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BBC Sport Online: Cricket


Monday, 22 November, 1999, 08:58 GMT

Records fall as Aussies smash Pakistan



gilchrist
Pak 222 & 392, Australia 246 & 369, Australia win by four wickets

Australia achieved a remarkable comeback to claim victory in the second Test against Pakistan, thanks to centuries from Adam Gilchrist and Justin Langer.

Gilchrist blasted an unconquered 149 and Langer hit 127 as the two left-handers guided Australia to an astonishing 2-0 lead in the three-match series.


We've had four of the Invincibles with us this week...supporting us and that's just been magic
Adam Gilchrist

Australia's second innings total of 369 for six was the third-highest winning run chase in cricket history.

The only other teams to have scored more to win a Test in the fourth innings are India, who made 406-4 to beat West Indies in 1975-76, and Don Bradman's 1948 Australians.

Bradman's "Invincibles" made 404-3 to beat England at Leeds.

Gilchrist and Langer also broke the Australian Test record for the highest sixth-wicket partnership against Pakistan, smashing the previous mark of 139 set by Bob Cowper and Tom Veivers at Melbourne in 1964-65.

They had come together an hour before stumps on Sunday with Australia struggling at 126-5 and took the score to 364 before Langer fell trying to smash a six to win the match.


Record fourth wickets stands
406-4 India (needing 403) vs West Indies 1975-76 404-3 Australia (needing 404) vs England 1948 369-6 Australia (needing 369) vs Pakistan 1999-2000 362-7 Australia (needing 359) v West Indies 1977-78 348-5 West Indies (needing 345) v New Zealand 1968-69





Gilchrist hit the winning runs in the same over, 40 minutes before the scheduled tea interval.

Gilchrist, playing in just his second Test after Australia's long-time wicketkeeper Ian Healy retired, brought up his first Test hundred before lunch when he drove Waqar Younis straight down the ground for four.

He finished with 149 off 163 balls in four-and-a-half hours, featuring 13 boundaries and a massive six.

Man of the match Langer was content to play the anchorman role while his partner went after the Pakistani bowlers but still registered his fourth Test ton and his second against Pakistan.

He survived a confident appeal for caught behind on 76 before going on to reach triple figures after lunch, making 127 in seven hours before skying a catch to Inzamam-ul-Haq off the bowling of off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq.

Best Test partnership

Australia captain Steve Waugh said Pakistan would have been favourites to win had they broken the key Gilchrist-Langer partnership.

"I think that is the best partnership I've seen in Test match cricket," Waugh said.


langer
Australia, who won the first test in Brisbane by 10 wickets, seemed to be in a hopeless position when they slumped to 126-5 on Sunday after Pakistan had staged an amazing comeback.

The visitors were in deep trouble on the second day after Australia cruised to 191-1 in their first innings in reply to Pakistan's modest total of 222 before Saqlain turned the game.

The off-spinner snared six for 46 to restrict Australia to a first innings lead of 24 as the home side lost their last wickets for 55 runs. Pakistan's batsmen then put the visitors into a commanding position.

Inzamam made a magnificent 118 while Saeed Anwar and Ijaz Ahmed hit half-centuries to set Australia a daunting target.

Scoreboard

Pakistan 1st innings 222
Australia 1st innings 246
Pakistan 2nd innings 392

Australia 2nd innings (overnight 188-5)

M.Slater c Azhar Mahmood b Shoaib Akhtar 27
G.Blewett c Moin Khan b Azhar Mahmood 29
J.Langer c Inzamam-ul-Haq b Saqlain Mushtaq 127
M.Waugh lbw b Azhar Mahmood 0
S.Waugh c and b Saqlain Mushtaq 28
R.Ponting lbw b Wasim Akram 0
A.Gilchrist not out 149
S.Warne not out 0

Extras (b-1 lb-4, nb-4) 9
Total (for six wickets, 113.5 overs) 369

Fall of wickets: 1-39 2-81 3-81 4-125 5-126 6-364
Did not bat: D.Fleming, G.McGrath, S.Muller

Bowling: Wasim Akram 18-1-68-1 (nb-1), Waqar Younis 11-2-38-0 (nb-1), Shoaib Akhtar 23-5-85-1 (nb-1), Saqlain Mushtaq 44.5-8-130-2, Azhar Mahmood 17-3-43-2 (nb-1).

Result: Australia won by four wickets
Man of the match: Justin Langer


Related to this story:
Pakistan close in on victory (21 Nov 99 | Cricket)
England bag morale-boosting win (21 Nov 99 | England on Tour)
England A make steady progress (21 Nov 99 | England on Tour)

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