Pakistan spank sorry Australia for 2-0 series win

Tuesday, 4 November 2014 01:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: A defiant Steve Smith tried to delay the inevitable before Pakistan crushed Australia by 356 runs in the second and final test to complete a 2-0 series victory in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Having set the visitors an improbable 603-run victory target, Pakistan claimed the remaining six wickets in a little over a session on the final day to secure their first test series victory against Australia in 20 years. The win also saw them leapfrog England, Sri Lanka and India to rise to number three in test rankings, behind South Africa and Australia. Smith (97) added 107 runs with Mitchell Marsh in a rare display of Australian resistance in the two-match series before his post-lunch dismissal triggered a collapse with the visitors losing their last five wickets for only eight runs to be all out for 246. “I think Misbah-ul-Haq and his team played some outstanding cricket in both test matches and we’ve certainly been outplayed,” Australia captain Michael Clarke said at the presentation ceremony. “In all three facets - batting, bowling and fielding - we probably let ourselves down. We were not good enough against the very good and experienced Pakistan team.”