Third one-day international, Abu Dhabi:
Australia 198-7 (50 overs) beat Pakistan 171 (47.1 overs) by 27 runs
Match scorecard

Clarke rescued Australia and gave them a reasonable score to defend

Australia took a 2-1 lead with two matches remaining in the one-day series after beating Pakistan by 27 runs.

Skipper Michael Clarke hit eight fours in 66 from 93 balls and Callum Ferguson made 41 as the Australians made 198-7.

Pakistan were coasting at 95-0 but lost five for 28 as Nathan Hauritz struck twice in two balls and Clarke (3-15) snared two wickets in his opening over.

Shoaib Malik made a calm 30 but was the second of two wickets to fall in two balls as Pakistan were all out for 171.

Australia opted to bat and openers James Hopes and Brad Haddin quickly notched five fours in the first four overs.

But Hopes was run out by a direct hit from Younus Khan at mid-off and Shane Watson dragged one on to his stumps in the next over.

Clarke recorded his 35th one-day fifty before offering a simple return catch to spinner Shahid Afridi with 11 overs left.

Ferguson added four fours in a useful knock and in the 48th over Hauritz hit the only six of the innings with a slog sweep off Saeed Amjal.

Salman Butt and 17-year-old Ahmed Shehzad gave Pakistan an excellent start, but with the first ball of the 23rd over Butt was caught by Clarke at slip after Hauritz flighted one.

Pakistan skipper Younus Khan then departed first ball when a delivery bounced more than he expected and lobbed off the top of the bat to mid-wicket.

Misbah-ul-Haq lofted Andrew Symonds over long-on for six but tried to do the same with Clarke's first ball and was caught on the boundary.

Shehzad then fell victim to the flatter arm ball that crashed into the timbers, and when Afridi recklessly charged down the pitch and gave Mike Hussey a juggling catch at slip it was 123-5 and Clarke had three for eight from three overs.

When drinks were taken after 35 overs, 59 more were needed but the sixth wicket fell five balls later when Kamran Akmal was deceived by a slower ball from Nathan Bracken.

Former skipper Malik gave his team every chance and the target was 30 from the final four overs, but Sohail Tanvir top-edged to mid-wicket and next ball Malik was sent back after seeking a quick single and keeper Haddin's direct hit saw him short of his ground.

Stuart Clark applied the finishing touch for Australia when he last man Umar Gul went for a wild swipe first ball and saw his stumps sprawling.

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