MELBOURNE, 20 December 2004 — Paceman Glenn McGrath recorded the second-best bowling figures by an Australian in Test history to power the home team to a whopping 491-run win over Pakistan on the fourth morning of the first Test in Perth yesterday.
Resuming at 18 for one chasing an unlikely 564 for victory, Pakistan had no answer to McGrath, who took eight for 24 on a bouncy WACA pitch as the world’s top-ranked side bowled out the tourists for 72 to claim a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The only Australian to better McGrath’s performance was spinner Arthur Mailey, who picked up nine for 121 against England in Melbourne in 1920-21.
Yesterday’s victory by Australia was the fourth-highest winning runs margin in Test cricket and Pakistan’s innings was their fourth-lowest total in Test history.
“The conditions are suited to fast bowlers, but (McGrath) was great, a match-winner,” Australia captain Ricky Ponting told a news conference.
Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer said: “We’ll go back to the drawing board. It’s all we can do (after) a very, very poor performance.”
Pakistan lost their first wicket of the day when Salman Butt was caught in the gully by Matthew Hayden off McGrath for nine.
McGrath removed Younis Khan two overs later, snapped up by Shane Warne at first slip for 17.
Abdul Razzaq was then caught by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist for one at the start of McGrath’s ninth over to make the score 49 for four.
Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq, forced to bat at No. 6 after missing part of Australia’s second innings because of illness and a back complaint, was then caught behind off McGrath for a first-ball duck.
McGrath had seven slips waiting but failed to make wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal play at the next ball outside off-stump, and the lanky New South Wales paceman was unable to achieve the hat trick.
But Kamran was out for a duck in McGrath’s 11th over when Michael Clarke held on to a sharp chance above his head at fourth slip.
Yousuf Youhana was surprised by a McGrath bouncer and was caught behind for 27, making the total 64 for seven.
Seamer Michael Kasprowicz then took two for four in 3.3 overs to ruin McGrath’s chances of collecting all 10 wickets.
Introduced to the attack in the 26th over, Kasprowicz struck with his sixth ball, clean bowling Mohammad Sami for two.
McGrath grabbed his eighth victim when he had Shoaib Akhtar caught at mid-off by Darren Lehmann for one.
Kasprowicz then caught and bowled Mohammad Khalil for five in the final over before lunch to end a dismal batting display from the touring side.
McGrath’s haul was his 25th five-wicket or better performance in tests and came in his 104th appearance.
Australia opener Justin Langer was made man of the match for his knocks of 191 and 97.
The second Test in Melbourne starts on Dec. 26.
