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8.29pm on Nov 10, 2024
Connolly taken for scans as Pakistan claim ODI series
By Justin Chadwick
Rising star Cooper Connolly suffered a fractured hand as Australia surrendered their ODI series to Pakistan following yet another disastrous display with the bat.
Australia, missing Test stars Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, finished with a paltry 9-140 from 31.5 overs in Perth on Sunday, with Connolly unable to return after retiring hurt on seven.
In reply, Pakistan reached the victory target with 139 balls to spare to wrap up an eight-wicket win and a 2-1 series triumph over the world champions.
Australian players walk off the pitch after their loss to Pakistan.AP
It marked Pakistan’s first series win over the Aussies in Australia in 22 years.
Saim Ayub (42) and Abdullah Shafique (37) set the platform for Pakistan, before Muhammad Rizwan (30 not out) and Babar Azam (28 not out) finished the job.
Australia only just scrambled to the 204-run victory target in game one in Melbourne, before being skittled for 163 in a nine-wicket loss to Pakistan in Adelaide.
The batting performance in Perth in front of 19,781 fans was even worse, with tail-ender Sean Abbott top-scoring with 30 from 41 balls, and opener Matt Short (22) the next best.
It marked the first time no Australian batter has registered a half-century in an ODI series lasting three or more matches.
Jake Fraser-McGurk was dismissed for seven. Getty Images
“We clearly didn’t get enough runs on the board, and our whole batting line-up really just didn’t get going at all throughout the series.
“Everyone’s got to probably look at ourselves individually and find ways to get better and keep improving.”
Jake Fraser-McGurk (7), Aaron Hardie (12), Inglis (7), Glenn Maxwell (0) and Marcus Stoinis (8) were all out cheaply as Australia slumped from 2-56 to 6-88.
Just two days after snaring 5-29 in Adelaide, Haris Rauf returned figures of 2-24 from seven overs in Perth, while Shaheen Afridi (3-32) and Naseem Shah (3-54) were also rewarded.
Connolly copped a painful blow to his left hand from a rising Mohammad Hasnain delivery in the 17th over.
The 21-year-old, playing just his second ODI, slashed a single from his next ball before calling for medical attention.
Connolly retired hurt on seven and underwent scans.
“Cooper Connolly has a fractured fourth metacarpal on his left hand, ruling him out of the Australian men’s T20 side to play Pakistan,” said a Cricket Australia spokesperson.
“Connolly will consult a specialist in Perth tomorrow [Monday]. A replacement player will be named in due course.“
Australia’s batting implosions have been a big talking point this series, and their floundering performance on Sunday will do little to quieten the critics.
Fraser-McGurk’s footwork was non-existent when he edged Shah behind.
Indecision cost Hardie dearly, with his late attempt to leave a rising Afridi delivery resulting in the ball hitting his bat and flying to second slip.
Stand-in captain Inglis scored just seven runs from his first 18 balls before his attempted pull skied high into the air and was easily caught.
Rauf claimed his first victim of the day when Short pulled him to the deep.
And Maxwell fell to Rauf for the third time this series when he was squared up and popped an easy catch to backward point.
It was left to Abbott, Adam Zampa (13) and Spencer Johnson (12 not out) to add some handy late runs.
Australia needed everything to go right in order to defend their meagre total, but not much went their way.
Lance Morris dropped a tough catch in the deep while diving forward when Saim was on 16.
Zampa dropped Abdullah Shafique on the boundary with the score reading 0-70.
With Pakistan cruising at 0-84, the hosts were in danger of losing an ODI by 10 wickets for the first time in Australia.
But Morris (2-24) produced a sharp catch off his own bowling to remove Shafique, before sending Saim packing five balls later.
AAP
8.25pm on Nov 10, 2024
That’s a wrap
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Thanks for joining along today.
A bit of an early mark for everyone involved after another one-sided affair that Australia will be mighty disappointed by. Brilliant cricket from Pakistan, particularly with the ball.
Attention now turns to three T20s against Pakistan, starting on Thursday at the Gabba. We’ll be live blogging all three, so come along for the ride.
Also, in case you didn’t see the news about Australia’s Test squad, here’s Daniel Brettig’s yarns on a day when Nathan McSweeney was confirmed Usman Khawaja’s opening partner for the opening Test against India on November 22.
Josh Inglis, on his Australian captaincy debut, speaks to Fox Sports’ Kath Loughnan about a game that hardly went to plan.
“Pretty disappointing to be honest,” Inglis said. “I think after three quarters of the first game [in the series], we were totally outplayed. Not enough runs on the board.”
Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan said: “This is a special moment”.
Josh Inglis addresses players. Getty Images
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7.54pm on Nov 10, 2024
Pakistan claim historic series win
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For the first time in 22 years, Pakistan have defeated Australia in a one-day international series on Australian soil.
Not only did Pakistan win in Perth, but they thumped an inexperienced Australian outfit who decided not to play some of their best players to let them prepare for the opening Test of the summer against India.
Babar Azam raises his hands in the air and gives batting partner Mohammad Rizwan a celebratory hug on a memorable day for Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan win by eight wickets and reach the target with 23.1 overs to spare. It’s an absolute carve-up job from a team who came to Australia with a clear plan and executed beautifully after going down 1-0 in the series. It finishes at 2-1 the way of the visitors.
Credit to Pakistan coach and former Australian international Jason Gillespie, who’s had a bit going on behind the scenes lately.
Not one Australian player made a half century in the series.
Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan bats against Australia. AP
7.42pm on Nov 10, 2024
Beautiful batting from Pakistan
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Rizwan belts Abbott for six over the mid-wicket boundary, after advancing down the track, before Babar plays a lovely straight drive from the bowling of Morris who, to his credit, is still steaming in.
Pakistan are keen to get these runs quickly. This has been an emphatic performance.
It comes after Pakistan chased down Australia’s total of 163 in game two after just 26.3 overs.
Another on-drive for four from Babar. Full face of the bat. Glorious.
Pakistan 2-120 from 24 overs
7.35pm on Nov 10, 2024
Pakistan bring up the 100
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All or nothing here for Australia.
Rizwan and Babar have got the tourists to triple figures and within a few big overs of a famous series win.
Keep in mind they’ve not beaten Australia in an ODI series on Australian soil since 2002.
Sean Abbott is back into the attack after an expensive first four overs (0-37).
Pakistan 2-101 after 22 overs
Aaron Hardie sends one down. Getty Images
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7.12pm on Nov 10, 2024
Morris gets two wickets in the over
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Lance Morris finally gets the breakthrough with a sharp caught and bowled to his right.
Abdullah Shafique goes for a well-made 37 with Pakistan more than halfway to the target.
A little too late for the Aussies? Or is it. Would be the greatest collapse in the history of cricket for Pakistan to stuff it up from here.
That is also Morris’ first international wicket in front of his home crowd. No doubt a few mates of his mates will be in the stands in Perth on the beers.
BANG: Five balls later, Morris gets another. Saim Ayub chops on for 42. Both set batsmen gone. Funny game...
Adam Zampa, who is yet to get a bowl, drops one of the easiest catches of his career down at fine leg off Sean Abbott who does well to hide his displeasure.
Straight into the hands, didn’t have to move, but it goes down.
Not Australia’s day. A heavy defeat on the cards here barring a dead set miracle.
Australia wait until the 13th over - with the score at 0-59 - to unleash the young quick nicknamed the ‘Wild Thing’.
A tidy over to start (two runs off) and good pace (138.2, 141.8, 140.5, 143.5, 142.4).
Note: one speed didn’t register on the gun.
Pakistan 0-70
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6.35pm on Nov 10, 2024
Australia wicketless after 10 overs
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No luck for the home side as Pakistan make their way to 0-47 after 10 overs. At this stage, Australia were 2-54.
OH DEAR. Australia think they’ve got their first wicket as Saim Ayub hooks one into the leg side off the bowling of Sean Abbott.
Spencer Johnson, right on the rope at fine leg, drops a tough catch that hits the rope on the full. Six runs. Tried to jump and catch when staying flat on his feet would have sufficed.
Far from ideal for Australia. Only 94 runs to get from 40 overs.