BRISBANE, NOV 7: The Rawalpindi Express steamed into the wickets but Australia and Brisbane's spectacular weather prolonged the agony for Pakistan as their first innings refused to die in the opening Test at The Gabba today.Shoaib Akhtar, the world's quickest bowler, snared four wickets but the Australians maintained the Pakistani frustration with a potential match-winning 148-run lead, boosted by centuries from Michael Slater (169) and Mark Waugh (100) besides a cameo innings from Test debutant Adam Gilchrist off 88 balls and Greg Blewett's measured 89.When a spectacular hailstorm swamped the ground to end play for the day at 5:20 p.m. local time, Australia had belligerently batted on during the third day's play to be 515 for nine with two days to play.Shane Warne resumes tomorrow on 34 with Scott Muller on one. Tomorrow's play will start a half-hour early and is scheduled to finish 14 minutes beyond normal stumps to accommodate today's lost playing time.Akhtar captured the wickets of captainSteve Waugh (1), Ricky Ponting (0), Damien Fleming (0) and Adam Gilchrist (81). Slater, who was the major partner with Blewett in the host's third highest opening partnership in Tests in their 269-run stand, blazed 25 fours and a six and faced 271 balls during his 351-minute vigil at the crease. Mark Waugh caressed 17 boundaries in his 148-ball hundred, 17th in Tests, to back up Slater's third highest Test score which ignited the Australian innings.There was also an exceptional knock from Gilchrist - in for the newly-retired Ian Healy who carted Mushtaq for five fours in one over on the way to 81 comprising 10 fours. Waugh and Gilchrist brought up their 123-run partnership in 113 minutes.ILL-LUCK, BLOW BY BLOWBRISBANE: Pakistani batsman Mohammad Wasim could have been excused for running for dear life when lightning flashed above The Gabba late on the third day. Wasim's Australian tour got off to a dream start when he hit a century against Western Australia in Perth but the subsequentten days have given him nothing but grief.He spent three hours in a Brisbane hospital last week after an allergic reaction to one bite of prawn made his eyes swell, caused rashes all over his body and restricted his breathing. Vision still blurry, he played against Queensland last week but failed twice with the bat, then made just 18 on the first day of the Test here.He was the man who dropped Michael Slater at first slip when the dashing Australian opener was on 99, allowing a single for Slater's century. Wasim was replaced by frustrated captain Wasim Akram during the next over.Today, he was struck a painful blow to his ankle while fielding in close when Mark Waugh jumped on a cover drive from leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.Wasim needed treatment while he lay in agony and again he was replaced by 12th man Ghulam Ali. Then a snick from Shane Warne off Akram late in the day rebounded off wicket-keeper Moin Khan's glove and into the side of Wasim's head, causing more distress.
