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Pakistan 102 for 4 (Shafiq 36*, Akmal 3*, Pattinson 2-10) v Australia
Australia struck with the new ball and then found a way past Pakistan's captain Misbah-ul-Haq to break a key partnership in the first ODI in Sharjah. From an uncertain 40 for 3, Pakistan had reached a mediocre 102 for 4 after 25 overs in the early evening.
Misbah and Asad Shafiq took their time to stabilise the innings after James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc shared the opening three wickets, but opened up more as the overs ticked by, Shafiq swinging Glen Maxwell's spin over the rope for the first six of the innings. However the allrounder Dan Christian deceived Misbah with an off cutter to scotch what momentum had been built.
Australia's captain Michael Clarke marshalled his fields intelligently, and juggled the spin of David Hussey, Maxwell and himself to compensate for the omission of the left-arm spin of Xavier Doherty.
Having won the toss, Pakistan hinted at an aggressive start as Pattinson and Starc strained for early swing by pursuing a very full length. Starc twice appealed for LBW against Hafeez only to be denied by each ball pitching a fraction outside leg stump - the second also costing Australia their lone decision review.
Pattinson's penchant for landing the ball on the seam was to be rewarded when one such delivery stopped a little, causing Hafeez to pop a catch to short cover. Azhar Ali fell in similar fashion, chipping to mid on, but Nasir Jamshed was victim of a snorting bouncer from Starc, who coaxed sharp bounce from an otherwise moribund surface.
Misbah and Shafiq were unhurried in trying to regather the innings, while Clarke pushed through a handful of overs via himself and Hussey. Mitchell Johnson and Christian offered a few more scoring chances, and Maxwell's introduction brought Shafiq's big six.
But Christian's change-up brought Misbah undone, to leave the Australians in decent position to restrict Pakistan's chances of mounting a sizeable total.
Australia struck with the new ball and then found a way past Pakistan's captain Misbah-ul-Haq to break a key partnership in the first ODI in Sharjah. From an uncertain 40 for 3, Pakistan had reached a mediocre 102 for 4 after 25 overs in the early evening.
Misbah and Asad Shafiq took their time to stabilise the innings after James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc shared the opening three wickets, but opened up more as the overs ticked by, Shafiq swinging Glen Maxwell's spin over the rope for the first six of the innings. However the allrounder Dan Christian deceived Misbah with an off cutter to scotch what momentum had been built.
Australia's captain Michael Clarke marshalled his fields intelligently, and juggled the spin of David Hussey, Maxwell and himself to compensate for the omission of the left-arm spin of Xavier Doherty.
Having won the toss, Pakistan hinted at an aggressive start as Pattinson and Starc strained for early swing by pursuing a very full length. Starc twice appealed for LBW against Hafeez only to be denied by each ball pitching a fraction outside leg stump - the second also costing Australia their lone decision review.
Pattinson's penchant for landing the ball on the seam was to be rewarded when one such delivery stopped a little, causing Hafeez to pop a catch to short cover. Azhar Ali fell in similar fashion, chipping to mid on, but Nasir Jamshed was victim of a snorting bouncer from Starc, who coaxed sharp bounce from an otherwise moribund surface.
Misbah and Shafiq were unhurried in trying to regather the innings, while Clarke pushed through a handful of overs via himself and Hussey. Mitchell Johnson and Christian offered a few more scoring chances, and Maxwell's introduction brought Shafiq's big six.
But Christian's change-up brought Misbah undone, to leave the Australians in decent position to restrict Pakistan's chances of mounting a sizeable total.