Analysis of Tests at Perth since 1979 by Ateeq Abdul Rauf

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Ground:	Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth
Event:	Pakistan in Australia 2004/05

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DateLine: 16th December 2004

 

Since 1979, Australia has played 26 Test matches at the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) ground at Perth. It has won 16 of these, lost 5 and drawn 5. Australia and Pakistan have met at this venue four times since 1979 and all four matches have been won convincingly by the Aussies. West Indies (twice in the 80s and twice in the 90s) and New Zealand, when they were at their height and Australia at its lowest ebb, are the only two teams to beat Australia at Perth in the last 25 years. In addition, New Zealand has drawn thrice and England has drawn twice.

 

On their six Australian tours since 1979, Pakistan has played at Perth four times (and lost heavily). During this period, England has played seven times and West Indies and New Zealand both six times. In the past 25 years, India has toured Australia five times and played there only once (in 1992, when it was hammered by 300 runs).

 

Here is how Pakistan has fared in their four matches there:

 

2nd Test, 1979: Pakistan lost by 7 wickets. Javed Miandad, scoring an unbeaten 129, was the only man past 50 in the first innings and Asif Iqbal, scoring an unbeaten 134, was the only man past 50 in the second innings. Australia reached the second innings target of 236 with the loss of three wickets, but none of the Pakistani bowlers picked up a wicket (two of the dismissals were runouts, while the third one was handled the ball). In this particular Test, Pakistan’s side included batsmen of the likes of Javed Miandad, Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Mudassar Nazar, Mushtaq Muhammad and Imran Khan.

 

1st Test, 1981: Pakistan lost by 286 runs in this Test. Pakistan, who were at one stage 26-8, managed only 62 in reply to the Australian first innings total of 180 (Imran picked 4-66). Imran was the only one to reach double figures in the first innings, scoring 26 and Lillee picked up 5-18. When Australia amassed 424 in their second innings, it was all but over. Pakistan folded for 256; Javed top-scored with 79, and Yardley took 6-84. In this Test, Pakistan’s batsmen included Javed Miandad, Majid Khan, Mudassar Nazar and Imran Khan.

 

1st Test, 1983: Pakistan lost by an innings and 9 runs. Australia piled 436-9 dec. in their first innings while Pakistan could manage only 129 in reply. Following on, Pakistan made 298 which was 9 short of the total required to make the Aussies bat again. Qasim Umar top-scored in both Pakistani innings (48 and 65 respectively), while Carl Rackemann had best bowling figures in both innings (5-32 and 6-86 respectively). In this particular Test, Pakistan’s team included Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas and Mudassar Nazar.

 

3rd Test, 1999: Pakistan lost by an innings and 20 runs. Pakistan scored 155 in their first innings to which Australia replied with 451 (Ponting scored 197 and Langer 144). Ijaz Ahmed’s century was in vain as Pakistan could only muster 276. McGrath and Kasprowicz both picked up 7 wickets in the match. In this particular Test, Pakistan’s side included batsmen such as Saeed Anwar, Ijaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana.

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2004 Ateeq Abdul Rauf email:ateeqar@gmail.com)