Rain ends Pakistan's Dutch clash

AMSTELVEEN: Rain, appropriately, ended Pakistan's visit to the Holland when their friendly match against the Dutch national side at the VRA Ground here on Monday was abandoned.

Pakistan were 122 for six, in a match already reduced to 25 overs per side, when Dutch umpires Chris Pickett and Eric van der Vegt called a halt.

Abdul Razzaq was 24 not out and wicket-keeper Moin Khan 20 not out, their unbroken stand of 44 repairing the damage after Pakistan slumped to 78 for six.

However, Pakistan's 'collapse' had to be set in the context of a friendly match - games against the Netherlands do not count as full one-day internationals unless played at the World Cup or other official International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments.

And such were the conditions that had this match been a fully-fledged international it would never have got under way at all.

The game itself was an appendix to the rain-marred triangular tournament which saw world champions Australia beat Pakistan by 17 runs in the final here Saturday in an event also featuring India.

All three teams had come to the Netherlands in a bid to warm-up for next month's ICC Champions Trophy tournament in England.

But each was frustrated by the weather and it was a similar story Monday with the start delayed by three hours.

When play did get underway Imran Farhat was caught down the legside in the second over by wicket-keeper Jeroen Smits, one of several Dutch cricketers Monday who featured at last year's World Cup, off Darren Reekers's first ball.

Dutch captain Reekers (two for 19), had his second victim, when Shahid Afridi (12) was well caught in the covers by Bas Zuiderent, who has played English county cricket for Sussex, after the ball stopped on a slow pitch.

All-rounder Tim de Leede also featured in what little cricket was possible by taking two wickets in two balls.

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq holed out first for 29 and Younis Khan then saw a forward defensive shot trickle back onto his stumps.

De Leede took two for 12 from two overs before Razzaq struck two huge sixes.

But the dark skies overhead always made a positive result unlikely and after several overs in the rain the match was abandoned.

Pakistan's next Champions Trophy warm-up match is against Australia at Lord's on Saturday