Waqar strikes again as Pakistan crush Australia by 36 runs

Nottingham, June 19: Pakistan captain Waqar Younis followed up his seven for 36 against England by taking six for 59 as his side beat Australia by 36 runs in their triangular tournament day/night one-day International here at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.

The dress rehearsal for Saturday's Lord's final threatened to be overshadowed by crowd trouble, following on from the pitch invasion of mainly Pakistan upporters against England at Headingley on Sunday, when fireworks forced world champions Australia off the field for 18 minutes.

The temporary plastic fencing did not make much of an impact although this time around the pitch invasion happened after Pakistan had won the match, not before.

This was Australia's first defeat in the competition although they had rested fast bowler Glenn McGrath and in-form batsman Ricky Ponting.

But Pakistan's 290 for nine was made without Inzamam-Ul-Haq.

A sixth wicket stand of 77 between Australia captain Steve Waugh and Andrew Symonds threatened to take the game away from Pakistan but Waqar dismissed both batsmen in the space of three balls in his comeback over to leave Australia 190 for seven in the 32nd over.

Waugh had faced 89 balls for his 56 including eight fours before being well-caught by Saqlain Mushtaq at deep mid-off while the powerful Symonds (35 from 49 balls including six fours) holed out to substitute Imran Nazir at deep midwicket who eventually clung on to a juggled catch.

There was no way back for Australia although number ten Damien Fleming made a spirited 22 not out.

Earlier Waugh led his team off the field when a firework was thrown over the boundary rope and narrowly missed fast bowler Brett Lee at fine leg, withPakistan 250 for six off 45 overs. The firework had been thrown from a stand largley made up of Pakistan fans, most of whom live in England.

Waugh, who has been highly critical of the authorities' failure to control crowds in England took his team off the field.

His move was no surprise as he had already told a pre-match press conference: "If it gets out of control, we will be off the ground until they get it right. If you feel threatened and in danger, you let the umpires know and go off."

Australia's innings begun with a mixture of wickets and fours, mainly from the flashing blade of wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist.

Waqar struck with his second ball, Mark Waugh on nought edging behind where wicket-keeper Rashid Latif took a superb one-handed catch diving to his right.

Then five for one became six for two when Matthew Hayden to the eighth ball of the over (Waqar bowled two wides) could not keep out a vicious inswing delivery, the left-hander also going for nought.

There was some confusion about his dismissal, the scoreboard saying caught behind although the ball had hit him on the toe. Michael Bevan (five) could do nothing about an inswing delivery and was bowled by Waqar.

Meanwhile at the other end Gilchrist was hitting the ball to all parts of the ground, the left-hander particularly severe on Waqar driving and pulling him for magnificent fours.

The captain's second over went for 17 and Australia's fifty came up in the seventh over.

Gilchrist's half-century came from just 29 balls including 11 fours although Younis Khan failed to hold onto a stinging third slip chance when the keeper was on eight.

But then off-spinner Saqlain struck with two wickets in four balls. First a charging Gilchrist was clean bowled middle stump for 70.

Then Damien Martyn (two) was undone by an extraordinary ball that pitched on leg-stump took the outside edge and was caught at first slip by Azhar Mahmood. Australia were now 113 for five in the 14th over but Waugh and Symonds then staged an impressive recovery.

Earlier Salim Elahi's 79 and a rapid 28 not out from Wasim Akram off just 15 balls including two sixes and a four helped Pakistan reach their total.

Australia displayed unusual slackness in the field and on a good batting pitch Pakistan's batsmen took advantage.

Opener Salim, caught off a no-ball on six, faced 91 balls including eight fours.

Meanwhile Fleming's first over in the tournament was something else.

He conceded three leg-side wides, was glanced for four by Saeed Anwar and then saw the same player dropped by Gilchrist.

Lee then took two quick wickets. First he had Saeed lbw for 34 and then Abdur Razzaq (five) was well caught at mid-off by a leaping Fleming.

Salim and Yousuf Youhana shared a stand of 93 before the latter was well-stumped by Gilchrist off Shane Warne for 44.

The leg-spinner also had Salim lbw but the bowling honours went to Waqar, man-of-the-match for the second succesive game.