Pakistan seal win over Australia to share Test series

July 24, 2010

Second Test, Headingley, (day four): Pakistan 258 & 180-7 bt Australia 88 & 349 by three wickets
Match scorecard

Pakistan completed their first Test win against Australia for 15 years with an edgy three-wicket triumph at Headingley to share the two-match series 1-1.

Needing only 40 more runs with seven wickets left at the start of play, they soon lost Azhar Ali for 51.

And Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal then departed cheaply before Umar Gul finally hit the winning run.

It ended a run of 13 successive defeats by Australia and gave Salman Butt a victorious start as captain.

He was put in charge when Shahid Afridi gave up the job following Australia’s win in the first Test at Lord’s but had to endure an anxious 65 minutes as his side were made to struggle for almost every run by their opponents.

When Azhar was caught behind in the second over, Pakistan opted for a cautious approach, which was perhaps understandable given their past record against Ricky Ponting’s side.

But poor shot selection and indecisive foot movement almost cost them dear before they reached the finishing line on 180-7.

Azhar’s place in the team may be under threat if, as suggested, veterans Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf come back into the reckoning for the four-match series against England, which begins at Trent Bridge next Friday.

He reached a maiden Test half century with a delightful cover drive to the boundary off a full toss from Doug Bollinger, but prodded forward at the next delivery and got an inside edge to the keeper to give the left-arm paceman a 29th birthday present.

Umar Akmal’s streaky edge through the vacant gully area reduced the requirement to just 30 but he went for eight when he nicked low to the keeper in a Ben Hilfenhaus wicket maiden, bringing elder brother Kamran to the middle to join Shoaib Malik.

Former skipper Malik was then dropped by Michael Clarke diving full length to his right at second slip off Bollinger.

Ricky Ponting’s face revealed his feelings about Australia’s display

In the next over from Hilfenhaus, however, his sweetly struck drive was astonishingly caught by Marcus North standing only a few yards from the bat at short cover.

Malik went for 13, with his side still 19 runs short of their target, but Kamran guided a four through the gully region and struck a cover drive to the boundary to ease the pressure.

There was still time for controversy as he square cut Mitchell Johnson to gully where Mike Hussey claimed a low catch but Kamran stood his ground and umpire Rudi Koertzen sought help in making his decision from the TV official.

Replays were inconclusive, so Koertzen, who was given a guard of honour by the players as he made his way out to the centre for his final day of Test cricket, gave Kamran not out, much to the chagrin of the Australians.

The scores were level when Kamran drove uppishly at a wide one from Johnson and Hussey dived superbly to his left to take the catch, showing admirable restraint in the process, but Gul confidently struck his first ball through the covers to see Pakistan to their first Test win since beating New Zealand last December.

Pakistan seal win over Australia to share Test series

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