Bowlers hand Australia 3-0 clean-sweep

Australia 8 for 519 dec and 5 for 219 dec beat Pakistan 301 and 206 (Manzoor 77, Siddle 3-25, Hauritz 3-30) by 231 runs

Australia wrapped up their 12th consecutive Test victory over Pakistan on the final afternoon in Hobart, where Khurram Manzoor's fighting half-century was not enough to salvage a draw for the visitors. Nathan Hauritz added to his growing reputation as Test bowler by picking up the key wicket of Manzoor and finished with three, while Peter Siddle also grabbed a trio of victims.

Despite showers being forecast, the only sprinkling of rain came during the lunch break and it wasn't enough to delay Australia's charge to a series clean-sweep and a fifth Test win of the summer. Australia have now equalled the record for the most consecutive Test wins by any country over any other nation, matching the 12-game streak currently held by Sri Lanka over Bangladesh.

The only slight concerns for Australia came during a 66-run seventh-wicket stand between Manzoor and Mohammad Aamer. Manzoor, who came in for this Test at No. 3, enhanced his chances of keeping his place in the side with a patient 77 from 239 deliveries that gave Pakistan, for the morning at least, a tiny sniff of saving the game.

Manzoor showed impressive resolve for most of his innings but it didn't hold, and soon after an injudicious swipe against Hauritz he slashed at a cut against the spinner and was caught behind. The rest of Pakistan's resistance fell away and Hauritz had Umar Gul brilliantly caught at slip by Michael Clarke for a duck, before Mohammad Asif (0) was bowled by Mitchell Johnson.

Hauritz finished with 3 for 30 and was comfortably the leading wicket-taker for the series, with 18 at 23.05. Siddle was also happy with his 3 for 25, which was his best return of a lean summer, and he wrapped up the victory with the second new ball when Danish Kaneria played on for 1.

Pakistan's victory target of 438 was not the issue for Australia, they simply needed to grab the remaining wickets while the weather held up. Showers had been tipped on the final day but the Tasmanian local Ricky Ponting, who was confident in his knowledge of the state's weather, had his decision not to enforce the follow-on vindicated.

Australia began the day impressively wth Shoaib Malik caught behind off Siddle for 19, after adding only one to his overnight score. That was the key breakthrough for Australia as it opened the way into Pakistan's lower order, and the wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed finished his debut Test with a disappointing batting return when he was caught at slip off Hauritz for 5.

Sarfraz departed in strange circumstances, when his edge clipped the gloves of Brad Haddin, went through the hands of Clarke and onto his boot before bouncing up for Clarke to complete the catch. If Pakistan had made their catches stick throughout the series it might have been a more enjoyable tour for them. Now they must wait until the two Tests in England in July to redeem themselves.

Manzoor fights as Australia close in

Australia moved two wickets closer to victory by lunch on the fifth day in Hobart but Khurram Manzoor refused to surrender and gave Pakistan at least a sniff of saving the Test. Manzoor's third Test half-century was slow and patient and at the break he was on 59 with Mohammad Aamer on 12, as Pakistan moved to 6 for 168.

Their victory target of 438 was not the issue for Australia, they simply needed to grab the remaining wickets while the weather held up. There was no rain on the final morning and the skies looked clear and promising despite showers being forecast.

Australia began impressively with Shoaib Malik caught behind off Peter Siddle for 19, after adding only one to his overnight score. Sarfraz Ahmed managed 5 before he was caught at slip off Nathan Hauritz in strange circumstances, when his edge clipped the gloves of Brad Haddin, went through the hands of Michael Clarke and onto his boot before bouncing up for Clarke to complete the catch.

There was no further joy for Australia and Manzoor's 194-ball half-century frustrated the hosts, who had a couple of close calls turned down. Manzoor survived a tight lbw shout in the first over when Asoka de Silva declined Siddle's appeal, and Australia's review was rejected when Hawk-Eye showed he was struck in the zone of uncertainty, perhaps just outside the line of off stump.

A perilously close run-out call also went in favour of the visitors when Brad Haddin whipped the bails off at the striker's end and the Australians thought they had Aamer caught short. The batsman was given the benefit of the doubt when the third umpire decided he could not be sure if Aamer had made his ground.

Katich and Ponting race Australia ahead

Simon Katich finally posted the century that had eluded him all summer as he and Ricky Ponting compounded Pakistan's pain with a brutal opening session on the fourth day. Australia added 141 and extended their advantage to 418 runs as Pakistan continued to set defensive fields and waited for Ponting's declaration.

Katich has had trouble reaching triple-figures this season and had posted scores of 92, 80, 99 and 98. He hadn't scored a hundred since the Ashes opener in Cardiff and when he moved to 99, Pakistan tried to increase the pressure, but he found an easy single behind square on the leg side to register his century from 137 deliveries.

In the next over, Katich holed out to deep midwicket off Danish Kaneria and departed for an even 100, leaving Michael Hussey to accompany Ponting for the remaining ten minutes before lunch. At the break, Australia had reached 2 for 200 with Ponting on 88 and Hussey on 3 and no signs of the rain that was forecast. Ponting was left to decide whether to declare at lunch or bat again after the break.

Ponting survived a review on 62 when Pakistan felt sure they had him caught-behind off Mohammad Aamer. Asoka de Silva gave Australia's captain not out and there was no sign of an edge on Hot Spot, which left Ponting free to continue demoralising Pakistan with his attacking play.

With a hefty lead already in place, Ponting went after the bowling during the session and was happy to be inventive, driving in the air over fielders and taking balls from outside off to the leg side. The lack of intensity from Pakistan helped both batsmen, and Katich was gifted a boundary when his drive sailed straight through the legs of the cover fielder Salman Butt, who inexplicably failed to get a hand to the ball.

Katich's innings finished with 13 boundaries while Ponting went to lunch having struck 12 fours. If he bats again after the break he will have an opportunity to become only the seventh batsman in Test history to score a double-century and a century in one Test.

Butt half-century steadies Pakistan

Salman Butt took the first steps to repaying his team for running out two of his partners yesterday afternoon, with a patient half-century at Bellerive Oval. Butt and Shoaib Mailk guided Pakistan through the first session of the third day without any further loss, following the four wickets that fell late on Friday, and the visitors reduced their deficit to 361.

They had reached 4 for 158 with Butt on 74 and Malik on 28, although they needed a further 162 to avoid a follow-on that Ricky Ponting is keen to enforce. Butt calmly compiled his runs without taking risks and continued to be one of the better performers in the Pakistan top order - he has made a start in every innings on the tour.

His half-century came from 140 deliveries and by lunch he had struck 14 fours, and was particularly strong off the back foot through the off side. He and Malik had taken their partnership to 74 runs without any major worries, and only twice during the session did the Australians come close to a wicket.

A confident lbw appeal against Malik was rightfully turned down before Butt, on 61, edged Shane Watson marginally short of a diving Marcus North at first slip. They were the only nervous moments for Butt and Malik, who demonstrated a resolute mindset that has so often been lacking from Pakistan on this trip.

Ponting tried various changes to break the partnership and while Doug Bollinger's move around the wicket made Malik less comfortable, nothing snapped the concentration of the batsmen. Australia were hoping to run through the Pakistan first innings as soon as possible and make them follow on with showers forecast, although the rain might not hit until this evening.

Ponting and Clarke add to Pakistan's pain

Michael Clarke reached his highest Test score and combined with Ricky Ponting for a 322-run partnership that continued to grind Pakistan into submission on the second day in Hobart. The pair smashed all sorts of records in their ongoing stand, which will enter a fifth session when they come out after lunch aiming for quick runs before a declaration.

At the break, Australia were on 3 for 393 with Ponting on 180 and Clarke on 153. Their partnership was the 15th triple-century stand by an Australian pair in Test history, and the team's highest for any wicket since Ponting and Justin Langer added 327, also against Pakistan, in Perth in 1999-2000.

It was also comfortably the highest Test partnership at Bellerive Oval, beating the 260 between Steve Waugh and Dean Jones in the inaugural Hobart Test 20 years ago. Clarke moved to his highest Test score, surpassing the 151 he made on debut in Bangalore in 2004 when he burst onto the scene as a 23-year-old.

He survived a confident appeal from Pakistan on 113 when Umar Gul felt he had Clarke caught behind. Rudi Koertzen's not-out decision was upheld on review after the third umpire found no evidence to overturn the call. Clarke was later picked up by the stump microphone telling Ponting he felt he hadn't hit the ball but did hear a noise.

Ponting, who was dropped yesterday before he had scored, was also given another life today on 167 when he drove Danish Kaneria and the ball flew through the hands of Imran Farhat at cover. But by that stage Australia were going for their shots and in truth, they were rarely seriously troubled during the fourth session of the match.

Clarke and Ponting added 91 in the session and Ponting will face a tricky decision on when to declare. Although the second day was being played in perfect conditions, there was expected to be some rain for the remainder of the match, which could affect his decision on when to call an end to the innings.

Hussey ton sets up stunning win for Australia

Australia completed a nerve-shredding 36-run victory over an exasperating Pakistani side to become just the sixth team in Test history to triumph after trailing by 200-plus on the first innings. An obstinate 123-run ninth-wicket partnership between Michael Hussey and Peter Siddle drew Australia back into a contest they appeared to have conceded after a calamitous opening day, and a penetrative final-day bowling display completed one of the great comebacks witnessed on these shores.

The Australians, who resumed play on Wednesday eight wickets down and only 80 runs ahead, set the Pakistanis a challenging target of 176 following the brilliant, improbable stand of Hussey and Siddle that almost matched Australia's entire first-innings aggregate. Pakistan's batsmen positioned themselves for a victory charge at several junctures of their innings, but Nathan Hauritz's second five-wicket haul in as many matches ensured the tourists fell agonisingly short in their pursuit.

In the end, it was a game of "who blinks first". The Pakistanis have made no secret of their plans to attack Hauritz throughout the summer, and looked to erase large chunks of their deficit while the Australian spinner was in operation. Such a tactic was inevitably going to lead to chances, and Hauritz proved good enough to take them on a gripping afternoon at a ground that has come to resemble Australia's theatre of dreams.

Hauritz began his series-clinching spell with a caught-and-bowled catch that threatened his further participation in the contest. Mohammad Yousuf, whose timid tactics in the morning session played into the hands of the Australian batsmen, belatedly found his aggression and bludgeoned Hauritz's third delivery after lunch with the force of a thousand ordinary drives,. Alas, he did so in the bowler's direction and an unflinching Hauritz held onto an excellent catch that cut open his left thumb and required medical treatment.

Far from finished, Hauritz removed the out-of-sorts Misbah-ul-Haq two deliveries later, then rolled through the Pakistani tail to complete a polished performance that served as further evidence of his evolution into a legitimate international spinner. His efforts were complemented by those of Mitchell Johnson, who finished with three wickets and commenced Pakistan's terminal slide with the dismissals of Salman Butt and Faisal Iqbal in the same over. Doug Bollinger, too, thrived in the pressure-cooker atmosphere, dismissing the potent duo of Imran Farhat and Umar Akmal in a spell defined by pace and discipline.

Earlier, Hussey took full advantage of Yousuf's oddly defensive captaincy and a placid SCG pitch to restore Australia's victory prospects. Hussey and Siddle carried their bats through the first session and at one stage looked set to break the 116-year-old ninth-innings Australian partnership record at the SCG set by Syd Gregory and Jack Blackham.

Australia's revival was assisted greatly by the timid tactics of the Pakistanis who, as a result, were faced with a testing chase. Yousuf's defensive field configurations - which included eight men on the fence for Hussey, who was barely threatened up to lunch - did little to enhance his own reputation as a tactician and played as large a role in drawing Australia back into the match as the team's turgid catching of previous days.

Hussey has made more fluent centuries, but few as important as that completed on Wednesday. Having watched on from the non-striker's end as Australia lost 5 for 40 the preceding evening, Hussey seized control of the Australian innings on a flat batting surface and, in the process, relieved any lingering doubt hanging over his position in the team.

Hussey declined the charity singles being offered by Yousuf and instead looked to pierce the boundaries with drives that seldom left the carpet. He entered the nineties with back-to-back cover-driven fours off the bowling of Danish Kaneria and sealed his first ton of the summer with a glorious straight drive off Umar Gul. Hussey punched the air in delight upon reaching the milestone, acutely aware of the innings' importance in the context of the match. Siddle, meanwhile, batted with tremendous discipline and restraint to raise his highest Test score of 38.

Mohammad Asif and Kaneria claimed the final two Australian wickets six overs after the lunch break, but not before the hosts had added 95 runs on the fourth morning. Asif ended the dogged stand of Hussey and Siddle by removing the latter to a shorter delivery gloved to slip. Kaneria then completed the innings and a personal five-wicket haul by bowling Bollinger with a delivery that ricocheted off the batsman's elbow and foot.

It mattered little. Australia were already back in the contest.

The Sydney Cricket Ground museum has among its many artefacts the shirt Danish Kaneria wore during his seven-wicket haul against the Australians five years ago. The curator may have to clear further hanging space should Kaneria's four-wicket collection at the SCG on Tuesday prove the catalyst for a Pakistan victory 15 years in the making.

Not since 1995 have Pakistan defeated Australia in the Test arena, and the efforts of Kaneria and Umar Gul on the third day have them perfectly poised to end their 10-match losing streak and keep alive the current three-match series. The Australians, who looked in ominous batting form after Shane Watson and Phillip Hughes posted a century opening stand, were exposed over the final two sessions on Tuesday to close at a perilous 8 for 286, holding an overall lead of 80 runs.

Pakistan might have been further advanced down the path to victory had Kamran Akmal, the tourists' embattled wicketkeeper, not dropped Michael Hussey three times off the bowling of Kaneria. Hussey went onto post an unbeaten 73 as wickets fell around him to keep alive Australia's faint hopes of becoming just the sixth side in Test history to post a victory after trailing by 200-plus on the first innings.

If not for the contributions of Hussey and Watson, the latter of whom was dismissed in the nineties for the third time in four matches, Australia might already be packing their bags for Hobart. The loss of five middle order wickets for just 40 runs on a decent batting surface served as further evidence of a soft underbelly and Pakistan, ranked a lowly sixth on the ICC Test ladder, exploited Australia's frailties with an efficiency somewhere short of clinical.

Kaneria proved the principal architect of Australia's demise over 33 punishing overs. His haul of 4 for 117 exacted a harsh physical toll - he was carried from the field late in the day with what appeared to be leg cramps - though not before he had accounted for Phillip Hughes, Marcus North, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson. Kaneria commenced proceedings by ending Australia's 105-run opening stand with the wicket of Hughes to a sharp return catch. He returned to remove North and Johnson with wrong-uns both batsmen failed to pick, and trapped Haddin lbw to a delivery that survived a video challenge.

His efforts were complemented by those of Gul, who showed up the selectors' decision to omit him from the first Test with the prize scalps of Watson and Ricky Ponting to go with the lower order wicket of Nathan Hauritz. Unerring in line and testing in length, Gul hardly allowed the Australian batsmen a moment of respite and was rewarded with the prize wicket of Watson who, to that point, had threatened to take the game away from the tourists.

Watson was the beneficiary of a number of reprieves, commencing with Kaneria's dropped catch over the fine-leg boundary that took him past the 1000-run mark in Test cricket. He might also have been run out on the stroke of lunch, only for Kamran Akmal to neglect to remove the bails while he was well short of his ground. It has been a tour to forget for the Pakistani gloveman.

Gifted an extra life, Watson adopted an aggressive mindset at the crease and peppered the boundaries with a series of authoritative drives and pull strokes. He bookended Sami's first over after lunch with a pulled six and cut four, and proceeded to punish Pakistan's tactic of bowling wide of off-stump to 7-2 field settings by blasting anything short between midwicket and long-on.

A more circumspect Hughes headed to the lunch break unbeaten on 31 from 71 deliveries, but his resistance ended early in the second session when a return catch was brilliantly reeled in by Kaneria. Ponting continued his forgettable outing at the SCG by chasing the second ball of Gul's second spell and edging to Faisal Iqbal in the slips, and Watson's bid for back-to-back centuries was terminated when he attempted to cut Gul too close to his body on 97. The collapse had begun.

Pakistan dominate with 204-run lead

An attritional first two sessions gave way to an explosive finale as first Mohammad Yousuf and later Umar Akmal helped propel Pakistan to an imposing 204-run first innings lead. Their frenetic efforts capitalised on the 109-run opening stand of Imran Farhat and Salman Butt as Pakistan advanced to 9 for 331 at stumps, having displayed greater discipline and match-awareness than their Australian counterparts the previous day.

The tourists endured a testing opening to the second day in gloomy, seaming conditions, but brightened in line with the weather over the course of the afternoon. Yousuf provided an immediate lift to procedings by adding 27 runs in the space of 28 deliveries in the period leading to tea, while Akmal made his skipper look relatively pedestrian by striking five boundaries from his first seven deliveries faced en route to a 48-ball innings of 49.

That Yousuf and Akmal fell short of half-centuries was due partly to Pakistan's penchant for attacking strokeplay in the final session and partly to the persistence of the Australian bowlers. Having been provided little to work with by their batsmen, Australia's attack stuck to their task admirably and were rewarded with seven final-session wickets, many caught in the deep as Pakistan sought quick runs.

Pakistan could be accused of taking their foot from the throats of the Australians in the lead-up to stumps, having at one stage thrust to 205 for the loss of two wickets on a surface drying by the hour. That may be so, but the tourists nonetheless outplayed their rivals in four of the five sessions through Monday, and are ideally positioned to break their ten-game losing streak to the Australians at the very venue where they last tasted victory.

The hosts made amends for an indifferent morning in the field with a series of excellent catches, none better than Haddin's spectacular diving effort to remove the dangerous Yousuf. The veteran batsman had, to that point, threatened to take the game completely away from the Australians, and Haddin's interception restored a semblance of competitive edge to the match. That notion was reinforced when the television umpire, Rudi Koertzen, overturned Billy Doctrove's decision to rule Akmal not out to a full, straight Doug Bollinger delivery, denying the Pakistanis further use of their potent middle-order weapon. 

Pakistan's lower order failed to replicate the heroics of their more established batsmen, but still cobbled together enough cameos to take their lead beyond 200. Australia's batsmen will feel confident of a better showing amid drier pitch conditions when next they mark centre, however the hectares of ground they conceded on Sunday may yet prove irretrievable.

The hosts would do well to analyse the manner in which Farhat and Butt set about their respective innings on the second day. The Australian top-order, minus Watson, fell to forceful strokes on a seaming wicket in their ill-fated first innings; a direct contrast to the cautious and patient approach of the Pakistani openers. Content to accumulate rather than dominate, Farhat and Butt shelved their cross-bat strokes and successfully repelled threatening spells from Bollinger, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson and Watson to post their third career century stand and first against Australia.

Farhat and Butt have emerged as a dependable solution to Pakistan's problematic opening slot. Their stand of 109, which took their first-wicket partnership average to a robust 47.43, built upon the foundation laid by Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Sami the preceding day to deliver the tourists to a position of dominance in the match. The union was not without its anxious moments, most notably when Farhat was dropped by Marcus North to a regulation slips chance off the bowling of Siddle on 11, but both stood firm on an improving pitch.

Farhat went on to raise his 13th half-century before skying an attempted sweep off the bowling of Nathan Hauritz shortly after the lunch break. Butt also fell in the second session, edging a full-length delivery from a deserving Johnson, however Faisal Iqbal and Yousuf ensured there were no further setbacks with an unbroken 46-run third-wicket partnership heading into tea. Iqbal was first to fall after the break to an athletic, back-pedalling catch from Watson at backward point off the bowling of Siddle. That prompted a mad flurry of runs and dismissals that saw Bollinger and Watson combine for five wickets and Pakistan attempt to blaze the second new ball to all corners of the SCG.

Sami and Asif demolish Australia

Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Sami decimated the Australian batting order with sublime spells of fast bowling that yielded seven first-session wickets. Following Ricky Ponting's contentious decision to bat first on a green-tinged wicket, Sami and Asif took complete control of a rain-delayed opening session to reduce the hosts to 7 for 67 and place them in danger of posting their first sub-100 total at home since 1984.

Sami, playing his first Test in more than two years following a stint in the unauthorised ICL, scythed through Australia's top order with seven overs of express pace and prodigious movement to account for Phillip Hughes, Ponting and Shane Watson before the first drinks break. Asif then swung into gear in the period leading up to tea with the wickets of Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Marcus North and Brad Haddin. Both pacemen found themselves on hat-tricks. Australia were on the ropes.

Sami was an eleventh-hour inclusion in the Pakistani side after the withdrawal of Mohammad Aamer, one of the heroes of Melbourne, with a groin injury. The move almost paid immediate dividends when Sami had Hughes dropped by the hard-handed Umar Akmal at backward point from his first delivery. Retribution followed in the next over, however, when Sami lured Hughes into an aggressive push to a straighter, fuller delivery that flew low to Faisal Iqbal at second slip.

The inspired paceman then removed Ponting with his very next delivery, wafting at a shorter delivery that reared off the surface, and might well have completed a hat-trick had Billy Doctrove ruled Watson out to an excellent lbw appeal that struck him on the front toe. The Pakistanis sent the decision for video review and Hawk-Eye confirmed Sami's 150 km/h bolt had struck him outside the line of off stump. Watson successfully dodged that bullet, but was not so successful in Sami's next over, edging a seaming, straightening delivery to Kamran Akmal.

That left Sami with figures of 3 for 5 from his first four overs, and Australia gasping for breath. Clarke rounded out an eventful hour by successfully overturning Asoka de Silva's decision to adjudge him lbw to an Umar Gul delivery that was comfortably clearing the stumps, but his defiance ended shortly after the drinks break when he was bowled through the gate to an Asif delivery that straightened off the pitch.

The task fell to Hussey and North, both well short of peak form, to pull Australia from the mire. Neither looked comfortable repelling Asif's relentlessly probing lines and it came as little surprise when Hussey fell to a top-edged pull-stroke that was accepted by Misbah-ul-Haq in the slips. North followed next ball, waving at a delivery outside his off-stump, and Asif completed the first session rout by removing an attack-minded Haddin.

Ponting was left to rue the decision to bat first on a green, seaming Sydney Cricket Ground wicket after rain delayed the coin toss until shortly before 2pm. Not since his infamous decision to send England into bat at Edgbaston in 2005 has Ponting called correctly and opted to bowl. He has now batted first in 23 consecutive Tests after winning the toss.

Earlier, Pakistan named a vastly different attack to that which took the field for the Boxing Day Test last week. Danish Kaneria and Sami replaced Saeed Ajmal and the injured Aamer, while Gul took the place of Abdur Rauf. They faced a new-look Australian opening combination, with Hughes called in at the top of the order to replace Simon Katich, who failed a fitness test on his damaged right elbow on Sunday morning.

Hauritz five seals Australian victory

The Australians rounded out 2009 with their most clinical final day bowling performance of the year to seal a 170 run victory over Pakistan. Nathan Hauritz, placed on notice by Australia's selectors prior to the series,
Nathan Hauritz achieved his maiden five-wicket haul claimed his first career five-wicket haul as Pakistan crumbled from 3 for 170 overnight to be all out for 251 shortly after lunch on the final day.

Hauritz's ability to exploit wearing pitches had been called into question of late, not least by Andrew Hilditch, and he proved himself worthy of the challenge on Wednesday. Unable to replicate the biting turn that accounted for Faisal Iqbal the previous day, Hauritz instead utilised flight and bounce to challenge Pakistan's lower and middle orders and was rewarded with four final-day scalps.

Australia began the day in emphatic fashion with Mitchell Johnson removing Umar Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq with consecutive deliveries in his first over. Hauritz then repeated the dose with the back-to-back dismissals of Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Aamer shortly after the first drinks break to extinguish any hope of an improbable Pakistan fightback.

Mohammad Yousuf showed admirable determination to post 61, but support for the Pakistan captain was thin on the ground. With wickets falling in clusters, the Australians required only four overs after lunch to seal victory and claim a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three series. The result took their Test record in 2009 to an encouraging seven wins, three defeats and three draws; a substantial improvement on their 5-5-4 record from the previous year.

The younger Akmal was the first victim of the final day, pushing at a fast, swinging delivery from Johnson that was claimed millimetres above the MCG turf by a tumbling Brad Haddin. Misbah fell to an identical mode of dismissal, albeit to a straighter ball, leaving the tourists' hopes of a fightback in tatters less than an over into the day. Kamran Akmal denied Johnson his hat-trick, but almost triggered one for Hauritz when, after an hour of stern resistance, he was stumped attempting a reckless charge to a slower, bouncing delivery. Hauritz then beat Aamer for bounce with his next ball, resulting in a gloved catch to Simon Katich at short leg.

Abdur Rauf survived Hauritz's hat-trick delivery - which featured the rare sight of nine fielders around the bat - but fell soon after to Doug Bollinger. Rounding out a forgettable match, Rauf played onto his stumps to expose the Pakistan tail shortly before lunch. Hauritz completed the rout after the break by removing Yousuf to another bat-pad catch, and Saeed Ajmal to a wild swipe that was accepted by Shane Watson, who was later named Man of the Match.

The breakthroughs ensured Johnson and Hauritz a positive end to a 2009 campaign that has proved testing in the extreme. Both bowlers have been subjected to criticism - Johnson for his erratic ways during the Ashes series, Hauritz for his lack of penetration on deteriorating tracks - but have emerged better for the experience. Though not quite back to his wrecking ball ways of South Africa, Johnson is nonetheless a bowler far improved from that which struggled for much of the Ashes series. Hauritz, meanwhile, has continued his steady evolution as an international spinner, as demonstrated by his subtle changes of flight and angle on Wednesday.

For Pakistan, there is much to ponder before the Sydney Test. The selection of Rauf over the experienced and versatile Umar Gul was flawed, and the catching at the MCG largely lamentable. The likely return of Danish Kaneria and the possible reintroduction of Younis Khan could prove a significant boost for the tourists, but on the evidence of the past five days, there remains much work to do.

If nothing else, Pakistan have at least closed the chapter on the annus horribilus that was 2009. In a year that witnessed the Lahore terrorist attack, and the subsequent stripping of host venue status, the Pakistanis can look ahead to the New Years' Test with hope for healing and renewal.

Stubborn Pakistan hold out for final day

Pakistan stubbornly refused to concede the first Test in the face of a would-be world record run chase, but a steady trickle of wickets ensured the Australians maintained the upper hand entering the final day. Set an improbable victory target of 422, the tourists headed to stumps in relatively good health at 3 for 170 following an entertaining day that witnessed Shane Watson register a nerve-jangling maiden Test century and Mohammad Aamer become the youngest fast bowler in history to claim a five-wicket haul.

Pakistan's cause appeared hopeless when Doug Bollinger rapped Imran Farhat on the pads in the seventh over, an appeal that was orginally turned down by Rudi Koertzen, the on-field umpire, but overturned by the video official. Brief periods of revival were later punctuated by Mitchell Johnson's dismissal of Salman Butt and Nathan Hauritz's removal of Faisal Iqbal, but Mohammad Yousuf and the impressive Umar Akmal survived through to stumps, still requiring a further 252 for victory on the final day.

Australia had an opportunity to seize complete control in the final half hour of play with the introduction of Simon Katich, the occasional wrist spinner, into the attack. Katich had not bowled a ball all summer to that point, but promptly had Akmal dropped by Hauritz at mid-on with his first delivery and almost stumped a ball later. Akmal survived, however, ensuring the Australians an uncomfortable night's sleep, given the difficulties they have encountered bowling teams out on the fifth day.

Two themes from this young series - Watson's nerves in the nineties and Pakistan's woes in the field - were brought to bear in the second session as Australia positioned themselves for a victory charge. Watson, whose issues converting half-centuries to three figures this summer have been well documented, was dropped by Abdur Rauf at gully off the bowling of Mohammad Aamer on 99, scampering through for a single on the misfield to seal his maiden Test ton.

For the third time this summer, Watson endured a nervous journey through the nineties. He headed to lunch unbeaten on 98, having cautiously seen off a maiden from Saeed Ajmal to close out the session. More anxious moments were to follow after the break, as Watson chased a succession of wide offerings outside off stump. Pakistan's tactic - complete with an 8-1 off-side field - appeared to have worked when the right-hander slashed a full, wide Aamer delivery to Rauf in the gully, only for the embattled fielder to turf the chance and hand Watson his century; 66 minutes after he had entered the 90s.

Pakistan's fifth dropped catch of the match ensured Watson became the first Australian batsman since Michael Hussey at The Oval to reach triple figures in a Test, breaking a team sequence of 20 unconverted half-centuries. In 12 innings as Australia's Test opener, he has now scored 716 runs at the eye-catching average of 65.09. Phillip Hughes will have a while to wait yet.

Earlier, Pakistan reprised memories of Australia's second-innings collapses during the Ashes and, more recently, the Perth Test on a spritely opening to Tuesday. Aamer emerged as the perfect weapon - relentlessly attacking a top order in pursuit of quick runs and an early declaration - to become the second youngest bowler in Test history to claim a five-wicket haul. Only Nasim-ul-Ghani, a left-arm spinner-cum-medium pacer, achieved the feat at a younger age, doing so against the West Indians more than half a century ago.

Michael Clarke was Aamer's first victim, caught behind chasing a delivery that tailed away ever so slightly. Marcus North and Brad Haddin then fell in the space of two balls as part of a double-wicket maiden in his 18th over, ensuring the 17-year-old entry into a most exclusive club.

Favouring a predominantly around-the-wicket approach to Australia's right-handers, Aamer proved destructive in the extreme with a combination of express pace, probing lengths and subtle reverse swing. His efforts put the brakes on Australia's brisk early scoring rate, but given the discrepancy between the teams' first innings totals, they always seemed likely to be in vain.