Pakistan vs Australia at MCG, January 22nd, 2000

When two equally balanced teams collide in great playing conditions, the result is a great match flowing back and forth. Only the strong survive a game like this. It is at this time that strategy and captaincy comes to the fore. Little things matter. How do you react to pressure? Do you throw down the stumps regularly? Do the crucial umpiring decisions go your way? Do you take the half chances that come your way? Do the non-factors or the unsung players play significant roles for the team? All these questions will get answered during the game and one team will experience the thrill of victory. The other will be subjected to the agony of defeat.

The MCG was jam-packed and the conditions were perfect. Steve won the toss and batted. The Australians know how to piss off Pakistan. They appointed Hair as umpire knowing that we hate him. The Pakistanis now hate him even more as he gave a wide to a ball that brushed past the legs of Gilchrist. This was in the 3rd over after Shoaib had Mark edge one to third man and drive one to the covers for boundaries. Razzaq helped out with a poor effort at mid off which ended up at the long off boundary. Australia were off to a flyer with 19/0 in the 4th over. But then on this pitch not getting a flyer would have been hard to do. The Australians who complained in the subcontinent when they encountered perfect batting tracks needed to look at this one and just shut up. It looked like a concrete wicket with absolutely no swing or seam. Australia were certainly lucky to win the toss. Azhar was in today for Waqar and the batting line up for this one was even longer. They would probably need all of them and more. I am not sure what Wasim could have done in these conditions. Maybe just ask everyone to be accurate and field well. The commentators were saying that taking wickets was the key. Duuuuhhhhhh!!!! But how do you do that on a very flat and easy wicket. Simple. Change the pace consistently and then bowl a rank short pitch ball outside leg stump. Wasim did just that and Gilchrist obliged with a pull straight down Youhana’s throat at deep square leg. You have to give Wasim the credit for this though. He has been trying that since the last game. He keeps the fine leg up for Gilchrist and puts the square leg deep. It was a very high catch and Youhana did very well. 30/1 after 5 overs was not looking that bad for Pakistan. If they could contain Australia to under 7 an over on this pitch in the first 15 overs, that would be a big moral victory on this track.

Ponting was very hesitant after three ducks and Shoaib exploited that beating him with a ripper of a leg cutter. Ponting, however, was off the mark when Razzaq misfielded at mid off. Razzaq did not make a good start but then after a great performance that often happens. Cricket is a great leveler. Shoaib almost had Mark at the end of his 3rd over but got a little bat after pad and the appeal got muffled. The run rate slowed down considerably. Wasim exploited Ponting’s edginess as well with good accurate bowling. His change of pace was a treat to watch. After 7 overs, Australia were 32/1. Shoaib almost had Mark again when he flicked a slower ball uppishly to the mid wicket fence. Runs were very easy to get on this pitch. After a steady Wasim over, Shoaib bowled intelligently to Ponting. He changed his pace regularly but Ponting checked his strokes in time. He drove one uppishly to point but there was no one there as they had a short point as the second catching position. I do not understand the use of that and would rather prefer a regular gully with a regulation point. Razzaq was brought on first change in place of Shoaib. This guy has been having a wonderful tournament and this would be a continuing theme. He bowled a half volley outside off first ball and Mark edged it to Moin. Australia were 56/2 in the 12th over. Ponting was looking in good touch and he kept the scoreboard moving as Bevan tried to settle in. Azhar Mahmood took over from Wasim at the other end. Both the bowlers bowled the occasional bad balls in their early overs, which were murdered by Ponting to the leg side. Inaccurate bowling on this wicket was a sin. Azhar sinned repeatedly. He was flicked to square leg for 4 and then Ponting hammered a pull to mid wicket which fetched him 3 runs but only after Shahid Afridi made a spectacular effort to save a run. Bevan was beaten off successive balls outside off in the same over. Australia had reached 83/2 after 15overs and since that less than 7 an over thus Pakistan had done well. Ponting was looking very good by now and thus his wicket was important. Ponting’s whole season has been this way. He has either achieved big innings or ducks in this tournament and the test series. It was noticeable however that the ball had started to move a little bit. Saqlain was brought on at this stage to see if the wicket responded to any spin. He did not spin the ball at all in his first over. Drinks were taken after the 17th over with 90 runs on the board.

Bevan had been playing very quietly and was slowing the run rate down. So he decided to take a chance against Saqlain. He tried an old fashioned slog off Saqlain and lifted a ball from outside off to mid wicket. Lucky for him that he connected and it went all the way. It still looked very ugly though. Australia got their hundred with that in the 19th over. Razzaq dropped Ponting off his own bowling in the 22nd over and this was the break that Pakistan needed but did not get. Ponting got to his 50 soon after that. Afridi was brought on in place of Razzaq to see if the spin tandem could stem the flow of runs. Afridi immediately removed the dangerous Ponting with a great flipper that caught him right in front of off stump. Shahid bowled a very good line to Symonds as well and could have had him if he bowled his faster one a little straighter. I thought Saqlain had Symonds sweeping a straight ball but the umpire did not agree. Symonds opened his shoulders soon after that and lofted Saqlain over mid on for a big 6. There was no turn in this perfect batting strip and so whatever Symonds hoiked at, he connected. Australia had raced to 153/3 from 29 overs with Bevan going steady with 42 runs. Australian running was very good but the Pakistani ground fielding was not that good as they missed the stumps from close range time and again. Atleast a couple of run outs were missed. Saqlain was taken off and Azhar brought back to see if he could get rid of Symonds who was promoted by Steve Waugh to get him quick runs. Azhar was steady without looking like getting a wicket. Bevan got to his 50 off 62 balls to complete another good half century keeping the Australian innings together as the others got quick runs. Australia had reached 171/3 by the end of 33 overs and had the perfect base to exploit. Symonds started with a straight 6 off Afridi, which the half volley had deserved. He hit that with ease and timed it perfectly. The Pakistanis needed a wicket and it seemed that they would soon have to bring back on of their strike bowlers. Shoaib was brought back in the 36th over. He got Symonds with sheer pace as Moin took a lovely catch with the ball flying to first slip. Shoaib went into his airplane routine but Symonds had done his job with 35 runs off 36 balls. Australia were 190/4 after 37 overs.

Steve lashed at the first ball Azhar bowled to him and it flew straight to Afridi at point. Great stuff by Pakistan and Australia rocked, right? Wrong. Dropped catch at point and Pakistan were letting Australia off again. First Ponting was dropped only to get a 50 and now Steve was dropped at 1. God knows how many he would get. The run rate had been pinned down a bit after Symonds departure but it would have been great if Afridi had held on to Steve Waugh’s catch. Shoaib has been consistently bowling around the wicket to the left handers and has been squaring them up. He was testing Bevan with balls that were short and climbing up on him consistently. Pakistan had pinned Australia back a little with the score being 199/4 after 38 overs. Razzaq came back and pinned the two Australians down for an over. This resulted in Steve trying to loft Shoaib over mid on and succeeding in finding him. Wasim caught a dolly and Pakistan had done well to reduce Australia to 203/5. Shane Lee came after that and Martyn would have been disappointed not to get in after he scored a 50 last time he played. Shoaib beat Shane for pace and troubled him during the rest of the over. It just goes to prove how essential it is to have the quickies at the end. My argument has always been that a perfect off spinner can be hit for a 6 but a perfect yorker length ball can not be hit that far. Thus, it makes more sense to let the fast bowlers bowl at the death of the inning. Hopefully, Wasim will not bring back Saqlain now. Razzaq bowled a perfect yorker to Lee which he edged to the third man region for 4 runs. That puts an end to my theory. The very next ball was smashed to the cover boundary for another 4. Australia had broken the shackles. Shahid was brought back and kept the two batsmen in check. He had bowled well all day. This was a good sign for Pakistan as his batting might click too with his confidence up. Wasim came back and during his over they got the run out of Lee. Bevan had pushed a yorker to cover and sent Lee back but Saeed’s under hand throw beat him to it. Australia were 234/6 after the 45th over. Shahid had one more over to bowl, which he bowled to Martyn. Afridi got the well-set Bevan with a faint nick to the keeper. Bevan left for a very well made 83 runs.

What happened at that juncture was a treat to watch. The Pakistanis got together like the Pakistani field hockey team does at the start of a match. They got together in a circle with hands on each other’s shoulders and Wasim Akram gave them a small little talk. Fantastic intelligent captaincy. He probably told them that a few more overs with concentration and hard work would result in a gettable total as opposed to letting this pair get away in the end. The boys responded with good solid cricket. Moin made a valiant effort to catch Fleming off Wasim but could not get to it. But the batsmen did not get any easy singles. After 47 overs, Australia were 238/7. Saqlain was brought back to bowl the last over although Shoaib had one more too. Maybe there wasn’t much time left or maybe the thinking was that the tail won’t be able to hit the spinner. Whatever the case, it made me nervous but what do I know. Sure enough Saqlain got Fleming stumped on the first ball. Moin whipped the bails off in a flash and Australia had lost their 8th wicket with 253 on the board. Saqlain got away with a full toss to the leg stump which Martyn just whacked to the deep square leg boundary. Brett Lee left identical to Fleming as the “doosra” beat him comprehensively. The second last ball hit McGill straight infront of middle as the tailender swept. The umpire gave him not out though his finger almost came out. Martyn lashed the last ball for 4 over wide long on. The last 5 runs were on the umpire and so if Pakistan were to lose by that much he was to blame. But then the Australian umpires have always done that to Pakistan. Crucial decisions had gone the other way. I am sure if it was a Pakistani tailender he would never get the benefit of the doubt. Australia got 260 in the end and Pakistan bowling and fielding had bent but did not break. Could the batting do the same?

Afridi and Saeed started off in typical Pakistan fashion. Tentative, shaky, violent and unpredictable are some words that come to mind. Afridi edged over slips, through the slips and occasionally over the infield but survived. Saeed played a couple of nice shots but did not look too comfortable. Brett Lee and Fleming used the new ball very well. They moved the ball, bowled with pace and were accurate. However, they did not get a whole lot of wickets early. Afridi was dropped by Martin off Lee at first slip. He made amends however as he caught Saeed at first slip with his tummy off Lee in the next over. Saeed’s dismissal early was a bad omen for Pakistan. Ijaz walked in and started in his shaky way. Afridi played the way he does and took risks. He lofted Fleming over his head for a boundary. A square drive off Lee fetched him another 4 runs and he kept Pakistan on track. Ijaz latched onto a Lee full toss and Pakistan were going along steadily with over 4 an over. Steve had to bring on McGill early in the 13th over but Ijaz played a viscous cut to the boundary to ensure McGill did not get the start he wanted. When Shane Lee was brought on in the following over Ijaz lofted him over midwicket for another boundary. Things were going along quite merrily with Pakistan at 67/1 off 14 overs. Ijaz had deprived Afridi of the strike for two overs and that was probably enough to calm Afridi down. However, Ijaz looked in good nick. He made a flighted McGill delivery into a full toss and flicked it for 4. Afridi heaved at the first one he got from McGill to suggest that he does not have a calm nerve in his body. He connected on the next ball, which ended up in the hands of a security guard outside the ground. So after 15 overs of very intriguing and often annoyingly uncertain batting, Pakistan had got 78/1.

There are only a few people in the world who can hush up a huge home crowd. Shahid Afridi is one of them. Since he had started connecting with his lofted hits, the crowd had been quiet. The 16th over yielded 10 runs for Pakistan with the best shot being a lofted on drive which bounced near the boundary and then rolled over the rope. McGill was the person who he needed to be careful against. The leg spinner was spinning the ball prodigiously once in a while so he needed to keep that in mind. The field restrictions were also over and the required run rate was down to 5.09 so there was no need to do anything drastic. His promising knock ended in a disaster. He cut McGill to point and set off for a single as the ball was to Symonds right hand side. Ijaz started as well but as he saw Symonds dive he sent Afridi back or stopped himself. Afridi was stranded in the middle and was run out. What a waste. He was out for 45 off 48 balls and Australia once again had been given the break they needed. However, having said that the required average was easy to get and the batting line up long enough for Pakistan to do this methodically. Inzimam came out with a long inning in his mind. Drinks were taken at 89/2 at the end of 17 overs. After a couple of overs that Inzi needed to get his eye in, the singles started to flow. Ijaz produced a lovely cover drive to the boundary in Symonds’ first over to add to the singles and runs were coming at a brisker pace. They were 103/2 off 21 overs and there was no apparent panic which was a good sign. Somehow, even while calm Ijaz looks impatient so it wasn’t apparent whether this was good form or just a lull before the storm. If an apple falls out of the sky right now it would hit Inzimam on the head. He is out of luck. He thrashed Shane Lee back at him and Lee just put his hands up to save himself and it stuck. Shane said something to Inzi after catching it and just proved how they are on the field. All Lee had to do was not say anything to Inzi and celebrate with your mates but no they have to add that one liner too. Cricket is a great leveler and sooner or later humility wins so inshallah that will happen soon. Pakistan’s best batsman Youhana was at the crease with a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.

Pakistan had reached 119/3 at the half way mark and there was no need to panic at this stage either. 5.68 is not a big average for the last 25 overs. Ijaz continued to work the ball around. Youhana got settled very soon and once the required run rate got close to 6, he lifted Symonds over his head and two bounces into the fence. Pakistan had reached 131/3 at the end of the 27th over and if they played sensibly this asking rate would suddenly become a pressure point for Australia instead of Pakistan. Steve brought Mark Waugh into the attack to try and break the partnership. Ijaz got to his 50 with a nudge to gully which resulted in an over throw. It was his second good inning in a row and all that is needed from him is a stable inning without the fireworks. Ijaz does lose it a little on the field once in a while. An example in point was that on the last ball of Symonds’ over, he took his gloves off and then when Symonds was about to deliver he lost his bat. Thus when Youhana hit the ball over cover, he could not run the second run which was on. Well low and behold Youhana tried to lift Mark Waugh out of the ground the very next over and was caught by long on. A bad sequence of events for Pakistan and they were 140/4 in the 30th over. Moin was sent in to get some experience on the pitch and a cool head rather than a man in form. That was one way of doing it. After the 32nd over the ball had to be changed because of its color. Moin’s speed resulted in quick singles but his own bat did not look fluent. After 33 overs, Pakistan were 156/4. McGill was brought back for his second spell and with Pakistan looking for runs it would be hard to get him away. The run rate required was well over 6 now so a good over or two were needed. They were getting about 4 or 5 an over consistently but the asking rate was climbing gradually when drinks were taken.

After drinks, Pakistan came out with a plan. Get runs off every ball and then belt one to the boundary. McGill bowled one short to Ijaz who smashed it over wide mid wicket for 6. Pakistan were getting the move on. Mark Waugh was delicately played down to third man for 3 runs by Ijaz and then Moin got two to cover and things were ticking consistently. In the same over, Ijaz belted one over wide mid on again for a one bounce 4 and suddenly Pakistan were 190/4. It just shows what keeping wickets intact does for you. The next over started with Moin dancing down and hitting another one bounce boundary. Actually the ball hit the top of the sightscreen so if it was a few meters this way or that, it would have been a 6. Unlucky, but you get what you are given and carry on. The singles were coming regularly too and so it was not just one boundary an over. A kid with the Pakistani flag in his hand braving the cold with a smile on his face told the story. What a site! Steve brought back his fastest bowler Brett Lee to break this partnership. Rain came down at this time to stop the game. It was a shame. One didn’t know how the Pakistani batsmen with all that momentum behind them would react to this break.

When the match resumed, Brett Lee continued his over. The rest of the over was uneventful as 4 more runs came from it. The required run rate was 6 and there were 10 more overs to go. Shane Lee was brought from the other end by Waugh. Ijaz played the first one back on his stumps but he had done his job. A brave innings of 85 off 104 balls came to an end. At this juncture Razzaq walked out with the weight of the world on him. He need not have worried because Moin at the other end would be the senior partner now. Razzaq started off with a lofted drive over cover for a boundary. He looked very confident and the key was now to run the singles. He pushed the next ball to deep mid off and Moin ran like a hare and got two. After 41 overs, Pakistan were 207/5. Brett Lee ran in and bowled a fast delivery on middle and off to Moin Khan. He put his foot down and flick jabbed it way over wide mid wicket for 6 runs. Take that. They ran their singles pretty consistently as well. Moin was given out LBW to a ball that dipped back in sharply. I can certainly remember the benefit of the doubt going to the batsmen with similar appeals when Shoaib or Wasim were bowling. It pitched way outside off too and the way Richie had been describing these before he was saying that the technically could not give anything which pitched outside off. This time he said that it was very close. I do not understand why they can not be consistent. Well as Imran would say they are consistent, they are just consistently incompetent. Steve brought back McGill since he had gotten rid of Razzaq and Azhar in the last game they played. In this over he hit Azhar plumb in front but the umpire did not give him out. Have you noticed that the key batsmen never get the benefit of the doubt. If it had been Razzaq, I am not sure what would have happened.

The ball was changed again when it lost its color. Razzaq and Azhar were running their singles and twos well. The next Brett Lee over cost him 8 without any being memorable shots so they were doing well. McGill bowled Azhar around his legs trying to sweep a ball and Pakistan were pushed back yet again. Wasim walked into this pressure cooker of a situation with a run a ball remaining. Maybe that was a good thing as he would play McGill better and take the pressure off Razzaq. He saw two balls hit his pad and then walloped the third over wide mid on for 6. Typical Wasim Akram shot. No surprise there. Pakistan were 233/7 after 45 overs. Pakistan suffered a huge blow when Razzaq ran himself out, going for a run when his skipper was not interested. Ponting hit the stumps from point and Pakistan were 238/8 at the end of the 46th over. Saqlain played and missed at most of McGill’s last over and only two runs came off it. Pakistan needed 21 runs off 18 balls now and it was up to the captain now. Wasim went after Fleming with hits over point. Both shots fetched him two runs but on the second one Ponting leapt up to try and grab it at point but could not. One more run was all Pakistan could get from that over. They needed 16 runs from the last two overs but the good thing was that Wasim was on strike. Shane Lee was brought on at this stage. He got Wasim with a skier to Mark Waugh at cover. The match was pretty much over and soon the formality was done as Saqlain got bowled. Pakistan lost by 15 runs and surprisingly instead of Shane Lee, Bevan got the man of the match. I thought Shane Lee's bowling was the difference and on that pitch anyone could get the runs Bevan did. Ijaz I thought did better than Bevan chasing runs. If that was the criteria, why not Ijaz?


Pakistan can not get over the hump. They are right there in every game against Australia but they can not seem to finish. What needs to be done? Perseverance. Just keep at it and work hard. The odd bounces will start to fall their way sooner or later. This is why I have been harping about those crucial umpiring decisions that never seem to go Pakistan’s way in Australia. If that LBW was given in Saqlain’s last over, Australia would have had 5 less runs and thus Wasim would not have to heave ho in the last overs. The pressure would have been less. No matter what anyone thinks or says, these are two very even teams and that one decision does effect the final outcome. Hopefully, one of these days the umpires will give one bad decision against the Australians and then we will see what happens. There were many positives in this game from Pakistan’s point of view. Ijaz is back in good nick and is playing long innings. Moin was looking good again. Razzaq is continuing his great run though that run out was a dumb ass play. Afridi is looking confident once again. If they can get Inzimam going before the finals the Pakistanis will topple the world champions. The key is to keep the faith.