SYDNEY: Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf on Monday rued throwing away his wicket in their second Test here, saying that his team could have finished on a stronger position at stumps on the second had some of the batsmen avoided playing bad shots.

Yousuf said that Pakistan could have almost batted Australia out of the Test had they gained a first innings lead of 350 but said that some rash shots from a him and a couple of other batters means the tourists still have some hard work ahead.

“We could have taken ourselves to a stronger position,” he told a group of Pakistani reporters here at the Sydney Cricket ground (SCG) on Monday. “A bigger lead would have brought Australia under a lot of pressure.”

Yousuf blamed himself and three other middle-order batters – Faisal Iqbal, Misbah-ul-Haq and Kamran Akmal – for playing rash strokes. “I lost my own wicket because of a bad shot. A few other batsmen also got out needlessly.”

Pakistan finished day two at 331-9, 204 runs ahead. At one stage they were placed at 237-3 and seemed set for a huge lead over the Aussies.

Yousuf, who is hoping to lead his team to its first win over Australia since 1995, said that he expects his bowlers to do well again.

“They bowled superbly on the first day and I’m sure they can do that again in the second innings.”