Pakistan takes 2-1 lead

WELLINGTON, FEB. 22. Riding on an early wicket blitz by Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis - Pakistan beat New Zealand by 28 runs to take a 2-1 lead in their five-match one-day cricket series here on Thursday.

New Zealand, chasing Pakistan's 243 for nine, collapsed after a 100-run stand between top scorer Craig McMillan (64) and Lou Vincent (34) and was dismissed for 215 in 48.2 overs.

Once again the home side run-chase got off to an inauspicious start as the two Ws - Wasim and Waqar - reduced New Zealand to 18 for three in the seventh over.

But McMillan and new boy Vincent, who had led New Zealand to victory in Napier with an unfinished stand Tuesday, gave the side hope and lifted the score to 118 when disaster struck.

Off spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, arguably the No. 1 spinner in one- day cricket, had Franklin stumped by skipper Moin Khan as he fell over and dragged his back leg trying to sweep. The dismissal gave Moin a record 65 stumpings in 188 matches as he passed Sri Lankan Romesh Kaluwitharana's 64.

McMillan carried on briefly with left hander Chris Harris to add another 34 runs. Medium paceman Abdur Razzaq, who had struggled throughout his spell, finally came good and produced a double blow in his penultimate over.

McMillan's innings lasted 83 balls an included a hooked six off Waqar and six boundaries. Man-of-the-match Saqlain took three for 26 while Wasim bowled No. 11 Chris Martin to claim three for 41.

Youhana earlier gave the Pakistan innings a facelift with a fine 47 off 48 balls as the visitors posted a challenging total. After the middle order had failed to put to good use an exhilarating start by the openers, the Pakistan tail led by Youhana took 51 runs off the last five overs.

Opener Imran Nazir, replacing an out-of-form Imran Farhat, one of the three changes to the side that lost the second match in Napier - hit 32 runs off 23 balls with five boundaries and a six.

- AP

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