Until they came together, Pakistan, displaying uncharacteristic patience, had unhinged the champion Australian batting lineup. Pakistan left Australia to score 369 runs off a minimum 163 overs in the fourth innings on a batters' pitch, but at stumps on the fourth day the odds favoured Pakistan if forecast rain stayed away tomorrow.

At the close, Australia were 188 for five 181 runs away from what would be a famous win with gritty No 3 Justin Langer on his 29th birthday unbeaten on 52 with his 10th Test half-century and fellow left-hander Adam Gilchrist not out 45.

Earlier, skipper Wasim Akram and Akhtar put on 34valuable runs for the last wicket to frustrate Australia's attempts to wrap up the innings. Akram scored 31 before he skied to Blewett at backward point to give Warne 5-110 off 45.4 overs the 16th time in Tests the champion leg-spinner has taken five wickets. Warne now has 342 Test wicket.

Langer, on four, was struck a painful blow from a misdirected full toss by tearaway Shoaib Akhtar, forcing him to seek treatment before continuing. Showing great powers of concentration, Langer was saddled with the responsibility of marshalling the remnants of Aussie second innings following on from his first innings 59. The West Australian pair had stalled the Pakistani charge and at stumps had put on an unbroken 62-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

Scoreboard
Pakistan (1st innings): 222
Australia (1st innings): 246
Pakistan (2nd innings; 351-7 overnight): Saeed Anwar b Warne 78, Mohammad Wasim c McGrath b Muller 20, Saqlain Mushtaq lbw b Warne 8, Ijaz Ahmed c S Waugh b McGrath 82,Inzamam-ul-Haq c M Waugh b Warne 118, Yousuf Youhana c Ponting b Fleming 2, Azhar Mahmood lbw b Warne 28, Moin Khan c Gilchrist b Fleming 6, Wasim Akram c Blewett b Warne 31, Waqar Younis run out (Gilchrist) 0, Shoaib Akhtar not out 5; Extras: (lb6, w1, nb7) 14. Total: (all out, 128.4 overs) 392
Fall of wkts: 1-50, 2-100, 3-122, 4-258, 5-263, 6-320, 7-345, 8-357, 9-358
Bowling: McGrath 27-7-87-1, Fleming 29-5-89-2, Muller 17-3-63-1, Warne 45.4-11-110-5, S Waugh 4-1-19-0, M Waugh 2-0-6-0, Ponting 2-1-7-0, Blewett 2-0-5-0
Australia (2nd innings): Greg Blewett c Moin b Mahmood 29, Michael Slater c Mahmood b Akhtar 27, Justin Langer batting 52, Mark Waugh lbw b Mahmood 0, Steve Waugh c&b Saqlain 28, Ricky Ponting lbw b Akram 0, Adam Gilchrist batting 45; Extras: (lb3, nb4) 7. Total (for 5 wkts, 70 overs) 188
Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-81, 3-81, 4-125, 5-126
Bowling: Akram 10-1-28-1, Waqar 8-2-25-0, Akhtar 13-5-36-1, Saqlain 30-7-76-1, Mahmood 9-2-20-2.