Australia steal improbable win at Sydney

Australia beat Pakistan by 36 runs in an exciting fourth day contest thanks to a five-wicket haul by Nathan Hauritz and an unbeaten century by Michael Hussey. With this win, the Aussies have won the series 2-0. The third and the final Test match will be played in Tasmania.

Overnight the Aussies were only 80 odd runs ahead and had lost eight wickets. This meant that the Pakistanis were way ahead in the game, despite the presence of Hussey at the crease. They would have hoped for a quick finish to the Aussie innings; instead what followed was a carnage.

Hussey was accompanied by Peter Siddle in a stand that lasted 123 runs for the ninth wicket, out of which the number ten batsman contributed 38 runs. It also lasted for more than 44 overs and by the time Siddle and then Doug Bollinger were dismissed, the Pakistanis had been deflated enough. Hussey’s innings lasted for 284 balls and saw him get an unbeaten 134.

In reply, chasing 176 for a win, the Pakistanis were off to a reasonable start adding 34 for the first wicket. And at 50/1, the match seemed to be heading only in one direction; towards Pakistan.

It was here that match turned around. First Mitchell Johnson had Faisal Iqbal caught behind, and then Salman Butt was superbly caught by Brad Haddin – parallel to the ground – off the same bowler.

After this, it was left to Nathan Hauritz to run through the Pakistani middle order like a hot knife through butter. Only Umar Akmal managed to get going with a 49, but apart from him the rest of the batsmen capitulated for almost next to nothing. Hauritz bagged 5/53 whereas Johnson ended with three to spell the end of the opposition.

Hussey was declared the man of the match for his superb century.