BRISBANE: Pakistan’s frustrating tour of Australia witnessed yet another defeat when the tourists were floored by a match-winning 105 from Cameron White in the first One-day International here at the Gabba on Friday.
White, 26, smashed only his second one-day hundred in his 48th game from just 85 balls as he first added 102 with vice-captain Michael Clarke ((58) and then put on 74 more with Michael Hussey (35 not out) to help Australia chase a seemingly challenging victory target of 275 quite comfortably for the loss of five wickets off 48.3 overs.
In what initially appeared to be a tense chase, the big-hitting Victorian hit Shahid Afridi (1-66) for three sixers in a row in the 41st over — the leg-spinner’s tenth — for a total of 21 runs to ensure that the Aussies will have an easy sailing at the end on their way to a 1-0 lead in the series.
Pakistan were in with a chance when they put on 274 after opting to bat first and then reducing Australia to 84-3 in 18 overs with dangermen Shane Watson (5) and Ricky Ponting (27) back in the dressing room. But White once again underlined the fact that the Aussies have no dearth of match-winners as he swung the match in the favor of the hosts with some lusty yet solid hitting.
Salman Butt and Afridi were the main architects of the Pakistani innings with the opener laying a good foundation and the pinch-hitter lifting it with some big-hitting in the late overs.
Butt hammered 72 off 81 balls before Afridi hit five fours and three towering sixers in a ferocious late assault of 48 from 26 balls to raise Pakistan’s hopes of beginning the one-day series on a positive note. Younis Khan chipped in with a patient 46 off 74 balls but hit just one four on his return to international cricket.
Mohammad Aamer gave Pakistan the start they needed when he stunned Watson with brutal pace as the ball caught the handle of the opener’s bat and spooned straight to mid-on where Saeed Ajmal took a simple catch.
Shaun Marsh never looked in command though he drove well for a couple of fours before falling to Mohammad Asif who had him caught at mid-off by Rana Naved-ul-Hasan. Ponting knew that at 37-2 his team needed a partnership and tried to stabilize the innings with a 47-run stand for the third wicket with his Clarke.
Pakistan needed a breakthrough and it was Afridi who provided it when he earned the prized scalp of Ponting. The Aussie skipper was beaten by a flighted delivery and was caught by substitute Khalid Latif at backward point. His 27 came off 47 balls and included just one four.
White and Clarke then teamed up for a crucial stand that brought the Aussies back in the match. Clarke hit just one four in his 76-ball 88 but kept the scoreboard ticking with singles and doubles.
He was run out by Rana in the 37th over but White and Hussey then took the Aussies forward. White hit four sixers and eight fours to equal his career-best score of 105. He was clean bowled by Rana, going for a big one but by then it was game over for Pakistan.
Earlier, Mohammad Yousuf won the toss for the first time on the tour and didn’t hesitate in opting to bat first on what was a perfect batting track.
Butt made his intentions clear right from the very first over as he slashed Doug Bollinger over point for the first of his 12 fours in an aggressive knock. The left-handed opener put up a solid opening stand of 62 with Kamran Akmal in 12.5 overs. Akmal, returning to the playing eleven after being axed for the third and final Test in Hobart because of a poor display behind the stumps in Sydney, seemed to be in full flow during a run-a-ball 34 that was punctuated with four hits to the fence.
Just when Akmal seemed set for a big knock he skied a slower one from Watson and Clarke pocketed it safely.
With Younis Khan — playing his first match in more than two months — taking his time to settle down, Butt decided to cut loose and picked up a number of boundaries to race to his 13th ODI fifty. He dominated the second wicket partnership of 55 with Younis, scoring 47 of those runs but finally fell with a rash stroke off Bollinger and was caught by Brad Haddin. His 77 came off 81 balls.
But when Yousuf fell six runs later, Pakistan seemed to be in some trouble at 123-3 at around the halfway mark. Yousuf’s dismissal was quite extra-ordinary as he gloved a rising delivery from Bollinger towards the top of his stumps and didn’t do anything to stop the ball from dislodging the bails though he had enough time to do it.
Umar Akmal hit three fours in a Nathan Hauritz over for his 22-ball 23 but fell trying to slash a Clint McCay delivery to hand Haddin one of his four catches in the match. Shoaib Malik (28) added 49 for the fifth wicket with Younis but his 39-ball knock was wrapped up by Watson.
Younis, meanwhile, was timing the ball better after struggling initially. It was apparent that he was trying to bat himself in after returning from a sabbatical from international cricket. The former Pakistan captain seemed set for a much-needed fifty but he failed to capitalize on a great opportunity when Hauritz dropped him off Siddle. He fell in the very next over trying to pull McCay only to allow Shaun Marsh to take a well-judged catch at deep square leg. The fall of Aamer, who was surprisingly, sent ahead of the experienced Rana six runs later left Pakistan in a precarious position at 227-7 in 43.4 overs.
But Afridi’s fireworks ensured that they would finish with a defendable total. The all-rounder’s departure in the 47th overs at 269 ended Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the 300-run mark and they could only add five more runs for the loss of their last three wickets. Watson picked up 4-36 while McCay finished with 3-61.
