Read the article of Australia vs Pakistan 4th Match Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1989-90 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the 4th ODI match played between Pakistan and Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground in 03rd January 1990.
Carl Rackemann and Peter Taylor's combined 5-wickets before A unbeaten 69 by captain Allan Border steers to Australia cruised to a seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in a low-scoring game of the fourth match of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
Pakistan scored 161 for all-out in 50 overs with top scorer by Imran Khan scored 39 off 62-balls without a boundary.
Mansoor Akhtar scored 32 off 42-balls without a boundary, Aamer Malik 23 and Shoaib Mohammad 22.
Australia best bowler by Carl Rackemann picked up 3-wickets for 21-runs in 10-overs including two maidens with economy rate of 2.10, Peter Taylor took 2-wickets and one for Terry Alderman - Simon O'Donnell.
Australia chased 162-3 in 41 overs with top scorer by Allan Border hit a unbeaten 69 off 103-balls, David Boon scored 39 off 66-balls including a boundary and Steve Smith cracked a unbeaten 31 off 56-balls included 3-fours.
Pakistan best bowler by Wasim Akram, Aaqib Javed both took one-wickets and Debutant Nadeem Ghauri - who took 1-wicket on his debut ODI match.
Allan Border named Player of the match for his match-winning captain innings of unbeaten 69 off facing 103-balls including 8-fours.
This match reported by The Canberra Times Staff (Third Party Reference from The Canberra Times)
Skipper Allan Border returned to his best one-day cricket form last night as Australia comprehensively took the points from its first meeting with Pakistan for the summer.
With the first Test between the two sides due to start in Melbourne in just over a week, Border hit an unbeaten 69 to lead his side to a comfortable seven-wicket victory with nine overs to spare in the match at the MCG.
The Pakistanis made 161 from their 50 overs and the run chase was always a formality as the Australians reached 3-162 after 41 overs to bring up their third win in as many matches in the World Series Cup.
Pakistan's start to the Australian summer has been horrendous and its batting and fielding was well below par last night, perhaps still suffering from the beating it copped from Western Australia in Perth last week and the one-day loss to the Sri Lankans on New Year's eve.
Border came to the wicket at 2-17 and immediately took the attack to Wasim Akram and Imran Khan to take the first psychological advantage of the summer.
The left-hander raised his half-century with his fifth boundary, hitting eight fours in his two-hour. knock. Border took the attack to Abdul Qadir from the moment the leg spinner was belatedly introduced in the 33rd over.
Qadir, reported to be suffering from a heel injury, had to wait until the Australians had reached 3-112 before he was given the ball and he bowled four unimpressive overs for a return of 0-23.
Stephen Waugh finished with 31 and added 81 in 18 overs with Border to take the Australians to victory.
Opener David Boon made 39 but had one slice of luck when he was 10 that may have turned the game Australia's way. Border pushed Akram for a single to get off the mark with the total on 18 and Akram threw down the stumps with Boon just short of his ground.
Umpire Len King gave the Australian opener the benefit of the doubt and Boon went on to add 64 with Border before Border and Waugh wrapped up the match.
Akram was bowling particularly well at the time and had threatened to rip through the Australian top order, but had to be content with the wicket of Geoff Marsh to show for his 10 overs.
Border said the Australians had played particularly well and their fielding had improved after they dropped eight chances against Sri Lanka in Perth last Saturday.
"It was a very good effort and we played well in almost every area." Border said.
Imran won the toss and elected to bat on a good wicket but only the skipper himself, with 39, ever looked capable of dealing with the Australian pacemen as the upper order crumbled.
Even allowing for the absence of Javed Miandad with a virus. Rameez Raja (dislocated shoulder), and Salim Malik (tonsils), the Pakistani batting could not cope with Carl Rackemann and Merv Hughes.
Rackemann took 3-21 from 10 overs in his first one-day appearance of the summer and Hughes was extremely unlucky not to take a wicket after a brilliant spell.
Hughes bowled 10 overs for 16 runs and tied up Imran when the Pakistan skipper tried to attack late in the innings.
Openers Shoaib Mohammed and Aamir Malik were able to keep out the Australian attack but could not push on and score runs.
The pair laboured for more than 20 overs for an opening stand of 67. Shoaib wasted 58 deliveries on his 22 and Aamir used up a further 65 balls for his 23 before Rackemann disposed of both openers in his sixth over.
Aamir flicked at Rackemann and was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper lan Healy, and then Shoaib was caught by Healy trying to glance.
Imran was forced to anchor the innings, finishing with 39 in an hour and a half as wickets fell around him. Ijaz Ahmed did not respond to Imran's call and was run out by David Boon, and Boon later effected his second run out, hitting the stumps from long off to get rid of Maqsood Rana, son of umpire Shakoor Rana.
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