Australia keep their cool to sneak a thriller

Australia 269 for 6 (Symonds 104*, Hayden 52) beat Pakistan 259 (Youhana 88, Kasprowicz 5-47) by 10 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Two excellent performances, from Andrew Symonds with the bat and Michael Kasprowicz with the ball, powered Australia to a thrilling victory in the one-off match against Pakistan at Lord's. First Symonds rescued Australia after a shaky start with a magnificent unbeaten 104, his second one-day hundred, then Kasprowicz wrapped up the game with 5 for 47. In reply to Australia's competitive 269 for 6, a fighting 162-run partnership between Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana kept Pakistan's hopes alive, but both fell in quick succession at a crucial moment, and after their departure Pakistan folded to lose by 10 runs when victory beckoned.

Symonds came in at the fall of Matthew Hayden's wicket with the score on 99 for 3, and although he enjoyed some luck - he was dropped on 24 and 82 - he unleashed an array of big shots in the final overs, smashing nine fours and a six, and was the dominant partner in a vital 88-run partnership with Michael Clarke.

Earlier, a double strike from Mohammad Sami had Australia in some trouble at 30 for 2, but Hayden clung on resolutely to see off the opening bowlers, and put on 69 with Damien Martyn (26) before he was bowled by Shahid Afridi for 52 (99 for 3).

Shoaib Malik and Afridi choked the flow of runs to put the pressure back on Australia, and they soon reaped the reward, as a frustrated Martyn went for a big shot to midwicket but only managed to squeeze the ball straight to Imran Farhat (109 for 4).

Australia consolidated with some careful batting, and Symonds had his first life when he heaved Malik to long-on, but Naved dropped the catch. But Malik made amends for Naved's error in the same over with an excellent piece of opportunistic fielding. Symonds tapped an innocuous return back to the bowler, but Lehmann had wandered out of his crease, and Malik turned and threw down the stumps in a flash (148 for 5).

The fall of the wicket signalled a change in tempo in Australia's batting, but although Symonds and Clarke played plenty of big shots, at first their timing was awry. Clarke improvised well, and had been going at better than a run a ball, but he was undone by a sharp bouncer from Akhtar to be out for 31 (236 for 6). Not that that had any effect on Symonds - he motored on to his century, and after an unsure start Australia's depth in batting had carried them to an excellent total.

In reply, the Aussies' three-pronged pace attack of Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee, and Kasprowicz kept Pakistan's top-order in check with three wickets for 62 runs in the first 15 overs. Yasir Hameed provided some resistance with a classy 47, but Pakistan suffered their first setback with just 30 on the board, as Farhat edged a wide ball from Lee to Brad Haddin, standing in for Adam Gilchrist behind the stumps.

Afridi, sent in at No. 3, then fell to a perfectly executed plan from the Australians. First, Jason Gillespie built up some pressure with a series of dot balls, and then Ricky Ponting moved a fielder out to deep square-leg to suggest the last ball of the over would be a bouncer. Gillespie steamed in and bowled a full, inswinging ball that had Afridi plumb lbw for a duck (45 for 2).

Malik, after his excellent performance with the ball earlier today, failed with the bat, chipping Kasprowicz straight to Lee at mid-on for just 2 (50 for 3). After an aggressive start, Yasir Hameed had seemed set for a half-century, but he fell three runs short after a stunning catch by Hayden standing at a solitary wide slip (66 for 4). Youhana and Inzamam, with so much resting on their shoulders, made sure they played sensibly, picking up as many ones and twos as possible.

They started to look more assured the longer they were at the crease, and Youhana brought up Pakistan's hundred with a sweep for two to fine leg in the 26th over. However, the required run-rate was creeping up past seven per over, and boundaries were needed, so Inzamam stepped up a gear, pulling Symonds through square leg and then smashing Lehmann straight back over his head.

The action became increasingly frenetic as Pakistan entered the final 10 overs. Lee was dispatched for a big six over square leg, and then should have had Youhana caught behind - but it was a no-ball. Youhana then slammed Symonds high over long-on for another six, but in the same over Australia made the vital breakthrough, taking the wicket of Inzamam. He was well caught by Shane Watson at cover for 72, and Pakistan were 228 for 5.

Watson was soon in action again, holding his nerve to catch Youhana at long-off for 88 (239 for 6). Abdur Razzaq strode to the crease and crashed his seventh ball, from Kasprowicz, high over cow corner for six, but then slammed a return catch back to the bowler off the very next delivery (245 for 7). Scenting blood, the Aussies went for the kill. Naved-ul-Hasan was run out for 2, and three wickets had fallen in one over.

Moin Khan lifted his first ball to Damien Martyn, who was sweeping on the off-side boundary, and Pakistan had slumped to 250 for 9. With 17 needed off the final two overs, Sami drove Kasprowicz over long off for six to take the requirement down to just a run a ball, and if he and Shoaib Akhtar had kept their heads Pakistan still had a good chance of pulling off a thrilling victory. It was not to be however, as immediately after hitting the six Sami aimed another huge swipe over midwicket to a slower ball and was bowled for 10.