30 December 2004	Thursday	17 Ziqa'ad 1425

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MELBOURNE, Dec 29: Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer paid tribute to the fighting qualities of his injury-ravaged side despite their nine-wicket loss on Wednesday in the second Test against Australia.

"Shoaib Malik (scores of six and 41) did fantastically well. He had two pain-killing injections, three stitches in his right hand," Woolmer told a news conference. "Abdul Razzaq is back in hospital (after dizzy spells).

"For two-and-a-half days, we were really competitive. In the first innings we had three bowlers (with Razzaq in hospital). "So I think they fought really hard. There were one or two decisions that could have gone either way that might have made a difference.

"Those are the things that sometimes turn a game." Malik split the webbing of his right hand, fielding during the game. "Australia were able to dominate eventually, but I thought it was a terrific performance after Perth (where Australia won the first test by 491 runs)," Woolmer continued.

Trailing 2-0 in the three-match series, Pakistan will take a new-look bowling lineup into the third test in Sydney starting on January 2. Woolmer said he hoped to regain injured captain and leading batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq, but added the touring side would be without paceman Mohammad Sami (bruised heel), all-rounder Abdul Razzaq (dizziness) and Shoaib Malik (hand injury).

Razzaq is undergoing more tests after the hospital were initially unable to diagnose the cause of his dizziness. "Mohammad Sami bowled through terrific pain in the first and second innings," Woolmer said.

"Shoaib Akhtar really bowled a lot (5-109 off 27 overs and 0-35 off seven) for someone with his pace and the length of his run-up. "(Leg spinner) Danish Kaneria (who took 5-125 in the first innings) just gave everything the whole way through.

"I just felt there was a much more positive attitude but we unfortunately had some injuries during the game which you can't do anything about. "The average age of our side is about 23, if you take out Inzamam, so this series is a huge learning experience for the guys." -Reuters