September 8, 2002	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Saani29,1423

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NAIROBI (Kenya), Sept 7: Pakistan and Australia were forced to share the PSO Tri-Nations Trophy Saturday when rain ruined the one-day international tournament’s final.

Australia, chasing a revised target of 210 off 42 overs, were 67 for one off 9.3 overs when a second interruption halted play for good.

Earlier, Abdul Razzaq and Misbah-ul-Haq hit contrasting half centuries to lift Pakistan from early peril to a challenging total of 227 all out off 50 overs.

Razzaq smashed three sixes and five fours in 59 off 43 balls as Pakistan collected 69 runs off the last six overs in a frantic finale. Misbah had earlier repaired the damage of 55 for four in the 22nd overs with 50 off 74 deliveries with six boundaries.

Fast bowler Jason Gillespie took five wickets for the second time in the series, but his 10 overs were plundered for 70 runs.

But clouds swept across the Nairobi Gymkhana during the interval and light rain eventually sent the umpires and players off with Australia’s reply at 46 for one off 6.1 overs.

Play resumed briefly, but after a further 3.2 overs, rain returned to have the ultimate say.

In-form Matthew Hayden and captain Ricky Ponting had laid a solid foundation for Australia after the early loss of Adam Gilchrist for a duck.

Left-handed opener Hayden hit three boundaries in an unbeaten on 20 off 24 balls. Ponting lashed four fours and a six in 29 not out off 33 deliveries.

Wasim Akram took the only wicket by bowling Gilchrist off stump, but was wayward as 39 runs came from 5.3 overs.

Earlier, Gillespie and new ball mate Glenn McGrath gave Pakistan familiar early worries after they won the toss and chose to bat.

McGrath struck in the third over as Shane Warne grasped a fine first slip catch over his head to remove the dangerous Shahid Afridi for six.

When Gillespie claimed the experienced Saeed Anwar (28) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (0) in the same over, Pakistan were 37 for three.

Anwar got an inside edge through to wicket-keeper Gilchrist while Inzamam, back from injury, was adjudged leg before.

Brett Lee replaced Gillespie and soon earned success with a fine, low return catch to scalp Younis Khan (10).

But Misbah, in only his fourth one-dayer, sensibly repaired the damage in two important partnerships.

He and Shoaib Malik (37) added 61 for the fifth wicket before the tempo picked up when Razzaq helped him put on 42 for the sixth wicket.

Malik was brilliantly run out by Australian captain Ricky Ponting at 116 for five but Razzaq and Misbah rallied the late innings.

Misbah brought up his second fifty of the series with a cheeky reverse sweep off leg-spinner Warne but fell soon afterwards as Lee returned to bowl him off the inside egde.

Razzaq then took over the lead role and McGrath and Gillespie were smashed to all parts as they returned at the death. Razzaq and wicket-keeper Rashid Latif (12) added 38 off 27 balls for the seventh wicket.

The 22-year-old Razzaq brought up his half century off just 40 deliveries with a huge hit over long on for six.

Gillespie resuced his figures slightly in the final over of the innings as three wickets fell for the addition of just one run.

Razzaq was run out trying to steal the strike, while Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis fell aiming to hit out.

Australia would have been the more disappointed team at the rainy end as they had comprehensively beaten Pakistan twice in the round-robin stages, where they also beat Kenya twice.