Australia ride on Pakistan nerves to clinch the lost match
The brilliant cricket displayed ended in few hours when Australia bowled out Pakistan in a chase of only 175 runs. This was the golden chance which Pakistan missed it. Pakistan got oppurtunity to level the series by winning this match, at one point it seemed to be the big margin victory but later it turned other way and success kissed Australia leaving behind Pakistan hopes.
A ninth wicket partnership also turned this week’s match. Australia led by 51 runs when Peter Siddle joined Mike Hussey at the wicket. They added 123, Hussey completing an innings of 134 not out, to leave Pakistan what still looked an extremely modest target of 175.
Pakistan was all out for 138 after it collapsed against spinner Nathan Hauritz, who took five wickets.
This was a still more remarkable reversal, and consequently even more shattering for Pakistan, than Watkins’ single day of glory. That was the final defeat of a series already lost. Victory on Wednesday would have tied the current series at 1-1 with the decider at Hobart, starting Jan. 14, still to come. Instead Pakistan goes to Tasmania with the series lost and its run of consecutive defeats by Australia extended to 11.
Pakistan dominated this week’s match from the start. Mohammad Sami, a bowler recalled after a two-year absence, blew away Australia’s first three batsmen for 10 runs. It looked like a remarkable piece of redemption. If Watkins is a candidate for the worst test bowler of the last 50 years, Sami leads a parallel category — least successful bowler talented enough to win frequent recalls. His 84 wickets in 34 tests have cost more than 50 runs apiece, the worst average of any bowler who has taken more than 50 test wickets.
Australia was bowled out for 127 with Mohammad Asif, who has a vastly superior record but is another candidate for redemption after a series of drug-related infractions, taking six wickets.
When Pakistan replied with 333 in its first innings victory appeared certain. Shane Watson’s defiant 97 when Australia batted again seemed merely to be delaying of the inevitable, and the latest landmark for a fast-rising talent with a propensity for falling in just short of a century — this was his fourth score between 89 and 97 in his last four matches.
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