Almost as Pakistan had done, there was early success for Australia when Shahid Afridi edged to be caught behind by Gilchrist off the bowling of Gillespie for one and Pakistan 9-1.

A conservative partnership followed between Taufeeq Umar and Saleem Elahi before Umar attempted to pull the second ball of Brett Lee’s first spell only succeeding in top edging an easy catch to Brad Hogg at backward square leg. Pakistan had lost its second wicket for 38.

Inzamam-ul-Haq lasted three overs, scoring six, before he pushed down the wrong line at Glen McGrath to give Gilchrist his second catch of the match and Pakistan 49/3 in the fifteenth over.

The Pakistan 50 came up in 95 balls and 71 minutes including seven fours.

Elahi, after having scored a tidy 30 off 39, was done by the lack of pace from Ian Harvey who had just replaced Brett Lee. Not adjusting to the slower bowler Elahi got through the shot too earlier scooping a high catch to Lee at mid on. Pakistan was now in trouble at 81/4 in the 20th over and in danger of a loss.

Yousuf Youhana, caressing some well timed drives, and Younis Khan looked to put a partnership together and after 25 overs had taken Pakistan to 103/4 with Youhana on 27 and Khan on eight.

To make matters even worse, Waqar Younis was removed from the attack in the 49th over. Umpire David Shepherd taking exception for the bowling of a second beamer at Symonds. The first might have been a slip, for which Younis apologised, but the second sent the batsman scrambling in an attempt to get out of the way. Without an apology Younis continued down the pitch with a lot words for the batsman. Umpire Shepherd immediately intervened and severely censured the captain for his conduct and removed him from the attack. Without showing any remorse Younis threw the ball to Afridi and walked away under load disapproval from the crowd.

Earlier Ponting had gone to his 50 in 51 balls after spending 117 minutes at the crease. Having come in under a bit of pressure he weathered that and then played a little gem of an innings before being caught in the slip area off Akhtar for 53 and Australia 146 for five, a partnership of 60 with Symonds.

More entertainment was to come with Symonds showing why he is so highly rated by the Australians. Hitting the ball with tremendous power he almost unnoticeably moved into the 50’s off 33 balls (21 minutes) and then went to his 100 in 98 minutes off 92 balls including 15 fours. By the time the innings came to an end, Symonds had scored 143 off 129 balls.

His innings included two important milestones, the highest one-day international score at the Wanderers and the highest score for Australia in a World Cup match.

The Pakistan bowlers, giving away 21 runs in wides and no-balls, just never got it together, but at the same time were never given the chance to settle down. With early wickets going down they never allowed the run rate to drop below five which added and maybe fuelled the Pakistan frustration.

A hostile beginning from Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar greeted Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, on a pitch that was showing quite a lot of movement after the rain of the previous evening.

Gilchrist (1) was first to fall when attempting to turn the ball onto the leg side, he somehow got it off the back of the bat, scooped high to mid wicket, where Waqar Younis held on to give Akram the wicket and Australia 10/1 in the third over.

Hayden followed with Australia on 52 when he dragged one into the stumps chopping at one just outside the off. Looking threatening and quite prepared to hit the ball in the air, Hayden left with 27 runs off 41 balls including three fours.

Damien Martyn was bowled first ball by a beauty from Akram that pitched back of a length, cut back with lift and deflected off the inside edge into the top of the stumps.

Jimmy Maher did well to get the bat out of the way for the hat-trick ball but became the forth wicket when he wafted at one away from the body to edge to keeper Rashid Latif for nine and Australia 86/4.

The Australian 100 came up in 96 minutes off 126 balls including 12 boundaries, with captain Ricky Ponting stroking six of them, three each to both sides of the wicket.

At the halfway mark Ponting had moved to 49 runs with Andrew Symonds on 24 and Australia 132/4.

Spectators at the ground were shocked at the early morning news that Shane Warne will be returning to Australia after failing a drug test after team practice yesterday afternoon. More on this breaking news as it becomes available.

Pakistan has won the toss and elected to field first on what looks like a cracker of a pitch. His decision to field first may have something to do with a thunderstorm last yesterday so conditions early this morning will assist his bowlers.

Australia team: ML Hayden, +AC Gilchrist, *RT Ponting, DR Martyn, JP Maher, A Symonds, GB Hogg, IJ Harvey, B Lee, JN Gillespie, GD McGrath, AJ Bichel (12th man).

Pakistan team: Taufeeq Umar, Shahid Afridi, Saleem Elahi, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, *Waqar Younis, Abdur Razzaq, +Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami (12th man).