Cricket: Slater reward for Waugh

Pakistan 367 & 281 Australia 575 & 74-0 Australia win by 10 wickets AUSTRALIA WRAPPED UP a 10-wicket win over Pakistan at The Gabba yesterday, handing Steve Waugh his first domestic Test victory as captain with a performance he rated one of the side's best of recent times.

In an extraordinary turn of events on the final day, Pakistan's second- innings resistance crumbled, six wickets falling for the addition of 58 runs to leave Australia needing 74 to win with 66 overs remaining.

The Australians cruised to victory with the openers Greg Blewett (40) and Michael Slater (32) polishing off the required total in 56 minutes. Australia now have not lost a Test to Pakistan in four matches in Brisbane, and this was their 16th victory in 44 Test meetings.

Waugh said: "They were in the game for most of the five days, but it was only the quick wickets this morning that put them out of the game."

Pakistan resumed at 223 for 4 and it all went wrong from the first ball when Abdur Razzaq spooned a loose Shane Warne full toss straight to Ricky Ponting at silly point. Saeed Anwar added one run to his overnight score before he was caught behind by Adam Gilchrist off Glenn McGrath for 119.

Gilchrist, making his Test debut as Ian Healy's replacement, then made a snappy leg-side stumping of Azhar Mahmood off Warne for a duck.

Wasim Akram joined Moin Khan in Pakistan's last stand and hit out lustily for four fours and a six and steered his team to the morning drinks break at 273 for 7. However, on the first ball after drinks, Fleming snared him with a splendid delivery which moved off middle and leg to hit Wasim's off stump. Wasim was out for 28 and with his departure Pakistan's fate was sealed.

Moin, who blazed 61 in the first innings, was brilliantly caught by a diving Scott Muller at fine leg off Fleming for 17. Fleming then mopped up the tail when he bowled Shoaib Akhtar for five to finish with figures of 5 for 95 and nine wickets for the match.

Final day; Australia won toss

PAKISTAN - First Innings 367

AUSTRALIA - First Innings 575

PAKISTAN - Second Innings

(Overnight: 223 for 4)

Saeed Anwar c Gilchrist b McGrath 119

Abdul Razzaq c Ponting b Warne 2

Moin Khan c Muller b Fleming 17

Azhar Mahmood st Gilchrist b Warne 0

*Wasim Akram b Fleming 28

Mushtaq Ahmed not out 1

Shoaib Akhtar b Fleming 5

Extras (6b, 6lb, 5nb) 17

Total 281

Fall: 1-3, 2-8, 3-37, 4-214, 5-223, 6-225, 7-227, 8-273, 9-276, 10-281

Bowling: McGrath 21-9-63-2; Fleming 14.1-2-59-5; Muller 10-1-55-1; Warne 25-8-80-2; Ponting 4-0-12-0.

AUSTRALIA - Second Innings

M J Slater not out 32

G S Blewett not out 40

Extras (2lb) 2

Total (for 0 wicket) 74

Did not bat: J L Langer, M E Waugh, *S R Waugh, R T Ponting, A C Gilchrist, S K Warne, D W Fleming, G D McGrath, S A Muller.

Bowling: Wasim Akram 4-0-14-0; Shoaib Akhtar 5-0-25-0; Azhar Mahmood 3.2-0-13-0; Mushtaq Ahmed 2-0-20-0.

Umpires: D J Harper and E A Nicholls.