"I Think We'll Get A Better Feel Tomorrow When This Game Is Finished About How Well We Are Placed In This World Cup" - Ricky Ponting

Australia lost its final group match of this World Cup after spending most of the time since it started complaining about the lack of quality opposition. Certainly on the face of things, the wash out against Sri Lanka was a hindrance but in the end you make your own luck. When the opportunities came this week to hand out crushing wins, the Australians won with comfort instead and much of that falls not on the bowlers but on the short sighted and arrogant policy of believing you can changed a hundred years of history on the sub continent and win here with a pace dominant attack.

How much must the selectors and Ponting must be missing he man they ignored all summer, Nathan Hauritz but not so much as a replacement for Krezja but as a bowling buddy. Last night, Krezja was the only spinner used, so far has the gloss been tarnished from Steve Smith. The truth is, the kid's not up for it bowling at the highest level, in much the same way as Phil Hughes can't score runs with the big boys.

Australia batted first on a wicket which was certainly playing two heights rather than two paces and although Pakistan's pace men took the majority of the wickets, it was their three spinners, Rehman, Afrida and Hafeez who won the game. The Australian batsmen are nearly all confidence players who like to feel the bat coming forward through the ball but they were choked by the spinners who gave up just 94 runs from their combined 29 overs and made all of the batsmen look uncomfortable. Clarke resisted best but in the end played a dreadful hoick across the line to Razzaq which spoke of his frustration at not being able to accelerate against the slower men. Bear in mind, he's the best player of spin in the side.

Ponting didn't even play a cameo. He struggled from the first ball and his first boundary was the shot of a man all at sea with foot work and searching for runs. Determinedly aggressive - always the sign of a man who is lost - even his best shot continues to misfire for him and he top ended like a number eleven to a ball which got big on him and it landed in uncontrolled splendour just inside the boundary behind the keeper. For those of us who wish for him to announce his impending declaration - something which might hard-weld his side long enough to win this world cup - there was one, glorious cover drive, played on the up with all of the impeccable timing of old. The inevitable kept none of us waiting and he edged Hafeez into Kamran Akmal's webbing when trying to drive/cut/glide the ball ... who knows. Its another sign that its time to go when Akmal holds a chance you offer him.

Haddin was feisty but long winded, not understanding the wicket but trying to wait it out and as usual, as interested in chat with the opposition as he was with scoring the runs Australia needed from him. He may well adopt the take no prisoners John McEnroe approach and may well believe it pumps up his performance but he often heads to the pavillion soon after such outbursts, walking carefully over the tracks of his tears.

Smith played mostly back to the ball, watching it closely and respecting the wicket and making the best of it he could. His was an impressive innings.

Pakistan won by six wickets but not before Brett Lee gave them a scare with a Lillee-like performance. He has been so impressive at this tournament. Age and injury have certainly bought a smartness to his bowling that was only seen in flashes previously. His first two spells where fabulous and kept Pakistan back on their haunches and a third, called for earlier, may have even given Australia an undeserved victory. Recalled for his last spell on the basis of overs and not the run target was a mistake by Ponting and underlines the lack of instinct he has always bought to the job. The rest of the bowlers tried but didn't have the guns to fire on this pitch or the ability to fire them. Why Smith or Clarke weren't tried is another one of those mysteries but its a fair guess they weren't on the bit of paper Tim Neilsen handed the skipper.

Against the top sides in their group, Australia notched an easy win against the Kiwis, were in an interesting position against Sri Lanka and have been embarrassed here. Their quarter final looms against India so their loved ones will be seeing them soon.