Cricket: Wasim bursts bubble

Zimbabwe 174 and 146

Pakistan 260 and 61-2

Pakistan win by 8 wickets

Pakistan yesterday bounced back from their humiliating innings defeat in the first Test, crushing Zimbabwe by eight wickets with more than two days of the second Test left, to square the series.

Their victory was inspired by Wasim Akram, who bowled with control and fire on a deteriorating pitch in Bulawayo, leaving Mark Dekker with a broken finger and David Houghton with a broken thumb.

Wasim took 5 for 43 from 22.3 overs - his 18th five-wicket haul in Test cricket - as Pakistan dismissed Zimbabwe for 146 to set an easy 61-run victory target.

Wasim later appeared at a disciplinary hearing after snatching his hat from the umpire, Quentin Goosen, at the end of an over when a close lbw appeal against Houghton was turned down.

The left-arm seamer escaped with a severe reprimand after apologising. However, Wasim's two spells either side of lunch turned the match.

(Third day; Zimbabwe won toss)

ZIMBABWE - First Innings 174 (A D R Campbell 60).

PAKISTAN - First Innings 260 (Ijaz Ahmed 76; H H Streak 5-70).

ZIMBABWE - Second Innings G Flower b Manzoor Elahi 22

M H Dekker c Aamir Sohail b Wasim 9

A D R Campbell c Shakeel Ahmed b Wasim 0

D Houghton lbw b Wasim 25

*A Flower lbw b Wasim 8

G J Whittall c sub b Amir Nazir 5

S V Carlisle not out 46

P A Strang c Aamir Sohail b Kabir Khan 3

H H Streak c Manzoor Elahi b Kabir Khan 11

D H Brain b Kabir Khan 0

B Strang lbw b Wasim 0

Extras (6lb 11nb) 17

Total 146

Fall: 1-14 2-16 3-58 4-73 5-77 6-93 7-106 7-106 8-145 9-145.

Bowling: Wasim Akram 22.3-7-43-5; Amir Nazir 11-1-39-1; Manzoor Elahi 14-6-32-1; Kabir Khan 11-3-26-3.

PAKISTAN - Second Innings Aamir Sohail c Campbell b B Strang 48

Shakeel Ahmed lbw b B Strang 7

Rashid Latif not out 1

Manzoor Elahi not out 1

Extras (1w 3nb) 4

Total (for 2) 61

Fall: 1-56 2-60.

Bowling: Streak 6-1-18-0; Brain 2-0-37-0; B Strang 3.4-2-6-2.