AUSTRALIA v PAKISTAN

At Sydney, January 1 (day/night). Pakistan won by four wickets. Toss: Australia.

Following their Melbourne Test defeat, Australia's mid-summer crisis continued before a barbaric crowd. The game halted six times as intruders swept the ground: one moron, after a seven-hour drinking binge, crash-tackled the stumps, sparking a week-long media debate about crowd control. All Australia's top six reached double figures but none got to 50. A total of 199 was vulnerable on a flat pitch and it was a serious blow when seamer Reiffel limped off with a hamstring strain. Warne, who took four for 37, did his best to launch a salvage operation but was like a lone frogman trying to raise the Titanic. Surprisingly, he received the match award ahead of Aamir Sohail, who scored 52, took two spectacular catches, one off his own bowling, and bowled Blewett. Two policewomen, who danced the macarena when the band played the tune during the interval, delighted spectators but were given a warning by their superiors.

Man of the Match: S. K. Warne. Attendance: 37,476.