Sport

LEEDS, England (AP):

Ricky Ponting's unbeaten 61 led Australia to 136-2 against Pakistan at Headingley to leave the second Test delicately poised at the end of day two yesterday.

Ponting's score, the highest of the match, came from 103 balls and included six fours, leaving Australia 34 runs behind with eight second-innings wickets in hand.

"It's sort of even at the moment," Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said. "If we can fetch a couple of wickets early tomorrow then things can swing back in our favour. We still have a chance."

Umar Amin and Mohammad Aamer were the only bowlers to take wickets, as Ponting and Michael Clarke, on 32 not out, advanced from 62-2 at tea, cutting Pakistan's lead to just 34 at the close.

Earlier, Shane Watson took a career-best 6-33 as Australia dismissed Pakistan for 258 in their first innings - a lead of 170.

"It's hard to really believe, to be fair," Watson said. "The ball swung a bit which made things a little easier, and it's not like it was hot out there either, but it's amazing how it's worked out.

"The little bit of work I've been doing in the nets has paid off."

New captain Salman Butt finished the innings as the top scorer with 45 for Pakistan, who began the day on 148-3.

The morning session was delayed for 45 minutes due to rain, but when play did begin the opening over provided an explosive start as Mitchell Johnson conceded 11 runs before having Umar Akmal caught at mid-off from the sixth delivery.

Akmal was given a reprieve as Johnson was called for a no-ball, although Umar Amin was nearly run out at the opposite end as he scrambled for a single.

It proved to be a temporary stay of execution for Akmal, who was caught behind off Johnson for 21 in the 44th over, the fifth of the morning.

Amin was the victim of a freak dismissal for 25 in the 51st over, when he ducked under a bouncer from Ben Hilfenhaus but left his bat in the air. The ball struck the toe-end of his bat and flew straight to North at square leg.

Pakistan came out after lunch on 218-5 and Watson almost single-handedly dragged Australia back into the match with two wickets from the final two balls of the first over after the interval.