Headingley has a history of producing the dramatic and another extraordinary chapter was written as Australia were blown away for a paltry 88 by an inspired Pakistan pace attack after Ricky Ponting had decided to bat first. Mohammad Aamer began the collapse before later finding himself on a hat-trick and Mohammad Asif was lethal with his late swing. Umar Gul claimed two key middle-order scalps and, most surprisingly, Umar Amin's medium pace even earned a first Test wicket.
It was brave call from Ponting at the toss after torrential overnight rain, and a distinctly overcast start to the morning, but it backfired in startling fashion with Australia's seventh lowest first-innings total in their history. By tea Pakistan had raced to 64 without loss as new captain Salman Butt resumed his vital role at the top of the under with a fluent 34 and Imran Farhat battled hard after his problems in the first Test.
Headingley is another venue where overhead conditions are as important as the surface and Pakistan's frontline pace trio were often unplayable as they made the ball move late off the seam. In scenes reminiscent of the days of Wasim and Waqar, the bowlers didn't need much help from the fielders with seven wickets either bowled or lbw as Australia failed to combat Pakistan's full length.
Kamran Akmal, though, played his part shortly before lunch when he gloved an excellent catch to remove Marcus North as Amin's introduction proved a masterstroke from Butt. Amin had only six first-class wickets to his name, but his gentle medium-pace found North's outside edge and the dismissal summed up the early fortunes of both teams.
Australia's hopes of reaching anything like a respectable total were ended with the first two balls of the afternoon session when Aamer produced his latest impression of Wasim with two cracking deliveries. The first, to Steven Smith, snaked back between bat and pad but the next was even better as Mitchell Johnson lost his off stump to one that curved away past his outside edge.
To compound Australia's woes Ben Hilfenhaus was run out from third man by Amin before Tim Paine's wild thrash at Asif ended the innings. Paine's top score of 17 was the joint fourth-lowest highest individual effort in a completed Australian innings and the lowest since the 19th century.
The initial overs hadn't hinted at the drama to follow as Pakistan's new ball pair eased into their work and struggled to locate the ideal lines. But Simon Katich's departure changed the picture as he shuffled across the crease against Aamer and for once missed the ball to collect a rare failure. Ponting then survived a huge lbw appeal first ball when Rudi Koertzen, standing in his final Test before retirement, correctly adjudged the delivery would have passed just over middle stump.
However, Shane Watson followed in the next over when he was plumb in front to Asif. He was reluctant to leave the crease but replays showed his bat was nowhere the ball. Ponting and Clarke were often playing at fresh air as they tried to rebuild with both batsmen regularly squared up by late movement.
Aamer was rested after a five-over opening burst but his replacement, Gul, maintained the pressure and, unlike at Lord's, quickly located a full length. He ended Clarke's struggle when the vice-captain played all round a straight delivery after beginning the over with two flat-footed wafts.
Asif was given an extended spell and the move paid huge dividends when he nailed Ponting lbw for the second time in a row. He found late movement into Ponting, who lunged onto the front foot, and the ball was heading for middle and leg as Pakistan's bowlers continued to leave the fielders redundant.
Hussey has rescued Australia from many a hole - often against Pakistan - but this time he was powerless to arrest the slide as Gul brought one back into his front pad, although subsequent replays showed Koertzen had erred on this occasion and leg stump would have been missed.
Even at 41 for 5, Australia will have expected someone in the lower order to haul them beyond three figures as happened in Sydney earlier this earlier but this time Pakistan refused to release the pressure. Australia were desperate for some early successes with the ball, but that desire to make quick inroads led to the bowlers losing their lines.
Hilfenhaus, who had a shoulder injury coming into this match, drifted regularly onto leg stump, Watson was unthreatening despite his five-wicket haul at Lord's and Johnson made an expensive start. Australia have come back from seemingly hopeless positions before - and the scars of what they inflicted on Pakistan earlier this year are still fresh - but it will take something incredible to turn this around.
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