Shell-shocked Australia slumped to 73 for six at lunch on the first morning of the second test at Headingley on Wednesday after winning the toss as Pakistan's bowlers took advantage of friendly conditions.Pace bowler Mohammad Asif had two for 29 and Umar Gul two for six while Mohammad Aamer and part-time medium pacer Umar Amin had a wicket apiece as Salman Butt enjoyed his first morning as the new Pakistan captain.Tim Paine was 8 not out and Steven Smith had 10.Ricky Ponting bravely opted to bat after a deluge of overnight rain left moisture in the pitch for the seam bowlers to exploit and indeed there was encouragement for them with evidence of exaggerated seam movement and swing.Pakistan must win to draw the two-match series, while Australia are seeking an eighth straight test win.The initial breakthrough came in the seventh over when Simon Katich, seeking an Australian record 10th half-century in consecutive tests, was lbw to Aamer for 13.Australia slumped from 20 without loss to 20 for two when Shane Watson's difficult 34 minutes ended when he played outside of an in-swinger from Asif and was adjudged by umpire Ian Gould to be lbw for 5.Ponting, averaging 105 at the Leeds ground on coming to the crease after three previous tests there, survived an lbw appeal from Aamer on his first ball.Umpire Rudi Koertzen, in his last test, was correct according to replays, which showed the ball bouncing over the stumps.TREACHEROUS INNINGSClarke was fortunate, though, when Koertzen gave him the benefit of the doubt on another lbw appeal from Aamer when on 3 even though replays showed the ball would have hit off stump.Clarke did not remain long, however, and was bowled for 3 by a Gul delivery that moved into him.That left Australia on 27 for three and they soon found themselves on 29 for four when Ponting's treacherous 41-minute innings of 6 was halted by another Asif inswinger that umpire Ian Gould had little hesitation in adjudging out lbw.Even Mike Hussey, so often the man for a crisis, could not survive though he was unlucky when Koertzen gave him out lbw for 5. The swing into the left-hander was so exaggerated it would have missed his leg stump.Marcus North, top scorer with 16, prodded needlessly at a ball wide of off stump to offer a catch behind and give Amin his first test wicket.Although the series is being played at neutral venues in England, it is a home one for Pakistan, unable to play in their homeland because of the precarious security situation.Despite a strong local Pakistani community, the Yorkshire club could only manage advance ticket sales of about 3,000 a day. The empty stands created the atmosphere of a poorly attended county game.(Editing by Ken Ferris; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)(For more news on Reuters India, click http://in.reuters.com)News posted by www.newsinfoline.com
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