Australia deny Ajmal,Pakistan

We were at least 30 runs short in our total, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq told reporters after the match. With our bowling line-up a total of 230 or 240 would have been defendable, he said. Only Asad Shafiq 56 and Umar Akmal 52 passed 30 for Pakistan as Starc and Pattinson ran through their lineup.

Shafiq faced 77 balls and hit two fours and two sixes before he gave himself room to hit through the offside and was bowled by Starc. Umar,who also hit two four and two sixes,was also dismissed by Starc. Starc then had the dangerous Afridi caught for a duck,as Pakistan squandered their batting powerplay.

Keeping it simple

Pattinson had put the pressure on the top of the Pakistani order,removing Hafeez four and Azhar Ali five to leave them 28 for two in the seventh over,from which they never recovered. We bowled to our plans really well, said Starc. You can say they played poor shots but we kept it simple,stuck to our game plans and took wickets in the powerplays, he said.

Pakistan had put early pressure on Australias run chase with openers David Warner five and Matthew Wade 10 dismissed following wild swings across the line,before Michael five and David Hussey three were out in quick succession to Saeed Ajmal.

Clarke,however,steadied the innings,patiently working the spinners around and combined with Bailey for 54 runs in 16 overs before he was trapped in front by Mohammad Hafeez. Maxwell and Bailey then took Australia to the brink of victory adding 63 in 12 overs before Maxwell missed a reverse sweep and fell lbw to Ajmal.

Brief scores: Pakistan 198 all out in 45.1 overs A Shafiq 56,U Akmal 52,M Starc 5/42,J Pattinson 3/19 lost to Australia 199 for six in 48.2 overs M Clarke 66,G Bailey 57 not out,S Ajmal 3/30,M Hafeez 2/29