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Waging Waugh Australia leads Carlton & United series
Posted: Sunday January 16, 2000 12:15 PM
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Captain Steve Waugh scored an unbeaten 81 Sunday as Australia scored a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in a tri-series limited-overs match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In a match reduced to 41 overs because of rain, Australia passed Pakistan's 176-9 with six wickets and 13 balls to spare thanks to Waugh. He was named Man of the Match after his first half-century in limited-overs matches since the World Cup semifinal against South Africa in June. The victory took Australia two points clear of Pakistan with six points from four matches and avenged a loss last week in Brisbane. The Australian skipper came to the wicket with his side in trouble at 42-3 and with Pakistan on a high after dismissing Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh within the space of two overs. "It was important for me to get some runs," Waugh said. "I've always said I want to earn my place in the side as a batsman and not be carried and just be in because I'm captain." Gilchrist had threatened to smash Australia to a quick victory, just as he did in the World Cup final against Pakistan, when he belted 21 off 13 balls including a six over mid-on off Waqar Younis. At that stage Australia was 32-0 off four overs with Younis and skipper Wasim Akram taking a hammering. However Akram then produced a masterstroke which until Steve Waugh's arrival threatened to win the game for his side. Akram decided to spell himself after just two overs for 14, bringing on Shoaib Akhtar who had Gilchrist lbw first ball. Ponting went three balls later, caught at second slip for a duck, his second in a row since taking over the vice-captaincy from the injured Shane Warne. And when Mark Waugh was run out after a mix-up by Michael Bevan in the next over for 12, Pakistan began to sense victory. However Waugh's methodical innings took the game out of their grasp as he brought up his 50 off 58 balls, a quick scoring rate considering he hit just four boundaries. And after Michael Bevan departed for 15 off 47 balls, Waugh received good support from Damien Martyn, who remained 39 not out. Earlier Pakistan had again showed its fighting qualities with the bat, recovering from a poor start for the third consecutive match. After slumping to 60-6 and 71-6 in its first two matches only to post winning totals, Pakistan was 92-6 Sunday before allrounder Abdul Razzaq rescued the innings with a superb 51 not out off 54 balls. It turned out to be about 20 runs short of a winning total. Meanwhile, Australia made one change to its 13-man squad for the last four preliminary matches with Victorian state allrounder Ian Harvey replacing seamer Adam Dale, who is suffering from tendinitis in his shoulder.
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