Plenty of people were willing to predict the Australian Test cricket team would experience a lull this summer following its drought-breaking series win in India.

They were wrong.

Australia thrashed New Zealand 2-0 in their two-Test series last month - by an innings and 156 runs in Brisbane and 213 runs in Adelaide.

Neither match reached a fifth day.

Next came Pakistan armed with express pace duo Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami.

The pair were expected to trouble Australia's batsmen in the first Test on the flat WACA wicket.

Wrong again.

Australia was 5-78 in its first innings shortly after lunch on day one, but the match ended as a contest from that point onwards.

A 152-run stand between Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist led the home side to a first innings of 381.

By the time Pakistan began its second innings, it was facing a 563-run deficit with two full days remaining.

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