Australia secure 3-0 series sweep – Pakistan lose by 220 runs

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SYDNEY, Jan 7, (AP): Australia secured a 3-0 sweep by quickly wrapping up Pakistan’s second innings for 244 on Saturday, winning the third test by 220 runs to cap a domination of the series.

Spinner Steve O’Keefe took three wickets for his best test figures of 3-53, with seamer Josh Hazelwood also taking three in the second innings.

Australia needed nine wickets on the last day at the Sydney Cricket Ground and started strongly by removing Pakistan’s form batsman, Azhar Ali, in the first over. Wickets fell regularly as Australia bowled Pakistan out just before tea.

Hazelwood (3-29) took the last wicket of Imran Khan to spark on-field celebrations for Australia, which underwent an overhaul and has won four consecutive tests since ending a five-test losing streak.

David Warner was voted player of the match after his century in the first session in Sydney, the first batsman to achieve the feat in Australia and fifth anywhere. Warner also hit a 23-ball half-century in the second innings, the second fastest 50 in test history, as Australia chased quick runs ahead of a declaration.

Captain Steve Smith was voted player of the series after posting centuries in the first two tests and a half century in the second innings here.

Resuming at 55-1 Saturday, it took just six balls for Australia to make the first breakthrough with Hazelwood taken a simple return catch to remove Azhar for 11.

It was a disappointing finish for Azhar, who has been Pakistan’s most consistent performer in the series, scoring 406 runs at 80.2; also the highest number of runs by a Pakistan batsman in a test tour in Australia.

Hazelwood struck again in his third over, trapping Babar Azam (9) lbw as Australia looked to repeat its final day performance from the second test in Melbourne, where it skittled Pakistan for 163 in just over two sessions to win.

The loss of Babar brought Younis Khan to the crease, with the 114-test veteran needing 36 runs to become the first Pakistan player to score 10,000 test runs after an unbeaten 175 in the first innings here.

Younis could only manage 13, though, before Lyon (2-100) teased him into a false stroke which was caught by Hazelwood at mid-on. Younis received a warm send-off from the sparse-SCG crowd of 11,000 in what is likely his final test in Australia.

Night watchman Yasir Shah showed admirable patience to compile 13 from 91 balls but eventually was out caught by substitute fielder Jackson Bird off O’Keefe to reduce Pakistan to 96-5, still half an hour before lunch.

Asad Shafiq made 30 before he played one expansive shot too many and played on to his own stumps for Mitchell Starc’s (1-57) only wicket of the innings, shortly after lunch.

Misbah-ul-Haq made 38, his highest score for the series, before lofting a catch to Lyon off O’Keefe in what may be the 42-year-old veteran’s final test innings.

With momentum fully in Australia’s favor, Sarfraz Ahmed batted defiantly before he ran out of partners and finished unbeaten on 72.

Australia won the first test at Brisbane by 39 runs and the second test at Melbourne by an innings and 18 runs.

The series sweep is a dramatic turnaround for Australia which reached a nadir earlier in the summer when it was humbled by South Africa at Hobart inside three days, including being bowled out for 85 in its first innings, and fell 2-0 behind in the series.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA 1st innings: 538-8 declared

PAKISTAN 1st innings: 315

AUSTRALIA 2nd innings: 241-2

PAKISTAN 2nd innings: (Overnight: 55-1)

Sharjeel Khan c Warner b Lyon…………………………………….. 40

Azhar Ali c and b Hazelwood……………………………………….. 11

Yasir Shah c sub b O’Keefe…………………………………………. 13

Babar Azam lbw b Hazelwood……………………………………….. 9

Younis Khan c Hazelwood b Lyon…………………………………. 13

Misbah-ul-Haq c Lyon b O’Keefe…………………………………… 38

Asad Shafiq b Starc…………………………………………………… 30

Sarfraz Ahmed not out……………………………………………….. 72

Wahab Riaz c Wade b O’Keefe……………………………………… 12

Mohammad Amir run out…………………………………………….. 5

Imran Khan c sub b Hazelwood………………………………………. 0

Extras:…………………………………………………………….. (1nb) 1

Total: (all out)……………………………………………………….. 244

Overs: 80.2. Minutes: …………………………………………….. 332.

Fall of wicket: 1-51, 2-55, 3-67, 4-82, 5-96, 6-136, 7-188, 8-202, 9-224, 10-244.

Bowling: Mitchell Starc 17-2-57-1 (1nb), Josh Hazelwood 18.2-7-29-3, Nathan Lyon 27-6-100-2, Steve O’Keefe 17-4-53-3, Steve Smith 1-0-5-0.

Toss: Australia

Umpires: Richard Illingworth, England and Sundaram Ravi, India. Television umpire: Ian Gould, England.

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle, Sri Lanka.

Result: Australia won by 220 runs

Series: Australia won 3-0

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