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Pakistan go down fighting in Cup opener

Mohali (India), May 9: Nathan Astle scored 117 and claimed four wickets as New Zealand opened the four-nation Independence Cup with a rousing 22-run win over Pakistan here on Friday.

Astle put on a record 155 for the first wicket with Bryan Young (59) and 79 for the second with Matt Horne (45) to lift New Zealand to an imposing 285 for seven after being given first strike.

Pakistan made a bold reply to the daunting task before being restricted to 263 for nine by Astle and Chris Harris, who picked up three superb catches. Pakistan's innings revolved around Shahid Afridi's typically aggressive 59 off 46 balls and useful contributions from Ijaz Ahmed (52), Salim Malik (47) and Inzamam-ul Haq (30). Pakistan were well-placed at 189 for three in the 36th over, before Astle trapped Ijaz leg before to break a 83-run stand for the fourth wicket with Malik.

Harris then picked Malik at point off Astle and took a skier from Inzamam to halt Pakistan in their tracks. Astle finished with four for 44 from eight overs to win the man of the match award without a contest. He was supported by Gavin Larsen's two wickets. The Kiwis looked set for a 300-plus score when they reached 188 for one by the 31st over, but Pakistan applied the breaks with six wickets in the space of 48 runs towards the end.

Afridi and Saeed Anwar gave Pakistan a flying start by putting on an opening stand of 45 by the seventh over. Anwar, playing his first international this year after being laid low by a myste- rious illness, made 17 before falling to a brilliant diving catch in the cov- ers by Harris. Afridi, one-day cricket's fastest centurion, survived two dropped catches by Larsen and Dipak Patel to hit two sixes and four boundaries in a spirited reply. But he undid the good work by first refusing a sharp single to run out skipper Rameez Raja (11), before being bowled himself attempt- ing a wild shot off Larsen.

Earlier, the Kiwis toyed with a depleted Pakistani attack without five regular bowlers, including pace spearheads Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, on an easy-paced batting wicket. Astle and Young rat- tled up 100 by the 15th over and 150 by the 24th, before Young was yorked by seamer Abdul Razzak with the first ball of the 25th over. As- tle, who reached his fourth one-day century in the 31st over, managed just 17 more in the next nine as Pakistan tightened their bowling and fielding. Astle was three short of equalling his highest one- day score of 120 against Zimbabwe last year when leg-spinner Afridi had him stumped by wicket-keeper Moin Khan in the 40th over. Astle hit 10 boundaries and a six each off spinners Afridi and Mohammad Hussain.

From 234 for one, New Zealand slipped to 236 for three as Horne was bowled in the next over by Saqlain Mushtaq. Saqlain kept his cool amid the mayhem to finish with three for 38 in 10 overs.