Cricket: McGrath takes 8-24 as Australia thrash Pakistan

PERTH - A remarkable eight wicket bag from Australian paceman Glenn McGrath steered his side to a massive 491-run win over Pakistan before lunch on day four of the first cricket test at the WACA Ground.

McGrath took a career-best eight for 24 from 16 overs to bowl Pakistan out for an embarrassing 72 in the last over before lunch.

Only two wickets from Michael Kasprowicz, who finished the match when he took a return catch off with Mohammad Khalil on five, prevented McGrath from taking all 10 wickets.

McGrath, who bowled unchanged through the first session, surpassed his previous career best of eight for 38 against England on the 1997 Ashes tour.

With the victory target of 564 never an option for Pakistan, Australia completed one of the game's biggest wins to lead the series 1-0.

Kasprowicz ended McGrath's shot at taking all 10 wickets when he bowled eighth man out Mohammad Sami for two and then jovially apologised to McGrath.

McGrath, 34, said before the match the WACA Ground had not been one of his most productive venues, but that changed when he found himself on a hat-trick after having Abdul Razzaq on one and Inzamam-ul-Haq caught behind in successive balls.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting stacked the cordon with seven slips - including fast bowler Jason Gillespie - to give McGrath every chance of completing the hat-trick, but Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal let the next ball pass.

Kamran became McGrath's sixth victim when he edged to the gully and then top-scorer Yousuf Youhana became victim No 7 when he was caught behind for 27.

Pakistan resumed on one for 18 and Salman Butt and Younis Khan rode their luck early, with a series of nicks that went over the slip cordon.

But McGrath soon had Salman out for nine to a good, low catch at gully by Matthew Hayden and in his next over had Younis caught at slip for 17.

Inzamam came in at No 6 after battling a stomach complaint from yesterday, made a long dawdle to the middle, lasted one ball and then made an even longer dawdle off the ground.

Australian opener Justin Langer was the man of the match for his outstanding double of 191 and 97.

SCOREBOARD

Australia

First innings 381

Second innings 361-5 dec

Pakistan

First innings 179

Second innings (18-1 overnight)

S Butt c Hayden b McGrath 9

I Farhat lbw b McGrath 1

Y Khan c Warne b McGrath 17

Y Youhana c Gilchrist b McGrath 27

A Razzaq c Gilchrist b McGrath 1

Inzamam-ul-Haq c Gilchrist b McGrath 0

K Akmal c Clarke b McGrath 0

M Sami b Kasprowicz 2

S Akhtar c Lehmann b McGrath 1

M Khalil c and b Kasprowicz 5

D Kaneria not out 0

Extras (7lb, 2w) 9

Total (31.3 overs) 72

Fall: 5, 34, 43, 49, 49, 61, 64, 66, 72, 72.

Bowling: G McGrath 16-8-24-8, J Gillespie 12-3-37-0 (2w), M Kasprowicz 3.3-2-4-2.

Result: Australia won by 491 runs.

Man of the match: Justin Langer (Australia).

- AAP