SHARJAH: Steve Smith cracked his maiden 50-over century as Australia routed Pakistan in 36.3 overs to secure a comprehensive 93-run victory in the first One-day International here on Tuesday.

Batting at number three, the nimble-footed Smith hit a sparkling 101 to help Australia to a competitive, if not intimidating, 255-8 in 50 overs after skipper George Bailey had won the toss and decided to bat first in oppressive heat at the Sharjah International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan responded well until off-spinner Nathan Lyon claimed two wickets in two deliveries, including that of rival skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, in the 13th over to turn the match on its head as Australia took 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Opener Sarfraz Ahmed (34) and Umar Akmal (46) provided some resistance with the bat before Pakistan folded for 162 in the 37th over.

“Very pleased [with the performance],” Bailey said at the presentation ceremony. “I thought we were maybe 15-20 runs short with the bat but outstanding performance with the ball...a pretty good all-round performance.”

Lyon and fellow off-spinner Glenn Maxwell claimed two wickets apiece while Mitchell Johnson (3-24) proved a quality pace bowler can succeed even on a docile, spin-friendly surface.

Misbah was left rueing another poor batting performance by his team.

“The kind of batting performance we have had, we need to do a lot of things to improve,” said Misbah. “Nobody is getting scores right from the top. That is a big worry for us. We need to come to the next game with a positive attitude.”

Earlier Smith’s brilliant century notwithstanding, Australia did not get the late burst that could have taken them past the 275-mark.

Shahid Afridi (3-46) was the pick of the Pakistani bowlers who conceded 37 runs in the first 10 overs and 64 in the final 10 to restrict Australia to a modest total.

Towering left-arm paceman Mohammad Irfan gave Pakistan a dream start when he dismissed Aaron Finch with the first delivery of the match with Ahmed Shehzad taking a brilliant catch at point.

Smith walked in to partner David Warner for a steady 85-run partnership before Afridi separated them in his second over.
Warner pulled the leg-spinner to mid-wicket to depart after a 63-ball 43 that included five boundaries.

Bailey hit Fawad Alam for a six but perished the very next ball trying to repeat the shot only for Afridi to take a tumbling catch after running backwards from midwicket.

Maxwell, man-of-the-match in Australia’s victory in the lone Twenty20 match on Sunday, could not capitalise on the two reprieves he got off Afridi and fell to debutant Zulfiqar Babar for 21.

Afridi dealt the biggest blow when he removed Smith in the 45th over, ending the 25-year-old’s 101 off 118 balls that included two sixes and six fours.

The departure of Smith, by far their best player against spin, meant Australia could not launch a late assault and it took Johnson’s 21-run cameo down the order to take them past the 250-mark.

“I enjoyed batting at number three,” said Smith after collecting his man-of-the-match award. “Looking for more opportunities and a few more big scores as well.”

Dubai hosts the second match on Friday while the third and final match takes place in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

A.J. Finch c Ahmed b Irfan 0 D.A. Warner c Umar b Afridi 43 S.P.D. Smith c Wahab b Afridi 101 G.J. Bailey c Afridi b Fawad 18 G.J. Maxwell c Irfan b Zulfiqar 21 J.P. Faulkner lbw b Afridi 11 B.J. Haddin not out 23 S.A. Abbott c Anwar b Wahab 3 M.G. Johnson b Wahab 21 K.W. Richardson not out 2

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-9) 12

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 255

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-86, 3-123, 4-158, 5-196, 6-216, 7-221, 8-253.

DID NOT BAT: N.M. Lyon.

BOWLING: Mohammad Irfan 10-2-35-1 (1w); Wahab Riaz 10-0-61-2 (7w); Zulfiqar Babar 9-0-35-1; Ali 8-0-52-0 (1w), Afridi 10-0-46-3, Alam 3-0-23-1

PAKISTAN:

Ahmed Shehzad c Smith b Johnson 4 Sarfraz Ahmed c Haddin b Lyon 34 Asad Shafiq c Haddin b Johnson 13 Misbah-ul-Haq c Warner b Lyon 0 Fawad Alam c Warner b Maxwell 7 Umar Akmal b Richardson 46 Shahid Afridi c Faulkner b Abbott 5 Anwar Ali c Haddin b Johnson 8 Wahab Riaz c and b Maxwell 5 Zulfiqar Babar not out 12 Mohammad Irfan run out 12

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5, W-7) 16

TOTAL (all out, 36.3 overs) 162

FALL OF WKTS: 1-9, 2-59, 3-59, 4-63, 5-90, 6-102, 7-125, 8-137, 9-137.

BOWLING: Johnson 7-1-24-3 (3w); Richardson 6.3-1-22-1 (2w); Faulkner 2-0-20-0 (1w); Abbott 5-0-25-1; Lyon 10-2-33-2; Maxwell 6-1-29-2 (1w).

RESULT: Australia won by 93 runs.

UMPIRES: Ahsan Raza (Pakistan) and R.K. Illingworth (England).

TV UMPIRE: N.J. Llong (England).

MATCH REFEREE: J. Srinath (India).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Steve Smith.

SECOND MATCH: Dubai, Friday.

THIRD MATCH: Abu Dhabi, Sunday.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2014