PERTH, Dec 1: Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar sent an early warning to Australia's ever-confident batsmen with a blistering spell of bowling that clearly signalled his intentions for the upcoming Test series here on Wednesday.
The Rawalpindi Express kicked off his tour with a sizzling five-over spell which caught a Western Australian second XI by surprise on the first day of their opening three-day tour match at James Oval in Perth.
At stumps on the first day Pakistan were 235 for seven in reply to Western Australia's 158. Younis Khan was at the crease unbeaten on 132 and Danish Kaneria was with him on two.
Although his figures of 1-22 weren't the best in the team - those belonged to his fellow opening paceman Mohammed Sami who claimed 3-17 - Shoaib was clearly on target and on-song.
At one point the pair had the home side reeling at 18 for four before a 70-run stand between Luke Ronchi with 66 and Scott Meuleman with 32 gave the innings some credibility.
Pakistan had slumped to 37 for three in reply, but steadied to lead by 77 runs at the close of play. Shoaib's figures could easily have been better but most of the runs he conceded were lucky edges through the slips cordon while he also had Meuleman caught off a no-ball.
Since his disappointing series against India earlier this year, when he took just seven wickets at 42.43 in three Tests, Shoaib said he had put in some serious training and the results were starting to show.
"I have been bowling fast," he said. "After the India series I really worked hard, got back in rhythm, reduced my weight, I've trained really, really hard with my trainers and I'm just getting back (to form). It's about time isn't it?"
Pakistan skipper Inzamamul Haq decided not to play in the tour opener with Yousuf Youhana captaining the side in his absence. At one stage in Shoaib's spell Youhana's field included five slips, a gully and a point, putting massive pressure on the home side with three top-order batsmen, including Zimbabwean Sean Ervine falling for just one run and a fourth going for a duck.
Shoaib won't bowl again in the match, although he will play in both the one-day match against a Cricket Australia Chairman's XI on Dec 7 and a four-day game against the full Western Australian state team later that week.
SCOREBOARD
WESTERN AUSTRALIA SECOND XI (1st Innings):
C.J. Simmons c Kamran b Sami 1
S.W. Meuleman c Younis b Khalil 32
L.M. Davis b Sami 0
A.C. Voges c Kamran b Shoaib Akhtar 1
S.M. Ervine b Sami 1
L. Ronchi lbw b Asif 66
P.C. Worthington st Kamran b Kaneria 9
J.P. Coetzee c Yasir b Asif 8
A.K. Heal c Imran b Khalil 14
S.G. Howman b Khalil 2
M.J. Petrie not out 7
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-6, NB-7) 17
TOTAL (all out, 34 overs) 158
FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-7, 3-17, 4-18, 5-88, 6-116, 7-116, 8-124, 9-151.
DID NOT BAT: J. Sprague.
BOWLING: Shoaib Akhtar 5-0-22-1 (2nb); Mohammad Sami 8-3-19-3 (3nb); Mohammad Khalil 8-0-42-3; Mohammad Asif 9-0-52-2 (2nb); Danish Kaneria 4-2-13-1.
PAKISTAN (1st Innings):
Yasir Hameed c Voges b Petrie 11
Imran Farhat c Ervine b Coetzee 10
Younis Khan not out 132
Yousuf Youhana c Davis b Petrie 0
Mohammad Asif c Howman b Coetzee 18
Shoaib Malik b Petrie 9
Kamran Akmal lbw b Petrie 15
Mohammad Sami c Meuleman b Voges 29
Danish Kaneria not out 2
EXTRAS (LB-7, W-2) 9
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 54 overs) 235
FALL OF WKTS: 1-19, 2-23, 3-33, 4-78, 5-111, 6-147, 7-224.
TO BAT: Asim Kamal, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Khalil.
BOWLING (to-date): Coetzee 9-0-47-2 (2w); Petrie 13-8-26-4; Worthington 7-0-40-0; Howman 6-2-16-0; Sprague 8-0-47-0; Heal 7-2-33-0; Voges 3-1-10-1; Meuleman 1-0-9-0.
NOTE: 12 players per side (11 bat, 11 field). -Agencies