Australia are in a comfortable position in their annual VB triangular series against Pakistan and the West Indies but in the second encounter the world champions had a mid-innings stumble before they romped home by four wickets at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
In Pakistan's turn of batting Shahid Afridi's massive attack on the Australian bowlers, including two consecutive sixes against champion speedster Glenn McGrath and an over boundary towards cover off Brett Lee thrilled a roaring crowd of over 15,000. It was true nascent cricket batsmanship. The 24-year Afridi smashed up the scheme of McGrath and Kasprowicz and left-arm spinner, Hogg, who was the major wicket-taker in the inaugural tie against the Caribbeans.
Afridi knocked the length off McGrath with majestic hits to the fence. In all the right-hander clouted four sixes to surprise and delight the Aussie fans. With Razzaq he added 47 in 4.4 overs. In five overs the score shot up to 62 or an amazing 97 in 10 overs - a breath-taking run rate of 9.7. it was batting that combined superb power with mobile footwork.
Afridi, with his crafty spin, later deceived Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, who is currently in top form, and sent him back to the dressing room with a minor score of six.
Earlier, there was a dignified resistance by the senior Pakistani batsmen, including Inzamam, returning to lead the squad after recovering from back-ache, Yousuf Youhana and Shoaib Malik.
Salman Butt, the left-hand opener, repeated his consistency, with a decent 61.
One finds that a total of 272 for 7 in 50 overs was good enough and should have been defended by the Pakistani bowlers. They were without the services of Mohammad Sami and due to the absurd decision of the selectors Danish Kaneria was sent back home to deprive the pack of a double spin attack for Shoaib Malik is barred from operating in international duels.
Still Australia's trot to victory was not without hiccups. If Michael Clarke had proved his class as an opening batsman, always sure of aim in his 97, yet the Aussies, once Katich had been removed by Azhar Mahmood at 107, slipped to 186 for 5 and were on a weak ground to reach the target.
Maybe that a 40-minute rain intervention helped the home formation for a recalculation gave them a score-line of 253 to be made in 45 overs. It was unfortunate for the visiting Pakistanis as the first time on the tour they were looking resilient and aggressive in their mode and method.
Darren Lehmann and Brad Haddin dug in grimly to take their team to the shores of victory.
Still the tourists put up a spirited fight even in their building up process when many members of the outfit are not fully fit. One expects the team to carry on with their Hobart effort. One bunch, no doubt, wins and the other loses. Even though Australia were without their regular wicket keeper - batsman Gilchrist, battling a sore knee, one of the key pacers, Gillespie, and Mathew Haydern had been rested they were yet supposed to be a distinguished combination, having brushed aside the West Indies by a wide margin of 116 runs in the opening encounter. Pakistan had been whitewashed 3-0 in the Tests; in the warm-up ties their endeavours had been mostly cold. Yet had not the rain cut short the overs the commentators were of the opinion that the hosts may have been stunningly laid low in their own backyard. Then there was a disappointing miss of a chance from Clarke when 7 by Naveedul Hasan. The batsman want on to hammer 97, which made all the difference in the end-result.
As usual from the Pakistan side there was the experimentation in the opening pair of batsmen. The gamble of Kamran Akmal in this match miserably failed. Besides, Inzamam and Youhana decided to bat much lower down when Hafeez and Shoaib Malik were promoted. Hafeez did not click in the one down slot after being sidelined for months. The early fall of wickets in the upper order encouraged the Australians and put pressure on the Pakistanis. Nobody knows what sort of planning coach Woolmer and captain Inzamam are doing. Then why Younus Khan was dropped. This was an occasion when the Australians may have been cornered with a genuine opening batsmen and a better batting order.
However, Pakistan may have lost by a slim margin but there is less melancholy feeling in the fans and the followers of the game after the Shattering defeats in the Tests.