| GEO Sports | | Waqar vary of Ponting's class act | Updated at: 1112 PST, Friday, July 23, 2010
 HEADINGLAY: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis believes Australia captain Ricky Ponting holds the key to victory when the second Test resumes at Headingley today.
Australia stormed back into the game yesterday, after being bowled out for just 88 on the first day, with Shane Watson's career-best figures of six for 33 restricting Pakistan's first-innings lead to 170.
A defiant Ponting then set about reducing that arrears to just 34 by the close of play as he finished the day unbeaten on 61.
In doing so he became the second batsman to pass 12,000 Test runs and, in terms of the Test match, the first batsman to post a half-century after 22 wickets fell on the opening two days.
With his vice-captain Michael Clarke (32 not out) the pair had put on 81 for the third wicket and Waqar targeted the skipper's wicket as crucial to his side's chances of claiming a first Test win over Australia in 15 years.
"He's got 12,000 Test runs so he's a class act. He's looking good at the moment, he's definitely a dangerman for us," Waqar said.
"If we can fetch him early then maybe things will change.
"If we can get a couple of wickets early on then things can start swinging our way.
"It's even at the moment. We didn't really pick up too many wickets, we have just two, but we still have 34 runs to play with before they start scoring runs."
Asked what score he would like to chase in the fourth innings, Waqar replied: "Under 200. That would be still chaseable on this pitch.
"It's a pretty slow pitch and looking at how the Australians bowled in the first innings we have a chance."
Australia all-rounder Watson agreed with Waqar's assessment that Ponting holds the key to the game.
The 35-year-old Tasmanian had been out of sorts, having failed to reach 50 in his previous six innings, before he walked out to bat yesterday before displaying his characteristic fighting spirit to haul his side back into the game.
"As you've seen through his career times when it's the toughest, that's when you see his strength of character and that he's a quality player," Watson said.
" There's no doubt he's looking great out there at the moment.
"We know the situation that we were in yesterday, we had to play some good cricket to get back in the game.
"We are well on the way, but we know there's still plenty of hard work to go in this game to get it in our favour, but we're certainly turning the tide." |  | | | |
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