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Pak shot out for 222 on day one

Australia were in a commanding position at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart, on day one of the second Test against Pakistan on Thursday.

Already leading 1-0 in the best-of-three series, Australia continued to stamp their authority against the Pakistanis and restricted the tourists to a modest first innings total of 222.

Australia then put on 29 without loss by the close of play, surviving a fiery spell of pace bowling by Shoaib Akthar and Wasim Akram.

Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne and paceman Scott Muller bagged three wickets each while Glenn McGrath and Damien Fleming collected two apiece.

Pakistani opener Mohammad Wasim played a lone, defiant hand, scoring 91 to prop up the innings as his teammates fell by the wayside. Just two other players, Azhar Mahmood and Wasim Akram, managed to make it past 20.

Michael Slater finished the day unbeaten on 16 while Greg Blewett was batting 9.

The performance by Australia's three pacemen vindicated Steve Waugh's decision to field a three-pronged pace attack on a pitch that tradition says is a spinner's track.

Waugh was repaid for his decision as his quick bowlers made the most out of the moist, bouncy pitch.

McGrath did the early damage, picking up two wickets in his first six overs, to take his career tally to 250 in Tests. In the process, he dismissed first Test century-maker Saeed Anwar for a duck in the third over, caught by Shane Warne at first slip off a dream away-swinger. He then took out Ijaz Ahmed for six, having the batsman fending at a short delivery for Michael Slater at gully to hold. With that, McGrath became the fourth Australian to go past 250 Test wickets.

Mohammad Wasim survived a chance when he was dropped off the bowling of McGrath while batting 49. He added 53 for the third wicket with Inzamam before the latter mistimed a drive from Muller to drag the ball back onto his stumps.

Fleming dismissed Yousuf Youhanna shortly after lunch and the Muller struck two crucial blows, taking out Moin Khan and then removing Wasim short of his century.

Mohammad Wasim had been in great touch from the moment he came to the crease, playing aggressively while his team mates departed one by one. He smashed Warne out of the attack early on, belting 26 runs from the leg-spinner's first four overs, and looked to be heading for his third Test ton when Muller found the edge for Adam Gilchrist, diving in front of first slip, to hold brilliantly.

The Pakistan batsmen yet again failed to realise the importance of the time-consumed to runs-scored equation, playing too many strokes when the need was for dogged batting. Mohammad's 91 runs came off just 122 deliveries and included 12 fours -- his best performance on this tour thus far.

He had spent three hours in a Brisbane hospital early in the tour after suffering a severe allergic reaction to eating a prawn early in the tour. He failed twice with the bat in a warm-up game against Queensland and made just 18 and 0 in the first Test.

He also dropped Michael Slater at first slip in the first Test, allowing the Australian batsman the single he needed for his century. Wasim was then hit in the shin by a drive from Mark Waugh.

Pakistan 1st Innings

Saeed Anwar c Warne b McGrath 0
Mohammad Wasim c Gilchrist b Muller 91
Ijaz Ahmed c Slater b McGrath 6
Inzamam-Ul-Haq b Muller 12
Yousuf Youhana c M.Waugh b Fleming 17
Azhar Mahmood b Warne 27
Moin Khan c McGrath b Muller 1
Wasim Akram c Gilchrist b Warne 29
Saqlain Mushtaq lbw b Warne 3
Waqar Younis not out 12
Shoaib Akhtar c Gilchrist b Fleming 5
Extras (b-10, lb-6, w-3) 19
Total (72.5 overs) 222

Fall of Wickets: 1-4 2-18 3-71 4-120 5-148 6-153 7-188 8-198 9-217 10-222

Bowling: Mcgrath 18-8-34-2, Fleming 24.5-7-54-2, Muller 12-0-68-3 (w-3), Warne 16-6-45-3, Blewett 2-1-5-0