PERTH, Jan 31 Australia secured a stunning 5-0 series sweep over Pakistan on Sunday, but the result was hardly the chief topic of conversation at the WACA Ground.

That was reserved for a series of startling developments, headlined by a disgraceful pitch invasion that saw a member of the Pakistan side tackled to the ground and an earlier incident in which Shahid Afridi, the touring captain, was filmed biting the ball.

The incidents will likely keep the International Cricket Council busy for some time yet. Afridi was subsequently banned for two Twenty Internationals for changing the condition of the ball, while Ijaz Butt, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, said he would pursue further action over the pitch invasion which left Khalid Latif shaken.

The Afridi ball-biting incident occurred with Australia precariously placed at 178-7 and needing 35 more runs for victory off 30 balls to chase down Pakistan's 212. Umpires changed the ball straight away.

Then, in the 46th over, Khalid was tackled to the ground in an incident that will do little to enhance the WACA Ground's reputation as among the most boorish venues in international cricket. Khalid was unhurt by the tackle and attempted to make light of the matter but it cast a deep shadow over the match.

It was the second time in the match a spectator invaded the field of play and no less than 16 security guards lined the boundary after Khalid was brought to the ground.

Mike Hussey (40 not out off 46 balls), Nathan Hauritz (18 off 20 balls) and Ryan Harris (two not out) ensured Australia got over the line with four balls and two wickets to spare after Ricky Ponting's 55 set up the innings.

But it was Afridi's bizarre biting incident that had everyone talking.

Afridi, who claimed 2-31 from his 10 overs, was banned for one Test and two one-dayers in 2005 for scraping his boots on the pitch in a Test against England.

Set a modest 213 for victory, Australia were cruising at 3-122 in the 32nd over before a collapse of 3-28, which included the wicket of Ponting and Adam Voges (24), catapulted Pakistan back into the contest.

But Hussey, Mitchell Johnson (13) and Hauritz did enough to hold off Pakistan's charge.

Australia needed just one run off the last four balls and secured the win when Harris was caught off a no-ball from Rao Iftikhar.

Hussey's latest knock took his series aggregate to 220 runs at an average of 73.

Pakistan collapsed to 16-3 in the ninth order after winning the toss and electing to bat before face-saving half-centuries from Umar Akmal (67 off 102 balls) and Fawad Alam (63 off 70) helped lift the visitors to somewhat of a respectable total, with Fawad last man out in the 50th over.

In-form speedster Harris, buoyed by consecutive Man-of-the-Match awards, again haunted Pakistan with figures of 3-44 while Clint McKay (4-35) was also clinical.

Recalled speedster Johnson, playing his first game of the series, bowled with great pace and gusto to claim 2-42, striking tail-ender Iftikhar in the head with a vicious bouncer in the process.

Johnson, who regularly bowled in excess of 150km/h, added a run-out to his name in an impressive return to action. Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke and paceman Peter Siddle were ruled out of the match due to back complaints, with Johnson and Voges called in.

Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan captain who didn't play on Sunday, was left to limp away with his tour finished because he's not in Pakistan's Twenty20 team to play Australia in Melbourne on Friday.

“Australia play better cricket than us,” Yousuf said. “'They deserve to win. They bat well, they bowl well and they field well. I think all the season they better than us. All the time they were better than us in all areas. We not bat well, bowl well or field well. That is why we have lost.

“'We have an inexperienced team and a young team. Good experience for our younger players, to play here, because they are playing against the best team in the world. Australia are showing in every game they are the best. Many teams play here and then after this play good cricket. I think we will after play some good cricket — after this.”

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN

Salman Butt c Haddin b Harris 0
Khalid Latif c and b Johnson 0
Younis Khan c Haddin b McKay 3
Shoaib Malik run out 36
Umar Akmal b McKay 67
Fawad Alam c Hauritz b McKay 63
Shahid Afridi c Harris b Harris 1
Sarfraz Ahmed c White b Johnson 6
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan b Harris 8
Rao Iftikhar c Ponting b McKay 16
Mohammad Asif not out 0

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-3, W-4) 12
TOTAL (all out, 49.3 overs) 212

FALL OF WKTS 1-0, 2-0, 3-16, 4-76, 5-158, 6-162, 7-180, 8-189, 9-212.

BOWLING Harris 10-1-44-3 (1w); Johnson 10-1-42-2 (1w); McKay 9.3-3-35-4; Hopes 10-1-45-0; Hauritz 10-0-38-0 (2w).

AUSTRALIA

S.E. Marsh c Fawad b Asif 25
B.J. Haddin c Malik b Naved 7
R.T. Ponting c Umar b Malik 55
C.L. White b Afridi 13
A.C. Voges c Younis b Malik 24
M.E.K. Hussey not out 40
J.R. Hopes c Younis b Afridi 6
M.G. Johnson c Sarfraz b Naved 13
N.M. Hauritz lbw b Rao Iftikhar 18
R.J. Harris not out 2

EXTRAS (W-9, NB-1) 10
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 49.2 overs) 213

FALL OF WKTS 1-21, 2-54, 3-73, 4-122, 5-139, 6-150, 7-178, 8-210.
DID NOT BAT C.J. McKay.

BOWLING Mohammad Asif 10-0-40-1 (1w); Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 10-0-55-2 (1w); Rao Iftikhar 9.2-1-39-1 (1nb, 1w); Shahid Afridi 10-0-31-2 (1w); Shoaib Malik 10-0-48-2 (1w).

RESULT Australia won by two wickets to clinch series 5-0.
UMPIRES P.R. Reiffel (Australia) and E.A.R. de Silva (Sri Lanka).
TV UMPIRE R.J. Tucker (Australia).
MATCH REFEREE R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH Clint McKay.
MAN-OF-THE-SERIES Ryan Harris.

FIRST MATCH Brisbane, Australia won by five wickets.
SECOND MATCH Sydney, Australia won by 140 runs.
THIRD MATCH Adelaide, Australia won by 40 runs.
FOURTH MATCH Perth, Australia won by 135 runs.—Agencies