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Part-time spinner Marcus North seized the key scalps of opener Salman Butt and Umar Akmal to put Australia on track for a comfortable win over Pakistan in the first Test at Lord’s.
Needing 440 to win, Pakistan slipped to 4-216 on day four with Umar Amin (31no) unbeaten with Akmal (22) falling on the stroke of lunch.
North (2-18) was introduced for the first time in the match in the 56th over of the Pakistan second innings with Australia finding Butt (92) increasingly hard to budge.
It proved a masterstroke by captain Ricky Ponting with North sliding a ball down the leg side with his opening delivery against the advancing Butt and debutant wicketkeeper Tim Paine produced some slick work to pull off the stumping.
Paine’s performance continued the Tasmanian’s impressive work behind the stumps and he now has six dismissals to his name in his first outing in the baggy green.
North did not seem so effective against the aggressive Akmal with the youngster launching the ball straight back over the bowler’s head for six and four.
But the West Australian is sure to enjoy his lunch after getting a ball to jump up a little on Akmal and he top-edged a cut shot, the ball looping kindly to Michael Clarke at slip.
The wicket kept Australia on path for their 13th straight win over Pakistan, a Test record against another nation.
Australia currently share the mark with Sri Lanka who own a live 12-Test unbeaten run against Bangladesh.
It hadn’t look so promising early on for Australia as the classy Butt slapped around a wayward Mitchell Johnson (0-55 off 12 overs) early in the day.
At the other end, Ben Hilfenhaus (1-37) continued working away at Azhar Ali (42) and finally an edge off the debutant’s bat went to hand with Paine clutching his fifth catch.
The next over Hilfenhaus injured his left shoulder trying to stop a ball from going for four at fine leg.
After knocking the ball back inside the field of play, Hilfenhaus stayed on the ground for some time before getting up grimacing and holding his shoulder.
Hilfenhaus bowled the next over before leaving the field for treatment.
He returned to the field soon afterwards in a promising sign for Ponting’s men.
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