Australian coach lauds Pakistan fast bowlers

Australian coach lauded Pakistan fast bowlers for brilliantly exploiting the swing-friendly conditions in the match.

Australian coach Tim Nielsen lauded Pakistan fast bowlers for brilliantly exploiting the swing-friendly conditions on the first day of the second test at Headingley.

"They just bowled very nicely in the conditions that were set up nicely for that, and we weren't good enough to stop the rot," Australian daily, The Australian quoted him, as saying.

In less than three hours young Mohammad Aamer (3-20) and his colleagues Mohammad Asif (3-30) and Umar Gul (2-16) had knocked Australia over for an embarrassing total of 88 with a perfect display of potently accurate swing bowling. Not one batsman got a decent start. Wicket keeper Tim Paine's 17 was the top score in Australia's first innings.

Reflecting on Australia's lowest total since being skittled out for 76 by a Michael Holding-inspired West Indies at Perth in1984, Nielsen said: "Any day you walk off and you've got 88 next to your 11 batsmen is not a good day."

"Every time we had even the smell of getting a partnership going, we lost another wicket," he added. "They (Pakistan) bowled beautifully. They bowled a very good length, they hit the wicket hard and didn't just expect the conditions to do all the work for them." But he insisted that the Aussies still had the chance and could make a come back.

"I know we are 60 behind but if we can have a good morning on Thursday, take a couple of wickets, not let the scoreboard get out of control, we are still a chance in the game."

Defending Australian skipper Ricky Ponting's decision to bat first after winning the toss Nielsen said he also thought it was a wise call. "We felt as though it was going to be hard work against the new ball but if we could get through the new ball we felt that the wicket would flatten out to be quite a nice batting wicket," he said. "The conditions overhead are something you can't really control and I'm probably thinking also that by the end of the week the wicket won't be brilliant to bat on."

"And we feel the way we play best obviously is to bat first to try and get a decent total which allows us to dominate or control and manage the game a bit more."