Australia v Pakistan – as it happened

4.19pm: Hello and welcome to Australia playing Pakistan for the right to take on the irresistible English juggernaut in Barbados on Sunday. 4.20pm: Mmm. Sorry. It still sounds slightly wrong. 4.22pm: There is some bad news I'm afraid. The toss has been delayed by rain . Currently it's rodding down and we will await developments. They say this is a quick drying ground so no need to fret just yet. 4.24pm: The interesting thing is that rain, overs reductions, and the shuffling, cardigan-clad figure of Tony Lewis and his imaginary friend Duckworth looming into view all have the effect of levelling the playing field. Australia will be the more nervous watching the rain fall. 4.26pm: Because without it, it is almost impossible to imagine them not winning this. Two reasons: they ragged Pakistan in their domestic season; and secondly this Aussie team has been magnificent so far. Interesting how they've reconfigured what they think this form of the game is about: it is now an exercise in explosive power. Look at the batsmen! They're all great furious swiping cavemen, apart from the skipper who looks like their sickly and rheumatic younger brother, Linton in a sextet of Heathcliffes. 4.26pm: The bowling is all power and aggression too. Just think, they had planned to have Brett Lee alongside Dirk, Mitch and Shaun. The fastest attack since the mid-1980s West Indians? Fastest ever, some even said. It's certainly a notch up from Gough, Austin, Mullally and Ealham, England's pace attack at the 1999 World Cup. 4.30pm: More news on the rain when we get it. In the meantime, why not send me (a) your favourite historical comedy international bowling attacks; (b) predictions for today and Sunday; (c) any advice you've got on buying a 13" screen laptop; (d) your views on the amusing West indian Rubicon fruit juice TV ads break guys. Is it just me? (e) any other cricket-related wiffle that springs to mind. You can email me on [email protected] . 4.32pm: And just a reminder: if this is rained off Australia go through to the final , reward for winning more games en route to here. Pakistan have won two matches out of five so far. They're in the semis. Yes. Weird. 4.35pm: Good news: it is much brighter and the covers are coming off. 4.38pm: Phil Sawyer is feeling it. "I'm in two minds about today's game. On the one hand, it would be fun to see Pakistan stuff the Aussies, but on the other hand I'm experiencing a new and rather strange emotion, half expecting England to win the bloody thing, and I can't imagine anything more satisfying than beating the Aussies in the final. But then, the Aussies might knock us back down to size, or Pakistan may thrash us. My brain hurts. Tell me what to think." Wish I could. I also fear the Aussies, but love watching them play. Got to want to face them really. 4.41pm: Australia have won the toss and will bowl . 4.44pm: Well, that's something. The Aussies will try to rip into Pakistan and dominate this game right from the start on a slightly damp outfield and (new buzz word) "tacky" pitch. Afridi says he would have bowled first too. Let loose the fast men. Very much looking forward to seeing Nannes and Tait. Nannes in particular is an amazingly elastic man. He bounces in. 4.49pm: A pessimistic Mani notes "Pak team is like a convicted criminal on death row and the rain is just delaying the inevitable." Well, you never know. There is real talent in there. Poor thing, he's never been the same since the Stone Roses ended. 4.49pm: We will apparently have a 5.00pm start . And both teams are unchanged. 4.52pm: Australia DA Warner, SR Watson, MJ Clarke, DJ Hussey, CL White, MEK Hussey, BJ Haddin, SPD Smith, MG Johnson, SW Tait, DP Nannes Pakistan Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Khalid Latif, Misbah-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal Only two proper Test Match top order batsmen in that top six. Could be hairy against a really aggressive bowling attack. 4.54pm: David Wall muses: "How about a four man attack consisting of Flashart steaming in with the new ball, Melchiot opening from the other end with steady, Gus-Fraser-style line and length, Blackadder on first change for some fast-medium swing, and Baldrick making up the attack with his cunning off-breaks. Or have I misunderstood what you mean by 'historical comedy' for riff (a)?" Works for me. I'm picturing Baldrick as a vaguely Robert Croft-type offie. 4.56pm: Ian Copestake is standing up for trundly stuff. "Ealham and Austin would be fantastic bowlers in Twenty20 as variation of pace rather than unadulterated pace is key. Any news on Afridi's mental state? He always seems on the brink of pure barminess." Er, what's the variation then? Much slower slow ball? Afridi looked very brisk at the toss. Has yet to deliver at this tournament, but I have trouble imaging him being able to wallop this attack around. They have yorkers in Tait and they have hostile stuff from Johnson. This is not Ian Austin. 4.58pm: Luke Richardson is off down memory lane: "Martin Snedden unerringly popped into my head when you mentioned comedy international bowling. Snedden, Heath Davis (apparently his full name is Heath Te-Ihi-O-Te-Rangi Davis which is a hell of a full name for his mum to have to shout when she was cross with him), Chris Harris, Murphy Su'a and Jeremy Coney is a hell of a price to have to pay for one Hadlee and one Bond." Murphy Su'a. What a bowler. 4.59pm: And we're about to start finally. 5.00pm: Nannes to Kamran Akmal 1st over: Pakistan 0-0 (Kamran Akmal 0, Salman Butt 0) Dirk starts relatively gently, 88mph on middle stump. His third ball clumps into Akmal's pad, but it's pitched outside leg. And it's a very tight maiden to start. Right on the money from Nannes. Meanwhile Paul Wakefield asks: "Does that just leave four overs to be bowled by Nursey (aka Ian Austin)?" Mani notes: "How about introducing weight classes to cricket. This is like a Klitschko taking on Pacman". Tait from the other end. Grrr. 2nd over: Pakistan 3-0 (Kamran Akmal 1, Salman Butt 1) Butt gets off the mark squeezing a full ball to third man. Akmal gets away with a slightly wild lofted back foot force for one run that should have been two. Tait then sends down a bouncer-wide and follows it up with a 91mph full straight ball. Well defended by Butt. But a great start for the Aussie bowlers. On comedy bowling attacks Robert Hiller writes: "A good rule of thumb is to pick any test attack featuring Ian Salisbury. For example the 1st Test at Kolkata in 1993 featured a fearsome fivesome of Devon Malcolm, Paul Jarvis, Chris Lewis, Paul Taylor and the aforementioned Ian '76.95 average over 15 matches' Salisbury. That Greame Hick's part time 'spin' took 5 of the 12 Indian wickets says it all." 3rd over: Pakistan 14-0 (Kamran Akmal 11, Salman Butt 1) Aggression from Pakistan! Akmal swipes over cover for a one bounce four as Nannes pitches it up, then drives straight for four, a lovely straight-bat shot that beats mid-off easily. Another on-drive brings two and this is the right approach for Pakistan, attack and try to post something for their spinners to defend. Andy Bull, on the boundary ropes in St Lucia, notes: "sticky pitch, sticky day, damp outfield... not the best conditions for Australia's power game... " 4th over: Pakistan 27-0 (Kamran Akmal 15, Salman Butt 9) Tait bowling very full to Butt, gets away with a very wide one outside off. The next ball is driven in flowing fashion through point for four, and the one after is even better, another boundary through the off side, down on one knee to the fast man. Butt is shaking it. And Akmal hooks the last ball very fine for another four. That's 13 off the over and Pakistan are motoring. Johnson comes on. 5th over: Pakistan 32-0 (Kamran Akmal 15, Salman Butt 15) Australia have always got early wickets so far in this tournament. But not in the first four overs here. Johnson beat Butt with an away-nipper and, blimey, it's hit the edge of the bat and no one appealed! it looked like Ian Gould was about to raise his finger, expecting an appeal, but then pretended to fiddle with his hat instead! Never seen anything like it. Butt rubs it in by spanking the next ball for four over the off-side. Decent straight over from Johnson but Pakistan continue to build. A lot of talk now about this pitch suiting Pakistan. It looks slow. A 140-odd total could be useful. Ajmal has bowled really well and Afridi is always in it. Watson comes on to bowl his muscular medium fast. 6th over: Pakistan 40-0 (Kamran Akmal 16, Salman Butt 21) Watson bowling at 85mph serves up a bouncer-wide. Butt then dances down and lofts a drive over extra cover's head for two that should have been three with better running. But these openers have done a great job so far, unintimidated and positive. A new challenge for the Aussies here. Eight very easy runs off the over and they're milking Watson like a hulking great prize bleach blond moose. 7th over: Pakistan 55-0 (Kamran Akmal 30, Salman Butt 22) End of the Powerplay and the leg-spinner Smith comes on. Pakistan might tuck in to him. The first ball is swept hard in the air to deep square leg. Akmal then heaves a boundary to deep backward point, slicing it over the fielder trying to drive much squarer. Nice aggression there. Follwowed up with a slice for six over long-on, not leaving his crease, just belting it like a barbarian beheading a small dog with a log. And Clare Davis is torn with to-and-fro conflicting emotions: "good to see GU impartiality at play and OBO coverage of both semis. I wish I could be disinvested of emotion for this one, and watch like a true neutral, but I feel the same conflicting emotions as Mr Sawyer. Really in my heart I want Pakistan to win because when they are on song they are so flamboyantly glorious, specially Afridi, but facing Aus in the final is something to be relished." Pakistan are really putting the Aussies under pressure. What have they got? New scenario for them. 8th over: Pakistan 63-0 (Kamran Akmal 33, Salman Butt 27) Johnson is back and he starts with a short wide ball that Butt runs down for four to third man. What a rubbish delivery. Akmal then slogs an ugly two. He is teeing off here against Johnson. Eight runs off that over and Emma Cavalier is after some new friends: "For the first time in a long while I don't want to go to the pub on a Friday night and would like to be stuck at work in front of OBO with TMS but I can't get out of it. Come on Aussies! Need to put a stop to these boundaries.I don't have any cricket bothered friends to watch the final with so if anyone'll be watching it in a nice North London boozer I need some new friends." Anybody? Sounds very nice. 9th over: Pakistan 81-0 (Kamran Akmal 33, Salman Butt 28) This is chugging along nicely and Watson has changed ends after a wooly first over. Akmal greets him with an enormous swipe for six over long-on! Fetch that! That was a huge, ugly, flailing shot! He is trying to launch every ball here and he's a very strong man. This could be fun if Akmal sticks around for a bit. He then smites another four very nicely through cover, and cuts another like a rocket over backward point: 18 off the over and Akmal is flying. 50 off 32 balls now. Sarah Bacon, who must I guess be fair dunkum Sheila note: "I don't know who Sky have in the commentary box but over here in the UAE, things couldn't look worse; a bloody Kiwi is on the mic. Heinous." Chin up, eh? 10th over: Pakistan 85-1 (Umar Akmal 1, Salman Butt 31) The Aussies look a little rattled out there. There is much shaking of heads. Johnson starts his over well with two dot balls and some nice variation in speed. Followed by a WICKET! Akmal c Warner b Johnson 50 (Pakistan 82-1) as Akmal launces a full ball through cover, hit like a shell but too close to Warner, who dives to take a lovely low catch. That man is an excellent fielder. But what a nice little knock from Akmal to kick things off. Ugly perhaps but very aggressive and effective. Umar Akmal is in now. Good over from Mitch. And Phil Sawyer is shrugging like Groucho Marx and waggling his cigar: "Emma Cavalier should have my problems. Try finding a single person interested in watching cricket in Lincoln." 11th over: Pakistan 89-1 (Umar Akmal 3, Salman Butt 32) David Hussey on now. Who will take up Akmal's cudgels? Butt has been steady so far. Akmal Jnr is a fine player, and he can hit the ball too. Hussey shuffles through a swift and efficient over of slow right arm bungers. A very good option here, spin. 12th over: Pakistan 97-2 (Umar Akmal 9, Afridi 2) Oh dear Salman Butt, that is witless cricket as it's a WICKET! Butt c Warner b Smith 32 (Pakistan 89-2) Butt swinging Smith's first ball of a new over in the air straight to Warner. It is, at least, now Afridi time. Meanwhile Akmal spanks an overpitched ball through cow corner for four, getting his foot out of the way and boshing it. Let's see what the skipper can do. His first scoring shot is a hard sweep for one. And these next few overs are vital. 13th over: Pakistan 105-2 (Umar Akmal 13, Afridi 5) Nannes is back and bowling a full leg-stump line. Akmal responds with a premeditated lap-sweep for two and then a wild swiping cue-ender to third man. Good tight over from Dirk but Pakistan are still going at eight an over and 160 would be a tough target if they can keep it up. But... it is overcast and the shadow of D/L lurks over all this. Clare Davies asks: "Given how much vicious joy the Aussies take in mocking the South African element of England's line-up, Barney, why is everyone so hesitant in mocking the Dutch element of the Aussie line-up?" Cos he's a proper Aussie. He was a fake-ish Dutchman. 14th over: Pakistan 113-2 (Umar Akmal 14, Afridi 8) Tait is back and Afridi shapes up to go after him. Akmal then misses a wonderful very full yorker that somehow fails to hit his stumps and goes for four byes instead. Very unlucky for the bowler. Then a fantastic slower ball totally does Afridi and just about misses the top of off stump. Afridi ends the over with a big wind-up hook for two to cow corner. Good over but runs still coming and Afridi is getting himself in. 15th over: Pakistan 118-3 (Umar Akmal 18, Latif 1) Well, he won't have a chance. Afridi launches a trademark wild mow at Hussey's first ball and just hits it miles up in the air for a WICKET! Afridi c Haddin b Hussey 8 (Pakistan 113-3) . There's a collision between the fielders trying to take it but Haddin hangs on and that is a big blow, although in truth Afridi has looked very poor with the bat in this tournament. Latif is the new man and Pakistan have lost their way a little here with Hussey taking one for nine off two. Good news though for Pakistan's spinners. 16th over: Pakistan 132-3 (Umar Akmal 19, Latif 13) Michael Clarke bowling his slingy left-arm slow things and Latif smacks his fourth ball over midwicket for an enormous six , down on one knee, and he looks like a rough tough bad man under that helmet. The ball has disappeared briefly. When it comes back Latif wumps it through cover for four. Lovely stuff from Latif. Pakistan are rocking again. 17th over: Pakistan 145-3 (Umar Akmal 32, Razzak 0) Nannes back and oh yes Akmal as he swats that for a wonderful huge six over cow corner. What a shot. Then he paddles the next ball elegantly for four, a lovely touch shot to fine leg. He can certainly play and here he unleashes a wild hook-swat shot for another two. 32 off 23 balls for Akmal jnr. Latif ends the over with a terrible attempt at a pull that loops to cover for another WICKET! Latif c b Nannes 12 (Pakistan 145-4) . 13 off 6 balls and he did his bit, the savage. 18th over: Pakistan 169-3 (Umar Akmal 51, Razzak 1) Boom-boom Akmal continues along his way with a superb pulled six off the first ball from Johnson. He is flying. The next ball goes for four byes as Haddin fails to get anywhere near a ball that shoots a bit. Then, wait for it, it's a another six top-edged off the front foot over square leg. Amazing shot-making. And it's follwoed by a third six in the over, down on one knee and launched into the stands. That is a 50 off just 29 balls. 24 off the over and Umar Akmal is, quite literally, on fire out there. 19th over: Pakistan 184-3 (Umar Akmal 53, Razzak 11) Hussey comes back and he has done very well so far. Ulp. Spoke too soon. Razzak joins in, absolutely spanking him for six over long-on in his distinctive deliberate way, and you might not want to bowl part time off breaks to him. Haddin then lets another one go past and he's having a shocker. Chuck in an overthrow off a wild fling from Clarke and two wides in the over and Australia are officially all over the shop. 20th over: Pakistan 191-6 (Umar Akmal 56) Tait back for the final over and he starts with a pair of reverse-swing-esque yorkers that are pretty much un-slogable. Razzak sneaks a bye to the keeper, almost halfway down when Clarke delivers. Sunilx points out "Haddin was known as 'Bad Hands' early in his career" and there they've got another bye to him. But then it's a WICKET! Razzak run out 12 (Pakistan 189-5) as they try to sneak another and the bowler and keeper do for him. Akmal carves another offside two to take it past 190 and Misbah is then literally run out WICKET! Misbah run out 0 (Pakistan 191-6) off the last ball. A good last over from Tait, but the horse may already have bolted and Australia have a real test on their hands here. 6.28pm: Brilliant batting from the Akmal brothers. Kamran with a bludgeoning kick-start. Umar with a wonderful eye-catching exhibition of shot-making. No brute force there, just wonderful vibrant attacking strokes. Australia didn't deal with it on an easy paced pitch and looked short of variation under pressure. The keeper had one to forget too. 6.31pm: Pakistan are favourites. Australia bat deep. How they play the spinners could settle this. And it's started. Faisal Ali notes: "Isn't it amazing that none of the Pakistani players were considered good enough to play in the IPL. India must be brimming with T20 talent. Can't wait to meet the Indian "Rockstars" in the final. Oh." True, though. Back in ten minutes. 6.40pm: Michale Quin writes: "Was on OBO last year to say that Warner could be the real thing when he was struggling in England. Lord let it be true." Warner is a top player. I saw him get an IPL hundred in Delhi. Wonderful hitting. 6.41pm: And for all you furious pedants and hecklers. Yes, "literally on fire". A harmless commentating joke. Grow a humour gland. 1st over: Australia 7-1 (Haddin 1, Watson 6) Aaamer opens up and there you are, the wonderful Warner goes for a duck WICKET! Warner c Umer Akmal b Aamer 0 (Australia 0-0) caught at point slicing a drive off a full ball. It swung a bit and he's on his way, playing a slightly indecisive shot, neither back nor forward. Watson pulls the final ball of the over for a powerful four. Don't bowl there to him, but it's a very good aggressive opening over from Aamer. 2nd over: Australia 22-1 (Haddin 9, Watson 13) Watson counter-attacks pulling the medium paced Razzak's first ball massively off the front foot for six over square leg. He is pumped up, the big man. Haddin then drives an overpitched ball easily through cover for four. Top shot walking down the pitch. Lovely batsman Bad Hands. He drives another four past mid-off, almost lazily but with great power. Declan Johnston is the voice of reason:" "Well, let's not forget that on this same ground in the pool stages, Australia hit a 191 against Pakistan. Granted Watson had a stormer, but still reason for Aussie optimism if ever they needed it." And Clare Davies has already got her head in the gin bucket. "And so Warner is out!! More of these comments please Barney – big up some more Aussies! Early doors but I AM breaking open the booze." 3rd over: Australia 28-2 (Haddin 10, Clarke 1) Aamer carries on and Watson smashes his first ball straight for four. Then it's another WICKET! Watson c Rehman b Aamer 16 (Australia 26-2) as Watson drives to long-off and is easily caught. The ball was not really there for the shot and he found the man on the boundary. Pakistan converge in a delirious huddle. Easy boys. Long way to go. Graem Peters notes:"IPL franchises were sold on the idea that untested Aussie cricketers were worth employing rather than England/Pakistan players. Even numerous English counties have been suckered into the idea of contracting Aussies for the T20. I pity the poor county who have splashed out for Steve Smith." And Josh Robinson simply wants to make the point that the internet is well-stocked with, well, you can supply the word: "Interesting that your 'harmless commentating joke' is objectively indistinguishable from shoddy and incompetent journalism of the worst kind. If only I'd known how easy it was to make a career in comedy-writing." Ah dear me. 4th over: Australia 35-2 (Haddin 13, Clarke 5) Still Razzak after his expensive first over but this is better, just back of a length. Clarke hits the last ball through cover for four on the up, a lovely shot. Clare Davies argues: "Have some respect. This is only the semi-final so no gin yet. Just carefully selected Saffer wine. Made very sure there was no Aussie stuff in the house tonight!" And Mark Roberts offers: "I've followed OBO in many a compromised situation - hiding behind the laptop in a tedious meeting, refreshing repeatedly while pretending to teach; but there is something intrinsically wrong about being forced to follow the Guardian when my Sky box is but a few feet away. And why? My cricket-phobic girlfriend is watching a repeat of the abominable Gossip Girl on ITV2. I am a shameful wreck of a man for allowing it." 5th over: Australia 45-2 (Haddin 22, Clarke 6) Rehman is on to bowl his left arm slow stuff and Haddin responds by lifting his third ball over midwicket for six with a lovely easy swing of the bat. He is such a nice batsman. The last ball grips and turns a bit. El Rose notes:"Is there anything more disturbing than the sight of English cricket fans succumbing to optimism, it's not like we haven't lost to Pakistan in a final before." And David Jarman makes a very good point :"Do you think Josh Robinson (3rd over) is literally a Billy-no-mates?" 6th over: Australia 53-2 (Haddin 23, Clarke 11) Ajmla is on now and Clarke skips down to drive his first ball for four through the off side. Both of these two play the spinners very nimbly. Ian Copestake is enjoying the new-style styling. "If bold fonting the sixes is an ironic thumbnosing of the Skyification of cricket then I am all for it." End of the Powerplay and Afridi is on. 7th over: Australia 58-2 (Haddin 26, Clarke 13) Afridi boom-booms in keeps it on off-stump. Pretty hard to hit these swift leg-breaks. The Aussies are happy to ease a couple of singles, and they're slowing him down between balls the scamps, as Afridi does love to get on with it. Good tight opening over. The Aussies need 134 at ten an over. Is Clarke the right man for this? Lovely player but a slow-coach... 8th over: Australia 62-3 (Hussey 1, Clarke 17) And that's a WICKET! Haddin st Akmal b Ajmal 26 (Australia 58-3) off the first ball as Haddin steps past a nicely flighted delivery and is well stumped by Akmal. Hussey is in and he can hit the ball a long way. Pakistan look sharp in the field and Afridi is bellowing in everyone's ear. And it's getting feisty all round. Sarah Bacon writes: "Message for Mark Roberts: get a new girlfriend. Or grow a spine." Blimey. Australia are up against this. A lot of excellent spin to come, but also some real power hitters. 9th over: Australia 63-4 (Hussey 1, White 1) Good shout for lbw against Clarke off Afridi's first ball, and the next one it's a WICKET! Clarke st Akmal b Ajmal 17 (Australia 62-4) as Clarke walks past a straight ball and the bails are off. Oh dear for Clarke who got those runs off 19 balls and has left his team in a hole. White is in and he can also hit the spinners. The over ends in a blur of fast-moving Afridi and Australia need to get going here. Clare Davies is still deeply partisan: "Well done Barney – a bit of praise for Haddin and he's gone! More of the same, please." Well, I do like White. 10th over: Australia 67-4 (Hussey 3, White 3) Hafeez is on to bowl his underwhelming offies with a jerky Robert Croft-style pause in the run-up. The batsmen milk him quietly until White finally has a big mow and can only hit it into the ground. Another over rushes past and Australia are getting tied in knots here. They need 125 off 60. 11th over: Australia 82-4 (Hussey 5, White 16) Still Afridi and oh I say that is a lovely shot from White launching him over midwicket for six , down on one knee, and then doing the same thing the very next ball for another one. Exactly what Australia need now. Mark Hooper notes: "Nothing better than seeing irate OBOers walking straight into a glaringly obvious pedant trap." Was just a harmless remark actually. But, you know... 12th over: Australia 98-4 (Hussey 13, White 24) White isn't holding back at all and he scoops Hafeez over cover for another massive Ronay Maximum six . This is a man who wants to win the game and he looks very calm out there. Hussey joins in now, stepping back and bunting iut over long-off with a short arm jab. Lovely strike and Australia are refusing to lie down. Four sixes in the last two overs. Robin Hazlehurst wonders: "You said at the beginning that if the match was washed out, Australia would win. What is the balance for Sunday? I'm guessing that England would beat Pakistan in a washout, but Australia would beat England? So is it cowardly to pray for a Pakistan victory now and the mother of all cloudbursts on Sunday?" Crafty. 13th over: Australia 107-5 (M Hussey 1, White 32) White top-edges a sweep for another six off Rehman's first ball, followed by a single and then another WICKET! Hussey c & b Rehman 13 (Australia 105-5) as the bowler gets him to dink a simple catch right back at him. So the muscle brothers are parted and one Hussey is replaced by another, Mike Hussey in at seven of all things. After this though you're into the bowlers slash bits and bobs men. Big yelp from Rehman at that wicket. John Eatwell makes another good point: "I went to university with Josh Robinson. He's the kind of man who..." And I'll leave the rest of that out in the interests of mercy and say no more. Poor chap. 14th over: Australia 112-5 (M Hussey 1, White 34) This game is all about White now. As Ben Dunn notes: "This White fellow is on fire, literally." Ajmal is back and he starts well, varying his pace and flight nicely. There's a stumping appeal here against White as Akmal whips them off but he gets his foot back just in time. An excellent tight over there and Australia are falling behind. Plus Ian Copestake is winning the phony war: "I am sure the Aussies will show what testosterone fuelled warriors they are by chasing down this total but that doesn't change the fact that your photo of Watson makes him look proper camp." And Iain Little is barking up the wrong tree with this one I can assure him: "Ronay Maximum six. You're going to roar that at inappropriate times aren't you? Mark Roberts take note, give that a pop with your lass." 15th over: Australia 122-5 (M Hussey 3, White 41) Wow, Rehman drops one in the slot for White and he obliges by hitting it out of the ground, donw the pitch one pace, on his knee and it's off over midwicket. I'm not sure anyone out there hits the ball harder. Rehman replies with a fine yorker that hits him on the boot. Then of all things a no-ball. Well pulled back though with a flat straight one. Aus need 70 off 30 balls and it's going to be tough. Sunilx has a polite request: "Please would you ask Clare Davies to recommend some worthwhile Single Malts". Talisker? Bit of peaty Islay? 16th over: Australia 136-5 (M Hussey 16, White 42) Afridi is back hustling in and Hussey dumps him over square leg for a hard flat six. His pace is a bit predictable. Hussey also wumps the next one for six over cow corner and that's more like it. Heroic battling from these two batsmen. Simnon West writes: "Great game this. I am quite literally beside myself with excitement." And Dan Hare has blown it: "Talisker is from Skye," he pedants. Yes: but they're two different whiskies. Islay is from Islay. Ha. 17th over: Australia 144-6 (M Hussey 16, Smith 5) Aamer is back and what a smart move it is as the big man has gone WICKET! White c Hafeez b Aamer 43 (Australia 21-1) as he hits a low full toss powerfully but straight to long off. Smith is in and huge pressure on him, but he responds by glancing his first ball nicely for four. A poor delivery but well played. A big over for Pakistan though. 48 runs needed off 18 balls. Clare Davies is back. "I hate to let Sunil down but this is just so tense I can't concentrate on recommendations and the fine distinctions between the Speyside Malts and the various Island and Highland malts". And Nath Jones whispers "The only thing that beats an 18-year-old Dalwhinnie is an older Dalwhinnie". 18th over: Australia 158-7 (M Hussey 24, Johnson 4) Ajmal's first ball is a very nicely flighted doosra that beats the swish of Smith and he's stumped nicely WICKET! Smith st Akmal b Ajmal 5 (Australia 21-1) . Mitch Johnson is the new man and he absolutely belts his first ball for four to square leg. My word what a blow. Hussey then helps a poor legside ball over square leg for another six and he hasn't given up. 14 off the over but it's still not quite enough. 34 needed off 12. Mark Taylor sighs: "I am quite literally sitting in my lounge in Tanzania reading your OBOs on my crackberry. To think that Friday nights have come to this." Could be worse. And Sunilx has performed his live taste-off: "Well, Talisker is nice, certainly the most palatable of the trio of taster 200ml bottles I picked up at Duty Free, the 2 others Caol Isla & Lagavulin." 19th over: Australia 174-7 (M Hussey 38, Johnson 4) Huseey starts the over well, hitting another four behind square on the leg side off a full ball from Aamer. He moves to 30 off 16. Two more off an edged paddle sweep, but can Aamer keep his nerve here? These Australians are like The Terminator. Call them off? You can't call them off. A skimming drive brings two more for Hussey and he whips a legisde four off a poor final ball. 18 required off the last over . Very tense stuff still. Johnson on strike. Australia win by three wickets. 20th over: Australia 174-7 (M Hussey 38, Johnson 4) Ajmal bowls and he's very lucky as a wide first ball hits the toe of the bat and they scamper a single. Should have been an extra. Hussey then hits the next one for a massive six into the stand at midwicket. He is playing an absolutely brilliant knock here. And oh my gosh the next one goes over long-on for six . 50 off 22 balls. the T20 knock of his life. Five needed off the last three. And he chops the ball over point for four ! The scores are level with two balls to go and this has been a poor over under pressure, but take nothing away from these Aussies. What a chase. Hussey spanks it for six over long-on! The Aussies go wild and rightly so. Hussey takes the game with 60 off 24 balls under pressure. 8.11pm: A really courageous run chase there and Australia were absolutely ice cool under pressure. Hussey is in tears on the outfield. What a stunning way to win a semi-final. It's not as though Pakistan threw this away, they just came up against pure finishing brilliance. Very well played that man and England will have to perform like Martians to beat this lot. That is all from me. Thanks for all your emails. Barney.