Australia earn stunning victory

Spinner Nathan Hauritz ripped through the Pakistan tail as Australia bowled out the tourists for 139 to seal a stunning victory in the second Test.

The hosts began the day looking doomed to defeat, 80 ahead with only two second-innings wickets remaining.

But Michael Hussey hit an unbeaten 134 to set a victory target of 176.

Hauritz then took 5-53 as Australia avoided a first Test loss to Pakistan since 1995 despite conceding a 206-run first-innings deficit in Sydney.

The victory means Australia take an unassailable 2-0 lead into the final Test at Hobart, starting on 13 January.

Pakistan had won only 11 of 54 Tests against Australia, just four of those victories coming away from home.

Their last victory - home or away - came 15 years ago in Sydney. Incredibly, Hauritz and Hussey, with able support from Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson, ensured Pakistan’s miserable run continued.

Shane Watson had fallen for 97 on the third day, his runs ensuring Australia at least had something to bowl at, but the combination of Hussey and Siddle proved crucial on the fourth morning.

The pair added 133 for the ninth wicket, Siddle scoring 38 from 117 balls as Hussey reached three figures for the 10th time in his Test career.

However, when Siddle was finally out and then Doug Bollinger followed first ball to give Danish Kaneria a fifth wicket of the innings, it appeared the hard work would be in vain, a target of 176 seemingly easily-attainable for a Pakistan line-up that hit 333 in the first innings.

Australia needed early wickets, and Bollinger and Johnson obliged, the pair combining to dismiss Imran Farhat for a breezy 22 before Johnson had Faisal Iqbal and Salman Butt caught behind in quick succession.

That left Pakistan on 51-3, a score that became 77-5 when Hauritz accounted for Mohammad Yousuf with a stunning caught and bowled and then dismissed Misbah-ul-Haq for a second-ball duck.

When Kamran Akmal became Johnson’s third victim, Pakistan were still 73 short of the target with half their wickets down.

The visitors then rallied to reach 133-5, but Hauritz had Mohammad Sami caught behind by Haddin for a laborious two and, before the scoreboard had moved on, Bollinger had Umar Akmal caught by Johnson for 49.

Hauritz took little time to apply the finish, having Kaneria and Umar Gul caught by Watson and Siddle to complete a second five-wicket haul and one of the more unlikely victories in Australia’s 132-year Test history. BBC

SCORECARD
AUSTRALIA 1ST INNINGS 127
PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS 333
AUSTRALIA 2ND INNINGS

S Watson c Iqbal b Gul 		 97
Hughes c and b Kaneria 		 37
Ponting c Iqbal b Gul 		 11
M Hussey not out 		134
M Clarke lbw b Asif 		 21
North c Iqbal b Kaneria 	 02
Haddin lbw b Kaneria 		 15
M Johnson b Kaneria 		 03
Hauritz c Misbah b Gul 		 04
Siddle c Misbah b Asif 		 38
Bollinger b Kaneria 		 00
EXTRAS: (5-NB, 3-W, 6-B, 5-LB) 	 19
TOTAL: all out 			381
BOWLING: Asif 27-8-53-2, Sami 19.5-4-74-0, Gul 28-4-83-3, Kaneria 47.5-3-151-5, Farhat 3-0-9-0, 

PAKISTAN 2ND INNINGS

I Farhat c M Johnson b Bollinger 	 22
S Butt c Haddin b M Johnson 		 21
F Iqbal c Haddin b M Johnson 		 07
M Yousuf c and b Hauritz 		 19
U Akmal c M Johnson b Bollinger 	 49
Misbah c M Hussey b Hauritz 		 00
K Akmal c Haddin b M Johnson 		 11
M Sami c Haddin b Hauritz 		 02
U Gul c Siddle b Hauritz 		 06
Kaneria c S Watson b Hauritz 		 00
Asif not out 				 00
EXTRAS: (1-NB, 1-W) 			 02
TOTAL: all out 				139
Bowling: Bollinger 12-3-32-2, Siddle 4-1-7-0, Hauritz 12-1-53-5, M 
		Johnson 10-2-27-3