Ponting passes 12,000 run landmark as Australia pummel Pakistan

Ponting's score, the highest of the match, came from 103 balls and included six fours, and took him past 12,000 runs in Test cricket, leaving Australia 34 runs behind with eight second-innings wickets in hand.

Umar Amin and Mohammad Aamer were the only bowlers to take wickets, as Ponting and Michael Clarke, on 32 not out, advanced from 62 for two at tea, cutting Pakistan's lead to just 34 at the close.

Earlier, Shane Watson took a career-best six for 33 as Australia dismissed Pakistan for 258 in their first innings - a lead of 170. "It's hard to really believe, to be fair," Watson said. "The ball swung a bit which made things a little easier and it's not like it was hot out there either, but it's amazing how it's worked out." New captain Salman Butt finished the innings as the top scorer with 45 for Pakistan, who began the day on 148 for three.The morning session was delayed for 45 minutes due to rain but when play did begin, the opening over provided an explosive start as Mitchell Johnson conceded 11 runs before having Umar Akmal caught at mid-off from the sixth delivery. Akmal was given a reprieve as Johnson was called for a no-ball, although Umar Amin was nearly run out at the opposite end as he scrambled for a single. It proved only a stay of execution for Akmal, who was caught behind off Johnson for 21 in the 44th over, the fifth of the morning.

Amin was the victim of a freak dismissal for 25 in the 51st over, when he ducked under a bouncer from Ben Hilfenhaus but left his bat in the air. The ball struck the toe-end of his bat and flew straight to Marcus North. Pakistan came out after lunch on 218 for five and Watson almost single-handedly dragged Australia back into the match with two wickets from the final two balls of the first over. He had Kamran Akmal caught at first slip by North for 15, and then trapped Mohammad Aamer lbw without scoring.

Umar Gul survived the hat-trick ball at the start of Watson's next over but was soon clean-bowled for a duck by the opening batsman, giving Watson his second five-wicket test haul of the series, Watson added to his tally in the next over with the wicket of Shoab Malik.

The last-wicket pair of Danish Kaneria and Mohammad Asif added 24 runs from as many balls in an entertaining cameo, before Kaneria was run out by Steven Smith for 15. Asif finished nine not out.

Mohammad Aamer struck in the fourth over of Australia's second innings, bowling Simon Katich behind his legs for 11, and Ponting was lucky to survive a strong lbw appeal next delivery.

Part-time bowler Amin, having removed North in the first innings, bowled Watson for 24 in the 16th over as he tried to cut the ball and played on to his stumps, leaving Ponting and Clarke to cling on until the tea interval at 62 for 2.

In the evening Ponting scored his 12,000th run in Test cricket with a four and brought up his 50, from 73 balls, with a single from Kaneria.