Michael Clarke was in fine fettle

Michael Clarke smashed 97 as Australia romped to a comfortable four-wicket victory over Pakistan in Hobart.

Chasing 253 to win off 45 overs, after a rain delay revised the target, Clarke hit 12 fours and a six off 99 balls in reply to Pakistan's 272-7 off 50 overs.

Simon Katich chipped in with 38, Brad Haddin scored 30 and Darren Lehmann saw the hosts home with an unbeaten 49.

Pakistan were indebted to Shahid Afridi, who blasted a quickfire 56 off 26 balls to set a competitive total.

Pakistan were rocked early on during a blustery day in the Tasmanian capital when Kamran Akmal fell for five in the third over, caught by Clarke at slip off Glenn McGrath with the score on 15.

And the visitors were further hampered when wicket-keeper Mohammad Hafeez was pouched by Brad Hogg at square leg off paceman Brett Lee for a duck in the eighth over, leaving Pakistan on 30-2.

It's the same old story with Pakistan - if the batting clicks, the bowling doesn't and vice versa From Assim Have your say on TMS

But Shoab Malik added a brisk 31 from 43 balls in a partnership of 53 with Salman Butt before falling lbw to Andrew Symonds with the score on 83.

Butt and Yousuf Youhana seemed to have steadied the ship once again, only for the opener to surrender to Darren Lehmann at backward point off slow left-armer Hogg after scoring 61 off 87 balls.

But this was a blessing in disguise for Pakistan as Youhana and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq led them away from trouble, before Youhana was caught by mid-wicket Damien Martyn off Michael Kasprowicz with the score on 191.

Inzamam followed shortly after for 68, trapped lbw by Kasprowicz, but Afridi, ably assisted for the most part by Abdul Razzaq (12), edged Pakistan to respectability.

Australia: S M Katich, M J Clarke, R T Ponting (capt), D R Martyn D S Lehmann, A Symonds, B J Haddin (wkt), G B Hogg, B LeeM S Kasprowicz, G D McGrath.

Pakistan: Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal (wkt), Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Yousuf Youhana, Abdul RazzaqShahid Afridi, Azhar Mahmood, Shoaib Akhtar, Naved-ul-Hasan.