Second Test: Butt's men looking all set to make light work of ending their long wait for victory

"It's just like being in Karachi," quipped the Pakistan journalists for whom such problems are common back home.

Much of Headingley suburb was affected by the fault, which took out the scoreboards in the morning session.

But it was nothing compared to the Australian malfunction as Pakistan closed on a famous victory.

After resuming on 136-2 in their second innings, a deficit of 34, Australia were bowled out for 349 to leave their opponents 180 to win.

Following the early loss of Salman Butt, their captain and talisman, Pakistan were ushered towards their target by Imran Farhat and Azhar Ali, who added 110 for the second wicket in 28 overs.

When Doug Bollinger yorked Farhat for 67 and then had Umar Amir caught behind for a duck, the game spilled over into a fourth day when it appeared a second successive Leeds Test would finish in three.

Last year, Australia thrashed England inside eight sessions in a happier occasion for Ricky Ponting's team.

One writes off Australia at one's peril, but surely not even they can escape from this mess.

They have been squarely outplayed for much of the game by a side who have shown commendable spirit.

Pakistan have not won a Test against Australia for 15 years, while Australia's splendid sequence of seven successive victories – and 13 against Pakistan – looks set to be broken.

England can certainly expect a tough examination when Butt leads his team into the four-match Test series that starts in Nottingham on Thursday, which will serve as useful preparation for this winter's Ashes.

Having batted with character themselves the previous evening, Australia – trailing by 170 on first innings – had hopes of masterminding an amazing turnaround as they did when these teams met in Sydney last January.

On that occasion, Australia overturned a first-innings deficit of 206 to win by 36 runs, but they suffered a body blow early yesterday when Ponting chased a wide one from Mohammad Aamer and was caught behind after adding only five to his overnight 61.

Bowling from the Rugby Stand end, Aamer proved a serious handful and followed up by removing Michael Hussey with the aid of a slip catch.

When Marcus North played away from his body and chopped on for a duck, Aamer had 3-12 in 16 balls and Australia were teetering on 164-5.

Only Michael Clarke withstood Aamer's early assault, Australia's vice-captain reaching a 99-ball half-century to keep his side above the parapet.

But when he fell for 77 to the seventh ball after lunch, caught behind off Mohammad Asif, Australia were effectively 47-6.

Their predicament worsened when Tim Paine – having done all the hard work by reaching 33 – slapped a half-tracker from leg-spinner Danish Kaneria to cover to make a present of his wicket.

Australia's last three wickets added 103, Steven Smith leading the way with 77 from 100 deliveries, including successive sixes off Kaneria on to the Rugby Stand roof.

Smith's plucky innings ended when he dragged a slower ball from Umar Gul onto his stumps, Aamer the pick of the bowlers with 4-86.

Farhat had a life on four when Shane Watson put him down at first slip off Bollinger, Clarke showing his comrade how it should be done by claiming Butt in the same position off Ben Hilfenhaus.

Ali will resume on 47 with Pakistan and their supporters poised to celebrate.

Display of the day

Mohammad Aamer

n The Pakistan pace bowler returned figures of 27-6-86-4 to help his side towards a famous victory.