NatWest Series, 2001, Final Australia v Pakistan Lord's, London 23 June 2001 (50-over match)

Result: Australia won by 9 Wickets- Match Report - Bevan Hit by Beer Can

Toss: Pakistan (elected to bat)

Umpires: DR Shepherd and P Willey

 

Toss and Pakistan Innings :

Waqar Younis won the toss this morning and, on a batting wicket and clear blue sky, elected to bat first in the NatWest Series final against Australia at Lord's. Pakistan made one expected change to their side, Inzamam, recovered from his hand injury, coming back in at the expense of Iqbal, the promising youngster.

Australia, as I mentioned in my last report have made three changes to their side that demolished England on Thursday: Damien Martyn, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne come back in; Hayden, Symonds and Fleming miss out at Lord's.

The wicket has been used in a previous game this season and although a batting wicket, it is expected to show sign of wear and possible inconsistent movement later in the day, a good toss to win and the right decision for Pakistan.

However, after a tight opening spell from McGrath and to some extent Gillespie, the Pakistan team found themselves in all sorts of trouble early on, McGrath taking Elahi's (10) wicket with the score on 28 in the 7th over. Youhana and Anwar seemed to have steadied the ship until Harvey came on and proceeded to have Anwar caught by Bevan in the last ball of the 14th over.

Mixing their deliveries with slow and quick balls, Harvey and Lee bowled with great accuracy and guile. Lee who has suffered since coming back from injury bowled very tightly, his first 8 overs costing only 20 runs. Youhana and Khan both fell with the score on 60, Ponting hitting the stumps with a superb throw to run out the flamboyant batsman, and Lee taking Khan's wicket - Warne taking a great catch in the slips. Lee and Warne combined once again to take Pakistan's 5th wicket, Razzaq the man to fall for a quickfire 24.

Steve Waugh brought Warne into the attack and before too long he was responsible for the 6th wicket to fall with the score on 102, Inzamam adjudged leg before wicket for 23. In a ball that continued to go straight on, Inzamam felt himself unlucky to be given out after taking a big stride forward, although umpire Willey had no hesitation to give him out. The Pakistan batsman showing a hint of dissent remained motionless for what seemed an eternity until Shepherd hurried him on his way to the dressing room with a quick 'On yer bike'.

Although bowling an expensive spell, Warne turned the ball effortlessly and often bamboozled the Pakistan batsman. Eight runs later, Warne took his second wicket, clean bowling Mahmood who never looked comfortable against the Victorian spin King.

Akram joined Latif and the pair prompted a wag in the tail advancing the total by 41 runs before Latif became Warne's third victim, bowled around his legs for 23 in the spinners final over, bowling unchanged. The Pakistan side only managed to score one more run as Gillespie bowled Akram with an inside edge and Harvey who had once again showed he was a first class player had Waqar Younis trapped leg before without scoring

Australian Innings :

 

The final that held so much promise turned out to be nothing more than a practice match for a rampant Australian side who never once looked like loosing this match.

Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist too their time in the first few overs, ensuring that no careless mistakes were made and to build a solid foundation for their teammates. The Pakistan bowling really was ordinary, for the captain it seemed a match too far as he bowed out of his international career in England with a whimper conceding 32 runs off his 5 overs.

Mark Waugh was the only victim of the innings, run out while going for a third run of Youhana at square leg. Waugh was slowly starting to show some of the form that has so far eluded him on this tour when he fell for 36 off 43 balls in an opening partnership of 78 with Gilchrist.

Ponting and Gilchrist wasted no time and immediately took the attack to the Pakistan bowlers. Gilchrist reached his half-century off only 77 balls, a lot slower than the 29 required to reach the same landmark on Thursday! The knock marked Adam's third consecutive half century as he warmed up for the Ashes Test series less than two weeks away. The other two knocks were at Trent Bridge (70) and The Oval (80).

Only Akram showed any true grit, conceding only 15 runs in his 7 overs, Razzaq went for 40 runs in 5 overs, Mushtaq struggled for line and length going for 50 runs in his 8 overs, and by the time Younis used Mahmood it was over, the 5th bowler going for 18 runs in only 9 balls.

Australia won the match with 23.3 overs to spare and by 9 wickets, yet another convincing win under the captaincy of Steve Waugh. Gilchrist was rightly named man of the match and although Waqar Younis was unsuccessful today, he received the award for man of the series, a great achievement for his final tour abroad.