivery from fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar appeared to hit him on the pads well outside the line of the off-stump.
It was the second time in a row that Langer had fallen cheaply to the tourists, being dismissed for just one run in a one-day fixture against them last Tuesday.
At stumps the home team was 20 for one with Mike Hussey on eight and Chris Rogers on six.
For Pakistan it was all-rounder Razzaq who recovered from an uncomfortable start to give the score respectability. Despite looking suspect at times outside off-stump, Razzaq’s 83 not out proved to be the best of the day with Yousuf also adding a graceful 77 to save an innings which had seemed destined to end in disaster.
Opener Salman Butt made sure his name would be the first out of the hat when the team is named for the first Test here next Thursday when he clocked 42 from 61 balls, hitting seven fours.
But his partner Imran Farhat did little to enhance his selection chances when he became the first wicket of the day to fall, trapped lbw to Brett Dorey’s pace for eight. Pakistan’s batting then faltered badly with the next four wickets falling for just 59 runs to leave the tourists struggling at 78 for 5. Younis Khan took 20 minutes and 17 balls to make just four runs before he was caught by Murray Goodwin off the bowling of Dorey.
His demise brought captain Inzamam-ul Haq to the crease but the Pakistan captain fared even worse, hitting a lone boundary off five deliveries before getting an inside edge to a Dorey delivery and dragging the ball onto his stumps. It was the second time in a week he had been dismissed that way. Woolmer said Inzamam was hitting the ball beautifully in the nets and had been unlucky. Vice-captain Yousuf then held the line for Pakistan and with Razzaq brought the tourists to 120 for 5 at lunch. The pair continued to hold firm after the interval, with Yousuf in sparkling form, stroking the ball all around the ground.
For Western Australia Dorey took 3-38 off 16 overs and spinner Beau Casson finished with 2-44 from 18.1.
