On a day when Pakistan had little to cheer about, there would be a couple of grumpy Australians in the dressing room, and perhaps none more so than Shane Watson.
Watson has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, but his personal frustrations refuse to leave him alone. Once again, Watson was left imagining what it would be like to get that maiden Test century, in the first Test against Pakistan at the MCG in Melbourne.
For Australia, it was the familiar case of Simon Katich and Watson putting up a strong stance against the Pakistan team led by Mohammad Yousuf. Pakistan were not in for an easy respite as both the openers were facing the prospect of scoring individual centuries while taking Australia to 182 in the sixty-first over of the match when Pakistan first tasted a breakthrough.
Katich and Watson played a consistent, balanced role is letting Australia develop a strong stand against Pakistan playing the first Test of the series. Pakistan would have no doubt rejoiced at the prospect of Mohammad Asif bowling to the Australian batsmen but they had to wait a long time before Asif and Pakistan enjoyed his presence in the team.
As fortune would have it, Watson, who has spent sleepless nights for the triple digit figure, missed it once again, this time through a run out that left him stranded haplessly on ninety-three. And his partner at the other end did not do much better either. Katich would feel aggrieved, having got to ninety-eight before before he became Asif’s first victim of the match caught by Salman Butt.
Ricky Ponting also followed to give Asif another breakthrough but not before scoring a half century himself as Australia raised 305 for three at stumps on the first day.
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