Match drawn despite sporting declaration

Pakistan A 431 and 4 for 145 (Raza 50*, Mohmand 40) drew with Australia A 510 and 6 for 165 dec (Watson 63*, Jaques 48, Rehman 4-51)
Scorecard

Pakistan A drew their Top End Series match against Australia A after a sporting declaration by the hosts set up an interesting climax. Set to chase 245 at just over a run a ball, Pakistan responded to the challenge strongly till Australia applied the brakes in the final session. The captains called off the match ten overs before the scheduled close of play.

Earlier, Shane Watson continued with his good form with the bat, with his half-century taking his side to a position from which they could force a result. Resuming on 2 for 57, Australia added only seven runs to their overnight score before Travis Burt fell to left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman. Mohammad Khalil's double strike in one over then sent back Phil Jaques and Brad Haddin with the score on 86. Watson continued playing positively as he and Brad Hodge took the score to 165 when Haddin made a surprise declaration.

Allotted 40 overs, Pakistan changed their strategy, sending in Rafatullah Mohmand to open with Shahid Yousuf instead of Mohammad Hafeez, the first-innings centurion. The openers added a quickfire 53 in six overs and the signs looked ominous for Australia. However, the bowlers pulled it back, with Mitchell Johnson dismissing Misbah-ul-Haq immediately after tea. Pakistan were still in the reckoning, sticking to the required rate as long as Mohmand was around. However, the run-rate slackened after he was bowled by Watson in the 15th over, after which a draw was the only possibility. In contrast to the first innings, Hafeez chose to play out time, scoring 6 off 48 balls, while Hasan Raza helped himself to an unbeaten half-century. The match was called off with Pakistan requiring a massive 100 off the last ten overs.

The action in the Top End Series moves to Cairns where Pakistan A play their next match, against New Zealand A from July 17 while Australia A take on India A in another four-day encounter, starting the next day.