AMSTELVEEN, Aug 29: Australia captain Ricky Ponting was in confident mood ahead of next month's Champions Trophy tournament after an exciting 17-run triangular series final win against Pakistan.
The world champions' latest one-day victory was especially impressive as it was the first time their bowlers had taken the field in a rain-marred event. "A lot of it comes down to having been in that situation a lot and having won a lot," Ponting told reporters after Australia got home with 17 balls left.
"I guess that's the sign of a very good side that when you get into big games the good players in the team put their hands up and do the job." Ponting, speaking ahead of his team's departure for England where the Champions Trophy - a one-day competition Australia have never won - is being staged, added: "It was a great result for us today (Saturday) and something we can take to England with a bit of confidence."
Pakistan, chasing 193 for victory, were on course but after Yousuf Youhana went for 43 their innings fell away and they were bowled out for 175. Man-of-the Match Andrew Symonds, who struck a blistering 143 not out when the teams last met in Australia's 82-run opening match win of their victorious World Cup campaign last year, turned in a fine all-round display.
He scored 36 and then took two for 25 bowling in his off-spin style. Symonds also effected two run outs in successive balls that saw key batsman Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi dismissed with 20 overs left when either one of them might have won the match.
"It was an amazing thing," said Symonds of his run-outs before admitting batting had been hard going. Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer insisted he was not too downhearted by the outcome. "The good thing about it was that Pakistan competed right the way through the whole match and that for me was a very big plus."
SCOREBOARD
AUSTRALIA:
M.L. Hayden c Yasir b Shoaib Akhtar 59
B.J. Haddin b Sami 10
R.T. Ponting c Imran b Razzaq 25
D.S. Lehmann c Moin b Shabbir 40
A. Symonds b Shoaib Akhtar 36
D.R. Martyn not out 6
M.J. Clarke c Inzamam b Shoaib Akhtar 1
G.B. Hogg run out 0
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-5, W-5, NB-4) 15
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 192
FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-65, 3-126, 4-183, 5-189, 6-192, 7-192.
DID NOT BAT: B. Lee, J.N. Gillespie, G.D. McGrath. BOWLING: Mohammad Sami 10-1-26-1 (4nb, 1w); Shabbir Ahmed 8-1-25-1; Shoaib Akhtar 10-0-40-3 (2w); Abdul Razzaq 8-1-30-1; Shahid Afridi 6-0-20-0; Shoaib Malik 8-0-45-0 (2w).
PAKISTAN:
Yasir Hameed b Lee 17
Imran Farhat c Hayden b Symonds 17
Shoaib Malik run out 36
Inzamam-ul-Haq c Haddin b Symonds 7
Yousuf Youhana c Haddin b Hogg 43
Shahid Afridi run out 0
Abdul Razzaq c Clarke b Lehmann 26
Moin Khan c Haddin b Gillespie 6
Mohammad Sami b Lehmann 5
Shoaib Akhtar c Haddin b McGrath 2
Shabbir Ahmed not out 0
EXTRAS (B-6 LB-2 W-8) 16
TOTAL (all out, 47.1 overs) 175
FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-47, 3-65, 4-93, 5-93, 6-154, 7-161, 8-171, 9-175.
