Ability to perform under pressure aided Australian cause

Ausralia showed why they are the reigning world champions when they stoutly defended a good total against a fighting Pakistan side. Just w...

Ausralia showed why they are the reigning world champions when they stoutly defended a good total against a fighting Pakistan side. Just when Pakistan looked to have the match won, Australia8217;s brilliant fielding came to the fore and a Ricky Ponting specialty, the direct hit from a distance turned the match in the home side8217;s favour.

There8217;s not much between these two aggressive teams, but the ability to perform under pressure in the field gives Australia a slight edge.Australia got away to a good start through Michael Bevan, who has changed his style since he was promoted to number four. Batting up the order he attempts to reach the boundary more often early in his innings, rather than rely solely on pushing the ball around looking for singles and twos.

He actually cleared the boundary when he lofted Saqlain Mushtaq over mid-wicket and he was in his element as the fast outfield provided him with numerous opportunities to display his great speed between wickets. During the partnership with Ponting, thepair threatened to destroy the Pakistani8217;s confidence by running for nearly everything.

However, the Pakistan fielders held their nerve and by counter-attacking, Wasim Akram got his team back into the game. A wicket to Shahid Afridi and then a double breakthrough by Shoaib Akhtar reduced Australia8217;s chances of a huge total. The wicket of Andrew Symonds was a vital one as he complemented Bevan perfectly, reaching and clearing the boundary occasionally and in between time running as swiftly as the left-hander.

Symonds doubled Bevan8217;s number of sixes, with a perfectly timed on-drive after nimbly stepping out of his crease and then he hit a glorious off-drive which was nothing more than a flick of the wrists.

Symonds hit both sixes off a spin bowler; the job he8217;d been groomed for and skipper Steve Waugh had chosen his man perfectly. At the same time, Wasim was doing the right thing in continuing to attack Australia, because the only way to beat a very good side is to keep challenging them in the hope ofprovoking mistakes.

Eventually some cracks did appear. Bevan was out when he looked likely to make a century and a last over entrusted to off-spinner Saqlain brought the reward of two wickets, which helped to restrict Australia to a score of two hundred and sixty, ten more than Wasim had hoped for at the toss.

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With Glenn McGrath absent to be with his newly born son, Brett Lee was given the new ball and he relished the opportunity. Knowing exactly when he was coming on to bowl, Lee was loose and ready to go and produced the fastest bowling of the summer. He had one catch burst through first slip8217;s hands and then induced an edge from Saeed Anwar that brought about his downfall and then a flying leap from Mark Waugh that very nearly resulted in a spectacular one-handed catch.

It was exhilarating cricket with both teams attacking in order to obtain the upper hand. It was Shahid Afridi who supplied the early aggression for Pakistan, driving strongly when the ball was pitched up, but struggling to cope whenLee made the ball lift. Afridi8217;s innings was important for Pakistan in this contest and also for the rest of the series, because he is a good all-round cricketer, who provides a spark in the field.

His innings was brought to an abrupt end following a running mix up, probably caused by an impetuous Afridi call, but this setback made Ijaz Ahmed get his head down and he provided Pakistan with a missing ingredient a big score from a top order player.

Ijaz and Moin Khan had their team on top when the rain came, but the short break seemed to affect their concentration. A couple of quick wickets threw the game wide open again and then Steve Waugh gambled by re-introducing Stuart MacGill at a critical moment. His dismissal of Azhar Mahmood was quickly followed by Ponting8217;s brilliant throw and once again Australia had won a match that appeared to be lost. In the last few months Australia has got into the habit of winning and they are now like Houdini they expect to escape everytime.

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Scoreboard
Australia
Mark Waugh c Moin b Razzaq 20
Adam Gilchrist c Youhanna b Akram 13
Ricky Ponting lbw Afridi 53
Michael Bevan c Moin b Afridi 83
Andrews Symonds c Moin b Shoaib 35
Steve Waugh c Akram b Shoaib 6
Shane Lee run out 17
Damien Martyn not out 12
Damien Fleming st Moin b Saqlain 10
Brett Lee st Moin b Saqlain 1
Stuart MacGill not out 0
Extras: lb-3, nb-3, w-4 10
Total: for 9 wkts, 50 overs 260
Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-56, 3-122, 4-188, 5-203, 6-234,7-235, 8-253, 9-255
Bowling: Akram 10-1-42-1, Shoaib 9-1-49-2, Razzaq 8-0-42-1, Mahmood 6-0-34-0, Saqlain 8-0-45-2, Afridi 9-0-45-2.

Pakistan
Saeed Anwar c Martyn b B Lee 11
Shahid Afridi run out 45 Ijaz Ahmed b S Lee 85
Inzamam-ul Haq camp;b S Lee 5
Yousuf Youhanna c S Lee b M Waugh 12
Moin Khan lbw B Lee 33
Abdur Razzaq run out 12
Azhar Mahmood b MacGill 5
Wasim Akram c M Waugh b S Lee 14
Saqlain Mushtaq b S Lee 2
Shoaib Akhtar not out 0
Extras:b6, lb8, nb1, w6 21
Total: all out in 48.5 overs 245
Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-88, 3-108, 4-140, 5-201, 6-215, 7-226, 8-238, 9-245
Bowling: Fleming 9-0-44-0, B Lee 10-0-48-2, MacGill 10-1-48-1, S Lee 8.5-0-37-4, Symonds 5-0-26-0, M Waugh 6-0-28-1.