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Australia v Pakistan at Brisbane
5-9 Nov 1999 (Rick Eyre)


Day1 | Day2 | Day3 | Day4 | Day5

Day1: Inzi, Yousuf miss hundreds as Pakistan claim first day

Inzamam ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana both played innings worthy of centuries today. Neither got one. Both were dismissed when within sight of a hundred as three wickets fell in the final hour of play. Pakistan have taken the honours on the first day of the First Test at the Gabba, Brisbane but Australia fought back well in the final stages, thanks mainly to Damien Fleming.

Pakistan went to stumps on 6/280, after Steve Waugh won the toss and put them into bat. Inzamam ul-Haq made 88 and Yousuf Youhana 95.

This Test match began in unusual fashion. Ian Healy wasn't crouching behind the stumps - Adam Gilchrist was there. Gilchrist made his Test debut along with Queensland paceman Scott Muller, both presented with their baggy green Australian caps before the start of play by former Australian captain Bill Brown. Abdur Razzaq made his Test debut for Pakistan, with one spinner chosen, Mushtaq Ahmed - Saqlain Mushtaq being unfit.

Saeed Anwar and Mohammad Wasim opened the batting for Pakistan, with Glenn McGrath and Damien Fleming taking the new ball. The first serious sign of life in the pitch came in the opening over when McGrath got some lift, the ball hitting the shoulder of Wasim's bat and flying over slips. Both bowlers got some early movement yet provided little danger to the batsmen.

The first boundary of the day came in the eighth over when Anwar pulled a short Fleming ball to mid-wicket. Scott Muller replaced Fleming in the tenth over for his first spell in Test cricket and bowled tidily. Wasim was looking comfortable against McGrath until the Australian speedster was replaced by Fleming. In the first over of Fleming's new spell, Wasim slashed head-high through slips with Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting looking on as the ball raced to the fence - the only shot of the first hour remotely looking a chance.

The drinks break seemed to interrupt Mohammad Wasim's concentration. Three balls after the interval, he played a lazy shot to a Fleming outswinger, getting a thin edge to become Adam Gilchrist's first Test victim. Wasim made 18, the opening stand 42. He was Damien Fleming's 300th first-class wicket. Ijaz Ahmed lasted just three balls without scoring before getting a thick edge to Shane Warne at second slip. Inzamam ul-Haq played out the final ball of a double-wicket maiden.

The more experienced Saeed Anwar showed no signs of disruption, and together with Inzamam ul-Haq he picked up the scoring, looking increasingly comfortable against the pace bowlers. Gilchrist conceded his first Test byes when a Fleming bouncer raced away to the fence, something that the keeper could not be blamed for. With runs coming in roughly even time, Shane Warne was brought into the attack in the 26th over. His first ball was a loose full-toss despatched by Inzamam to the mid-wicket fence, but he settled down immediately to trouble the right-hander. Warne's next over, to Anwar, began more eventfully, with a lofted mis-hit to the long-on boundary, followed by a loud but ambitious appeal for a stumping.

Anwar raised his half-century with a lofted four of Muller to mid-wicket in the final over before lunch. The 28th occasion he has passed fifty ih Tests, Anwar required 84 balls to reach the target. Anwar went into lunch on a high note having hit three boundaries in that last over, a total of seven so far in his innings for 61 not out. Pakistan went to lunch on 2/107 with Inzamam ul-Haq on 21.

Saeed Anwar failed to score for a quarter of an hour after the lunch break when he edged a Warne delivery ,which failed to turn, into the hands of Mark Waugh at slip. Pakistan's third wicket fell at 113, Anwar becoming Warne's 333rd Test victim.

Yousuf Youhana joined Inzamam ul-Haq at the crease and they initially played slowly. Youhana had a number of near misses. In the 38th over he skied Warne to mid-off, but Scott Muller couldn't reach despite making a good chase. In the 41st over he played a mistimed drive off Fleming (who was the bowling the first over of a new spell, replacing McGrath), the edge not carrying to Mark Waugh at slip. Five overs later, a much sharper chance flew to Waugh off the bat of Youhana, the result of a Warne flipper. Mark Waugh couldn't hold, and a frustrated Warne wrong un next ball was smashed for four. Inzamam was looking steady, though running less threes than at the start of his innings. Warne bowled unchanged through the third hour of the day, and Australia may already be rueing the fact that they only chose one spinner.

Pakistan went to tea in a strong position at 3/190, with Inzamam on 56 and Youhana 46, Steve Waugh's decision to bowl first looking increasingly questionable.

Inzamam and Youhana continued to build a solid partnership for Pakistan in the hour after tea. Youhana brought up his half-century from 99 balls in the second over after tea with a square driven four of Greg Blewett - his eleventh four of the innings. He outscored his senior partner and eventually caught up with his total. Blewett and Ponting were each given a spell with the ball to no effect, while Steve Waugh himself ended the hour with a ludicrous bouncer-dominated over.

The new ball was taken immediately after the drinks break, in the 81st over of the innings. Inzamam and Youhana took their fourth-wicket partnership to 152 in 189 minutes, but with no further addition to the score, Inzamam was beaten by a McGrath delivery with struck him on the pad. Umpire Harper had no doubt that the Pakistan batsman was plumb lbw. The experienced right- hander was on his way after making a responsible 88.

Azhar Mahmood came to the crease and had a couple of fortunate breaks, surviving a confident caught-behind appeal of Fleming, and then edging in Fleming's next over to slip, the ball falling short of Ponting in slips.

In the 90th over of the day, and still a quarter of an hour before stumps, Youhana on 95 waved the bat at a Fleming ball outside off. Gilchrist caught the ball, claiming the batsman had taken a faint edge. Youhana was given out five short of his second Test hundred. He did not appear to believe what had happened as he left the field disappointed. The Channel Nine Snickometer supported umpire Eddie Nicholls' verdict.

Mushtaq Ahmed came to the crease as nightwatchman. He faced four deliveries before a ball from Fleming rose from short of a length and struck him in the groin. After a delay of a few minutes he resumed, but in Fleming's next over he was withdrawing his bat, the ball taking a faint edge to give the new Austraian wicketkeeper his third catch of the day. Umpire Nicholls deliberated for a while, discussing with Daryl Harper whether the ball had carried to the keeper, before giving the batsman out without the need to consult the video.

Test debutant Abdur Razzaq came to the crease and played out the over to bring stumps with Pakistan on 6/280. Damien Fleming finished the day with 4/57. Glenn McGrath (1/86 from 21 overs) had a disappointing day, while Warne (1/54) claimed the remaining wicket.

Though Pakistan lost 3/15 in the last nine overs of the day, they still come away from Friday's play with the honours. Azhar Mahmood is not out 7 and Abdur Razzaq yet to score, the two young all-rounders epitomising the future of Pakistani cricket and capable of adding valuable runs on Saturday morning. And Moin Khan and Wasim Akram are yet to bat.

A crowd of 15,365 was present, an usually high attendance for the Friday of a Gabba Test.


Day2: Australia's openers unconquered

Michael Slater and Greg Blewett have given Australia the initiative after two days of the First Test at the Gabba. The pair have batted for more than four hours to end the day at 233 without loss in reply to Pakistan's 367 all out. While they were assisted by sloppy Pakistan fielding and lacklustre bowling, the stage is set for a useful Australian lead some time on Sunday. Exactly 600 runs have been scored in two days, an attractive total for a Test match. The batting strip is a good one and it may, however, be difficult for either side to force an outright result within five days.

With Pakistan resuming on 6/280, Azhar Mahmood (13) looked eager to play his shots as McGrath and Fleming began the day with a ball only twelve overs old, but in the fifth over of the day he drove at a ball that McGrath pitched well up, but sliced it in the air to the waiting hands of Michael Slater at short mid-off.

After 100 overs Pakistan were 7/291. In the next over Moin Khan played a drive through mid off to the bounday. From the next ball McGrath got some extra bounce off the pitch, the ball hitting the shoulder of Moin's bat and flying over slips to the boundary. Pakistan's 300 and McGrath's 100 came up in that over, his 26th of the innings.

Moin played an aggressive knock. In McGrath's next over he hooked to the fine leg boundary and later smashed the ball back past the bowler's head towards the sightscreen. Abdur Razzaq, at the other end, looked uncomfortable, especially against Fleming's outswing.

A double change of the bowling saw Warne replace Fleming and Muller replace McGrath. Moin immediately took two fours off Warne's first over of his new spell. Moin was dropped off the bowling of Shane Warne when on 35. With Warne tossing the ball up outside off, Moin mistimed a cover drive, lofting it over the head of Steve Waugh, who dropped a difficult overhead chance running backwards. Abdur Razzaq (11), who had never looked totally confident, became Scott Muller's first Test victim, when he drove at a full-length ball outside off, got an edge which flew to Mark Waugh at second slip.

Moin raised his half-century from 55 deliveries in 68 minutes. Wasim Akram hit a return catch to Muller when on 9, the ball ballooning into the air and caught by Muller on the follow-through. The Pakistan innings finally ended when Moin (61 from 68 balls) swept to mid-wicket and was run out attempting to complete two runs from the shot. With Shoaib Akhtar not scoring, Pakistan were dismissed for 367 - a very handy score considering they were sent into bat.

Damien Fleming (4/65) was the best of the Australian bowlers, with Shane Warne bowling better than 1/73 would suggest. Scott Muller (2/72) had a debut to feel comfortable about, but Glenn McGrath (2/116) was not up to his usual high standard.

Australian openers Michael Slater and Greg Blewett faced two overs before the lunch break. After an Akram over which included four lbw appeals, and a Shoaib over in which he peaked at 142 km/hour, Australia went to lunch at 0/7.

Right on cue for the benefit of Wasim Akram, the cloud cover returned after lunch. The Pakistani captain was able to derive some swing in the cloudy conditions, though no breakthrough was forthcoming. Shoaib generated pace, at one stage striking Slater on the helmet without injury. Shoaib was clocked during thie first hour of lunch as fast as 148 km/hour - still well short of the magic number of 160.93.

After a five over spell of 0/23, Shoaib was replaced by the somewhat slower Abdur Razzaq, bowling in Test cricket for the first time. Akram's opening seven-over spell conceded ten runs, though four of those were no-balls for overstepping. Michael Slater spent twenty minutes on 16 before awakening from his slumber, playing attractively especially to the point/third man region. As he outstripped Blewett in the scoring stakes, he swiped Abdur Razzaq over first slip to bring up his eighth boundary. His next four, a straight hit off Mushtaq Ahmed, nearly decapitated a rapidly-evading umpire Eddie Nicholls. One day an umpire is going to be seriously hurt by a lusty straight drive.

That shot brought Slater to 48. Later in Mushtaq's over he danced down the pitch to loft the ball well out of harm's (or umpire's) way, over long-on to raise his fifty off 88 balls (42 out of 54 in boundaries). The more subdued Blewett got into the act in the following over of Razzaq with a powerful pull to mid-wicket.

Slater and Blewett brought up their third century opening partnership in four Tests in just 114 minutes. Though they may seem an unlikely and unfashionable opening pair, they are proving quite productive for Australia.

With the medium pacers proving ineffective, Shoaib was brought back into the attack for a two-over spell just before tea. Without doubt the fastest bowler on display in this match, Shoaib was involved in a spot of by-play with Slater in the last over before the interval. He bowled a bouncer which had Slater taking evasive action and ending up sitting on the pitch. Slater said something which inspired the Rawalpindi Express into an exhibition of face-pulling. It may or may not have been light-hearted banter between the two, but once it was replayed on the big video screen it attracted loud hooting from the Gabba crowd.

Wasim Akram, by far the best Pakistani bowler on show today, replaced Shoaib Akhtar immediately after tea, and maintained the same level of accuracy that he had enjoyed in his first spell, giving up just one boundary off Slater.

Slater had reached 78 when Wasim Akram pitched one up, Slater driving straight to Azhar Mahmood at mid-off. The fielder got both hands to it and put it down. Shortly afterwards the 150 stand came up in 163 minutes with Slater executing a deftly-lofted straight hit with the spin of a Mushtaq Ahmed leg break. Later in the same over Slater lofted Mushtaq to the mid-wicket fence, and capped the over off with a straightish on-drive which just failed to clear the rope.

Blewett, very much the junior partner, brought up his fifty with a hook shot off Akram. He took 116 balls to reach his 50 out of an Australian total of 163.

Slater (who on 22 reached 4000 Test career runs) continued to play his shots as he advanced towards his thirteen Test hundred. On 99 he misjudged a cut off Shoaib Akhtar. It was a sitter for Mohammad Wasim, but the Pakistani fielder spilt the ball out of his hands, Slater taking a single on the misfield as the ball trickled away, Wasim burying his face into the ground in anguish. It was one of the more original ways to bring up a hundred. Slater's ton was reached from 149 balls (17 fours and a six - 74 out of 100 from boundaries).

At 0/177 the pair set a new Australian record for the opening stand against Pakistan (previously held by Slater and Taylor at Rawalpindi, 1994). Blewett gave a half-chance when on 59, lofting Mushtaq to extra cover. Abdur Razzaq chased could not get hand on it. Another similar chance brought up the 200 stand for Australia when Slater lofted Mushtaq in the next over to deep point, Inzamam unable to reach it after moving in from the boundary. Australia's 200 came up in 50.1 overs - a run rate of marginally under 4 per over being exceptional for Test play.

Blewett brought up the third six of the match when he hit Mushtaq straight. The leg-spinner was expensive going for almost five an over today (0/76 from 16 overs). Pakistan would dearly have loved a fit Saqlain Mushtaq today, with not even a part-time spinner in the lineup.

In front of 10,380 spectators the last half hour of the day was played out with floodlights enhancing the failing daylight. When play ended at 6.09pm Slater was unbeaten on 134, Blewett scoring 77.

Akram (0/26 from 12 overs) was the best bowler of the innings while Shoaib Akhtar (0/62 from 13 overs) demonstrated that faster is not automatically better.

Before the start of play both teams lined up on the field for a minute's silence in memory of great West Indian fast bowler, Malcolm Marshall, who died on Thursday aged 41. News of his death from cancer broke shortly after the start of the Test yesterday.


Day3: A day for the veteran and the debutant

Australia (515/9) lead Pakistan (367) lead by 148 runs with two days to play. Exhilirating batting, bowling at its fastest and a little dubious umpiring were all part of the most exciting day of Australian test cricket for a while as Australia pressed home its advantage in the First Test Match at the Gabba against Pakistan. After three exciting days Australia had claimed the upper hand in a thus far enthralling match thanks to some brilliant batting from Mark Waugh (100) and Adam Gilchrist (81) after Pakistan at one stage gave themselves a window of opportunity thanks to four first session wickets. Waugh's 17th test century was one of his best despite surviving a stumping chance on 96 in the last over before tea. His off side play, particularly off the back foot, was a joy to watch, and the way Waugh dealt with anything even close to his pads also gave all those present much to take away from the days play. Gilchrist batted with a great freedom today, in an innings that looked to be coming from a acclaimed superstar rather than a debutant. His assault on Mushtaq Ahmed, off whom he took five fours off an over, showed a freshness from one Australia's newest test players, that suggests Ian Healy may not be as sorely missed as first thought in some quarters. Before the Mark Waugh/Gilchrist onslaught, the catalyst for Pakistan's early fightback was triggered by the unfortunate demise of Greg Blewett, 11 shy of his fifth test century, as he padded up to Mushtaq Ahmed. Umpire Eddie Nicholls was obviously of the opinion that Mushy had bowled a wrong-un, but other seasoned watchers could justifiably say that the ball hadn't turned enough to threaten the stumps. Blewett's fine innings concluded a partnership of 269, a record against Pakistan for the first wicket. Justin Langer arrived and departed in quick time, the left hander aiming a sweep which ballooned to deep backward square leg, he was out for one and Australia 272/2. Slater continued on in a similar vain to Saturday and his aggressive nature saw him attempt a pull at Azhar Mahmood which provided a simple, but nearly muffed chance to square leg. After five hours of bold stroke play his innings of 169, which included 25 fours and a six ended at 311/3. Steve Waugh received a torrid time both physically and verbally from the exauberant Shaoib and just on lunch edged to Moin Khan for a single which made Australia 328/4, a good fighting session for Pakistan. Post lunch Mark Waugh went from 38 to 50 in quick time and then his partner Ponting went, lbw to Shoaib Akhtar. Umpire Harper would have benefited from the TV replay as it seemed to indicate that Ponting had got some bat to the delivery, and his reaction to the subsequent decision also did likewise. At 342/5, Pakistan had a little bit of a look in, but Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist put a stop to that with their brilliant stand of 123. After tea Mark Waugh became the first of a brace of victims, edging Mushtaq to slip, then Gilchrist had his stumps destroyed by a Shoaib yorker and then Fleming was thought to be lbw by umpire Harper when it seemed that the ball struck him too high. Fleming was lucky not to be out first ball, he was plumb in front but was rescued by the holler of "NO BALL !" Akram accounted for McGrath and then the rains came at 499/9. A further resumption saw another 16 added, with the comical scene of the groundstaff driving the covers onto the ground while Muller completed his first test run, surely a great trivia question in the years to come. After three fifths of this first test we have had a match that would have well pleased not only the test cricket purist but the up and coming follower brought up on the limited overs model.


Day4: Warne, Anwar star in extraordinary Test day

Saeed Anwar and Shane Warne were the stars of an extraordinary fourth day's play at The Gabba between Australia and Pakistan. Shane Warne the batsman, that is. A day of twists and turns saw Australia take a stranglehold almost to the point that an innings victory today looked possible. A fighting Pakistani comeback was halted when rain descended on the ground during the tea break, a draw now looking almost certain.

Pakistan ended day four on 4/223 in their second innings, a lead of 15 after Australia were dismissed for 575.

When play began early at 9.30am, Australia resumed their first innings on 9/515, with Warne 34 and Muller 1. Warne was clearly intent on adding quick runs to give Australia a sizeable lead. Two immaculate straight driven fours off Shoaib Akhtar brought him to 49. On the final ball of the over, keen to farm the strike, Warne was almost run out taking a third run, but the return throw was wide as he was out of his ground. Warne's fifty came up in 67 balls with eight fours. The fifty partnership came up afterwards with Muller contributing two.

Mushtaq Ahmed was brought back into the attack. First ball, Warne lofted over long-off several rows back into the stand. Two more sixes came from in the over, and with Warne against taking a last-ball single, Mushtaq's spell began with 19 runs conceded.

Warne took a single from the sixth ball of Akram's next over but it was called a no-ball. Muller, with one ball to face, duly glanced it to fine leg to treble his score.

Warne took a four and a six off the first two balls of Mushtaq's next over, and a single to reach 86, easily passing his previous best Test (and first-class) score of 74 not out. Mushtaq was on 3/194, but took things into his own hands to prevent his personal 200 coming up. First ball of Akram's next over was misjudged by Warne who lofted to Mushtaq at deep mid-on.

The tenth wicket partnership of 86 (a new record for Australia against Pakistan) between Warne and Muller was raised in just 15.1 overs. Muller contributed just six. Australia all out for 575. Mushtaq Ahmed (3/194) avoided the infamy of conceding 200 runs in an innings, while Shoaib Akhtar (4/153) went for nearly five an over. The absence of a second spinner, even of a part-time variety, was noticeable.

Beginning their second innings 208 in arrears, Pakistan lost Mohammad Wasim in the second over of the day when Damien Fleming trapped him lbw with a ball that nipped in and stayed low. Wasim failed to score. Ijaz got off the pair immediately with a two forward of point, followed by a three to square leg that gave him the strike next over. First ball of McGrath's new over, Ijaz displayed appalling lack of footwork attempting a drive outside off-stump. He got an edge, taken by Gilchrist, and Pakistan were 2/8. Ijaz was gone for 5, and one wonders perhaps we will see him in a Test match again soon.

Two wickets down could have been three down soon after, Saeed Anwar having a life on 4 when he edged Fleming to Mark Waugh who dropped a sitter at second slip. Anwar celebrated with two consecutive boundaries later that over.

In McGrath's fourth over of the day, Anwar, on 12, edged low to Warne at first slip who scooped up the ball low. While some of his slip partners appealed for a catch, Warne signalled to the umpires that he was not sure and felt a tv replay would be a good idea. With doubt as to whether the ball carried to Warne before he held it, video umpire Peter Parker gave Anwar not out.

While Anwar was living dangerously, it was Inzamam ul-Haq who was the third wicket to fall. Fleming pitched the ball well up outside off, Inzi didn't get to it properly when attempting to drive, Ponting took the catch coming forward at third slip.

Saeed Anwar and Yousuf Youhana consolidated their position in the period before lunch and controlled a lot of the damage created by the upper-order batsmen, pushing Pakistan to 3/108 at the break, exactly 100 runs behind. Anwar brought up his second half-century of the match from 59 balls faced, driving Warne through mid-wicket for his ninth boundary of the innings. His innings has not been all smooth sailing, as he has edged just short of slip on a number of occasions.

Youhana also played aggressively as Muller in particular found himself conceding more than a run a ball. The fifty partnership came up in 47 minutes.

An extraordinary pre-lunch session saw 168 runs scored in 140 minutes by both sides, with fortunes flucatuating heavily in Australia's favour, and then back towards a more even keel.

Saeed Anwar and Yousuf Youhana continued to pile on the runs after lunch at a rate in excess of four an over. Anwar brought up his tenth century of his Test career about twenty minutes after the drinks break, with a single to mid-wicket off Ricky Ponting, who was the fifth bowler of the innings. His hundred, his third in consecutive Tests against Australia, took 133 deliveries, including seventeen overs. Yousuf Youhana also scored his second half-century of the match off 79 deliveries. When on 60 he hit a simple but low return catch to Glenn McGrath who put it down, after smashing the bowler for six earlier in the over.

A total of 115 runs were scored between lunch and tea, with Saeed Anwar and Yousuf Youhana setting a new fourth wicket partnership record for Pakistan against Australia of 177. Youhana, having made 95 in the first innings, fell for a ball he should have left well alone. Scott Muller bowled an outswinger wide of off stump, Youhana reached for it and drove it straight to Mark Waugh who was the finer of two gullies. Youhana made 77.

Saeed Anwar, who had the physio attending to his neck during a ball change delay, was on 118 at the tea break. Abdur Razzaq, coming in ahead of Azhar Mahmood, was on 2. The Australian bowling attack lacked sharpness today, with the two main strike bowlers, Glenn McGrath (1/56) and Shane Warne (0/45) both lacking their usual fire.

With the Pakistan score on 4/223, rain descended on the ground minutes after players left the ground for the 2.40pm tea break. Steady rain continued, and the umpires called the rest of the day off at 4.25pm. Play will commence once more at the earlier time of 9.30am Brisbane time Tuesday with an extra half-hour scheduled at the end of the day. Once more, however, afternoon storms could spoil hopes of an outright result to what has been a highly entertaining Test match.


Day5: Australia win First Test by ten wickets

Australia have won the First Test against Pakistan by ten wickets. Australia need 74 to win after Pakistan were dismissed for 281 about an hour before lunch today. The last six wickets fell for 58 in the space of an hour and a half. The winning runs were scored at a rate of five an over, the Test ending fourteen balls after lunch.

Although Monday's rain continued till around 11pm last night, and the super soppers were used overnight, conditions were clear and sunny today. Play began half an hour earlier to make up for lost time on previous days, with Pakistan on 4/223, a lead of 15.

The day began disastrously for Pakistan. First ball, a rank full toss from Warne was pushed by Abdur Razzaq to Ricky Ponting at point. Razzaq gone for 2, the score 5/223. Saeed Anwar flashed high outside off at a McGrath delivery for his first ball faced today, however he did settle down afterwards.

After half an hour in which two runs were scored, Anwar flashed outside off once againt to McGrath, Adam Gilchrist taking the catch. Saeed Anwar was dismissed for 119, adding just one to his overnight score, Pakistan adding 2/2 in thirty minutes.

Azhar Mahmood, who batted at seven following Moin Khan, was stumped for a seventh-ball duck. Warne pitched a leg break just outside off stumped, Mahmood was drawn forward and Gilchrist whipped off the bails for his first Test career stumping - no video replay required.

Moin Khan was playing an unusually defensive innings, but new batsman Wasim Akram decided to take the long handle, a tactic that would have been better served by some of the earlier batsmen.

Akram went on the attack to Shane Warne and Damien Fleming, hitting four fours, and a six off the leg-spinner, but lost his wicket on the first ball after the drinks break.

An off-cutter from Fleming removed Akram's off bail, the Pakistani captain's run-a-ball innings of 28 over. The last ball of the over saw Moin Khan, who had been playing defensively, open up and flick Fleming off the hips high to fine leg. Scott Muller ran in from the boundary to take a fine running catch. Moin made 17.

Muller missed another running catch in Warne's next over when Shoaib lofted a ball which the fielder lost in the sun.

The innings ended with the first ball of Fleming's next over when he sent Shoaib Akhtar's off-stump cartwheeling. Pakistan were gone for 281, Fleming finishing the innings with 5/59 including two wickets from his last two deliveries of the match. Warne (2/80), McGrath (2/63, his 248 career wickets equalling Richie Benaud) and Muller (1/55) were the other wicket-takers for Australia.

With Australia batting for fifty minutes before lunch, the main questions now where (a) whether they could finish the match before the interval, and (b) whether they could complete their second ten-wicket Test victory in a row.

With little assistance from the pitch for the Pakistani bowlers, Australian openers Greg Blewett and Michael Slater played conmfortably to reach 0/55 at lunch, bringing up the half-century in 44 minutes. Just fourteen balls were needed after lunch for Michael Slater (32*) and Greg Blewett (40*) to score the balance of the runs, sixteen of them being hit by Slater off one Mushtaq Ahmed over.

Blewett has hit five fours in his 40 not out (47 balls), playing one false stroke with a lofted pull to fine leg which fell short of the field. Slater played the junior role in the early part of the chase, but finished with 32 (38 balls, five fours).

With Australia taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, it was their second consecutive ten-wicket victory following their win over Zimbabwe at Harare on October 11.

Michael Slater was named man of the match for his first innings 169, ahead of Damien Fleming who took nine wickets in the Test. Pakistan now have a four-day match against South Australia starting Friday before the Second Test at Bellerive Oval, Hobart, commencing November 18.

 



Date-stamped : 09 Nov1999 - 07:23