Saturday, January 23, 2010

Australia v Pakistan - First ODI review

A Cameron White century has lead Australia to victory in their successful run chase last night at the Gabba.

Pakistan started their innings well, after winning the toss and batting, then bringing up the 50 opening partnership off just 61 balls, Kamran Akmal getting his side off to a flyer, before he top edged a shot off the bowling of Watson and skied it, Clarke taking a safe catch, despite some early trouble with Ricky Ponting coming close, but they avoided a collision, and took the catch comfortably.

Butt and Khan, in his return, started to forge a good partnership. They got to 50 runs off 50 balls together, Butt scoring 43 of those runs. Butt fell to Doug Bollinger on his return to the attack, caught behind by Haddin, gone for 72.

Yousuf came and went, he was extremely unlucky to get the bottom edge to a Doug Bollinger delivery, then hit the ground, bounce up over the top of the stumps, and drop down, right on top of the bails.

Umar Akmal came in, played a quick innings of 23 off 22 balls, then had to depart to McKay, caught behind by Haddin slashing at a wide one. Malik followed in a similar fashion, also trying to cut and just resulting in a catch to Brad Haddin’s safe gloves behind the wicket.

This brought in Afridi, who unveiled a slogging masterclass. He brought out all the Twenty20 shots, including flicks the the legside and behind the wicket, plus powerful shots to go over the ropes, crunching five fours and three sixes in his 46 off 26 balls.

While Afridi was batting, he lost partners Khan and Aamer, both falling to McKay. The tail was then bundled out for 274, my prediction of 270 making me look like a genius, seeing as I made it 3 hours earlier.

Australia were off to a terrible start in their chase, losing Watson for 5, out to a quick, bouncy, seaming delivery from Aamer, that jagged back, hit the top of the handle of his bat, then his arm, and lobbed up in the air to Ajmal for catching practice.

Marsh soon followed, playing a terrible shot onto the off side, gifting them, and essentially throwing away, his wicket. The score was 2/37, Ricky Ponting was struggling, enter Michael Clarke. Clarke played a fantastically controlled innings, and kept going with White after Ponting went for a fighting 27, after a terrible start to his innings, not being able to lay bat on Aamer and Asif, being hit numerous times by the 17 year old as well.

White then came in, and played an absolutely fantastic innings, his first century in Australia in international cricket. He blasted 7 fours and 4 sixes in his 85 ball century, before soon after departing for a fabulous 105 off 88, him and Clarke putting on 102, before Clarke fell, then another partnership of 74 with Mike Hussey, when his innings came to a close.

Haddin came in and bumped the last few runs with ease, Hussey finishing 35 not out, Haddin 7 not out, in a great chase for Australia. Pakistan’s bowling was great at the start, but tailed off a little bit towards the middle and end over’s, in which Australia, particularly White, capitalised perfectly. A great win for Australia, and are now 1-0 up in the 5 ODI series.