Pakistan vs Australia at Melbourne, Jan 15th, 2000

The start of the match was dampened by the rain and mist. The Australians were coming off two wins against India and were on a high. The Pakistanis had confidence from their wins both against Australia and India earlier in the tournament. Something had to give. Luck ran out for Pakistan in this game. They did not get the breaks that they got in the earlier two games. When two teams of equal caliber collide, the one that has luck by its side normally wins. You have to be really good to fight off the opposition as well as their luck for the day. Pakistan were not good enough today.

Rain had delayed the start and reduced the game to a 41 over game. Steve Waugh called right and decided to field. However, he mentioned to Ian Chappell that he wanted to lose the toss and not be in a position to decide what to do. Wasim, who has become very eloquent in his interviews, mentioned that it would be hard to bat initially in damp conditions. Pakistan, predictably, brought in Wasti for Afridi. This change makes the Pakistan batting look very solid and it also brings in 5 regular batsmen in the side. Whatever the result, it was a good decision. Australia played an unchanged side from their unconvincing victory against India in that low scoring game at Sydney. Melbourne is a better batting wicket but it was unclear what effect the rain would have. At times having a wet ball early makes it harder to control. It did not seem that way early from McGrath’s first over. He was right on line as the newly inducted Wasti was searching outside off. The outfield was slow early on with the wet grass slowing balls down. Saeed made a confident start with a flick that would have been 4 if not for the rain. Fleming was spot-on too. Pakistan’s start was cautious but Saeed was getting in line more often than not. As the commentators were taking Wasti apart since he was getting beaten outside off, he put his front foot forward and unleashed McGrath to the point boundary for a perfect square drive. Pakistan was 10/0 off 3 overs.

Wasti had increased in confidence after a nervous start and one was getting the feeling that we might have something early. So much for dreaming during the day. A straight ball outside off stump from McGrath had Wasti playing without much movement of the feet. Gilchrist had the easiest of catches. The score was 15/1 in the 5th over as Ijaz walked in at his original number 3 position. It seemed that Pakistan had done some homework and had a plan. Steady at the beginning and save wickets for the later overs. When Saeed is in form and playing with a full face there aren’t many batsmen who look more elegant. A case in point was the perfect cover drive that he hit off Fleming in the 6th over. The ball was outside off and Saeed simply leaned into it and opened the face a little to make it go through cover. It was all timing and elegance. “Dil khush ho gaya”. The contrast between a nervous and incorrect Ijaz with a confident and copy book Saeed was very interesting to watch. Ijaz’s stay at the crease was not that long. He played back to a ball that should have been played on the front foot. The ball did come in a bit and was a little high and would have gone over the stumps. Ijaz went into a smile as the Australians appealed but it all changed to a frown when the finger of the umpire came up. It might have been technically not out but it looked out when it hit him. Anyways, Pakistan were 22/2 and the top order was in trouble again. The strategy did not change too much though which was key. Inzimam walked in with a determined look. His positive attitude paid off early as he top edged a McGrath delivery over the slips for 4. Saeed greeted Fleming’s first ball next over with a scorching cover drive to the boundary. This was better than the first one. As we say in urdu, “ghaas jal gai hogi”. Fleming immediately changed his line to go round the stumps to cut down Saeed’s angle and give him less room outside off. Inzimam made his intentions very clear as he smashed Fleming’s last ball over cover for a thundering 4. It was 36/2 in the 10th over and the runs were coming at a good rate. Continuing with the square drive theme, Saeed played another immaculate one bisecting the two fielders kept at square and regulation point off Brett Lee. Inzimam is out of luck at the moment and his dismissal off Shane Lee’s first ball dampened Pakistan’s hopes of a good total. The ball was wide outside off and Inzi tried to drive through cover but could not keep it down and Symonds dived to his left to pull off a very good catch. Inzimam left at 42 and the field restrictions were to disappear after this the 12th over. Australia was off to another good start.

After the drinks interval, Youhana and Saeed played the Lee brothers very confidently and worked the ball around for ones and twos. Saeed’s occasional blazing cover drives to the sweeper cover position made Bevan work a lot at the boundary. Shane Lee was bowling well however and one particular shout for LBW which as turned down was absolutely plumb. Win some lose some, eh? Youhana was riding his luck as Brett dropped him off his own bowling early on. If Inzi had this much luck, he might have gotten a good score and played himself back into form. These things work out in mysterious ways. Symonds was brought on as the 5th bowler and his medium pacers were hard for the batsmen to get away. This wicket was showing signs of becoming one of those pitches where it is hard to get the ball away and one has to graft one’s innings. You know, a Miandad type wicket. The two batsmen carried on un-spectacularly and a little less than 4 runs an over was the going rate. The rank bad ball got the treatment, though. One such short pitched ball by Symonds outside the off stump was square cut brilliantly to improve Pakistan’s total by 4. After 22 overs, Pakistan were 78/3 and Yousuf needed to get a move on now as Saeed was doing the bulk of the scoring. Saeed’s quest for runs made him a little edgy when he came near his fifty. At 49, he timed one to perfection over midwicket only to see Bevan run to his right and leap to grab a magnificent catch. A brilliant knock of 49 had ended with a superb outfield catch. Saeed was awful unlucky but the Australian fielding seldom lets them down. Moin was promoted to number 6 and the batting order looked perfect. Pakistan were 87/4 in the 25th over. Youhana left soon after his partner as he played a flick down midwicket’s throat off Shane Lee. The dismissal was brought about, I think, because of what happened the ball before. Youhana had lifted Lee way over mid on and had stood his ground waiting for a boundary. The ball however stopped as soon as it landed and they ran just two runs. Had Youhana run as soon as he hit the ball, they would have easily run 3 runs and he would never have been on strike. Little things like these always matter, especially in close games.

Akram promoted himself over Razzaq, which was surprising, though it was a match reduced to 41 overs. The move backfired as Akram left for naught edging one to the keeper off Shane Lee. Pakistan was suddenly reduced to 92/6 and everything was falling apart again. Moin makes it look busy as soon as he comes to the crease. Quick singles kept the score board ticking but not fast enough. Moin timed one of his patented flicks across the line but it went straight down Martyn’s throat at deep square leg. This was the second successive unlucky dismissal for Moin. More importantly, Pakistan had lost another wicket and this one was of the very dangerous Moin. Symonds’s gentle medium pacers had become almost impossible to score off. Maybe it was one of those days for Pakistan or maybe this wicket was not as easy as it looked. Symonds would have had much better figures if Mark Waugh at slip or Martyn at square leg had been able to hold on to sitters. OK maybe the Waugh catch was difficult. But the way Richie Benaud and others over analyzed the Bevan catch (Saeed Anwer) maybe these two were sitters. It is unbelievable how these guys over glorify their players. A description that would normally be like “Bevan ran hard to his right and leaped to his right and was lucky to grab onto a great flick by Saeed” became “Bevan saw the ball sailing to his right, judged that it was a little behind him but went horizontal to the boundary to get in line with the ball and once there, figured out how much behind it was and then just at the perfect time leaped to cover an ungodly amount of land to take a fantastic catch”. Oh paaalllllease! I digress. Razzaq and Saqi carried on with ones and twos. With 7 overs to go McGrath was brought on and gave away runs with a drive to mid on for 3 runs by Razzaq. It was pretty apparent that the ball was coming on to the bat when the fast bowlers were on. With the ugly gobbly gook of medium pacers on, it was difficult to get the ball away. Too bad the Pakistanis do not have any medium pacers in the side. Maybe Ijaz could have a bowl if needed. Brett Lee seems to be a hot head like Warne as he fired one past Saqlain to the keeper when the batsman was well in his crease. He got an answer from Razzaq as he hammered one to the wide mid on fence. The obvious statement being do not mess with my teammate. After 36 overs Pakistan had reached 131/7 and it looked a little more defendable now. McGrath was trying to york the batsmen and sometimes he wasn’t on line. The start of the 37th over brought about a magnificent straight drive and then followed that by a brilliant hoik over mid wicket. Two boundaries got the juices flowing for Pakistan. Tony Greg in his usual annoying way suggested that McGrath might bowl one to the Adam’s apple of Razzaq. I wanted him to do that too. Maybe Razzaq wanted that too. McGrath however tried a yorker and was easily driven to mid on for one run but it just goes to show how annoying incorrect Tony Greg normally is. I wish I could get my hands on his Adam’s apple. Razzaq was picking the runs quite easily now. Saqlain left trying a hoik of his own and was caught at mid on by Steve off Brett Lee. Pakistan had got 38 runs for this wicket which was a very good one considering the days proceedings. Pakistan were sitting pretty confidently at 144/8. Somehow the Australians did not look quite together. They were missing important run outs here and there and were looking lack luster. They had once again been unable to finish off Pakistan. The tail continued to wag as Waqar and Razzaq got singles almost every ball. The second last over was an indication of the talent of Razzaq with the bat. He got 5 twos in the over, as well as forcing Brett to bowl a no ball over his shoulder and got a single off the last ball to complete a great over for Pakistan. Razzaq had raced to 45 off 51 balls and Pakistan were 165/8. Waqar had hit a massive 6 off McGrath in their first game but he hit a shot in this over which would have made a maestro named Miandad proud. He walked to outside off and flicked a McGrath delivery very fine with the fine leg up. Magnificent. He followed that up with a single to mid off and Waqar’s come back was officially complete. Razzaq hit a forceful drive to the extra cover boundary to complete a brilliant 50. It was the second fastest 50 of the tournament and probably the best. McGrath got Waqar off the last ball and said something to him when they were about to come off. Waqar replied with some profanities to my delight. He should now be pumped up when he bowls. Pakistan had reached 176 runs and the battle was on.

Mark Waugh started brilliantly with a glorious cover drive to the boundary off the second ball from Wasim. Both Wasim and Waqar were trying to find a rhythm and the openers were trying to get as many runs as they could before that happened. They needed to get some runs before the ball became a little older and harder to get away. A couple of boundaries to Gilchrist off Wasim and Australia were off to a flyer with 19 off 3 overs. Gilchrist was on fire. He lifted Waqar over mid on for a straight 6 and his intentions were very very clear. With 32 on the board after only 4 overs gone, Pakistan needed a break. What does the captain do? He brings his ace on. Shoaib charged in first ball and bowled a ripsnorter straight up. Gilchrist missed the line and was plumb in front. Inspired captaincy and inspired bowling. It wasn’t over. Ponting came in to face the music. He played with his leading edge on the first one and then was hit on this pad before the third one teased him at his weakness. A little short outside off - not close enough to drive and not short enough to cut. An airy drive by Ponting ended up in a replay of how Shoaib got him in the first game. Ponting was caught in the second slip by Wasti and already the captaincy of Akram had made its mark. Suddenly the Australians were reduced to 32/2 after the end of the 5th over. Shoaib’s second over started eventfully as well. Mark Waugh tried to flick one, which hit him on his pad. Shoaib appealed for an LBW and kept appealing as we all thought it was close. Mark Waugh wanted to get to the other end so that the umpire did not have time to judge the LBW. The umpire declared him not out but the hesitation in running left Mark a bit outside his crease and Youhana pounced from mid wicket to throw down the stumps at the batting end. Australia were 37/3 and in strife. In their effort to get quick runs Steve and Bevan tried a suicidal one but Youhana failed to hit the stumps and a chance was lost. Shoaib was taken off after bowling 4 overs and it seemed as if he would come back for two more spells when a break in the partnership was needed. Australia were 57/3 after 11 overs.

Steve Waugh was starting to gain in confidence after Shoaib’s initial burst. He plays through the covers off the back foot quite beautifully. He played one such drive off Waqar, which I thought along with my friends that Wasim at mid off should have dived for. Razzaq was brought on in the 13th over. The Australian run rate was coming down slowly but they were taking their time to develop in confidence and get a partnership together. Saqlain came on in the 14th and both the bowlers tied the batsmen down. The nervous singles started to appear but Bevan and Waugh kept their heads and carried on. Their partnership was very efficient without being really interesting. There wasn’t any extra ordinary boundary as they took the score to 85/3 by the end of the 20th over. When things were looking very easy and simple for Australia, they decided to take a second suicide run. Steve pushed Saqi to cover and after a little hesitation they took off. Yousuf picked it at cover and under handed it to the keeper to easily get Bevan. This was an incomprehensible single and quite tardy for a very professional Australian side. They looked out of sorts since this morning. They were 93/4 after 22 overs. Shoaib came back on in the 25th over to get the wicket that Pakistan now so desperately needed. At this time, both Razzaq and Shoaib had started to reverse swing the ball. It was not anything startling but there was some last minute adjustments coming into the shots of the two batsmen. The runs were still coming at 4 or 5 an over and things were still well in Australia’s hand. Steve soon got to his 50 with a nudge to square leg for two runs and with only 58 balls faced this was a splendid effort. The chance came when Saqlain was brought back. Steve got a thick edge, which hit Moin on his shoulder and then popped again. Moin lunged but couldn’t hang on. Things were not going Pakistan’s way. Australia got the runs with 13 balls to spare. Steve Waugh was the hero with 81 runs of 92 balls. He was man enough and sporting enough to shake the hands of the Pakistanis before going off.

It was a game, which was much closer than what it looked like with a 6 wicket win for Australia. Pakistan battled well and if a few bounces had gone their way, they might have been able to pull this one off. A good battle all the same and so no need to blame anyone. The Australians played better on the day and this series will be very close between these two evenly matched teams. Pakistan’s strategy in this game was very good. Things did not click but they had the right idea. Hopefully things will come through a little better next time. The top order continues to be a problem but Saeed’s form was heartening. As these two teams have split wins in the first two games, the next one should be barnburner.