Aussies in the ascendancy

Pakistan were dealt a potentially decisive blow when skipper Mohammad Yousuf was dismissed with the penultimate ball of a day that belonged to Nathan Hauritz as Australia stamped their authority on the first Test.

Yousuf was dismissed for 22 when he was caught by Brad Haddin down the leg side off Peter Siddle - but only after Australia skipper Ricky Ponting successfully referred the dismissal, umpire Billy Doctrove originally deeming it to be not out.

At stumps on the second day of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, Pakistan were reeling at 109 for four - 345 runs in arrears of Australia's mammoth first-innings total of 454 for five declared.

Hauritz whacked a swashbuckling 75 before claiming the wicket of Faisal Iqbal (15) in the final session to leave an indelible mark on the day's play. But Australia are still searching for their first centurion for the summer after Michael Hussey (82) and Hauritz increased the country's total of 50s this season to 20 earlier in the day.

Shane Watson (93), Simon Katich (98) and Ricky Ponting (57) all fell short on day one.

Pakistan refused to come out of their shell during their first innings as Australia's bowlers piled on the pressure in the final 50 overs of the day.

Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson, Hauritz , Doug Bollinger and Siddle bowled a combined total of 17 maidens - Pakistan could only manage 15 maidens in Australia's 128-over innings.

The tourists scored at a sluggish rate of 2.22 an over and only registered five boundaries and one six. Salman Butt top-scored with 45 but it took him nearly three hours to reach that mark before he was adjudged lbw off the bowling of Watson.

A sad indictment on Pakistan's docile innings was that a pitch invader, who baulked a few security and police officers to run almost the length of the ground, provided the most entertainment.

Umar Akmal (10) and nightwatchman Mohammad Aamer (nought) are the not-out batsmen.