Cricket: Pakistani pace proves decisive

Pakistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 and 174

New Zealand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264 and 93

Pakistan won by 33 runs

LIKE England last summer, New Zealand found the Pakistani pace pair, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, too hot to handle yesterday. The fast bowlers took five wickets each as the Kiwis were dismissed for 93 with more than a day to spare in the one-off Test match in Hamilton.

New Zealand, needing a modest 127 to win, were beaten by 33 runs. Waqar, who passed 100 Test wickets when he bowled Chris Harris, finished with 5 for 22, while Wasim took 5 for 45.

However, their successes with the ball could not disguise the complete lack of form shown by the Pakistani batsmen. Both openers - Aamir Sohail and Ramiz Raja - are hopelessly out of form while the middle-order are too reliant on their captain, Javed Miandad.

In their second innings, though, the home batsmen were no better. Resuming at 39 for 3, their target of another 88 runs appeared within reach, but in the 10th over Andrew Jones was caught brilliantly by Asif Mujtaba at silly point off Waqar.

Jones' departure for 19, with the score on 65, heralded a complete collapse as the two fast men tore through New Zealand's batting in just over two hours. 'We are not performing well in the batting. We won it but if you look at our performance it wasn't up to standard. I don't think anyone will be celebrating,' Javed said.

Pakistan's weary players fly to Australia today to resume their one-day series against the home country and the West Indies before moving on to a tour of South Africa. A three-Test tour of the West Indies follows.

(Fourth day: New Zealand won toss)

PAKISTAN - First Innings 216 (Javed Miandad 92, Rashid Latif 32no; M L Su'a 5-73, D K Morrison 3-42).

NEW ZEALAND - First Innings 264 (M J Greatbatch 133, B C Hartland 43; Waqar Younis 4-59, Wasim Akram 3-66).

PAKISTAN - Second Innings 174 (Inzamam- ul-Haq 75, Rashid Latif 33; D K Morrison 5-41).

NEW ZEALAND - Second Innings

(Overnight: 39 for 3)

A H Jones c Asif Mujtaba b Waqar Younis. . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

] A C Parore c Rashid Latif b Wasim Akram. . . . . . . . . . . . .13

R T Latham b Waqar Younis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

* K R Rutherford c Aamir b Wasim Akram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

C Z Harris b Waqar Younis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

D N Patel b Waqar Younis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

M L Su'a lbw b Waqar Younis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

M B Owens not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

Extras (b1 lb11 nb10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Total (43.3 overs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Fall (cont): 4-65 5-67 6-71 8-88 9-88.

Bowling: Wasim Akram 22-4-45-5; Aqib Javed

8-2-14-0; Waqar Younis 13.3-4-22-5.

PAKISTAN WON BY 33 RUNS

South Africa poised, page 27