McGrath bursts Pak bubble

Winning the toss proved the only positive outcome from the match for Akram as he found the Australians running all over his team in what was billed as a grudge match after the Pakistanis, thrashed in the World Cup final last June, were outplayed by the hosts in the three Tests this summer.

McGrath burst the Pakistani bubble in his first two overs claiming Shahid Afridi, Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamamul Haq, all out for noughts, for three runs in seven balls.

Pakistan recovered to make 154 thanks mainly to some resolute batting by the lower half spearheaded by Moin Khan, who struck 47 off 48 balls, but the target was too little to bother the Australians.

Though the hosts lost openers Adam Gilchrist (9) and Mark Waugh (10) to express paceman Shoaib Akhtar (2-26) for 27 runs, Ponting and Bevan quelled the spirited fightback by the Pakistani bowlers to help Australia to a comfortable victory — (PTI)

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan: Saeed Anwar c Warne b Brett Lee 7, Shahid Afridi c Gilchrist b McGrath 0, Ijaz Ahmed c Warne b McGrath 0, Inzamam-ul-Haq lbw McGrath 0, Yousuf Youhana lbw Shane Lee 14, Abdur Razzaq c Steve Waugh b Bret Lee 24, Azhar Mahmood c Steve Waugh b Bevan 16, Moin Khan c Martyn b Warne 47, Wasim Akram b Symonds 15, Saqlain Mushtaq b Brett Lee 16, Shoaib Akhtar not out 3; Extras: (lb 2, nb 1, w 9) 12.
Total: (in 47.2 overs) 154.
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-4, 3-4, 4-12, 5-28, 6-59, 7-78, 8-108, 9-147.

Bowling: McGrath 9-1-17-3, Brett Lee 8.2-2-18-3, Warne 10-2-33-1, Shane Lee 10-1-37-1, Symonds 7-1-24-1, Bevan 2-0-16-1, Mark Waugh 1-0-7-0.

Australia: Adam Gilchrist c Mahmood b Akhtar 9, Mark Waugh lbw Akhtar 10, Ricy Ponting c Razzaq b Afridi 50, Michael Bevan c Razzaq b Saqlain 54, Steve Waugh not out 19, Damien Martyn not out 4; Extras: (lb 4, nb 5) 9
Total (for 4 wickets, 42.4 overs) 155.
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-27, 3-104, 4-147.

Bowling: Akram 6-0-26-0, Akhtar 7-1-26-2, Razzaq 3.5-0-19-0, Mahmood 7-1-22-0, Ijaz 0.5-0-2-0, Saqlain 10-0-27-1, Afridi 8-0-29-1