Date-stamped : 19 Jan97 - 14:17
Report- Dawn

W.I. destroyed by pace & spin as Pakistan win 1st final

SYDNEY, Jan 18: Pakistan had a comfortable four-wicket victory
over West Indies in the first of the three finals at the Sydney
Cricket Ground (SCG). Their authority was such that they reached
the target with 11.4 overs to spare after West Indies were
restricted to 179 for 9.

Their first win in the World series final overs hot to spinners
Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Shahid Afridi who kept the
pressure on once the opening stand of 99 was broken between
Junior Murray and Sherwin Campbell. Waqar Younis, who had an
expensive first spell in which he gave away 29 runs in four
overs, when brought back was as much devastating as were the
spinners.

Later Shahid Afridi, Ijaz Ahmed and Moin Khan dominated the
proceedings as the West Indians struggled to check their victory
march. Afridi made 53, Ijaz a gritty 60 adding 71 runs for the
fifth wicket with Moin Khan to take Pakistan to within 10 runs
of victory.

The impressive performances was lauded by none other than the
Prime Minister of Australia, Mr John Howard, who visited the
dressing room to congratulate the team.

"Heartiest congratulations to all of you. You play entertaining
cricket and your boys have done a tremendous job tonight," he
said talking to Wasim Akram, the captain and Yawar Saeed,
manager of the team."

The Prime Minister, himself a cricket player and an ardent
follower of the game then shook hands with Mushtaq Mohammad and
the rest of the boys before leaving and wishing them luck in the
second final to be played at Melbourne on Monday. He was
presented an autographed team shirt by Yawar Saeed and was
invited by Wasim Akram to witness the second final. "I would
love to be there but I have work to do also," he said. Pakistan
chasing 180 for victory lost two wickets for 40 in the 11th over
after Inzamam-ul-Haq and Zahoor Elahi were out to poor shots but
Shahid Afridi and Ijaz Ahmed batted sensibly and attractively to
add 53 runs for the third wicket. Afridi reached to his third
fifty in one-day games with 8 fours and in only 50 deliveries
before being caught at long off by Courtney Walsh off Ian Bishop
for 53.

Mohammad Wasim was run out after a mix-up but Ijaz and Moin
steered the innings without much fuss taking Pakistan near the
target. Ijaz's 60 contained 3 fours in 71 balls. his dismissal
by Walsh left Pakistan win only ten runs to win which was
comfortably taken. Moin Khan hit a four and a six off successive
balls from Chanderpaul to get past the required runs.

West Indies after being put in by Wasim Akram were given a solid
start of 99 by Junior Murray and Sherwin Campbell who enjoyed
their share of luck as well as the partnership flourished.
Murray, when zero was missed off Waqar Younis in the slips - a
difficult chance but catchable. Later he also survived a run out
appeal when the television umpire decided in his favour.

Waqar bowling a wayward line was mauled for 28 runs in four
overs and had to be taken off. Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed
and Shahid Afridi wee all introduced into the attack as Akram
made quick changes to dislodge the pair. But it was Mushtaq who
broke the stand when Murray hit low down to him when 48. In the
next over Brian Lara mistimed a drive into the hands of Afridi,
the bowler, who held onto a low catch. Lara had faced only two
balls without scoring. Not much later Afridi with a faster one
bowled Campbell minutes after he had reached his fifty in 87
balls, having hit five fours.

Waqar, brought back for his second spell in the 32nd over,
devastated the middle order. He bowled Shivnarine Chanderpaul
first ball of his second spell and had Phil Simmons leg before
on the last delivery of the same over for 0. Robert Samuels was
his third victim as he forced the batsman on the back foot. in
nine balls he had taken three wickets. Afridi, with a quicker
delivery, then had Jimmy Adams leg before for 2 and suddenly
West Indies had slumped to 7 for 123 from 0 for 99. In his first
four overs Waqar, who had conceded 29 runs, had given away only
seven runs taking three wickets in his next four overs. Roland
Holder and Ian Bishop then put on 53 runs in 85 balls for a
record eighth wicket stand against Pakistan to make the score
look relatively respectable.

Jamshed Mujahid's direct throw from covers as Bishop attempted a
run resulted in Holder's demise when 32. Curtly Ambrose, the
ninth man out, was out next ball leg before to Waqar as Pakistan
restricted West Indies to 179 for 9. Waqar with 4 for 43 and
Afridi with 3 for 33 were the stars of the show.

Source::  Dawn (http://xiber.com/dawn/)


Report- Electronic Telegraph

Waqar wallops West Indies

By Peter Roebuck

AN ASTONISHING burst from Waqar Younis and an uninhibited
display from Shahid Afridi took Pakistan to victory in the
opening engagement of this World Series final.

They are quite a pair. Pakistani cricketers have a habit of
appearing out of the blue and taking over the show. Waqar is a
warrior from Burewalla, proud and imperturbable and utterly
unwilling to admit defeat. Age has not withered him.

Afridi is a youngster of indeterminate age from Peshawar, and he
bowls his leg-spin and hits the ball with the uncomplicated
relish of youth. Between them, this pair caused such
consternation in the West Indian ranks that the match was
settled in a matter of minutes.

The West Indies started superbly after being invited to bat on a
turning pitch, hurrying to 99 without loss in 25 overs. A big
total beckoned. Twenty-nine runs had been plundered from Waqar's
first four overs and he had been sent to the outfield.

Junior Murray had led the way. Ever since being sent out to open
the innings, he has batted with accomplishment and daring and
has played a large part in the revival of his team. Sherwin
Campbell was not far behind as Waqar strayed and Mushtaq Ahmed
pitched his leg-spinners short.

It hardly seemed to matter that Murray was caught and bowled at
99 because Brian Lara has been in scintillating form. But this
wicket had a remarkable effect upon the Pakistanis, who played
hereafter as if just released from a shaken bottle. Playing a
casual stroke, Lara was soon caught and bowled by Afridi.

And now the charge began. Campbell followed as he cut at
Afridi's alarming quicker ball. It is the versatility of
Pakistan's bowlers that catches the eye. They all seem capable
of extraordinary deeds so that no day is quite lost. West Indies
had sunk to 117 for three.

Now Wasim Akram, whose bowling and captaincy had impressed,
threw the ball to an aggrieved Waqar, who promptly surged, much
as he did in his greatest days, as he bowled Shivnarine
Chanderpaul behind his pads and burst through Phil Simmons'
belated defence. Simmons had arrived from South Africa to
replace injured men but he has not been playing for the first
team and some think his choice a backward step.

Waqar charged again and Robert Samuels was caught plum in front.
Afridi removed Jimmy Adams to leave the West Indies groggy at
123 for seven.

As best they could, Roland Holder and Ian Bishop rebuilt the
innings, adding 53 runs in 16 overs with some calm and latterly
deft batting. To the relief of a packed ground, the West Indies
reached 179.

Pakistan bowled well. Saqlain Mushtaq has been the spinner of
the season.

Since Saeed Anwar and Salim Malik were missing and Aamir Sohail
suspended for disciplinary reasons, some nervousness was
expected from Pakistan. Nothing of the sort occurred.
Unperturbed by the early departures of Inzamam-ul-Haq and Zahoor
Elahi, who found the pacemen too fast, Afridi was soon having
the time of his life. Perhaps Sohail's absence was a blessing is
disguise. Afridi drove the fast men back over their heads and
hit hard to leg.

Meanwhile, Ijaz Ahmed Snr again proved himself a robust and
skilful competitor as Pakistan rushed towards victory. Once the
opening bowlers were rested, batting became less hazardous and
hectic and the Pakistanis cantered to their total.

Although Afridi fell at 93, caught by Courtney Walsh as he ran
35 yards towards the boundary, and a few other wickets fell in a
final flurry, the result was never in doubt. Moin Khan is a good
man in a fight and he gave Ijaz the support he needed.

It was a match more exciting for the brilliance of the players
than the closeness of the contest. At least everyone
acknowledged that Pakistan and the West Indies were worthy
finalists.

Australian cricket is full of long faces. It is quite a sight.
Their chief executive has been ejected from office, their
captain is in trouble, their team are losing, their Shield has
been criticised by influential men, the Academy is doubted and
the team are being chopped and changed by floundering selectors.
Somehow it sounds familiar. Yesterday, a respected bigwig asked:
"Mate, what odds are England for the Ashes?" Strange days
indeed.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)

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