| Pakistan pays heavily for its fielding lapses; five wickets fall in one over |
Gros Islet (St. Lucia): Australia's comprehensive 34-run win over holder Pakistan at the Beausejour Stadium here on Sunday reflected its firepower. This Australian team can make a serious bid for the title.
First, Shane Watson — adjudged Man of the Match for his 49-ball 81— and David Hussey (53 from 29 deliveries) launched into the Pakistani bowling to propel the score to a daunting 191 after skipper Michael Clarke won the toss.
Then, the hostile trio of blistering pace — Shaun Tait, Dirk Nannes and Mitchell Johnson — made things very hot for the men in the middle.
These are strike bowlers who attack the batsmen even in the shortest form of the game. Tait and Nannes picked three wickets each and Johnson scalped two. Pakistan was dismissed for 157 in this Group ‘A' clash.
Despite a fighting 41 from Misbah-ul-Haq and a typically entertaining 33 from Shahid Afridi, Pakistan was never in the hunt. While the Aussie attack was on target, the swift fielders held to the catches.
Sensational
Earlier, left-arm paceman Mohammed Aamer sent down a sensational last over. The Australians, wickets in hand, went for runs in the final over and Aamer lifted his bowling.
He scalped three and the precision in his bowling produced two run-outs. Incredibly, the final over was a five-wicket maiden.
Brad Haddin was held at third man by Mohammad Sami off the first ball. With his second delivery, Aamer yorked Mitchell Johnson. On a hat-trick, he denied Steven Smith's flashing blade with a full length delivery outside off and 'keeper Kamran Akmal beat Michael Hussey's bid to get to the striker's end.
Then, Nannes attempted a bye after Aamer flummoxed him with a yorker length ball outside off. Akmal, standing closer to the stumps and giving lesser time for the batsmen to cross over, was on the mark again to run out Steven Smith. Australia had lost four wickets in as many deliveries.
Then, it was Shaun Tait's turn to miss one. Wisely, the batsmen did not set out for a run. With his final delivery, though, Aamer castled Tait with his line and cut. It was an extraordinary last over in a Twenty20 game.
Despite Aamer's heroics, the innings was dominated by Australia.
Brutal attack
Watson whipped up a powerful innings of substance. This right-handed all-rounder, a brutal striker of the ball, launched into the Pakistan spinners.
The Pakistanis missed an opportunity early —Watson was on 11 when Misbah-ul-Haq put him down at mid-wicket off Hafeez — and paid the price.
Watson appeared set for an hundred when offie Saeed Ajmal, the pick of the Pakistani spinners, prised him out with a quicker delivery.
The aggressive David Warner promised much before miscuing a pull off Mohammed Sami. Australia appeared in some bother when skipper Michael Clarke, attempting a cut off Hafeez, was castled.
Batting with panache
David Hussey (53) batted with panache though to support Watson. The partnership took the game away from Pakistan.
Once again, Pakistan suffered after David Hussey — the batsman was put down at long-off off Sami — was given a reprieve. The batsman waded into Sami in a dramatic 16th over, responding with four sixes. A sledge-hammer straight hit stood out among Hussey's meaty blows.
Australia: D. Warner c U. Akmal b Sami 26 (18b, 4x4, 1x6), S. Watson lbw b Ajmal 81 (49b, 7x4, 4x6), M. Clarke b Hafeez 2 (3b), D. Hussey c Alam b Ajmal 53 (29b, 2x4, 5x6), M. Hussey (run out) 17 (8b, 1x4, 1x6), C. White c Alam b Ajmal 9 (7b), B. Haddin c Sami b Aamer 1 (2b), M. Johnson b Aamer 0 (1b), S. Smith (run out) 0 (1b), D. Nannes (not out) 0 (1b), S. Tait b Aamer 0 (2b), Extras (w-1, nb-1) 2, Total (in 20 overs): 191.
Fall of wickets: 1-54, 2-64, 3-162, 4-164, 5-181, 6-191, 7-191, 8-191, 9-191.
Pakistan bowling: Aamer 4-1-23-3, Hafeez 4-0-47-1, Sami 4-0-54-1, Afridi 4-0-33-0, Ajmal 4-0-34-3.
Pakistan: K. Akmal c Smith b Nannes 0 (1b), S. Butt c D. Hussey b Tait 15 (10b, 3x4), M. Hafeez c M. Hussey b Johnson 12 (14b, 3x4), U. Akmal c M. Hussey b Smith 18 (14b, 1x6), Misbah c Clarke b Nannes 41 (31b, 1x4, 2x6), S. Afridi b Tait 33 (24b, 3x4, 1x6), A. Razzaq c Warner b Nannes 1 (2b), F. Alam c Clarke b Johnson 16 (11b, 1x4, 1x6), M. Aamer c Smith b D. Hussey 2 (3b), M. Sami (not out) 5 (5b), S. Ajmal b Tait 4 (6b), Extras (lb-1, w-8, nb-1) 10, Total (in 20 overs): 157.
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-28, 3-34, 4-70, 5-117, 6-120, 7-132, 8-146, 9-151.
Australia bowling: Nannes 4-0-41-3, Tait 4-0-20-3, Johnson 4-0-21-2, Watson 3-0-24-0, D. Hussey 2-0-12-1, Clarke 1-0-14-0, Smith 2-0-24-1 .
No comments:
Post a Comment