50 overs Australia 6 for 353 (Warner 130, Maxwell 78, Head 51, Hasan 5-52) v Pakistan
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David Warner celebrated his 12th ODI century © Cricket Australia/Getty Images
David Warner’s eighth ODI hundred in 12 months set Australia on the path to a hefty total at the SCG, where Pakistan will need the highest successful ODI chase on Australian soil in order to keep the series alive. Warner’s 130 was followed by half-centuries from Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell that lifted Australia to 6 for 353 and punished Pakistan for a fielding display that, even by their own modest standards, was extremely sloppy.
Four very catchable chances were put down, as well as one much tougher opportunity, but there were also several overthrows and misfields that left Pakistan’s bowlers collectively shaking their heads in dismay. Hasan Ali finished with the best figures – 5 for 52 from his 10 overs, including two in the 50th over – but was also the culprit in two of the dropped chances, while Sharjeel Khan also put down two.
However, there was little Pakistan could have done to stop Warner, who made a fast start and raced to a 35-ball fifty before slowing down a little and reaching triple-figures from his 98th delivery. At that stage Warner’s innings had been chanceless – he was not dropped until he already had 113 and Hasan at mid-on spilled an opportunity off the bowling of Imad Wasim.
Warner put together a 92-run opening stand with Usman Khawaja, who was caught behind off Hasan for 30, and then combined with Steven Smith for a 120-run partnership that gave Australia an outstanding platform of 1 for 212 in the 36th over. However, both Warner and Smith fell in that over to Hasan, although Pakistan did not seriously halt Australia’s momentum.
Warner scored all around the ground and had struck 11 fours and two sixes when he finally departed, edging behind when he backed away against Hasan. Smith fell two balls later for 49 off 48 deliveries when he walked across his stumps and was lbw to Hasan; Smith had been given a let-off on 10 when he squeezed a half-volley off Junaid Khan to backward point, where Sharjeel grassed the chance.
Maxwell signalled his intentions early in his innings by reverse-sweeping Imad for a powerful six, though was fortunate to be dropped on 8 in the same over by Hasan, who could not track down the top-edge at short fine leg. Head was put down on 28 at long-on by Sharjeel off Junaid, and Pakistan’s mistakes allowed Head and Maxwell to compile an important 100-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Maxwell had another narrow escape on 32 when he drove Mohammad Amir wide of the diving Azhar Ali at mid-off, though this one was a particularly tough chance. Head smashed four sixes on his way to a 35-ball half-century before he was finally taken in the deep for 51 by Shoaib Malik off Amir, and Matthew Wade could manage only 5 before Imad caught him off Hasan in the final over.
But Maxwell in the meantime had plundered boundaries all over the place, 10 fours and a six, and having reached his fifty from 34 deliveries he lost his wicket with the last ball of the innings by skying a catch off Hasan for 78 from 44 – the catch taken this time by the previously slipshod Sharjeel. Australia had taken 118 off their last 10 overs, and Pakistan had an enormous task ahead of them.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo