PERTH, Dec 19: The puzzle that is Pakistani cricket continued to perplex Bob Woolmer, their Indian-born, English-raised coach here on Sunday as he tried to explain his team's 491-run first Test loss to Australia.

Woolmer, obviously disappointed with his team's performance, said they had worked tirelessly on technique but there was clearly a problem and it could be psychological. "Obviously there is an element of mental confusion or mental awe within the performance," Woolmer said.

"So there is a combination of the technical side and the mental side involved in the way they played the two innings they played." "Maybe we have to re-think our strategy," Woolmer said.

The tourists initially had Australia reeling at 7-78 on the opening day but could not find the knock-out blow to make the most of their advantage once opening bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami ran out of puff.

"There are always episodes in a game where it could have gone differently but you can't look back on that... it's past, it's history," Woolmer said. "We've got to really go and work on how we go and get four or five hundred runs and that's the bottom line.

"The players are good enough, they've done it before many times and the team we have is good enough to score those runs." Woolmer said he would seek outside help to try and sort out why the players were playing shots they knew they shouldn't.

"We have to play technically better and mentally get stronger and it's going to be hard work in the next few days how we do that," he said. "I shall be taking advice from other people in this particular situation."

Woolmer also said the fact star bowler Shoaib Akhtar could only be used in short bursts because of his long run-up was a frustration. "That certainly is a problem that we have to sort out," he said.

"Not only that, but our over rate at one stage was ridiculous... very poor... so we are under pressure to change that. "We looked at that and we discussed it already with the bowler concerned because he runs a long way and it takes him a long time to finish an over.

"He's an important part of the side because he takes wickets and he's quick, we have to work out how we can change that over rate. "Personally I think he can (come off a shorter run). Each time he bowled off the short run he took wickets and he was very economical."

Ponting worried Australia captain Ricky Ponting says he is concerned for the competitiveness of Pakistan after his side's massive 491-run win in Sunday's first Test in Perth. "Yeah, I think it is a bit of a worry, a bit of a concern," Ponting told a news conference. -Agencies