FAISALABAD, Sept 15: Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill and off-spinner Dan Cullen shared six-wickets between them to inspire Australia ‘A’ to an impressive innings and a 203-run victory against Pakistan ‘A’ on Saturday, the final day of the first four-day match at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.

The home team, after conceding an epic first innings lead of 458 runs, resumed its second innings at 86-3 but all were out for a total of 255, when only four overs’ play remained.

Yasir Hameed (36) began the second innings with night-watchman Mohammad Irshad (5) but both went one after the other as Pakistan ‘A’ were 134-5 at lunch time. Yasir, top scorer of the three One-day match series with aggregate 216, fell first when he was caught by wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi off James Hopes after adding 11 runs to his overnight total. His innings included three boundaries. Minutes before the lunch break, Irshad too, who was seemed well set, was sent back by Cullen, caught by David Hussey for 27 off 94 balls. Irshad’s innings was studded with four boundaries.

Hopes for Pakistan ‘A’ drawing the match with Australia were still in sight until tea-time as by then Pakistan had only lost skipper Faisal Iqbal (24, one four), the score being 197-6. Mansoor Amjad (40, three fours) together with top-scorer wicket-keeper/batsman Sarfraz Ahmad (48, seven fours) added a useful 98 runs in the seventh-wicket stand. But after Mansoor was caught and bowled by David Hussey, the Pakistan side went through a complete batting collapse losing four wickets in the last session and with that the match. MacGill gave 81 runs for three wickets while Cullen conceded 65 for as many wickets.

Meanwhile, the last day was played under tense circumstances as the Australians played for victory and Pakistan struggled for a draw. As a result, hot words were exchanged among the two teams. Sources told Dawn that from Pakistan Mansoor Amjad showed an aggressive attitude while MacGill from the visiting side didn’t hold back either. Match-referee Arshad Parvaiz mentioned the players’ attitude in his match-report to the Pakistan Cricket Board.

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