Nathan Hauritz picks up first five-wicket haul as Australia beat Pakistan at MCG

Just what I like to see... Australia humbled Pakistan today by 170 runs in the first Test at the MCG on the back of improving off-spinner Nathan Hauritz's maiden five-wicket haul. Hauritz took the two remaining wickets in his first over after lunch to finish with 5-101 as Pakistan crashed to 251 in their second innings. Hauritz had Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf caught at short leg off the pad for 61 and five balls later had Saeed Ajmal (10) caught from a skied slog. Australia had set Pakistan 422 runs to win. I wish I could have been in Melbourne to see the last day!

Pakistan wins!

Finally Pakistan has something to crow about, something to warm the hearts of their citizens. They have beaten Sri Lanka to win international cricket’s Twenty/20 World Cup. A country that has been rocked by terrorism, insurgency and political travail can now hold its head high and say to the world; “We fight well on the cricket pitch too!” Personally, as a lover of cricket, I can’t think of a more deserving group than the Pakistanis, so I applaud their efforts.
I have grown up watching the great Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, and Abdul Qadir and loved their enthusiasm and skill. But my favourites in Pakistani colours were the best opening bowling pair ever in world cricket, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. I never tired of watching them on TV or seeing them at Eden Park in Auckland or the Sydney Cricket Ground with my friends. Well done Pakistan, you are rightly proud of this success and I wish your team all the best in future conquests.