Pakistan sink to new low

Champion leg-spinner Shane Warne grabbed four for 11 runs as Australia shot out Pakistan for their lowest ever Test total of 59 on the opening day of the second Test in Sharjah on Friday.

The Australians then tightened the noose around their rivals by closing the day at 191 for four, a lead of 132 with six first-innings wickets in hand.

Left-handed Matthew Hayden returned unconquered on 74 after Australia lost three wickets for three runs, including the Waugh twins off successive balls from Saqlain Mushtaq.

Justin Langer was unlucky to be run out for 37 when bowler Danish Kaneria missed a return catch off Hayden but deflected the ball onto the stumps with Langer out of his ground.

After Ricky Ponting was dismissed by Kaneria for 44, Saqlain trapped Mark Waugh leg-before for two and then had captain Steve Waugh caught at silly point next ball.

Damien Martyn prevented the hat-trick and was unbeaten on 19 when play ended eight overs early due to bad light.

Warne, who took 11 wickets in the first Test played in Sri Lanka to lead Australia's 41-run win, once again tormented his rivals with three wickets in 10 balls before lunch.

The blond spinner now has 465 Test wickets, second only behind world record holder Courtney Walsh of the West Indies, who retired last season with a haul of 519.

Pakistan, electing to bat after winning the toss, stuttered to 50 for nine by lunch before falling short of their previous lowest of 62, also against Australia on a fiery wicket in Perth in 1981.

Adding to Pakistan's woes was a hamstring injury to wicket-keeper Rashid Latif while batting, forcing Taufiq Umar to don the gloves in the field.

The Australians made light of stifling heat and humidity - the players' shirts were dripping with sweat even before the first over had been completed - to rip through Pakistan's batting.

Warne prospered after pace bowlers Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Andy Bichel removed the top-order in a dramatic first session which was extended by 30 minutes to accommodate the hour-long lunch break for Friday prayers in this Islamic emirate.

McGrath, bowling with nine men close to the bat, worked up a tidy pace even on the slow pitch and was rewarded with the wicket of Imran Nazir with his sixth delivery, caught at first slip by Warne.

At the other end, Lee struck with his second delivery when he forced left-handed Umar to edge an inswinger on to his stumps to make Pakistan 2-1.

McGrath then removed vice-captain Younis Khan in his fourth over as Bichel took a low catch at fourth slip.

Younis, who hit half-centuries in both innings of the first Test, made only five.

Bichel, replacing the injured Jason Gillespie for the best, found quick success when he came on to bowl first change. He had Misbah-ul Haq caught at second slip by Mark Waugh to reduce Pakistan to 23-4.

Faisal Iqbal, Pakistan's man of the moment at Colombo, plodded for 43 minutes to make four when he was deceived by a straight ball from Warne and trapped plumb in front.

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Mail Cricket Editor