June 09  
Veteran Wasim Akram helps Pakistan win

BRISBANE, Australia: Evergreen left-arm paceman Wasim Akram finished with 4-24 from seven overs to help the Pakistanis beat a Queensland Invitational XI by 15 runs in a 40-over-a-side warm-up match here on Saturday.

Pakistan, who face Australia in a three-match one-day series starting in Melbourne next Wednesday, badly needed the work-out. All-rounder Shahid Afridi claimed 2-19 to go with his 52 in the Pakistani innings.

Shoaib Akhtar, the world's fastest bowler, bowled with pace and aggression to claim 2-27 from six overs, including blasting a yorker past the bat of QueenslandÕs Daniel Payne to dismiss him for a second-ball duck.

The Pakistanis wrapped up a tight win with three balls remaining after bowling Queensland out for 179 in the 39th over. The tourists made 194-8 in 40 overs. 

Earlier, some lusty lower-order hitting by Shoaib Akhtar and wicket-keeper Rashid Latif helped a rusty Pakistan batting line-up. Shoaib slammed 25 off 19 balls, including three fours and a six, and Latif chimed in with 25 off 36 balls.

Opener Shahid Afridi had got the visitors away to a bright start with 52 off 52 balls, including four fours and three massive sixes, including one off teammate Mohammad Sami.

Sami, the latest addition to the Pakistani quiver of quick bowlers, was invited to play for the home team in order to provide all of the tourists' squad with match practice before their opening one-day match against Australia on Wednesday at Colonial Stadium.

After Afridi was dismissed, Pakistan struggled to shake off an enthusiastic Queensland attack that had restricted them to 8-151 after 34 overs.

Pakistan are without all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq who are both playing in the English county championship.

Razzaq, who won the player of the series award in a tri-series in Australia two years ago, is making his debut for English county Middlesex. Saqlain is playing for Surrey. AFP

Queensland Invitational XI won toss Pakistanis

Imran Nazir c Seccombe b Edmondson 8
Shahid Afridi c Betts b Hopes 52
Azhar Mahmood c Betts b Petrie 21
Saeed Anwar c Simpson b Rimmington 31
Yousuf Youhana c Petrie b Hauritz 3
Younis Khan lbw b Petrie 1
Shoaib Malik c Hopes b Rimmington 3
Rashid Latif not out 25
Wasim Akram b Rimmington 2
Shoaib Akhtar not out 25

Extras (b1, lb4, w13, nb5) 23
Total (8 wkts, 40 overs) 194
Did not bat: *Waqar Younis

Fall: 1-23, 2-79, 3-92, 4-106, 5-109, 6-126, 7-134, 8-151 
Bowling: Edmondson 8-1-60-1 (1nb, 3w); Mohammad Sami 7-0-30-0 (2nb, 1w); Petrie 8-0-34-2 (1nb, 4w); Hopes 4-0-25-1; Hauritz 8-1-24-1; Rimmington 5-0-16-3

Queensland Invitational XI

C P Simpson b Wasim Akram 9
D M Betts run out (Imran Nazir) 18
J R Hopes c Azhar b Wasim Akram 1
* W A Seccombe c Azhar b Shoaib Akhtar 12
M Sippel c Azhar b Waqar Younis 23
D M Payne b Shoaib Akhtar 0
N M Hauritz st Rashid b Shahid Afridi 61
M G Johnson c Imran b Shahid Afridi 33
Mohammad Sami b Wasim Akram 0
M J Petrie not out 2
B M Edmondson b Wasim Akram 0

Extras (b6, lb7, w3, nb4) 20
Total (all out, 39.3 overs) 179
Did not bat: N J Rimmington

Fall: 1-19, 2-24, 3-45, 4-47, 5-47, 6-84, 7-172, 8-177, 9-179
Bowling: Wasim Akram 7.3-1-24-4 (2nb, 1w); Waqar Younis 7-0-33-1; Shoaib Akhtar 6-2-27-2; Azhar Mahmood 8-1-31-0 (2nb, 2w); Shoaib Malik 5-0-32-0; Shahid Afridi 6-0-19-2

Result: Pakistanis won by 15 runs 
Umpires: D B Hair and B N J Oxenford
Players per side: Queensland Invitational XI 12 (11 bat, 11 field); Pakistanis 11 (11 bat, 11 field)
Of the thirteen players in the Pakistan squad Inzamam-ul-Haq did not play while Mohammad Sami played with the Queensland team. M G Johnson acted as twelfth man for both teams on the understanding he would bat in the Queensland innings.

Pakistan 
Shahid Afridi c Betts b Hopes 52 
Imran Nazir c Seccombe b Edmondson 8 
Azhar Mahmood c Betts b Petrie 21 
Saeed Anwar c Simpson b Rimmington 31 
Yousuf Youhana c Petrie b Hauritz 3 
Younis Khan lbw Petrie 1 
Shoaib Malik c Hopes b Rimmington 3 
Rashid Latif not out 25 
Wasim Akram b Rimmington 2 
Shoaib Akhtar not out 25

Extras (b1, lb4, w13, nb5) 23 
Total (8 wkts, 40 overs) 194

Fall: 1-23, 2-79, 3-92, 4-106, 5-109, 6-126, 7-134, 8-151 
Bowling Edmondson 8-1-60-1 (1nb, 3w), Sami 7-0-30-0 (2nb, 1w), Petrie 8-0-34-2 (1nb, 4w), Hopes 4-0-25-1, Hauritz 8-1-24-1, Rimmington 5-0-16-3(1nb, 3w) 

Queensland XI 
C Simpson b Akram 9 
D Betts run out 18 
J Hopes c Mahmood b Akram 1 
W Seccombe c Mahmood b Akhtar 12 
M Sippell c Malik b Younis 23 
D Payne b Akhtar 0 
N Hauritz st Latif b Afridi 61 
M Johnson c Nazir b Afridi 33 
M Sami b Akram 0 
M Petrie not out 2 
B Edmondson b Akram 0 
Extras (b6, lb7, w3, nb4) 20 
Total (39.3 overs) 179

Fall: 1-19, 2-24, 3-45, 4-47, 5-47, 6-84, 7-172, 8-177, 9-179 
Bowling: Akram 7.3-1-24-4 (2nb, 1w), Younis 7-0-33-1, Akhtar 6-2-27-2, Mahmood 8-1-31-0 (2nb, 2w), Malik 5-0-32-0, Afridi 6-0-19-2 

Result: Pakistan won by 15 runs