Pakistan’s quicks star as Australia stumble to 210

Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf left them two down without a run on the board

Australia 210 (Carey 56, Abbott 49, Rauf 3-39, Wasim 3-40) vs Pakistan

Pakistan won the toss and set Australia in yet again, and left Afridi to do his thing. Magicians tend not to perform their tricks too often, but repetition doesn’t make Afridi any less inscrutable. It was a full toss that did for Head first up, but with the movement in the air, there was little the batter could do to prevent it crashing into off stump.

Finch has struggled this series, and it showed in the way he tried to tackle Rauf, playing listlessly across the line and finding himself trapped plumb in front. Australia were yet to put a run on the board, and the discipline of Pakistan’s pace bowlers meant they couldn’t get off to the brisk start that characterised their first two innings. Rauf coaxed an edge out of Marnus Labuschagne early, and the normally fluid Ben McDermott got bogged down, managing just 14 in his first 34 balls.

A handy rearguard from Carey and Green followed, with the batters capitalising on a drop in intensity from the hosts. The field spread out and easy singles were available and, with the frontline fast bowlers out of the attack, Australia were steadily rebuilding as they pushed towards a competitive total. Carey brought up a 55-ball half century two balls after a glorious six over cover drive off Wasim, and for the first time, Pakistan were on the back foot.

That ended soon after, though, when a bit of reverse swing did for Green as he heaved wildly across the line. It opened the floodgates, and four wickets fell for 18 runs as Rauf and Afridi returned to chip in.

But in an entertaining six-over passage of play, Abbott threw caution to the wind, swinging for the fences just about every delivery, riding his luck and further antagonising an increasingly irate Afridi. Abbott managed the strike expertly; Adam Zampa never even got off the mark through the partnership, and by the time he chipped one to short third off Rauf, he’d scored a 40-ball 49. Abbott, and Australia had something to bowl at, though on the evidence of this series, it might not nearly be enough.