London, July 22: Newly appointed Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt couldn’t have asked for a better start to his stint as his bowlers exploited the overcast conditions at Headingly to send Australia packing for 88 all out, and he believes that losing the toss proved to be a blessing in disguise.
“The loss of toss turned out to be a blessing in disguise for us. The onus was on Australian captain Ricky Ponting to decide what to do,” The News quoted Butt, as saying at the end of the Australian first innings.
Butt, however, said that his batsmen were fully prepared to bat first if Ricky Ponting had asked for that after winning the toss.
Ponting’s decision to bat first on a seeming track that too under cloudy conditions showed that he failed to read the track completely.
“I think the track is a true batting paradise and batting first will be an ideal decision,” Ponting had said after winning the toss.
Pakistani fast bowlers made full use of the conditions and bowled out Australia for 88, their second lowest total against the same squad.
In 1956, Pakistan, captained by Fazal Mehmood had dismissed Australia for a paltry 80 runs. That match, the first ever between the two teams, was played on a matting wicket.