Australia made heavy weather of chasing down the target of 208 in 50 overs and they survived a few anxious moments before finally been able to do it that leveled the ongoing five-match ODI series against Pakistan being played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

It was amazing to find the Aussies struggling against Shahid Afridi, who is being accorded more respect than he ever gets even in domestic matches. As somebody pointed out he becomes more lethal in international games because of the luck factor coming his way.

Afridi does need more luck than anybody else while batting as well because he only plays the way he knows, discarding the other factors that ordinary mortals had to take into the consideration.

Afridi, who bowled Pakistan to victory in the previous game, very nearly did it again. He got a couple of wickets besides creating doubts in the minds of the batsmen who were unable to dominate him.

The mindset of the Australians was hard to understand. They are supposed to be the most ruthless side in world cricket having the best infrastructure and coaching academes back home. That they are unable to cope with the spinners brought to light some deficiencies in their most talked about system.

Isn’t it shocking to note that the Australian batsmen have lacked the aggression that’s so vital to counter the spinners? They did make some adjustments in their stance in the second game that only reflected weaknesses in their technique. They should have done this homework much earlier.

More mind-boggling is the fact that the Australians have been playing continuous cricket throughout the season but they are not looking a settled side yet. They are the team having ruled the game for a number of years primarily due to their bench strength. The loss of key players has never been an issue for them because they have adequate backup talent.

Michael Clarke’s captaincy has been uninspiring so far that raises doubts about him being the future leader of the great Australian team. Not sure if their management has alternate plans up their sleeves yet.

Australia’s performance in the first couple of games has been far from impressive against a team that has not played much of international cricket in the past. The manner in which Clarke batted showed the lack of punch in their attitude. They had decimated the strongest of outfits with consummate ease but they are now struggling to display that kind of intensity that had made them the juggernauts.

Andrew Symonds, however, had reasons to smile because he came good when the needed him most. His couple of wickets near the end of the Pakistan innings saved his team from further embarrassment.

More importantly it was his batting display that came handy in helping Australia level the series 1-1 with three to go. He scored a half century that sealed the fate of the match because the Australians were in danger of losing the game again after allowing the spin duo of Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal were allowed to get on top.

The contest was very much alive even after the big partnership for the second wicket between James Hopes and Shane Watson. With skipper Clarke unable to bat in his natural style, it was left to Symonds to deliver and he rose to the occasion. The match was in Australia’s bag when he was finally undone by Afridi.

Courtesy: SKM Sports

It has been the specialty of the Pakistan teams over the years, doing things that are hard even to conceive. They have had the unusual knack of accomplishing the impossible-looking tasks. There was not much element of surprise in Pakistan winning the first One-day International against Australia by four wickets but the manner in which the latter collapsed caused the drama.

What happened at the Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium on April 22 was truly sensational. The Australians, understood to be one of the most powerful teams on the scene, crashed like novices against the Pakistan spinners who exceeded all expectations.

How often would you expect a team like Australia, who are known and feared for taking the fight to the opposition, collapse to 122 for nine after being so happily placed at 95 for one in the 19th over.

The duo of Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal was able to return the flattering figures after the Aussies, having elected to bat, had laid a solid foundation. The amazing turnaround was carried out by a couple of spinners neither of whom had the credentials or the skills to perform the giant-killing act of this magnitude.

Shahid Afridi, whose place in the playing eleven always remains in jeopardy because even the selectors and the team management are unwilling to gamble with him, returned the figures that would have made even the legendary spinners like Shane Warne and Mutiah Muralitharan proud.

Six for 38 in 10 overs are dream figures in any form of the game for any class of bowler. No doubt it was the career-best performance with the ball by the leg-spinning all-rounder. Not sure though for how long will it insure his place in the team in the future.

You certainly cannot blame the selectors or the team management for not having him in the scheme of things at all times because he prefers to play the game his own way irrespective of the demands of the situation. When the lady luck is smiling on him, he can turn into a most explosive of all-rounder but he’s equally vulnerable when he’s not deriving that divine help from the Nature.

Saeed Ajmal’s spell with the ball was no less dramatic. The young off-spinner gave away only 19 runs in his 10 overs picking up a couple of important wickets in the bargain. Together with Shahid Afridi, he tormented the Australian batsmen who looked clueless against them.

The Australians were expected to total much higher than 168 what they could manage even after the start their top-order had made in conditions not difficult for batting.

The unimaginative leadership of the stand-in captain Michael Clarke made Pakistan’s task easier when chasing the target of 169 in 50 overs. He was probably unaware of the fact that the Pakistan batsmen, having blunted the likes of Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis a few months ago, were not going to be tested by someone like Nathan Hauritz who understandably went wicketless.

Clarke would have been much better off attacking the batsmen with fast bowlers which he did realize after having gifted some precious runs by allowing Hauritz half a dozen overs.

Courtesy: SKM Sports