Pakistan spark Aussie batting collapse

Marcus North of Australia (left) is bowled for 0 runs as Pakistani players celebrate the wicket of Mohammad Asif during the first day of their first Test match at Lord's cricket ground in London, on July 13, 2010.

AAP

PAKISTAN swing merchant Mohammad Asif has sparked Australia's latest Test batting collapse on English soil as Ricky Ponting's men slipped to 9-229 at stumps on the opening day at Lord's.

Asif (3-53) skittled Australia's middle order by capturing 3-0 off seven balls either side of the tea interval on a weather-affected opening day in the first Test in London.

With memories still fresh of Australia being rolled by Pakistan for 127 in an overcast opening day in this year's SCG Test, there were fears for Ponting's batsmen from the outset.

After winning the toss, the disciplined Pakistan attack exploited the heavy, overcast conditions and remained patient even after Simon Katich (80) and Michael Clarke (47) put on a 120-run stand to lift Australia to 2-171.

The lethal swing bowling trio of Asif, Mohammad Aamer (3-66) and Umar Gul (1-24) all thrived in the conditions but it was Asif's dismissals of Clarke, Katich and Marcus North in a short space of time that really rattled the Australians.

Ponting's side lost 7-52 in the testing conditions at one stage with Mike Hussey (39no) and Doug Bollinger (0no) unbeaten when bad light ended play early.

Katich said the mood in the Australia camp wasn't too despondent as it was only six months ago in Sydney the national side won a Test against Pakistan after a far worse start to the match.

"It would have been nice to have made more but on the other side of things we have nearly 230 runs in the bank," he said.

"I dare say if the conditions stay similar, they might do, then Pakistan will certainly find it difficult as well.

"If those conditions stay the same in the next couple of days, runs on the board are always a big thing in Test cricket and I know a couple of our guys will really enjoy bowling in those conditions with the ball swinging around.

"There is no doubt they have some inexperience in their batting lineup as well and they still have to get some runs."

The succession of wickets revived memories of Australia's capitulations during last year's Ashes series at Lord's, Edgbaston and The Oval.

Captain Ricky Ponting (26) earlier elevated himself to second spot on the all-time list of Test runscorers before suffering his latest failure at the home of cricket.

Ponting (11,954) moved one run past West Indian maestro Brian Lara (11,953) with India's Sachin Tendulkar (13,447) the only batsman to have posted more Test runs than the Tasmanian.

On Tuesday, Ponting fell to an excellent reflex catch by debutant Umar Amin at bat pad from his firmly hit shot off Aamer's bowling.

He and Aamer bumped into each other following the batsman's downfall and the impressive young quick is fast gaining a reputation for getting awfully close to batsmen after capturing their wickets.

Katich and Clarke both enjoyed good fortune during their innings, the left-hander with a lbw shout on two and Clarke with an edge that bounced off his pad and flicked the fingertips of a diving Amin.

But it was the sort of conditions where the batsmen needed their fair share of luck.

Asif ended Clarke's knock on the final ball before tea with a ball that came back in and caught him in front before having the shuffling Katich caught behind in the second over after tea.

But the right-armer's best wicket of the day was the inswinger that sailed straight through Marcus North's (0) defences.

From then on, Australia were up against it with debutants Tim Paine (7) and Steve Smith (1) unable to make substantial contributions against a rampant Pakistan.