Cricket: Australia record first win against Pakistan at Sharjah
The lanky left-armer's best one-day figures helped Australia keep their rivals down to 198 in 45.1 overs before they fought hard against Pakistani spinners to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series at Sharjah Stadium.
Australia owed their run chase to some responsible batting by skipper Clarke (66), who added an invaluable 54 with Bailey for the fifth wicket before Baily-Glenn Maxwell (38) put on 63 for the sixth to see off the target in 48.2 overs.
Pakistan had attacked through their much-vaunted spinning trio of Saeed Ajmal (3-30), Mohammad Hafeez (2-29) and Shahid Afridi (1-37) but Australian batting was led by Clarke and finished by Bailey with an unbeaten 88-ball 57.
Clarke hit five boundaries during his 95-ball knock.
Ajmal struck with his first ball of the match, trapping a nervous Michael Hussey (five) infront and then had David Hussey (three) caught in the slip off his last ball of the second over.
Bailey hit a six in the penultimate over before taking a single to seal the match.
Hafeez had dismissed David Warner (five) and Afridi had Matthew Wade (10).
Earlier left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc took a career best 5-42 and James Pattinson (3-19) to derail Pakistan, who won the toss and batted.
The 22-year-old Starc, who took 4-47 in Australia's 66-run win over Afghanistan here on Saturday, helped Australia keep the lengthy rival batting line-up of seven batsmen to a modest total, losing the last six men for just 38.
Pakistan were recovering well when the batting power-play began in the 36th over with the total at 159-4 but lost three wickets in the five overs for just 16 runs with Starc dismissing Asad Shafiq (56), Kamran Akmal (four) and Shahid Afridi (nought) in an incisive bowling display.
His previous best of 4-27 came against Sri Lanka at Brisbane two years ago. He also took 4-47 in Australia's 66-run win over Afghanistan here on Saturday.
Starc ended all hopes of Pakistan batting through their 50-overs when he had Umar Akmal (52) in the 41st over.
It was Starc's new-ball partner Pattinson who provided Australia with two early breakthroughs, dismissing Hafeez (four) in the fifth over before getting Azhar Ali (five) in the seventh.
Starc forced an edge off a short delivery off opener Nasir Jamshed to wicket-keeper Wade.
Shafiq and Misbah-ul Haq added 59 for the fourth wicket before the Pakistani skipper played a rash shot off paceman Dan Christian and was bowled for 26.
Shafiq then found an able partner in Umar as both hit out at Australian spinners to the best effect, with both hitting two sixes each. Shafiq also hit two boundaries during his 77-ball knock.
Umar also hit two boundaries during his 55-ball knock.
The second match will be played in Abu Dhabi on August 31 while the third will be here on September 3. Both teams will play three Twenty20 internationals in Dubai on September 5, 7 and 10.
A slideshow of pictures from the match can be viewed here.
COMMENTS (49)
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@GreenOval: So, living beings are "goods" in Pakistan? You shouldn't be that honest you know!
@Vikas: "No doubt that every 65 years of being into existence you guys are exporting towels and bed sheets. We export IT/ITES (brain/logic)."
Why you feel the need to politicize and contaminate every discussion regardless of the subject. Is this in your job discussions. Just as a refresher, we are discussing Cricket here.
If Bangladesh is chasing down 280 target than there must be wrong with bowlers. Dont you think so? Yes we were defeated by a good batting unit in Asia cup I agree on that!
@Rehman:
That Bizarre logic is started by Omar... according to your logic Bangladesh bowling is better than Pakistan isn't it?
@Omar: Good Idea. Let us sign an Exchange Program. (I am serious. Not kidding or Downgrading either my Own Country or Pakistan).
PCB should include some sindhi and balochi speaking players in Pakistan Cricket Team.
@Vikas:
Woha! What happened? Thats not the answer! Oh I wasnt asking you
@Yuri Kondratyuk: "So you have boycotted Chinese goods?" Is Unmukt Chand is actually Unmukt CHANG. Thanks for sharing dude.
@Raj: So You are saying Bangladesh batting is almost equal to Indian batting. What are you up to? Quite bizarre logic.
What I saw was the Akmal brothers batting, then a guy comes on gives them water and taliks to both, next ball Kamran is out, followed quickly by his brother and the sides batting just collapses after that.
@Omar
"because India has the worst bowling attack in the world, cant defend 280 vs bangladesh in asia cup."
Pak has the worst bowling attack in the world, cant defend 329 vs India in asia cup. What about this??
Pathetic batting display, after getting out on a big zero, Afridi was seen on cameras hungrily munching away at food like a person who had not had anything to eat in a long time. Now its not BOOM BOOM, its GONE GONE.
I say give Junaid Khan a chance he is better then Kukkri and Cheema. If a pacer had contributed pressure on spinners would have been less.
We can win if we play with sincerity
Lala g was so hungry and he looked annoyed most of the time ... Common man you are the One man Show for this Team !!
@Rehman: Everybody blame afridi !!!! it means he is the only match winner in the team !!!
@Rahul: Indian cricket team are the one who stopped Australians from their winning streak and made them go below the No. 1 spot in ODI they were holding since long. Since the beating they got from India, they have never recovered. Just commenting for the sake of saying anything that comes into your thoughts does not make sense. Anyone who knows little about cricket knows that the current world champs both in national level and U19 in the 50 over format of the game are India.
Its time to get rid of WORST SPINNER [Afridi] from Playing 11. And include Abdul Rehman in place of him. But we knows Mr Me will create drama if management decides to drop him
@nomi:
So you have boycotted Chinese goods?
These continuous losses for Pakistan is turning it into another India
@Vishnu Dutta: Look who is talking. Go mate and pray to your GOD Tindulkar, who needs hundred matches to make a century. It really amuses me how much time Indians have to sit and comment on Pakistan. I think if they have utilized this time on a productive activity it would have been fruitful (i.e. working on their authentic thick accent)
And here "some" were expecting Afridi to score runs! Hahaha!
why we take ur chucker bowlers ..they dont5 knw how to defend 198 atleast.....................u19 bowlers are coming in india..they knw how to defend 136 against pakjistan
Pakistan is only good at beating teams like kenya or zimbabwe.
Honestly .. tell me a couple of uses of Mr Afridi in any for of international cricket.
No one is playing with responsibility
After Younis Khan & Umer Gul, Its Afridi's turn.........
1 down. 2 to go.
it was great game today, things could have been different had Pak played their 50 overs. It was treat to watch Ajmal and hafeez bowling!
When will we see Pakistan win a game? just one win in 9 ODIs. It is a shame to see Pakistan relying on the likes on mediocre medium pacers like Sohail Tanvir and Aizaz Cheema, Pakistan is really low on quality fast bowlers, Hafeez is a highly over-rated batsman and Afridi has been no good with the bat for a few years now (again highly over-rated). Just quality spin bowling cannot win you games, the only thing right with this team is good spin bowling and the rest is pretty shambolic.
@GreenOval: Sure dude. Sending educators to Pakistan is a big risk for us. You guys will brainwash him for Jihad. Can't take a chance!
@Omar: Dude, getting Pakistani bowlers is sure shot recipe for loosing a cricket match. After match fixing incident, I can't put my money on them. Moreover I was just trying to help as a nice neighbor.
@nomi: Cool man. Risk going in next match with same team. I was just trying to help as a nice neighbor.
India won't last 40 overs against Australia outside India.
Our pace attack was being lead by Cheema. This is what we have stooped to.
Why didn't they include anwar ali. Akram needs to find new fast bowlers if he can go out of his office.
@ Vikas
Thanks but we have decided to import less of the substandard pirated goods.
My prediction 3-nill.
I thought someone wanted to play with sincerity?
Miracle doesnt help every time
@Vikas: Save Chand for the next tour of England and Australia. Pakistani team can use some educators, send a few, may be they will listen to them and learn a thing or two about the game situation and game awareness.
@Vishnu Dutta: Pakistan should be able to handle the heat better than the Aussies.
@Vikas: No, we are fine.. and India should improve their own team.... And, you dont have any good bowlers. So, borrrow some from us, because India has the worst bowling attack in the world, cant defend 280 vs bangladesh in asia cup.
The differance between the win and the loss was the sensible batting by Australia and senseless batting by Pakistan. Additionally the Pakistani fast bowling looks pedestrian whereas the Aussies fast bowlers bundled Pskistan out in 45-1 overs. Pakistani spinners as always were brilliant but Pakistan has serious issues in the fast bowlong department.
It was because of heat may be :D