Dismal Pakistan sink without trace

For the second time running, Australia fashioned an emphatic 9-wicket victory with 30 overs to spare to leave Pakistan wondering how far they have to improve not just to win (that thought must have been farthest from their minds) but to make a fist of it.

The only thing that went right for Waqar Younis, the much-beleaguered Pakistan skipper these days, in this dress rehearsal of the final on Saturday was the toss. When he elected to bat first this time round, he must have expected that his batsmen would redeem themselves after a most pathetic display the other day. They capitulated as badly, putting together just 117 before bowing out. What is worse, they seemed to have learnt nothing from their impulsive and indiscreet batting in the previous game against the Aussies.

Pakistan was below strength, and their combinations and balance rather lopsided, and Australia were as clinically efficient as they normally are. But it really was Pakistan's lack of application which made the Aussies look really formidable. That they were the best team in the world was never in dispute; that the second-best with pretensions of upstaging them would be exposed so thoroughly again was shocking.

Adam Gilchrist (15, 14 balls, 3 fours) and Mathew Hayden (unbeaten 59, 49 balls, 9 fours) started off in a typical aggressive fashion. The intention obviously was to further rub in Pakistan's inadequacy by finishing the match as quickly as possible. Having taken fours off three fours of Younis, Gilchrist failed to read a slower one and played him on. That was the only success to come Pakistan's way. Ricky Ponting immediately pulled Younis to square-leg boundary and then Abdul Razzaq (pressed into service early as Shoaib Akhtar walked off the field with a pulled hip muscle in his second over) to the point fence for four and then a majestic six at mid-wicket.

In glorious form, Hayden at the other end kept taking fours from Waqar, Razzaq and Azhar to march to the quickest 50 of the tournament, of just 41 deliveries while Ponting didn't return after the lunch break, opting to rest himself after he found some discomfort in one leg. But there was nothing to worry. Damien Martyn made 20, with the help of 4 fours, the last of these off Azhar Mahmood in the covers sealing the win.

Pakistan for its part had been bowled out of the game with the three frontline Aussie pacemen between them getting nine wickets. While Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath made early inroads, a four-wicket burst from Brett Lee, later adjudged Man of the Match, made even a semblance of a fightback impossible. Though Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis made a last ditch effort, which took the Pakistan total into three figures, but the resistance was eventually sniffed out, the innings folding for 117, in 32.3 overs.

But more than the lethalness of the Aussie pace trio, it was the laden-footed, reckless Pakistani batting which brought doom on itself. With the two best partnerships of the innings coming from the eighth and ninth wicket, lack of responsibility and commitment of the upper order was so conspicuous.

Imran Nazir (7, off 23 balls), inducted in place of Wasim Akram opting out with a niggling leg injury, was caught low in the covers by Martyn off Gillespie. Then McGrath dealt a double blow in the 11th over, and it started the procession. Driving him on the back foot away from his body, Shoaib Malik gave Ponting the first of three catches at second slip. In good form of late, Younis Khan tried to essay a forcing stroke too early, his cut ending in Gilchrist's gloves. Three for 24 was soon four for 33 as Lee got Saeed Anwar (22, 39 balls, 3 fours) in his first over. Anwar had only just started finding the gaps and hit McGrath, Gillespie and Lee for three exquisite fours. Lee bounced back next ball with a rising delivery, inducing the top edge which Warne grabbed with joy.

That was the start of a purple patch for Lee, as he got a wicket in each of his first three overs. Azhar Mahmood hit him for a four through mid-wicket, but over-confidence did him in as he drove one straight into Ponting's hands. Razzaq came in at Azhar's fall, but was clean bowled before scoring, playing an apalling shot off Warne. A squared-up Afridi too was dismissed, Ponting taking his third catch. At seven for 48 in the 18th over, Pakistan were down and out.

Rashid Latif and Misbah tried to put a partnership together, with the latter clouting two sixes to Warne at long-on. Rashid swept well for a four off Warne and got another boundary by guiding Lee over the top of slips. But Lee prevailed as Rashid drove one uppishly and Martyn brought off another good catch in the covers.

Misbah (39, off 49 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) continued to play well, adding 44 in 60 balls for the ninth wicket with Younis. This retrieved the situation somewhat, but it was never going to be enough. Misbah, having gloriously driven Lee and Gillespie for fours in the covers, perished while trying to guide the latter for four a second time through the slips. That gave Gilchrist the world record for most catches in ODIs, 195 to Ian Healy's previous-best, 194. Younis (24 off 36 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) having clouted Warne for six over mid-wicket and driving and pulling Lee for fours at covers and mid-wicket was bowled by McGrath to bring the innings to a close.