Hussey discounts Sydney wicket as telling factor as Pakistan whip out Ponting's men

Hussey was one of just four batsman to reach double figures on a rain-shortened opening day which saw the hosts bundled out for 127 after Ricky Ponting boldly opted to bat on an old-fashioned green top.

But while the Western Australian admits conditions heavily favoured the bowlers, he is adamant the hosts should have done better in front of a healthy crowd of 29,844.

"I don't think it was a 127 all-out pitch," Hussey said.

"They did bowl well and credit where credit is due ... but I think at the end of the day we are disappointed to be bowled out for 127."

Asked if the captain consulted his team-mates before making his decision, Hussey explained: "We didn't really discuss it .I think it was left up to Ricky and probably the coaches and Michael Clarke (vice-captain) to discuss that."

But the 34-year-old revealed he did have a light-hearted chat to the captain on the eve of the match.

"I must admit I did joke with Ricky one day before the game saying that he batted at Johannesburg in the first Test against South Africa and that wicket had branches growing off it," he said.

"So I didn't think he'd bowl first on any wicket in the world and that was sort of proved again today I guess."

While admitting Pakistan held the upper hand heading into day two, Hussey is confident his bowlers can restore order.

"We've got to come here (today) with a positive attitude," he said. "If we can bowl with real patience and real discipline and get enough balls in the right areas we'll create enough chances to hopefully have the game on an even keel (tonight) and then the toss is sort of irrelevant.

"I still think there's going to be lots of movement in there. There's quite a lot of live green grass on that pitch, there's certainly still going to be moisture in that pitch overnight (and today)."

Pakistan destroyer Mohammad Asif says he was happy to erase the nightmare of his most recent visit to the SCG in 2005 after ripping through the hosts on his way to career-best figures of

6-41.

"I had a very bad memory when I had a debut in this ground in 2004-05 and after that Test match they sent me back home," Asif explained.

"So I just wanted to clean up the whole memory so I just did and I'm very happy now."