Pakistan fall to Aussie all-round masterclass

Australia 267-6 Pakistan 127

Brian McKenna
Monday 25 January 2010 01:00 GMT
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Australia produced arguably their best performance of the summer to record a crushing 140-run victory over Pakistan in the second one-day international here at the SCG yesterday.

Having posted 267 for 6 on the back of half-centuries from Shane Watson and Cameron White, Doug Bollinger (2 for 19) and Peter Siddle (1 for 23) produced fearsome opening spells to leave the tourists' pursuit in tatters.

Captain Mohammad Yousuf, left to rue his decision to insert the hosts in ideal batting conditions, top scored with a defiant 58 off 94 balls, but it was not enough to prevent an embarrassing defeat as Pakistan were all out for 127 inside 38 overs. Australia now lead the five-match series 2-0 ahead of tomorrow's game at the Adelaide Oval.

Both Australian openers beat the bat repeatedly from the outset but Bollinger claimed the early spoils, removing Salman Butt (2) and Younus Khan for a duck in the fifth over when both men edged to White at second slip. Things went from bad to worse when Kamran Akmal (16) was run out brilliantly by Clint McKay (three for 15) off his own bowling. When younger brother Umar Akmal was bowled by a brilliant Siddle delivery without scoring, the tourists' fate was sealed.

Earlier, the in-form Watson (69) set the tone as he dominated his 100-run opening stand with Shaun Marsh (41), belting seven boundaries and one six, eventually falling when he was well caught by Shoaib Malik off the bowling of Afridi (two for 35). The leg-spinner removed Marsh soon after and momentum shifted towards Pakistan when Ricky Ponting (13) mistimed a drive to Yousuf off Mohammad Aamer (three for 53). But White picked up where he left off at the Gabba on Friday, striking 55 off 57 balls to leave the hosts well placed at the interval.

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