History against Pakistan to avert clean sweep

Karachi, Nov 25: Pakistan go into Friday's third and final Test at the WACA Ground in Perth with the daunting task of avoiding a 3-0 humiliation against Steve Waugh's Australians.

With the series already decided, the only interest remains whether Pakistan can restore their pride or Australia chalk up their fourth straight Test win at the WACA in as many matches over their beleaguered opponents.

If Australia do win the final Test they will complete a second whitewash of Pakistan having won all three matches of the 1972-73 series Down Under. Pakistan, on the other hand, have also achieved a clean sweep over the Australians when the two sides played a three-match rubber in Pakistan during the 1982-83 season.

The WACA Ground has some very unpleasant memories for the Pakistanis. In 1978-79, Pakistan lost to a virtual second string Australian team by seven wickets in the last Test to feature eight-ball overs. That match, skipper Mushtaq Mohammad's final hurrah, was marred by controversial dismissals of Sikander Bakht (run out at the non-striker end by the bowler Alan Hurst for backing up too far) and Andrew Hilditch (given out 'handled the ball' for picking up the ball at the non-striker).

In the opening match of the 1981-82 series, Pakistan suffered the ignominy of being bundled out for their lowest score in all Tests when the entire team folded up for 62 in 21.2 overs in 108 minutes of batting after being 26 for eight.

But that encounter will be remembered for an altercation between Pakistan captain Javed Miandad and temperamental Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee. The duo clashed in the middle of the pitch in bizarre circumstances. Miandad, provoked by a verbal abuse, nearly bashed Lillee's head with his bat after the latter had aimed a kick at him but umpire Tony Crafter's timely intervention bought sanity.

Pakistan did no better in the last Test they played at the WACA, before tomorrow's match, no less than 16 years ago. That 1983-84 Test, unlike the previous two, ended in four days as Australia won by an innings and nine runs with Queensland speedster Carl Rackemann taking a match haul of 11 for 118, including six for 86 in the second innings after Wayne Phillips had lashed 159 on Test debut.

Only West Indies have managed to maintain a clean record in Perth by winning all of their five matches there since 1975-76. Apart from them, only England (in 1978-79) and New Zealand (in 1985-86) have won a Perth Test.

Australia have been victorious on 14 occasions in 26 Tests at Perth with five matches drawn.

Following is Australia's record against all opponents at WACA Ground:

Opponents          First Test     P       W       L       D

v England           1970-71       9       5       1       3
v West Indies       1975-76       5       -       5       -
v India             1977-78       2       2       -       -
v Pakistan          1978-79       3       3       -       -
v New Zealand       1980-81       5       2       1       2
v Sri Lanka         1987-88       2       2       -       -