14 January,2010 10:25 AM IST | | A Correspondent
Ricky Ponting made Pakistan pay a hefty price for offering him a life when the Australia skipper hadn't even opened his account by inching closer to his 39th Test ton.
At tea on Day One of the third Test, Australia were sitting pretty at 192 for three, with Ponting (84 not out) and his deputy Michael Clarke (59 not out) sharing an unbeaten 121-run stand for the fourth wicket.
After electing to bat first, Australia didn't get an ideal start as Simon Katich (11) was trapped in front of the wickets by Mohammad Asif in the seventh over the day. And in Asif's next over, Ponting, in search of his first run, attempted a hook off him, top-edged it and Mohammad Aamer at fine leg dropped a sitter.
Though Pakistan tasted success in the first session in the form of Shane Watson (29) and Michael Hussey (6) to put Australia under sone pressure at 71 for three, then on it was a Ponting and Clarke show till tea.
Meanwhile, Pakistan dropped controversial glovesman Kamran Akmal for the last rubber of the series. As a result, Sarfraz Ahmed earned his maiden Test cap.
