Fiery Warner helps Australia seal ODI series win over Pakistan
Fiery Warner helps Australia seal ODI series win over Pakistan
January 23, 2017 | 12:08 AM
Mohammad Hafeez goes on the attack in Pakistan’s pursuit of 354. — AP
January 23, 2017 | 12:08 AM
Last Updated: January 23, 2017 | 12:08 AM
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SYDNEY — David Warner’s 12th one-day international hundred and brisk fifties from Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head set up Australia for an 86-run win over Pakistan in the fourth match on Sunday as the hosts secured an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series.
The diminutive opening batsman smashed 130 for his sixth ton in his last 11 innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground, including his century before lunch in the third test against the same opponents in January.
Maxwell then pulverized the Pakistan attack with his 78 off 44 balls and added a quick-fire 100 for the fourth wicket with Head, who hit 51 off 36 balls, as the hosts piled up 353-6 in their 50 overs after winning the toss and opting to bat.
Pakistan needed to pull off the highest successful ODI chase on Australian soil to keep the series alive but lacked the required firepower in their batting and were bundled out for 267 with six overs remaining in their innings.
Left-handed opener Sharjeel Khan top-scored for the touring side with his 74 off 47 balls keeping Pakistan in the hunt for the early part of their chase.
Australia’s paceman Josh Hazlewood and leg-spinner Adam Zampa, playing in his first match of the series, picked up three wickets each.
It was a forgettable day for Pakistan in the field as they dropped at least five catches and gave away extra runs through misfields and overthrows.
Warner put together a breezy 92-run opening stand with Usman Khawaja, who was caught behind for 30 and became the first of seamer Hasan Ali’s five wickets.
Warner, who hit 11 fours and two sixes in his 119-ball knock, added 120 for the second wicket with captain Steve Smith which gave Australia an ideal platform for a huge total.
“It’s the home crowd, absolutely love playing here,” Warner said after being presented with the man of the match award. “I was quite slow tonight, but it’s always special to put the boys in a great position.”
Hasan dismissed Warner and Smith, who made 49 after being dropped on 10, in the space of three deliveries but it did not hamper Australia’s quest for quick runs.
Maxwell was dropped on eight and made Pakistan pay for their profligacy by hitting 10 fours and a six in his innings as Australia accumulated 118 runs in their last 10 overs. Head smashed four sixes and two fours in his 36-ball knock.
The fifth and final match of the series will be played in Adelaide on Thursday.
Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur blasted his players after their blunders helped Australia secure their one-day series. A frustrated Arthur was left lamenting another sloppy fielding effort marked by a number of dropped catches.
“We can’t compete with a side like Australia if we give their top five that many chances,” he said. “It’s unacceptable, those standards we set as a Cricket team those standards haven’t been met. Is it skill level, attitude, or is it fatigue?”
Australia 1987 World Cup heroes awarded medals
The first Australia squad to win the World Cup in 1987 were presented with medals during the innings break at the fourth One-Day International against Pakistan on Sunday. The side, captained by Allan Border and coached by Bob Simpson, beat England by seven runs in a tense final in Kolkata. Australia have since won four more World Cups.
The International Cricket Council last year decided to award medals to players and support staff of all World Cup-winning squads who did not receive them at the time of their successes.
The West Indies team from 1975 and Sri Lanka from 1996 will also receive medals. “I’m so proud that the players and support staff of our 1987 win have been recognized in this way,” he said Border.
Boon, Hayden inducted into Australia Hall of Fame
Test greats David Boon, Matthew Hayden and the late Betty Wilson will be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame this week, Cricket Australia said on Sunday.
Top-order batsmen Boon and Hayden were key figures who played more than 100 Tests for Australia, while all-rounder Wilson was a female Cricketer “ahead of her time”, Hall of Fame chairman Peter King said.
“David Boon and Matthew Hayden are among a select group of just 12 players to have appeared in 100 Test matches but their significance goes way beyond that simple statistic,” he said.
Boon made 7,422 runs in his 107 Tests in the 1980s and 1990s, while Hayden scored 8,625 runs in his 103 Tests from 1994 to 2009. Boon described his induction as an “enormous honor”.
Wilson, who died in 2010, is the second woman after Belinda Clark to be in both the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame and the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
She played only 11 Tests, partly due to World War II, scoring 862 runs at 57.40, and took 68 wickets at 11.80. — Agencies
The diminutive opening batsman smashed 130 for his sixth ton in his last 11 innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground, including his century before lunch in the third test against the same opponents in January.
Maxwell then pulverized the Pakistan attack with his 78 off 44 balls and added a quick-fire 100 for the fourth wicket with Head, who hit 51 off 36 balls, as the hosts piled up 353-6 in their 50 overs after winning the toss and opting to bat.
Pakistan needed to pull off the highest successful ODI chase on Australian soil to keep the series alive but lacked the required firepower in their batting and were bundled out for 267 with six overs remaining in their innings.
Left-handed opener Sharjeel Khan top-scored for the touring side with his 74 off 47 balls keeping Pakistan in the hunt for the early part of their chase.
Australia’s paceman Josh Hazlewood and leg-spinner Adam Zampa, playing in his first match of the series, picked up three wickets each.
It was a forgettable day for Pakistan in the field as they dropped at least five catches and gave away extra runs through misfields and overthrows.
Warner put together a breezy 92-run opening stand with Usman Khawaja, who was caught behind for 30 and became the first of seamer Hasan Ali’s five wickets.
Warner, who hit 11 fours and two sixes in his 119-ball knock, added 120 for the second wicket with captain Steve Smith which gave Australia an ideal platform for a huge total.
“It’s the home crowd, absolutely love playing here,” Warner said after being presented with the man of the match award. “I was quite slow tonight, but it’s always special to put the boys in a great position.”
Hasan dismissed Warner and Smith, who made 49 after being dropped on 10, in the space of three deliveries but it did not hamper Australia’s quest for quick runs.
Maxwell was dropped on eight and made Pakistan pay for their profligacy by hitting 10 fours and a six in his innings as Australia accumulated 118 runs in their last 10 overs. Head smashed four sixes and two fours in his 36-ball knock.
The fifth and final match of the series will be played in Adelaide on Thursday.
Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur blasted his players after their blunders helped Australia secure their one-day series. A frustrated Arthur was left lamenting another sloppy fielding effort marked by a number of dropped catches.
“We can’t compete with a side like Australia if we give their top five that many chances,” he said. “It’s unacceptable, those standards we set as a Cricket team those standards haven’t been met. Is it skill level, attitude, or is it fatigue?”
Australia 1987 World Cup heroes awarded medals
The first Australia squad to win the World Cup in 1987 were presented with medals during the innings break at the fourth One-Day International against Pakistan on Sunday. The side, captained by Allan Border and coached by Bob Simpson, beat England by seven runs in a tense final in Kolkata. Australia have since won four more World Cups.
The International Cricket Council last year decided to award medals to players and support staff of all World Cup-winning squads who did not receive them at the time of their successes.
The West Indies team from 1975 and Sri Lanka from 1996 will also receive medals. “I’m so proud that the players and support staff of our 1987 win have been recognized in this way,” he said Border.
Boon, Hayden inducted into Australia Hall of Fame
Test greats David Boon, Matthew Hayden and the late Betty Wilson will be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame this week, Cricket Australia said on Sunday.
Top-order batsmen Boon and Hayden were key figures who played more than 100 Tests for Australia, while all-rounder Wilson was a female Cricketer “ahead of her time”, Hall of Fame chairman Peter King said.
“David Boon and Matthew Hayden are among a select group of just 12 players to have appeared in 100 Test matches but their significance goes way beyond that simple statistic,” he said.
Boon made 7,422 runs in his 107 Tests in the 1980s and 1990s, while Hayden scored 8,625 runs in his 103 Tests from 1994 to 2009. Boon described his induction as an “enormous honor”.
Wilson, who died in 2010, is the second woman after Belinda Clark to be in both the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame and the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
She played only 11 Tests, partly due to World War II, scoring 862 runs at 57.40, and took 68 wickets at 11.80. — Agencies
