Australia's Justin Langer plays a hook shot during the first day of the first Test against Pakistan at the WACA ground in Perth yesterday. Langer was 181 not out.
-ReutersPERTH, (AP);
JUSTIN LANGER weathered Shoaib Akhtar's pace barrage yesterday and counter-punched with his 21st Test hundred to guide Australia from 78 for five to 357 for eight on the first day of the series-opener against Pakistan.
Langer, who started the match with 1,138 runs this year, overhauled West Indian Brian Lara (1,178) as the leading scorer in Test cricket for 2004 during his 152-run sixth-wicket stand with Adam Gilchrist (69).
The Australian opener plundered 18 boundaries and three sixes to remain unbeaten on 181 at stumps, with Michael Kasprowicz not out on four.
Langer escaped a half chance for caught behind on 13 and blows to the body from speedsters Akhtar and Mohammad Sami, but otherwise had the better of the Pakistani pacemen after they had skittled Australia's top order.
MORNING SESSION
He scored 22 in the morning session, watching as Akhtar trapped Matt Hayden (four) lbw in the third over and bowled Darren Lehmann (12) to have Australia reeling at 72 for four at lunch.
In between Akhtar's wickets, Sami removed Ricky Ponting (25) and Damien Martyn (one).
When Michael Clarke edged Akhtar to Inzamam-ul-Haq at slip in the second over of the middle session, Gilchrist joined Langer and changed the course of the match.
"I was a bit worried when I was 22 at lunch ... but we knew if we could wear the opposition down, get through the new ball, then it becomes a pretty good place to bat," said Langer.
His 80-run eighth-wicket stand with Jason Gillespie (24) had given Australia a massive psychological boost, Langer said.
"Any (more) runs are going to really hurt them and frustrate them, because they had us," he said. "They would have thought, that they really had us on the ropes. It's amazing the way we keep pulling ourselves out of trouble."
MEMORIES
Akhtar said the Langer-Gilchrist partnership revived memories of Pakistan's last Australian tour in 1999, when Langer and Gilchrist combined for 238 runs in Hobart to give Australia an unlikely win.
"Langer and Gilchrist played well (like) Hobart again. But finally we got (Gilchrist) out, so this misery is over."
But Langer is capable of inflicting more pain on Pakistan.
He scored 215 when Australia wrapped up a 2-0 series win over New Zealand in Adelaide last month and is in line for double hundreds in consecutive Tests.
"Of course, you'd like to get 200 every time you bat, but I guess the opportunity is there now," he said. "We'll see they've still got the new ball."
After a shocking first session, Australia scored 148 in the middle session and added 10 after tea before Gilchrist dragged an inside edge on to his stumps off Abdul Razzaq to make the total 230 for six.
Razzaq then had Shane Warne (12) caught at midwicket as Australia slipped to 253 for seven.
Langer and Gillespie boosted Australia to 333 before Akhtar had the tailender caught behind in his first over with the new ball.
Akhtar finished with 4-89 from 20 overs, while Sami returned 2-94 from 23 overs and Razzaq took 2-55.
It was a long way short of the promise offered after Inzamam won the toss and sent Australia in to face Akhtar and Sami in perfect conditions for pace bowling.
Akhtar struck with Australia's total at six, taking first points in a personal duel with Hayden who scored 380 in his previous Test here last October against Zimbabwe.
NEXT OVER
Ponting and Langer added 50 before Sami bowled the Australian captain in his 10th over and had Martyn caught behind in the next over with the total at 58.
Akhtar removed Lehmann and Clarke on either side of the lunch interval before Australia regained the momentum.
"After getting Clarke out, we didn't bowl good enough to get Australia out for a small total I was thinking 200, if you'd asked me at that time," Akhtar said. But, "I think the game is still in our hands. If we can put 500 runs on the board, we still have a chance."
