Australia 239-9 (Martyn 43, Ponting 41, Gilchrist 40) beat Pakistan 208 (Youhana 51, Razzaq 47, McGrath 5-27) by 21 runs

Why bother turning up when everybody knows what's going to happen? The supporters of the Pakistani team may well have asked themselves this question on the eve of the second of the best-of-three finals of the VB Series. Much to their horror, they ended up asking the same question at the end of the game. In fact, they had company in the form of the Pakistani players, who had done everything that a cricket team can do to get itself in a winning position in two consecutive games, only to lose both. Cricket teams the world over will not be blamed if they start a united stir to 'ban' Australia from international cricket for atleast a couple of years.

Their contention could well be; "We know that the Aussies are the best, we have discovered it the hard way in match after match, and we don't want to be reminded of it again and again!"

At Sydney, Pakistan did everything right. Well, almost. Their bowlers did a decent job in restricting the Aussies to 239. Not a single Australian batsman was allowed to cross 50, although the world's best team compensated by all top four batsmen getting close to the mark. Pakistan would have fancied their chances to score 240 runs and thereby extend the series upto Tuesday.

But then Glenn McGrath, who had been written off by his critics at the start of the 2004-05 season and has since gone on slapping, abusing, kicking and thrashing them through his performances, blew away Kamran Akmal, Mohammed Hafeez and Inzamam-ul-Haq in quick succession. Brett Lee did his bit by sending back Taufeeq Umar, and Pakistan were 38-4. Yousuf Youhana out up a brave fight, and later Razzaq and Afridi batted well, but it was all in vain. The Aussies were just too consistent in taking wickets at regular, and for the opposition, debilitating intervals. Australia romped home by 31 runs to take the VB Series.

Glenn McGrath ended a memorable season for him and his team with figures of 5-27. First his bowling in India, then the 8-24 against Pakistan at Perth, and now this; his return to his diabolical (for the opposition) ways has been sensational. Pakistan may have lost the Test series and failed against Australia in the one-dayers, but one can't help but feel that the trip would stand them in good stead for their battles against 'lesser' opposition in the near future. Sourav Ganguly and his men will underestimate them only at their own peril.

That Pakistan will give a good account of themselves on the tour of India is something that holds even if they eventually decide to tour without their 'showboy'. The alleged threat by the players to boycott the India tour if he is picked is nothing but a continuation of the tradition of controversies and 'revolts' that have dominated Pakistani cricket. In early 1982, the senior players 'rebelled' against the captaincy of Javed Miandad, and something similar happened in 1994 when Wasim Akram was captain. A hattrick of sorts has been completed in 2005.

But stranger things have happened in Pakistani cricket, so let's not be too surprised if Shoaib does make it to India along with the team, and the same players who have expressed their reservations about him, start singing his praises if he bowls a match-winning spell against the old enemy. As we all know, the only thing predictable about the Pakistani cricketers is their unpredictability.