Renshaw: Dew created two different conditions for both teams

Pakistan spinners gave Australia a horrid time in the first ODI in Rawalpindi as the visitors could only score 200 runs, being sent to bat first. The target was hardly enough to pose any threat to Pakistan, less so with dew around. The home team took the chase slowly but surely, however, Matt Renshaw believes his side did as well in the conditions as they could.

Australia kept looking for a breakthrough

While the ball spun generously for Pakistan, who reaped its rewards especially with debutant Arafat Minhas picking up five wickets, Australian spinners weren't exactly treated the same way. With games getting a late start, dew has a major part to play in that, so says Renshaw.

After getting Maaz Sadaqat and Sahibzada Farhan fairly early, Australia had to wait almost 36 overs for the next wicket to fall. And when it did fall, Pakistan were within inches of victory, thanks to a 127-run stand between Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori.

"There was two different conditions out there – Pakistan obviously won the toss and bowled so they could bowl in the daytime," Matt Renshaw said speaking to media. "And then once the dew came in, it was a little bit different for our bowlers.

"I felt like our bowlers bowled really well in those conditions, made a really tough chase for Pakistan, but the Pakistani spinners are always quality."

Barring Matthew Short and Renshaw himself, none of the Australian batters could get past even 30 runs. There were a few partnerships, or in fact, attempts to stitch partnerships, but each time they were foiled as Pakistan bowlers kept making inroads regularly.

"We built a couple of really good partnerships, but unfortunately it wasn't enough," Renshaw said. "I think maybe 250-260 would have been really interesting on that wicket."

Trial by spin 

Australia aren't new to the trial by spin in the subcontinent. The side lost 3-0 to Pakistan in a T20I series earlier this year and then too, the surface made no attempts to hide their love for slower bowlers. Renshaw says his team prepared as well as they could for the spin tracks.

"That's just the nature of travelling around the world – (when) we come to the subcontinent as Australians, we know we're going to get more wickets favouring spin … and we've prepared as well as we can for that.

"There were a few balls that went really low, that spun, but that's just the way that cricket is when you come to the subcontinent."

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