Matthew Walker produced the bowling spell of a cricketing lifetime for a journeyman player when taking five Pakistan wickets for 29 runs for Wellington at the Basin Reserve today.

The fourth-change bowler in the side, he bowls an innocuous looking form of medium pace.

While his faster team-mates had created some form of mayhem among the top order when the ball was moving around and catching the edges of Pakistani bats, Walker came on to bowl with Pakistan looking to get back on top with the score 123/4.

But with his first ball Walker, who could be described as being of solid build and ideally placed not to be ever blown off balance by the winds which more often than not buffet the ground, turned the game around.

He had Younis Khan, easily the most proficient of the Pakistan batsmen on the day, out when he attempted to lob Walker's first ball over mid on.

Fieldsman Mark Jefferson, in his eagerness to get to the high chance, slipped as he moved across to get into good position. He recovered, although off balance, to put a hand in the air to drag the catch in and then set about righting himself.

It was a vital blow. Younis had been in outstanding form in getting to 73, scored off 96 balls. He hit 12 fours and a six, and brought up his 50 off 68 balls.

"It was a bit unexpected. I came on to bowl maidens, to build up pressure at the other end and to bowl with the person at the other end.

"It was a bit of a surprise to get a wicket first ball," Walker said.

"It has only been this year that I've had a lot of bowling to do. I only had five wickets before this season and I've got about 18 or 20 now.

"I've been working at improving my bowling and it has just come on this year, but I still see myself as a batsman who bowls. I'm not the quickest but I get it through at a reasonable clip," he said.

Walker's aim is to bowl a demanding line and length because he knows as a batsman that it is not necessarily the pace you bowl but where you concentrate your bowling.

"I want it to be as testing for them as possible and to apply as much pressure as I can. It's a case of out-waiting them so that they make the mistake.

"That was probably what happened to Younis today. He thought to himself, 'Here's a part-timer, I'll have a go at him.' The ball probably came onto him a little quicker than he expected and he hit one up in the air." It was at that point he was pleased the fieldsman was Jefferson.

"He must have stumbled as he started to go for it but he recovered well and did very well to take the catch. It is good to have him there, he's so agile. A lot of players wouldn't have recovered like that," Walker said.

The match was there for Wellington to make a good impression, even if Walker felt the side was a little underdone compared to when it finished the Trophy season three weeks ago.

"They are an international side and while they may have rested three or four of the their top players, they are still representing their country. We bowled pretty well against them and in good channels and to get five wickets against an international side is a real thrill," he said.

"Our batsmen have gone out and been positive and so far it's going well."

The fact the Wellington Cricket Association was celebrating 125 years of existence this weekend had not been a factor in the team's approach. That had been more the case earlier in the season when with about four rounds to go, and their fate in their own hands, the Wellington players thought it would be good to win the Trophy in such a significant season.

"But this is an international match where you match up with players at the next level of the game to see where you stand. I always like competing and it would be nice to win against an international side," he said.

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