Aussies complete last rites

RAWALPINDI, Oct 5: Australia needed only 13 minutes and 3.5 overs today to skittle out the last batsman and register their first Test win...

RAWALPINDI, Oct 5: Australia needed only 13 minutes and 3.5 overs today to skittle out the last batsman and register their first Test win against Pakistan in 39 years.

The final day8217;s play in the first of a three-Test series was a formality as Pakistan resumed at 137 for 9, trailing by 107 runs on the first innings. Salim Malik was 48, Saqlain Mushtaq was 3.

In the fourth over of the day Saqlain was leg before to Glenn McGrath for 7 but not before his partner Salim Malik had reached his 29th Test fifty.

Malik took two runs off McGrath to reach his fifty 151b, 201m, 6215;4 but it was a vain attempt to keep the Australian side at bay.

The visitors might have wrapped up the game last evening but bad light stopped play on a day interrupted by heavy rain and gloomy skies.

This was Australia8217;s first win in a Test in Pakistan since the 1959-60 season when Richie Benaud8217;s team routed Pakistan by a margin of 2-0 in a three-match series.

Australia, on their subsequent five visits to Pakistan, failed to win asingle Test.

Australian captain Mark Taylor was delighted.

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8220;It is highly enjoyable and satisfying, more so because our win in a Test has come after such along time. We are naturally going to celeberate,8221; he said.

8220;From here onwards we will try and consolidate the lead an there will be no time for us to relax.8221;

Taylor lauded the effort of his team, which rallied from a shaky 53-3 at lunch on Friday to accumulate 513 all out.

8220;The batsmen did well to come out of a collapse. Slater, Steve Waugh, Healy batted superbly as did Lehmann. And the bowling was as good. MacGill bowled accurately and was well supported by McGrath, Fleming and Miller.

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8220;We are happier even more because of Healy reaching a landmark of 356 dismissals behind the wicket to create a new world record. He is a superb team man,8221; Taylor said.

MacGill was a big influence in Australia8217;s memorable win by taking 9 wickets for 113 in the match.

Steve Waugh, who received the Man of the Match award for his fighting 157. said: 8220;Itwas important to win and I am delighted.8221;

Scoreboard

Pakistan 1st innings 269

Australia 1st innings 513

Pakistan 2nd innings; overnight 137-9:

Saeed Anwar lbw b Miller 19, Aamir Sohail b McGrath 13, Muhammad Wasim lbw Fleming 0, Inzamam-ul Haq lbw Fleming 0, Salim Malik not out 52, Moin Khan c Taylor b MacGill 18, Azhar Mahmood c Langer b MacGill 1, Wasim Akram c Healy b Miller 15, Mohammed Hussain c Miller b MacGill 17, Mushtaq Ahmed lbw MacGill 0, Saqlain Mushtaq lbw McGrath 7; Extras: lb3 3. Total: all out in 75.5 overs 145

Fall of wickets:

1-24, 2-32, 3-32, 4-32, 5-66, 6-68, 7-94, 8-126, 9-128

Bowling:

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McGrath 15.5-6-24-2, Fleming 15-4-38-2, Miller 21-8-30-2, MacGill 21-7-47-4, Lehmann 3-2-3-0

Result: Australia won by an innings amp; 99 runs.

Man of the Match:

Steve Waugh Australia

Umpires:

Javed Akhtar Pakistan, Peter Willey England, TV Replays:

Azhar Hassan. Match Referee:

Peter van der Merwe South Africa