Steve thwarts Pakistan

MELBOURNE, Jan 16: Steve Waugh played a captain's knock of 81 not out to guide Australia to a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the tri-series here today, reports AFP.

In a match reduced to 41-overs-a-side due to rain, Australia recovered from 38-3 to overtake Pakistan's 176-9 with 13 deliveries to spare at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The win before 37,325 fans enabled Australia to avenge the 45-run defeat at Brisbane last week while recording their third successive win in the series.

The hosts zoomed to the top of the league table with six points from four matches. Pakistan, who suffered their first defeat, were left with four points from three games.

India, the third team in the series, had yet to open their account after three consecutive defeats. Steve Waugh, who scored 0, 23 and 4 in the previous games, made a timely return to form with his 38th half-century in 279 one-dayers. He was adjudged man-of-the-match.

He added 54 for the fourth wicket with Michael Bevan and 85 for the fifth with Damien Martyn, who remained unbeaten on 39.

As Australia cruised to victory, Pakistan were left to rue the spilled chance by wicketkeeper Moin Khan off Saqlain Mushtaq when Waugh was on 60 and 44 runs still remained for a win.

The defeat ruined captain Wasim Akram's party at setting a Pakistani record for most one-day appearances, surpassing former skipper Salim Malik's tally of 283.

The Australian openers hit 32 in the first four overs - Adam Gilchrist making 21 off 13 balls - when Pakistan hit back through their pace sensation Shoaib Akhtar.

Shoaib, coming on in the fifth over, trapped Gilchrist leg before with his first delivery and then had Ricky Ponting caught at second slip off his fourth ball.

The hosts slipped to 38-3 in the seventh over when Yousuf Youhana effected the first of his two run outs to get rid of Mark Waugh for 12.

Bevan, who completed 4,000 one-day runs on his way to 15, helped Waugh boost the score when he fell to another direct throw by Youhana in the 22nd over.

Earlier, Shane Lee picked up three for 24, including two wickets in one over, after Australia sent Pakistan to bat in overcast conditions.

Opener Saeed Anwar made 49 and Abdur Razzaq hit an unbeaten 51 off 54 balls, but six batsmen failed to reach double figures.

The pugnacious Razzaq led a late charge in which the last three wickets added 70 runs after Pakistan were struggling at 106-7 in the 31st over.

Wajahatullah Wasti, who replaced Shahid Afridi, made eight when he edged a rising ball from Glenn McGrath to wicketkeeper Gilchrist.

Ijaz Ahmed failed to score, falling to a contentious leg-before decision by umpire Peter Parker when the ball hit the batsman high on the pads.

Inzamamul Haq was the next man to go for eight, slashing at Shane Lee for Andrew Symonds to pick up a diving catch at point.

Anwar and Youhana carried the score from 42-3 to 87 when both batsmen fell in successive overs.

Left-handed Anwar pulled Symonds high to mid-wicket where Bevan ran to his right to take the skier.

In the next over, Shane Lee had Youhana caught at short mid-wicket for 20 and then forced Akram to edge the last ball to Gilchrist.

Martyn held another good running catch on the square-leg fence to remove Moin for five, before Razzaq and Saqlain added 38 for the eighth wicket.

Razzaq hit four boundaries, including two stunning straight drives against McGrath, before losing Waqar Younis off the final delivery.