Finch sets up four-run win for Australia

One swallow doesn't make a summer, but one Finch made Australia's day at the MCG, where the hosts ended England's eight-match winning streak in Twenty20 games. In his second game for his country, the hometown batsman Aaron Finch muscled a promising unbeaten half-century that pushed the total to 7 for 147, and the seamers held their nerve to give Cameron White his first victory as Australia's captain.

In another tense finale after the final-ball thriller in Adelaide, England needed 13 off the last three deliveries, and Chris Woakes slammed Brett Lee over long-on for a crowd-silencing six that made the equation seven from two balls. But Woakes and Tim Bresnan couldn't repeat the dose against the pace of Lee, who bowled short at the end, and Australia's four-run win was confirmed with a pair of singles.

England's chase had started well, as Ian Bell cut and drove a pair of sizzling boundaries through point off Shaun Tait's first over, and he and Steven Davies reached 0 for 60 in the eighth over. England's Twenty20 record looked certain to extend to nine consecutive wins, but things became much tighter when Bell was yorked on 39 by Mitchell Johnson, who finished up with 3 for 29.

Kevin Pietersen fell in the same over as Bell, having driven Johnson to White at short cover, and it was game on. The loss of Paul Collingwood, who scooped Shane Watson to mid-off trying to lift his rate, added to England's problems, and he was gone for 6 from 10 balls. As he was in Adelaide, Watson was Australia's best bowler, keeping things tight while also collecting wickets, and he ended up with 2 for 17 from four overs.

A couple of overs later, Watson added Davies, who scored 29 from 26 balls, and was caught by David Warner at mid-on. Luke Wright (18) was sharply taken at mid-off by Steven Smith off Johnson and when Morgan, on 14, was caught on the boundary by Finch off Shaun Tait, it left the equation firmly in Australia's favour. Bresnan and Woakes were left needing 29 from the final two overs, and just fell short.

It was a fine result for Australia, after they stumbled to 5 for 80 from 12 overs. England's spinners strangled the runs following a brisk start from Watson and Warner, and it took the young Finch to set the innings in flight once again. Graeme Swann collected 2 for 19 from his four overs and Michael Yardy finished with exactly the same figures, and the spin duo was so successful that Paul Collingwood turned to Kevin Pietersen's offbreaks once Swann had bowled out.

Pietersen didn't have quite the same success, and was launched down the ground for six by Finch, who top scored with 53 not out from 33 balls. Finch and Steven Smith put on 51 for the sixth wicket, including several crowd-pleasing shots from Finch, notably an audacious scoop over his shoulder for four off Ajmal Shahzad.

A short but muscular batsman whose style resembles that of his fellow Victorian Brad Hodge, Finch also showed his power when he slapped a slower ball from Shahzad over midwicket for six just after Shahzad had Smith caught at cover for 13. They had come together with the score at 5 for 80, when a horribly scratchy David Hussey was put out of his misery for 8 from 16 deliveries when he pulled Yardy to deep midwicket.

Such was Hussey's struggle to time the ball against the spinners that even his hometown crowd was collectively groaning at every dot ball. Tim Paine scored much faster and made 21 from 12 balls, including a mistimed six to get off the mark when he drove Woakes down the ground to long-on, and Watson (17) had also launched two sixes off Shahzad and Woakes, while Warner worked his way to 30.

Perhaps the strong start was spurred by a bout of patriotism, after the pre-match build-up included the crowd supposedly setting a new world record for the most people simultaneously doing the chicken dance. The idea was sponsored by a certain company for whom the collective term for chickens is a bucket, and it was about as credible as the honorary colonelship given to Harland Sanders by Kentucky governor Ruby Laffoon in 1935.

A much more laudable effort was to come from the Australians on the field.

Wright calls for disciplined batting

John Wright, the New Zealand coach, has asked for more discipline from his misfiring batsmen ahead of the second and final Test against Pakistan which starts on Saturday. New Zealand had folded for 110 in the second innings of the first Test in Hamilton and lost by ten wickets.

"We've got to try and get that top order functioning better," Wright said. "Whatever we plan, and they're pretty simple plans, we've got to be disciplined enough to get the job done.

"There's no excuses. We don't need any explanations, if you're picked as a batter your job is to get runs. It's about occupying the crease and not giving your wicket away, it's not rocket science."

New Zealand's batting flopped on an almost subcontinental track in the first Test at Seddon Park, which was slow with not much bounce on offer. They will now have to get their act together on a Basin Reserve pitch that is expected to assist the seamers. "It looks pretty grassy," Wright said of the pitch for the second Test. "We wouldn't mind more sideways and bounce, it's good for us."

One change New Zealand are contemplating is bringing in allrounder James Franklin for opener Tim McIntosh, who has six single-digit scores in his previous eight Test innings. "I think whenever you get a player like James in terms of the all-round package it's a real advantage so you always try to fit that type of player in the team," the New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said. "With the likes of Jesse Ryder not bowling and Kane (Williamson) not bowling as well as we would have liked in the last test, then the addition of an allrounder could be beneficial, but we will find out later on."

Franklin hasn't played a Test in nearly two years but has turned in strong performances on the domestic circuit and in limited-overs for New Zealand.

Why Pakistan will win the World Cup

Because they have 12 awesome dudes to do it. Including a hustler, a mentalist, a sniper and a cockroach

I had originally thought of writing a snarkfest on the inquiry in Doha. But on full reflection that comedy of stitch-ups can be dismissed with the swiftness of a Sehwag innings in South Africa. For, once again, the ICC have bungled it.

This little trial, with its officialdom and orderly calm, has had just the one plus point: the chance for three sportsmen to wear suits. (I am convinced sports stars don the two-piece and collar and tie at the first opportunity, to convince their mothers they have proper jobs.)

The ICC's main man, Michael Beloff, is fully deserving of his QC status, but this is like sending the world's best hostage negotiator to ask a six-year-old to return a McDonalds Happy Meal toy to his younger brother. This is playing with a straight bat when you need a reverse sweep over short third man for six. This is keeping it un-deceptively simple, and this is not going to work.

You want the truth from the fumbling, fudging, fibbing trio of Butt, Amir and Asif? Try this: put them in a room, one after the other, with Imran Khan. No one-way mirror, no lawyers, no Holy Quran for them to swear on. Just a table and two chairs. Let Imran ask the questions, flanked on one side by Javed Miandad, dressed in prison-guard uniform, and on the other, firmly in front of the exit door, Inzamam-ul-Haq, wielding one of those illegally wide tape-ball bats. The truth shall not just prevail but burst forth from the accuseds' lips like they were on Mount Olympus faced with the wrath of all the gods.

Having brushed aside legal minutiae with a sweep as easy and quick as Alastair Cook against whoever it was that bowled spin for the Aussies these past few weeks, let me tell you why Pakistan are going to win the World Cup.

Never before has this nation been so cornered and so gagging for sharp-toothed tigers. With this team, however, I think Pakistan, so often heralded as the unpredictables, but this time totally unfancied, will go all the way. These are my 11 men to snatch the cup from an unsuspecting world:

Kamran Akmal

Has hustled the entire world into thinking he is either a cheat or incompetent or both. It is all part of a four-and-a-half year masterstroke by the PCB and Kamran himself. For he is still there and he will make the World Cup and he will remind the world just how good we thought he was going to be back in early 2006.

Mohammad Hafeez

This man has survived a torrential storm of abuse from Shahid Afridi and come out alive. That takes some spunk, so no wonder he is now Pakistan's most reliable batsman. For those who don't get the reference, and who are over 18, type "afridi hafeez" in Youtube.

Younis Khan

This Khan is just pissed off that the best cricketer called Khan in the world right now is, apparently, an Indian. Oh dear, cricket world. You've said it now. Younis is a nice man, a wonderful man, the best of men, but some things cannot be forgiven.

Misbah-ul-Haq

This spot might ultimately be taken by one of the young guns - perhaps Asad Shafiq or Azhar Ali. But I want to see Misbah there. The Quiet Man of Pakistani cricket just broke his voice with the Test captaincy. No more last-ball scoop-sweeps. It'll be over well before then as Misbah combines MBA-trained calculation with straight drives over long-off. Inshallah.

Umar Akmal

I once thought him the new Viv Richards. I still do. Maybe I shouldn't drink so much and listen to all that psychedelic reggae.

Shahid Afridi

This mentalist plays well in India. Maybe it's the flat tracks, maybe the Indian actresses in the hotel lobbies, maybe it's the water and how it poofs his hair just right. Who cares? In India he is going to clear up because he always does.

Abdur Razzaq

Razzaq is the sniper of Pakistan cricket. He waits and waits (and we wait and wait) and then suddenly he kills the enemy general and wins the war. Opposition teams, with your plans and strategies and laptops, tell me this: what can you do about the killer you don't even see till he finishes you with a lethal blow?

Abdur Rehman

A year ago everyone (at least all my cousins) said Saeed Ajmal was the best limited-overs spinner in the world. Now Rehman takes the slot. Oh, how much can change in a year. Admittedly Mike Hussey is the main reason for this changeover, but Rehman does look pretty decent.

Wahab Riaz

Lahore has a new lion. Look at this guy prowl around, whether with bat or ball in hand. He has no discernible talent, and judging from the News of the World story, he is not a particularly discerning judge of character. It matters not. This man will be the star of the World Cup. You heard it here first. (You also must have heard that Page 2 is satire.)

Umar Gul

I have to say I do not understand Gul. He takes this Pakistani thing of swaying from great to godawful to extreme lengths. So if it's the latter, Pakistan can bring in Sohail Tanvir, the man who is such a big swinger he should've been born in the sixties.

Shoaib Akhtar

Like a cockroach, he never dies. Like a cockroach, he will crawl all over the subcontinent, making tough men back away like little girls, and then he will scamper around in limb-stretched celebration.

12th Man. Asad Shafiq

I have it on good authority that Shafiq is the most promising water-carrier since Didier Deschamps. In a hot subcontinental March, this will be the difference between dry-lipped gazes at the cup from a distance and drinking from it greedily, tasting the sweet nectar of victory, and awaking fresh from a five-year nightmare.

Amir's lawyer says deferment is a 'silver lining'

Shahid Karim, Mohammad Amir's lawyer at the spot-fixing hearing in Doha, has said that the ICC tribunal's decision to defer their verdict gives his client renewed hope.

"The last day of the (six-day) hearing was very positive," Karim told AP on his return to Lahore. "It could be a silver lining for us. I hope Amir will be exonerated next month when the verdict will be announced."

Karim had earlier requested the three-man tribunal examining the charges to take more time to study the case before announcing its verdict, which was initially due on January 11. Following the six-day hearing, the tribunal deferred the verdict to February 5.

Karim hopes Amir's age and unblemished record will work in his favour. "I am happy with the procedure of the hearing," he had said in Doha. "The ICC code of conduct has a clause which points to looking at the player's age and past disciplinary record and Amir is young, so we hope the tribunal will keep this in mind."

Kamran, Misbah-ul-Haq in ODI squad to play NZ

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has been included in Pakistan's squad for the ODI series against New Zealand after being left out of the Test and Twenty20 squads. He exchanges places with his younger brother Adnan, who misses out. Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who played the first two ODIs against South Africa but not the final three, also finds a place, while opener Ahmed Shehzad returns to the side, suggesting he is being considered for Pakistan's World Cup squad.

Kamran has not been part of the national side since the summer tour of England and his absence had been surrounded by confusion, which his return does little to clear up. Speculation linking him to the spot-fixing scandal has been rife, but in October he received written clearance from the ICC stating that he could be picked for Pakistan. Since then, he has been scoring heavily on the domestic circuit. However, he was not "given clearance" to play the Tests and Twenty20s in New Zealand by the PCB's integrity committee, which did not provide details about why that decision was taken.

The 19-year-old Shehzad, who made a promising debut last year against Australia in the Middle East, played all three Twenty20 games against New Zealand, scoring 83 runs at an average of 27.66 and a strike-rate of 150.90, with a top score of 54.

Misbah made 14 and 17 in his two ODIs against South Africa and did not feature in the Twenty20 games against New Zealand. Shahid Afridi has been retained as captain. Pakistan will play six one-dayers against the hosts, with the first game taking place in Wellington on January 22.

Pakistan ODI squad: Shahid Afridi (capt), Muhammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal (wk), Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Umer Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdul Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Umer Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanveer, Tanveer Ahmed, Ahmed Shehzad

Determined Pakistan stifle hosts

Pakistan continued to punch above their weight in Tests under a new captain, earning the opening-day honours by stifling New Zealand on a pitch that has plenty of runs. Their advantage was a result of their perseverance as well as New Zealand's failure to build on a strong foundation laid by Brendon McCullum. Kane Williamson and Tim Southee, however, revived their team with a fighting stand, promising another tilt in the scales heading into the second day.

Pakistan's decision to bowl on a dry pitch appeared to be a mistake, and for good reason. There was virtually no swing, only slight movement off the track, and with the sun breaking out of an overcast sky, the prospects didn't seem bright for the three-pronged seam attack. McCullum's dominating approach, particularly after lunch, as he drove and pulled Umar Gul for sixes, temporarily served a chilling reminder of Pakistan's apparent misjudgment. But his dismissal, the subsequent stagnation against Abdur Rehman's left-arm spin and a stroke of luck vindicated Misbah-ul-Haq's decision at the toss.

New Zealand had themselves to blame for the slide. The batsmen didn't take advantage of the opportunities given, through umpiring errors and lapses in the field, and slipped during a shift in momentum brought about by Martin Guptill's self-imposed grind. Following the lunch break, Guptill played out five consecutive maidens against Rehman, who kept a tight line around middle and off. Despite the lack of turn, he was played respectfully with a straight bat that seemed devoid of intention to force the pace.

McCullum's wicket was the trigger. Since giving up wicketkeeping in Tests, he has enjoyed his role as opener and was on track for a big score this morning. He went after Gul in the first over, driving him over cover, and was particularly ruthless against the over-pitched deliveries, cracking Younis Khan and Wahab Riaz to the extra-cover boundary. He showed no inhibitions when attacking, even though Pakistan had plugged his favourite areas. They had a deep point for the cut, as well as two fielders square for the pull, and he beat both. He should have been out caught behind when he gloved Riaz in the 19th over but this carefree approach cost him his wicket after the break. He mowed Gul over midwicket and then slashed him straight to deep point the next ball.

It was then that Rehman stepped in. Attacking with a slip and two close-in catchers on either side of the pitch, he bowled quicker through the air, and only managed to extract spin when he flighted the ball. He didn't threaten but the nagging line sent Guptill into a shell that led to his dismissal.

Guptill had looked assured against pace, leaving deliveries in the channel outside off when there was a bit of nip, and kicked things off with a couple of straight drives. But his misery against Rehman - he scored 4 off 44 balls against him - ended when the bowler gave him his best possible chance to score; the full toss, however, was gifted as a catch to cover.

In the interim Taylor, who had a poor series in India, feathered one to the keeper as he tried to cut Rehman. Ryder, though, batted enterprisingly. Deliveries bowled on the pads were deftly glanced to the fine-leg boundary and when the opportunity came, Rehman was slog-swept for six. But a moment of ill luck robbed Ryder of his wicket; he was run-out backing up too far as Riaz deflected a straight drive onto the stumps. Despite his half-century, it was a day to forget for the man who played that drive, Guptill.

Williamson, playing his first Test at home, batted with the composure that guided him to a century on debut against India and rescued his team from 177 for 7. Barring a dropped catch at slip, Williamson was solid and seized any chance to play his favoured back-foot punch through cover and point. While watchful against Rehman, Williamson freed up against pace, the standout shot being a straight drive off Gul bowling with the new ball.

Williamson's assured presence was complemented by a determined innings from Southee, who seemed gifted with timing. Several of his boundaries were firm pushes in front of square, or were guided the ball behind point. His second half-century, which included three consecutive fours off Gul, underlined what was possible on the pitch and what the frontline batsmen had missed out on. The unbeaten 83-run stand prevented Pakistan's complete domination on a placid track.

Off-field events dominate build-up

Big Picture

Just as two exciting Test series conclude on two different continents, New Zealand and Pakistan begin one of their own in Hamilton. But unlike the Ashes or the South Africa-India Tests which had massive build-ups, drew large audiences and captivated fans, this one is destined to be a sideshow. And that's because the eyes and ears of the cricketing world would be transfixed on an event in Doha, where the three players suspected of being involved in the spot-fixing controversy will know their fate.

As the ICC's three-man tribunal examines the charges against Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, who won Pakistan a Test on their previous tour here, the former team-mates of the tainted trio will do well to retain their focus on the action at the ground. Instability, indiscipline and allegations of corruption have done enough in recent months to deflect attention from the efforts of a Pakistan team trying to rebuild.

Under a new captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, and with a set of youngsters who've made an encouraging transition to international cricket, Pakistan punched above their weight when they held South Africa to a 0-0 draw, albeit in placid conditions, in the UAE in November. Conditions in New Zealand, traditionally favouring more swing and less palatable for batsmen, present Pakistan with a fresh challenge and an incentive, despite starting underdogs, to motivate themselves and repair some of the reputation sullied by events off the field. 

New Zealand, too, come in to the series on the back of a better-than-expected performance in their Test series in India, where they were beaten 0-1 in a three-match series. Though their woeful ODI form has prompted changes at the top, with John Wright replacing Mark Greatbatch as coach, their past performance in Tests, with Brendon McCullum's success at the top of the order, the emergence of Kane Williamson and the reliability of Chris Martin, would give them plenty of hope in home conditions.

Form guide

(Most recent first)

Pakistan: DDLWL

New Zealand: LDDLL

Watch out for…

Brendon McCullum's promotion to the opening slot yielded a double-century against India and he warmed up for this series in ideal fashion, smashing Pakistan around in the tour game to make 206. Pakistan don't have the services of Asif and Amir but Umar Gul, with his pace and ability to swing the ball, can be just as aggressive as McCullum. Who will win the battle?

Misbah-ul-Haq took over the reins of the Test side in a time of turmoil but led by example in the series against South Africa in the UAE, scoring three half-centuries in four innings to save both Tests. He led the way again with an unbeaten century in the tour match. Much will depend on him and Younis Khan, the senior members in the side, to preserve the focus on the performance on the field. They did that well in the UAE, they'll need to do it again.

Pitch and conditions

There is rain forecast for Friday, though the past few days in Hamilton have been quite warm. The possibility of overcast conditions on the opening day does provide the temptation of fielding first, but Hamilton, traditionally, has been among the better tracks for batting in the country.

"I'd like to have a little bit in it but also in the back of my mind is that if it gets really humid, the ball can swing a lot, and it has been really humid here," Karl Johnson, the curator at Seddon Park, was quoted as saying toNZPA. "I don't want the wicket to swing and have a lot of zip and movement off the track, but obviously the bowlers would like that,"

Team news

Saeed Ajmal, the offspinner, had to return home to attend his father's funeral and is likely to miss the first Test. That leaves Abdur Rehman, the left-arm spinner, as the only slow-bowling option. Sohail Tanvir, the left-arm seamer who was a late addition to the squad and picked up four wickets in the tour game, could share the new ball with Gul.

Pakistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Taufeeq Umar, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Adnan Akmal (wk), 8 Abdur Rehman, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Sohail Tanvir, 11 Wahab Riaz.

Andy McKay, the left-arm seamer, is out due to a side strain and Daryl Tuffey has been called in to the 13-man squad. Wicketkeeper Reece Young, picked in place of Gareth Hopkins, will make his Test debut. Jesse Ryder, who didn't feature in the warm-up match, is expected to return.

New Zealand (possible): 1 Tim McIntosh, 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Martin Guptill, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Jesse Ryder, 6 Kane Williamson, 7 Daniel Vettori (capt), 8 Reece Young (wk), 9 Tim Southee, 10 Brent Arnel/ Daryl Tuffey, 11 Chris Martin.

Stats and trivia

New Zealand's batting average over the last two years of 31.47 is much higher than Pakistan's 26.40, but their bowling average of 44.34 is only marginally better than that of West Indies and Bangladesh.

Quotes

"I think with Tim we've either done really well or we've not done well at all, so we've got to try and gain some more consistency between us."

McCullum on his opening partnership with Tim McIntosh.

"We are not thinking about what has happened in the last 12 months, we are just thinking about today and tomorrow and what is coming next. We are ready for that. We just have to forget everything else and focus on what is coming now."

Misbah-ul-Haq insists his team his focused.