Aus Pak T 2 Day 4: Pakistan's Costly Goof Up Still Leaves People Confounded, Aus Thrilled

What happened at the SCG yesterday will continue to rankle Pakistan cricket for a while. Indeed the day’s events were far from the one being scripted earlier. But remember what an article in www.crickblog.com stated in the last report on the second Test - These were the closing words, “Pakistan will fancy their chances of a modest chase, provided they get the final two wickets early.”
With eighty runs to chase and two wickets to get to begin that chase, Pakistan were expected to not only square the series but secure a rare win on Australian soil. However, the story turned on its head on the fourth day of the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Michael Hussey extended his stay and Peter Siddle, his welcome. The result was a strong partnership that defied Pakistan’s position with an easy run victory. Instead the 123 run partnership for the ninth wicket completely changed the complexion of the match. Hussey’s 134 and Siddle’s thirty-eight runs changed what would have been a modest target into a perplexing one at Sydney.
Chasing 176 thereafter, Pakistan stumbled badly and hastened their own undoing. Once Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger struck decisively for Australia, Nathan Hauritz was left to pick up the leftovers that gave themselves up too easily. A five for then richly deserved.
Pakistan failed to explain their shot selection and wickets came when they should not have. Both the openers got starts but failed to take Pakistan to a more comfortable position for the middle order to secure. The Pakistan captain,Mohammad Yousuf, fell to a caught and bowled by Hauritz and from thereon, it looked at 4 down for 77, Pakistan needed a mighty effort to salvage what only a day ago seemed inevitable.
Misbah ul Haq’s painful walk back told the story. Umar Akmal shone desolately on forty-nine as Pakistan were dismissed for 139, woefully short by thirty-six runs, leaving nothing to hope for on the morrow.