``The batsmen have made mistakes and that's why we are in a tight position. I am observing the same thing which I you are observing,'' Miandad told reporters after the second day's play.

``But you can't predict at this stage of the game,'' he said, adding: ``The match is still wide open.''

``At the moment we are suffering from bad batting but you never know. The same batsmen can play the leading role in helping us win the Test and square the series,'' the former Pakistan captain said.

He appreciated the performance of Glenn McGrath saying that he bowled to a very tight line and length.

``But he has been very lucky to get wickets on bad shots. Fortunes were on his side,'' he remarked when pointed out that eight of the 10 Australian wickets fell to spinners while four of the six Pakistan wickets went to McGrath.

Geoff Marsh, Miandad's opposite number, said: ``Glenn (McGrath) bowled very straight. He was quick and concentrated a lot. He deserved to get the wickets.''

Miandad said there had been not change in the behaviour of the strip. ``It is not a fast bowler's wicket but he (McGrath) bowled very accurately,'' Miandad said.

Pakistan's leading run-getter was of the view that McGrath's bowling was an example for other seamers. ``McGrath has showed that if the fast bowlers bowl well, they would get wickets too. He found the edge from Shahid (Afridi's) bat and had Ijaz (Ahmad) hooking. This means that the wicket would also assist the seamers if they bowl to a good line and length.''

Miandad opined that he had thought that Australia would not cross 250 after they had slumped to 211 for eight. ``I feel that we have conceded 40 to 50 extra runs. Ian Healy played well and we missed catches at crucial stages.''

Miandad, however, maintained that 280 was not a big total had the batsmen realized their responsibilities. ``The score looks tall because we have lost six wickets,'' he said.

Marsh said: ``It was disappointing for us to lose two wickets early in the day. But Ian Healy and Stuart MacGill batted well to add 55 runs for the ninth wicket by working the ball around. But in the end, I am quite happy with what we have achieved.''

Miandad said the wicket would deteriorate day-by-day and would become very difficult for the batsmen by the fourth and fifth day. ``It (ball) has already started turning. So you can imagine what would happen on the fourth and fifth day,'' he stated.

Marsh said: ``It's difficult to say what target would be a match-winning score because the wicket has played well on the first two days. It (wicket) looks like it is going to turn but for me it has played well so far.''

Geoff Marsh, felt that his team was concentrating on the first session of the third morning. ``Tomorrow's first session is important to us and we will try to pack up Pakistan's innings without letting them add too many runs. It's also important for us to bat well in the second innings.''

Marsh praised the batting of Aamir Sohail saying he never looked in trouble. ``He hit the bad balls to the fence well.

``It's always tough when you are opening the innings. I can feel the pressure because I was an opener as well.''