Perth - Australia beat Pakistan by two wickets and claimed a 5-0 whitewash in the fifth and final one-day international (ODI) at the WACA, Perth, on Sunday.

Chasing an tricky target of 213 on an uneven pitch, Australia were put on the backfoot by losing Brad Haddin in the sixth over, but Shaun Marsh and Ricky Ponting steadied the chase until Marsh departed for 25.

The visitors, who fielded with gusto and bowled with intent, dragged themselves back into the game, as they took the wickets of Ponting (55), Adam Voges and James Hopes within 28 runs, to have the hosts in a spot of bother on 150/6.

Michael Hussey (40 not out), who has found his formidable form again in this series, was the anchor at the one end, as first Mitchell Johnson and then Nathan Hauritz defied Pakistan with little cameos to take the hosts closer to the target.

In the end, it was Man of the Series, Ryan Harris, who pulled his first delivery to the midwicket boundary to take the scores level with four balls remaining, and a no-ball off Iftikhar Anjum sealed Pakistan's fate in the final over of the innings.

Stand-in skipper, Shahid Afridi was the pick of the attack with 2/31 off his 10 overs.

Mohammad Yousuf was gracious in defeat, "They were better than us in all areas, they were the better team. We played really well today, came close, but Ponting and Hussey batted well. They are a really professional side, they don't take pressure, they make good plans, and execute them."

Ponting was happy with his team's form in the last few series.

"It's been a good series, and we have been a very good one-day team in the last few series. We have got a lot of belief in the team, when you have got that belief, it's easy for the guys coming in to do well. Looking back, that bad run of injuries in India gave these young guys chances, and they have taken them with both chances."

Earlier, having won the toss, Pakistan were dismissed for 212, three balls short of their 50 overs.

Pakistan's top order have not fired consistently this series, and it was no different this time, as they lost both openers with no runs on the board, and Younis Khan for three to find themselves in heaps of trouble on 16/3.

Once again, though, it was the youngster, Umar Akmal, together with Shoaib Malik, who stepped up to the plate with a fourth wicket partnership of 60.

When Malik went, Fawad Alam joined Akmal, and the pair sparked some hope in Pakistan's hearts, taking the score to 158 before Akmal went for 67, his fourth ODI half-century.

Harris, looking for his third successive five-wicket haul to equal the feat of Waqar Younis, made the best of his current purple patch, to dismiss the danger-man Shahid Afridi for a single, followed by Naved-ul-Hasan for eight.

Alam reached his second ODI fifty, but became Clint McKay's final victim as the latter joined in the festivities, claiming the final two wickets with successive balls.

Man of the Match, McKay finished with figures of 9.3-3-35-4 and Ryan Harris took his ODI wicket tally to 14 in only his fourth match, with 3/44.

Said McKay after the match, "Definitely representing your country is what you grow up dreaming about. So I am enjoying being with the team, and hope it lasts for a bit."

Harris felt he was close to being his best.

"A month ago I was doing rehab for my knee injury, so I am pretty surprised. It's good to be around with the guys. The move to Gabba has helped me, but it's not the sole reason for my being picked. It's pretty hard to break into this side, and I saw the first two match, and thought, 'Gee it's good to be out here.'"

Teams:

Australia: SE Marsh, BJ Haddin (wk), RT Ponting (capt), CL White, AC Voges, MEK Hussey, JR Hopes, NM Hauritz, CJ McKay, RJ Harris, MG Johnson
Pakistan: Salman Butt, Khalid Latif, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Shahid Afridi (capt), Shoaib Malik, Naved-ul-Hasan, Iftikhar Anjum, Mohammad Asif, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk)