ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Pakistan's spinners again proved effective Monday, restricting Australia to 198 for seven wickets in the third one-day international.

Although pace bowler Umar Gul claimed three wickets, leg-spinner Shahid Afridi took 2-31 and off-spinner Shoaib Malik 1-22 to tie down the Australians in the middle overs at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Australia captain Michael Clarke scored the only half-century, hitting 66 off 93 balls with eight fours, while Callum Ferguson made 41.

The five-match series is tied at 1-1.

After Clarke won the toss and elected to bat, Australia's openers James Hopes and Brad Haddin put on 28 in 33 balls before the loss of two wickets slowed the team's run rate.

Hopes tried to steal a single but was run out by Pakistan captain Younis Khan in the sixth over. Four balls later, Shane Watson played a delivery from Gul onto his stumps and Australia was 28-2.

Haddin then got bogged down, especially after the introduction of the spinners, while Clarke hit three fours in five deliveries, including a superb straight drive.

Haddin was bowled by Malik after going too far across his stumps to be out for 26 from 55 balls, leaving Australia on 74-3 in the 20th over.

Andrew Symonds, who hit a half-century and took two wickets in the last game to help Australia level the series, was trapped leg-before-wicket on 7 to Afridi.

Australia's strategy to negotiate the spinners in the middle overs and then attack failed when Afridi caught and bowled Clarke in the 39th over just after he took the batting powerplay.

Afridi had taken six wickets in the first match and two in the second.

J. Hopes run out 15

B. Haddin b Malik 26

S. Watson b Gul 0

M. Clarke c & b Afridi 66

A. Symonds lbw b Afridi 7

C. Ferguson c Tanvir b Gul 41

D. Hussey c Arafat b Gul 10

N. Hauritz not out 19

N. Bracken not out 2

Extras: (3b, 3lb, 2nb, 4w) 12

Overs: 50.

Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-28, 3-74, 4-91, 5-144, 6-168, 7-188.

Did not bat: S. Clark, B. Hilfenhaus.

Bowling: Gul 8-0-38-3 (1w), Tanvir 6-1-28-0 (1w), Arafat 7-1-31-0 (1nb, 2w), Afridi 10-2-31-2 , Malik 10-2-22-1, Ajmal 9-0-42-0.

Toss: Aus

Umpires: B. Bowden and A. Rauf

Third umpire: N. Ghauri (Pak)

Match Referee: J. Crowe (NZ)