Shaun Tait proved he can still be a force at international level as he helped
Australia to a tense two-run win that completed a clean-sweep across all
three formats against Pakistan this summer. Tait bowled the fastest ball
ever recorded in Australia and grabbed 3 for 13 including the key wicket
of Kamran Akmal, who had threatened to end Australia's streak with
his highest Twenty20 score.
Pakistan's trip has been notable for terrible fielding and the inability
to capitalise whenever they got on top of Australia. This time their fielding
was sharper than it had been at any stage over the past couple of months
but their failure to keep Australia down remained a major issue. Despite
dismissing Australia for 127 and being on track at 4 for 98 in the 15th over,
they found a way to lose.
The problems began when Kamran chipped to mid-on for 64 from 33 balls to
hand Tait his third wicket. Steven Smith then delivered two important breakthroughs
on debut when he had Fawad Alam caught at slip and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan stumped,
and the wickets kept tumbling. In the end, Pakistan needed 10 from the final
Shane Watson over. Umar Akmal was on strike, having been the key after the
loss of his brother, but when he holed out from the first ball the result
was all but sealed.
It was a shame that Kamran's team-mates couldn't reward him after he led
an impressive fightback when the visitors had stumbled to 2 for 10. Kamran
was a one-man resistance movement and raced to a 25-ball half-century, the
quickest ever by a Pakistan batsman in a Twenty20 international.
His fifty came up with a typically muscular pull for six off Dirk Nannes
and at the time Pakistan were 4 for 81 and no other batsman in their line-up
had reached double figures. It was an incredible turnaround for a man who
was dropped from both the Test and ODI sides during the tour and had a best
international score of 34 in any format on the trip.
In a match where Tait broke the 160kph barrier and his new-ball partner Nannes
was fast and accurate, the first-change Mitchell Johnson was a welcome relief
and Kamran helped blast 20 off Johnson's first over. Despite the support
of his brother Umar (21), there wasn't enough of a spread in the runs
from the rest of the Pakistanis.
The trouble began with the quick loss of both the openers. Nannes' first
over was a maiden that included the run-out of Imran Nazir as the pressure
built, and Tait didn't drop below 150kph in his opening spell. He hit 160.7kph,
which was the fastest ball recorded in Australia, and from a 152kph offering
had Imran Farhat caught at slip for 8.
That undid much of the good work from Pakistan in the field after they dismissed
Australia with eight balls to spare, with David Hussey holding things together during an unbeaten 40. Only twice in a 20-over match had Australia
scored less than their 127 and it was thanks to great bowling from Umar Gul
and a sharp fielding effort from his team-mates. Three run-outs hurt Australia
badly, including two that resulted in flat, accurate throws from the outfield
from Umar Akmal.
But the most impressive was Fawad's effort to get rid of Cameron White
for 4. A Gul short ball lobbed off White's body to point where Fawad took
the catch, but while the umpire was turning down the appeal, White wandered
out of his crease and was brilliantly snared by a smart throw.
It was the second good thing that Fawad did in the field after he held a
sharp chance at point to send Michael Clarke on his way for 32 from 26 balls.
Clarke's innings was useful but didn't exactly disprove the doubters who
believe he is unsuited to Twenty20 cricket.
He began in promising enough fashion with a cracking cut for four from his
first delivery but there was only one more boundary and most of his runs
came from scrambled ones and twos. Neither of Australia's debutants had innings
to remember - Travis Birt was out second ball when he missed a paddle sweep
and was bowled, and Smith was bowled by Rana's slower delivery for
8.
The Twenty20 specialist David Warner made a handy 24 but his dismissal sparked
a mini-collapse of 5 for 27. The last of those wickets was Brad Haddin, stumped
down the leg side. It was one of several good things Kamran did for the match.
He simply didn't have enough support with the bat.