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Pakistan win again

Thursday, December 4 2003

The hosts chose to bat on winning the toss, and openers Yasir Hameed and Imran Farhat proved immovable to the New Zealand attack, as they batted through to the 31st over in adding 142. It wasn't the aquickest of opening stands, but it laid the foundation, and eventually it was Kerry Walmsley who got the breakthrough, Craig Cumming taking the catch to dismiss Hameed for 63 from 95 balls.

In spite of the lack of wickets, the attack was able to keep the runs down to an extent, and eventually Daniel Vettori struck, as Farhat gave up a catch to Hamish Marshall in the 38th over. He fell 9 short of his century, making his runs off 110 balls, and the score was 183-2.

Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq came out to bat at 4, to the dismay of the home fans, who were hoping to see the destroyer from the first 2 games, Abdul Razzaq, enter the fray.

In the event, the skipper did start the acceleration, hammering 3 fours in an 18-ball 25 before being bowled by his opposite number, Chris Cairns. With Yousuf Youhana, he added 53 in just 38 balls, and with just 35 balls to go the score was up to 236, as the crowd got their wish of Razzaq.

What followed was pure carnage, as Razzaq and Youhana added a further 53 in just 3 overs, and a good score was becoming a massive one. Youhana was the man to fall, for 64 from 53 balls, as another catch for Marshall giving Matthew Walker his first wicket in One Day Internationals.

Shoaib Malik came and went for a little cameo with 15 from 7 balls before giving Walker a return catch off the first ball of the final over.

Walker actually picked up 3 wickets and conceded only 6 runs in that final over, with Razzaq caught for 34 from just 16 balls and keeper Moin Khan for 1.

Walker therefore finished with 4-49 from 7 overs, as Pakistan closed on 314-7.

Cumming started off well in pursuit, but facing the pace of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Sami, it wasn't to last and he fell for 10 from 8 balls to Shoaib.

Sami was able to combine pace with economy, as he conceded a mere 11 runs from his 5 over opening spell.

Razzaq had replaced Shoaib, and proceeded to open with not one, but 2 consecutive 5 ball overs, Dave Orchard having presumably lost his marbles!

So it was with his 12th legitimate ball (the 2nd ball of his 3rd over!) that Razzaq removed Richard Jones for a laboured 23 from 49 balls - the run rate was rapidly climbing, and by the 20th over, it was over 8 per over, with no prospect of coming down the way Matt Sinclair and Marshall were batting.

Finally Sinclair was run out for 32 from 55 balls, the stand of 23 occupying 7 overs and the game was all but up.

Intriguingly, Chris Harris came in at number 5 in a situation that clearly called for someone a bit more aggressive, and although he played his natural game, and Marshall continued to push the ball around, but big shots were needed, and when the pair were finally separated, with Sami bowling Harris for 46, they'd added 107 in 20 overs, and the team needed 127 more from just 51 balls.

Mr Orchard tried to help out in the 43rd over by allowing a 7th ball, but New Zealand needed more than just that, as Sami dismissed Cairns and Brendon McCullum to make it 213-5 with 29 balls to go, Marshall was unbeaten on 73 at that point.

Walker hit Sami for 2 boundaries, to somewhat dent his figures and he was withdrawn after 8 fine overs for 22 runs and 3 wickets.

With the game up, Inzamam tried a few part time bowlers, as Farhat picked up his maiden ODI wicket with the stumping of Walker, and Marshall was able to capitalise to reach his century in the final over before the innings closed on 263-7 for another heavy defeat.

PAKISTAN 314-7 (Farhat 91, Youhana 64, Hameed 63, Walker 4-49)
NEW ZEALAND 263-7 (Marshall 101*, Harris 46, Sami 3-22)

Cricketweb Man of the Match: Mohammed Sami - The target was hard enough without a superb spell of bowling from the rising star of Pakistani Fast Bowling.

Posted by Marc