The Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting led a gritty fightback on the second day of the second test against Pakistan overnight to steer his team to 136 for 2 at the close, just 34 runs behind Pakistan who bowled out the Australians for just 88 on the first day at Headingley.
Ponting made an unbeaten 61 and shared a stand of 81 with Michael Clarke after swing bowler Shane Watson had checked Pakistan's progress with test-best figures of six for 33.
Australia did not lose a wicket in a final session curtailed by bad light to revive hopes of registering an eighth straight test victory and Ponting became the second man to reach 12,000 test runs with a boundary to third man off Mohammad Aamer.
