Pakistan have finished off a weak Australian side to claim their greatest ever series win over Australia and the Aussies third-heaviest defeat of all time in Abu Dhabi.
With the task of batting all day, Australia started well with overnight batsmen Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith playing confidently. They added 107-run in a partnership lasting 43 overs from day four and just before lunch on day five. Marsh was out on 47 after losing his concentration momentarily and playing away to leg slip off his pads.
Smith played consistently well against spin through the two-match series and looked at ease hitting his way to 97 before the lunch-break. In the first innings Smith was removed LBW by an excellent Zulfiqar Babar delivery and the third ball after lunch was a gem from Yasir Shah. It skidded on straight to painfully remove Smith who looked certain to reach a well deserved 100.
Brad Haddin was visibly in some discomfort as he attempted to push the innings out. He poked nervously at the spinners early before he played some more characteristically open shots. Clearly hampered by injury, he was undone on 13 by a Babar delivery that found its way from the bat, through the pads and onto the stumps.
“Brad has an AC joint injury that we x-rayed during the game and that showed there was no fracture,” said Cricket Australia physiotherapist Alex Kountouris.
Smith’s wicket had signalled the end for the Australians. The very next ball, Shah found his way through the defenses of Mitchell Johnson, taking some bat with it again the spinner was on a hat-trick after knocking off the bails.
Shah was on fire and almost claimed his hat-trick, bowling to Mitchell Starc. The young Aussie bowler did his best to hang on, but was tempted at a flashy drive as Shah threw the ball up. Hitting a foot mark, the ball ripped through Starc’s gate and cleaned up the stumps.
Nathan Lyon faced only one ball from Zulfiqar Babar and that was enough for the Pakistan spinner to do the job. Edging onto his pads and caught in silly mid-off by star batsman Azhar Ali, the celebrations began for the team that no one really expected much from at the beginning of the series.
Down a front-line spinner and struggling for runs and consistency, Pakistan answered critics with 9 centuries and a spin attack that could not be contained by the Australians. Sweeping the series 2-0 Pakistan have Australia in disarray as they prepare for a home one-day series beginning tomorrow against South Africa and a Test Series against the travelling Indians.
Michael Clarke did not perform his best, or even his par-best in Abu Dhabi and there are critics announcing him in a form slump heading into a big summer.
“I don’t have any excuse for underperforming and I will be judged like any other player that’s underperformed.
“That’s what bums me at the most at this time. There’s no doubt I am disappointed we lost the series 2-0 but when you are captain you take things personally and when you don’t perform that makes it even harder,” commented the deflated Australian captain.
