Watson on song as Pakistan crumble

Shane Watson (centre)
12 April 2012

Shane Watson became the first bowler to etch his name on Lord's new honours board as Australia dismantled Pakistan's inexperienced batting to take control of the first Test.

Watson finished with figures of five for 40 as Pakistan crashed to 148 all out - 105 runs behind Australia's first innings total of 253.

Pakistan had bowled themselves into a strong position when Mohammad Aamer wrapped up the Australian innings this morning with his fourth wicket. But Salman Butt was left to plough a lone furrow before he was bowled by Watson for a stylish 63 as Pakistan collapsed, losing eight wickets for just 88 runs.

Watson tore the heart out of Pakistan's middle order, trapping both Umar and Kamran Akmal lbw before accounting for Shahid Afridi and Butt.

Afridi, the Pakistan captain, was playing his first Test match in four years and treated the occasion like a Twenty20 game - blasting 31 from 15 balls in an electric cameo before holing out to deep mid-on.

Ben Hilfenhaus had started the rot early, claiming two early wickets to restrict Pakistan to 49 for two at lunch. Hilfenhaus, Australia's leading wicket-taker in the 2009 Ashes series, reached the interval with figures of two for 18 after having Imran Farhat and debutant Azhar Ali both caught behind.

After lunch, Mitchell Johnson launched a fierce spell from the Pavilion End and Umar Amin lasted just two deliveries before edging a rising delivery.

Then Watson took over. Umar Akmal was trapped lbw as he played around a straight ball before his brother, Kamran, bizarrely offered no shot to fall in the same manner. Afridi launched into Watson, blasting him for 14 off the remainder of the over and then later creaming the all-rounder for a straight six.

But Watson had him caught at deep mid-off before wrapping up the Pakistan innings - and claiming his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket - by having Danish Kaneria caught in the slips.

Doug Bollinger then got in on the action, dismissing Aamer, who was wicketkeeper Tim Paine's fourth victim behind the stumps, and Umar Gul before Watson bowled Butt.

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