VB Series, (A/ P/ WI) 2004-05

At Hobart, January 16, 2005. Australia won by four wickets (D/L method). Australia 5 pts, Pakistan 1 pt. Toss: Pakistan.

Minor injuries left Australia below full strength again; they still kept Pakistan at arm's length. Salman Butt gave Pakistan a start, Inzamam-ul-Haq hurried to his first fifty of the tour, and Shahid Afridi reached 50 in 24 balls, clouting Lee and McGrath for two sixes each. Australia's fielding floundered as Pakistan heaped 97 runs in the last ten overs. Given a defensible target, however, Shoaib Akhtar wastefully coughed up no-balls and wides. That took the pressure off stopgap openers Clarke and Katich, who put on 107; Clarke just missed a run-a-ball century. Lehmann and wicketkeeper Haddin, deputising for Gilchrist, collected the required runs, reduced to 253 in 45 overs after a rain-break.

Man of the Match: M. J. Clarke. Attendance: 15,503.