06 January,2010 12:12 PM IST | | A Correspondent
Gritty Australia stage a remarkable comeback to register a 36-run victory against Pakistan in the second Test here on Wednesday and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
After conceding a mammoth 206-run lead, Australia started Day Four at 286 for eight u2013 with a lead of 80 runs. But a record ninth-wicket partnership of 123 runs between Michael Hussey (134 not out) and No 10 batsman Peter Siddle (38) helped Australia set Pakistan a target of 176 runs and put them under pressure.
Hussey and Siddle added 95 runs to Australia's overnight total of 286 for eight at Sydney Cricket Ground. While both Hussey and Siddle were courageous to give their team a chance of a memorable win, they were immensely helped by Pakistan skipper Mohammad Yousuf's inexplicable tactics.
With Pakistan in with a chance to finish the Australian innings off in a hurry, instead of attacking Hussey and Siddle, Yousuf adopted defensive tactics. The field for Hussey since the first ball was seven fielders on the boundary line, tempting Hussey to take a single. As a result, not only did Hussey get his eye in, Siddle at the other end also grooved in confidence.u00a0
And once they were set on the backfoot, Pakistan never really looked to be comfortably placed while chasing the target. Mitchell Johnson (3-27) and Nathan Hauritz (5-53) each picked two wickets in an over to break the backbone of their middle order.
At tea, Pakistan were 77 for three, with Mohammad Yousuf (19) and Umar Akmal (49) at the crease. However, once skipper Yousuf departed off Hauritz soon after the break, the rest of the Pakistan batting line-up crumbled like a pack of cards.
