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Shane Watson steers hosts Australia past Pakistan at Cricket World Cup
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(about 2 months later)
So far the quarter-finals of the World Cup have been as surprising as rain in Manchester. The favourites always win and this time it was the Australian juggernaut, which rumbled on with just a few alarms, that will be noted by their future opponents.
This could be because it launched early, our rights have expired, there was a legal issue, or for another reason.
Those alarms were caused by Wahab Riaz, the left-arm paceman, who charged in, propelling superbly directed bouncers at every Australia batsman at the other end. During that time Wahab dismissed David Warner and Michael Clarke, and for a while he tormented Shane Watson, who was badly dropped on the long-leg boundary by Rahat Ali when on four. Pakistan, defending a paltry 213, did not have the leeway for mistakes like that.
In the end Australia, grateful for the composure and expertise of Steve Smith, cruised to a six-wicket victory with 16.1 overs to spare. They meet India in the Sydney semi-final on Thursday.
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Related: Australia beat Pakistan: Cricket World Cup quarter-final – as it happened
The evidence suggests a widening gulf between the top four sides in this competition and the rest. South Africa, New Zealand and Australia have pace attacks sufficiently potent to avoid having to fret how to survive the final 15 overs in the field. They have the firepower to keep striving for wickets and, by and large, they succeed. Meanwhile, India are galvanised by the fact that this is the World Cup, not another routine ODI in some foreign clime.
Pakistan lack the ammunition of these sides. Misbah-ul-Haq took the brave and obvious choice of batting first even though there was more grass and therefore more pace on this pitch than in the old days. But despite reaching the relative serenity of 97 for two, Pakistan could muster only 213 by the time they were bowled out in the final over.
Their opening pair fell to neat slip catches, which reflect the excellence of Australia’s out-cricket. Then a partnership of 73 between Haris Sohail and Misbah gave Pakistan hope. Australia’s bowlers allowed few liberties and perhaps the Pakistan middle order was beguiled by the famous short boundaries of the Adelaide Oval. Most critically Misbah, who had hit the off-breaks of Glenn Maxwell for two sixes, aimed for another and presented Aaron Finch with one of his three catches on the boundary edge.
No one could exceed Sohail’s 41 and Pakistan’s last pair were left to cobble together 18 runs from the final six overs. Australia had preferred Josh Hazlewood to the quicker Pat Cummins and this proved to be a good idea. Hazlewood finished with four for 35. Mitchell Starc took two more wickets to take his tally in the tournament to 18 at an average of 9.77.
None of the Australia bowlers were collared and the view at the break, even among non-Australians, was that Pakistan’s target was woefully small.
But for a while Wahab, a passionate and provocative a paceman as they come, took a different view. Despite the loss of Finch lbw to Sohail Khan, a dismissal that betrayed his lack of form and the fact Warner will never take up a career as an umpire in years to come (Warner advised a review and the ball was hitting the middle of middle), Australia were racing along when Wahab was tossed the ball.
He rampaged in and bristled. Naturally Warner bristled back; neither could possibly take a backward step. Another bouncer prompted a Warner upper cut, which flew to third man where Rahat took a fine catch. Enter Clarke, soon to be greeted by a fielder at short square-leg. Not for the first time in his career Clarke fended and the ball ballooned gently into the fielder’s hands.
Watson was no more convincing against Wahab at the start of his innings. There were some serious bouncers hurled in his direction and some serious glares as well. At first Watson swayed out of the way just in time; then he went for a hook. The ball hung in the air for ages whereupon the unfortunate Rahat, barely required to move, dropped it. For all Wahab’s endeavours Australia were back on course again.
Amid the fireworks Smith remained calm and untroubled, compiling 65 before he was lbw to Sohail. Wahab was recalled and this time Glenn Maxwell was dropped off another bouncer by a startled third man – Maxwell’s shot had given no indication where the ball was intended to go. Thereafter Watson and Maxwell raced away to the target.
Darren Lehmann, Australia’s coach, said: “Well, that was exciting cricket. Pakistan threw everything at us and Wahab’s spell was one of the best I’ve seen for a while. Credit to Watto [Shane Watson] for getting through it.” Just as impressive in the coach’s eyes, though rather more downbeat for the rest of us, was the exceptional efficiency of their out-cricket.
