Melbourne, Dec.27 (ANI): Disappointed by the way the MCG wicket played on the first day of the first Test match, Pakistan speedster Mohammad Asif has said that the unhelpful strip reminded him of lifeless tracks of Faisalabad.

“(The pitch is) not really good. Actually the pitch was a real batting track and really slow. I just feel like I was playing in Faisalabad, in Pakistan. I don’t think this is an MCG pitch, or an Australian pitch. I’d heard that it was bouncy and fast, but it was slow and had low bounce,” Asif, who emerged as Pakistan’s most successful bowler on the first day taking two wickets.

Pakistani pacers, Mohammed Aamer in particular, tried to test Australian captain Ricky Ponting with numerous short-pitched deliveries, but hardly received any help from the wicket

“We had a plan against Ponting, short-pitched, but the pitch was against the plan, quite slow, low bounce. We already had three fast bowlers and their openers did very well, they didn’t make mistakes. We accept that. We are just three fast bowlers and when Ponting came, we were really tired. Aamer bowled a few good bouncers but we had to change plans eventually,” Asif said.

He said the team missed the services of leg spinner Danish Kaneria, as the pitch would have suited him.

“We missed Danish on this surface. We had a plan to play two spinners but he injured his finger during practice,” said the left-handed bowler. (ANI)