Player of the Match
Player of the Match

What a turnaround. Pakistan were 95 for no loss, and lost all their wickets for 76 runs. The introduction of spin sparked a change in fortunes for Pakistan, with Hauritz getting rid of Butt, and then Clarke taking two in an over.

It all went downhill from then on, as batsman after batsman either got out playing a needless shot, or was done in by some genuinely good bowling. Australia kept the pressure on as soon as they sniffed a chance at a comeback, and once they had seized the advantage, they didn't take too long to complete the formalities, despite a determined Malik at the crease.

Pakistan have a lot to introspect, and again have lived up to their reputation of being extremely erratic. Their shoddy performance with the bat, after having done very well to restrict Australia, has given Australia a potentially decisive 2-1 lead in this series. Pakistan will now have to come up with something special to pull off a comeback here. Join us in a bit for details from the presentation. No surprises about who's going to be the Man of the Match - Michael Clarke.

Younis Khan: "We lost too many wickets too quickly. This is a young team, we need to learn from Australia. They have this tendency to bounce back. "

Clarke: "Fantastic win. I thought we were about 20-30 runs short, but we bowled and fielded really well. Hauritz bowled superbly. We did well to scramble to 200, but credit to the Pakistan spinners. It was really hard to play the spinners, and we did the job tonight. It's good to make the most of wickets like these. Fielding is all about attitude, and we threw ourselves at everything tonight to pull it off."

That's all we have for today. Australia have bounced back superbly to lead the series 2-1, and Pakistan will have to emulate them to pull of a series win here. Thanks for your feedback. Until the next game on May day, it's goodbye from all of us at Cricinfo. Adios!

47.1
W
Clark to Umar Gul, OUT, Bang on the stumps, has a wild swing, misses, and timber!!

Umar Gul b Clark 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

Stuart Clark into the attack

END OF OVER:
47 | 2 Runs 2 Wkts | PAK: 171/9 (28 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 3.63, RRR: 9.33)

  • Saeed Ajmal0 (3b)
  • Umar Gul0 (0b)
  • Ben Hilfenhaus6-0-20-1
  • Nathan Bracken10-1-37-1
46.6
0
Hilfenhaus to Saeed Ajmal, no run, short of a good length outside off, bowled at 134.9 kmph, backs away from it, takes his eyes off and it just beats the outside edge
46.6
1w
Hilfenhaus to Saeed Ajmal, 1 wide, wide down the leg side, tries to glance it down fine, misses
46.5
0
Hilfenhaus to Saeed Ajmal, no run, hit by the bouncer, went off the shoulder onto the helmet as he tried to back away
46.4
0
Hilfenhaus to Saeed Ajmal, no run, fullish on the off stump, pushed off the front foot to mid-on

People leave the stadium in their hundreds, and it's all but over now for Pakistan. Saeed Ajmal walks in.

46.3
W
Hilfenhaus to Shoaib Malik, OUT, run out, now that's definitely the decisive wicket, slower one outside off, tries to chop it down, gets an under-edge on the bounce to Haddin, Malik sets off for a single, is sent back, an under-arm flick from the keeper crashes into the stumps and the former Pakistan captain is well short

Shoaib Malik run out 30 (56b 2x4 0x6) SR: 53.57

Gul comes in

Pakistan are eight down, and Australia have tightened their stranglehold here. Can Malik pull off a match-winning performance here. He did well with the ball, and his team depend on him to hole them out of this self-inflicted mess.

46.2
W
Hilfenhaus to Sohail Tanvir, OUT, he's gone! Is that the decisive blow? Came onto him quick, short on middle, was tempted, went for the pull, got the top-edge and Hussey at midwicket ran to his left to complete an easy catch

Sohail Tanvir c Hussey b Hilfenhaus 11 (24b 1x4 0x6) SR: 45.83

The crowd is dead silent.

46.1
1
Hilfenhaus to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, length ball on the off stump, driven firmly down to long-on for a single

Bracken, Hauritz and Symonds are done bowling. Hilfenhaus comes back on

END OF OVER:
46 | 4 Runs | PAK: 169/7 (30 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 3.67, RRR: 7.50)

  • Sohail Tanvir11 (23b)
  • Shoaib Malik29 (54b)
  • Nathan Bracken10-1-37-1
  • Andrew Symonds9-1-41-1
45.6
0
Bracken to Sohail Tanvir, no run, sent back, punched to cover but there's no chance of a single there, 30 needed off the last four now
45.5
0
Bracken to Sohail Tanvir, no run, short of a good length outside off, at 131 kmph, tries to run it down, misses
45.4
1
Bracken to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, shuffled from one end to the other and worked it away to square leg for a single

The captain and the bowler have a fairly long discussion. Symonds is also involved. The third man, and square leg have been brought up

45.3
1
Bracken to Sohail Tanvir, 1 run, quick single, pushed through the line to mid-off and they scamper through
45.2
0
Bracken to Sohail Tanvir, no run, beaten, pushed through quick, bowled at 131.5 kmph, poked at it but it went through too quickly

Australia v Pakistan ODI Series 2009 News

Pakistan 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st95Salman ButtAhmed Shehzad
2nd0Younis KhanAhmed Shehzad
3rd12Misbah-ul-HaqAhmed Shehzad
4th0Shoaib MalikAhmed Shehzad
5th16Shahid AfridiShoaib Malik
6th18Shoaib MalikKamran Akmal
7th7Shoaib MalikYasir Arafat
8th22Shoaib MalikSohail Tanvir
9th0Shoaib MalikUmar Gul
10th1Saeed AjmalUmar Gul