Pakistan crush Scotland

By John Houlihan

Pakistan beat Scotland by the margin of 94 runs in their second Group B match at the Riverside stadium, Chester-Le-Street. The Scots made early breakthroughs reducing the Pakistanis to 95-5 at one stage, but a classy 81 from Yousuf Yahana, supported by 47 from Moin Khan and a belligerent 37 from Wasim Akram allowed Pakistan to post a match winning total of 261-6.

Wasim and pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar then ran through the Scottish top order to leave them at 19-5 and, in spite of a defiant knock of from all-rounder Gavin Hamilton, the Scots were never in the game finishing on 167 all out.

Conditions were perfect for the start with bright sunshine bathing a Riverside stadium which was staging its first ever one-day international. Scottish captain George Salmond won the toss and elected to field. Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi opened the Pakistan innings but as soon as the second over Asim Butt troubled Anwar with a ball which caught a flying edge and fell just short of Salmond at slip. Soon after Afridi perished for just 7 as he attempted a cocky single and was well run-out by a direct hit from Ian Stanger.

In spite of the loss of an early wicket, there was strong vocal support for the Pakistanis with klaxons sounding every time they found the boundary and some good natured chanting and banter between both sets of supporters. Abdul Razzaq joined Anwar in the middle, but Butt continued to find some swing from the South Terrace end and in the eighth over he snared Anwar, who found a faint edge which Alec Davies collected to leave the Pakistanis on 35-2.

Yorkshire all-rounder Gavin Hamilton bowled with good pace but the Scots conceded far too many extras which made up over half of the Pakistani total by the 15th over. Inzimam and Razzaq were in reflective mood, as they looked to consolidate the innings but just as the batsman appeared to settle, Scotland made another breakthrough as James Brinkley pinned Razzaq on the crease LBW and Pakistan suddenly found themselves in the precarious position of 55-3.

Scotland's sensational start continued and the vastly experienced Saleem Malik faced just three balls before he was trapped plumb in front by Hamilton. With Pakistan reduced to 60-4 the Scottish supporters sensed an upset while the usually vocal Pakistani fans were silent, concerned by their team's poor start. However Scotland's wayward bowling had contributed 38 extras to the Pakistani total of 74-4 and without this bonus, Pakistan would have been in serious trouble.

Inzimam and Yousuf Youhana attempted to turn the innings around, but when off-spinner Nick Dye entered the attack he had immediate success, having the dangerous Inzimam-ul-Haq stumped for 12 by Alec Davies with Pakistan on 92-5. Keeper and vice-captain Moin Khan joined Youhana and the pair raised the Pakistan hundred in the 30th over.

As the innings came to its conclusion, Moin and Youhana were more aggressive, pushing singles and trying to find the boundary whenever they could. With extras notching up their own half-century and outscoring the Pakistani batsman, Moin swept Dyer to eventually bring up the 150 which brought relieved cheers from the Pakistani fans. Youhana was in good touch and moved inexorably towards his own fifty, while Moin swept and reverse swept Dyer as the sixth wicket pair's scoring began to accelerate. Ian Stanger and the recalled Blain bowled well at the death for Scotland, but Youhana drove Stanger through the covers to bring up a gritty fifty from 99 balls in the 44th over, in a half-century which included just three boundaries. The pair scampered some quick singles to move the score along, but just as Moin looked in sight of his own fifty, he swept Gavin Hamilton to backward square leg for 47 made from just 41 deliveries. With five overs to go, captain Wasim Akram joined Youhana and the crowd expected fireworks. Akram duly obliged, smiting Butt for two enormous sixes and finishing unbeaten on 37 from just 19 balls. Youhana also finished unbeaten on 81 and Pakistan posted a competitive total of 261-6 after their earlier reverses, while in spite of a good start, the Scots set a new world record of 59 extras.

Scotland opened with Bruce Patterson and Iain Phillip, but got off to the worst possible start when Wasim Akram clean bowled Patterson from the fourth ball of the very first over. Shoaib Akhtar charged in from the South Terrace end working up a fearful speed and beat newcomer Mike Smith for pace to leave Scotland struggling at 5-2.

Urged on by the Pakistani faithful, Akhtar settled into a venomous opening spell which removed Phillip lbw to leave the Scots faltering at 9-3 and skipper George Salmond joined Ian Stanger at the crease, but with both Akhtar and Akram consistently beating the outside edge their prospects for survival seemed unlikely. But Stanger played straight and with Salmond starting to find the occasional gap, Scotland's chances of achieving at least respectability seemed to improve. However Akhtar soon struck again, catching the edge of Salmond's bat to provide a regulation catch for Moin. Scotland were 16-4 with Akhtar's pace troubling every incoming batman and Scottish hopes seemed to rest with experienced all-rounder Gavin Hamilton, but he could only look on as Akram scattered Stanger's stumps for 3 to leave Scotland on a lamentable 19-5. The sheer speed of the Pakistani pacemen was causing absolute havoc and the Scots seemed to have no ready answer.

Wasim introduced Ahzhar Mahmood and Abdul Razzaq into the attack. The score crawled along to 35-5 in the 15th over, with Hamilton immaculate in judging which balls to play and which to leave and the temporary cessation of wickets allowed the Scottish fans to raise a ragged chorus of 'Tartan army'.

As Hamilton grew in confidence he started to play some strokes but eventually lost his partner Brinkley in the 26th over, as he top edged Saqlain Mushtaq and was caught by Moin for a well compiled 22. The pair had put on 54 for the sixth wicket and with the Scots at 78-6, wicket keeper Alec Davies strode to the crease with Pakistani supporters dancing noisily around the ground as they sensed the impending victory.

With the Scots needing 155 from the last 20 at nearly eight an over, Hamilton was struck by a ball from Mahmood, but continued his resistance striking two powerful sixes in the same over off Saqlain which rattled the boards in front of the press box and took him to 49. Wasim re-introduced Akhtar in an effort to wrap things up, but after just one over he left the field for treatment on a sore knee. With the Scots fans in raptures, Hamilton nudged Saqlain around the corner to bring up a stylish fifty from 90 balls, which was a class above anything his team-mates could offer and was the first half-century made by a Scotsman in the World Cup. With the score on 139, Davies departed for 19, edging a full toss from Razzaq into the waiting arms of sub fielder Wajahat Wasti at point to leave the Scots seven down.

John Blain was LBW to Razzaq for a duck as the Scots lost their eighth wicket. There was just time for a tiring Hamilton to strike Shahid Afridi for another six, before Razzaq nipped in to mop up Asim Butt, who edged him to Moin for 1. At 160-9, any lingering Scottish hopes were in tatters and when Wasim Akram brought himself back into the attack he defeated Hamilton who played a tired looking stroke and was bowled for a magnificent 76 leaving Nick Dyer unbeaten on 1.

The Teams - Pakistan: Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Saleem Malik, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Azhar Mahmood, Moin Khan (WK), Wasim Akram (Capt), Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Wajahat Wasti

Scotland: Bruce Patterson, Iain Phillip, Mike Smith, Ian Stanger, George Salmond (Capt), Gavin Hamilton, James Brinkley, Alec Davies (WK), John Blain, Asim Butt, Nick Dyer, Greig Williamson