Gilchrist gave Australia a chance of victory

Saqlain Mushtaq curtailed Gilchrist's bludgeoning innings of 70 off 44 balls but for the second match in a row it was Waqar Younis who took the plaudits and not even an 18 minute delay for a crowd disturbance could overshadow his efforts.

Two days after taking seven for 36 against England, the Pakistani captain finished with figures of six for 59 and took his wickets in two vital three wicket bursts.

In his first over he dismissed both Mark Waugh and Matthew Hayden for ducks before clean bowling Michael Bevan for five two overs later.

And when he returned to the attack with Steve Waugh looking to coax Australia towards victory he dismissed Waugh and Andrew Symonds, who both holed out, for 56 and 35 respectively.

Waqar wrapped up his personal haul by sending Brett Lee's off stump cart-wheeling out of the ground but by that stage the result was never in doubt and his support bowlers duly cleaned up the tail.

Both teams, in a dead rubber in terms of qualification for the final at Lords, showed an affinity for all out attack in an exciting contest.

However Australia were always second best from the very first over when Damien Fleming sent down three wides and conceded nine runs.

Elahi made 79 after being given a life on six

Pakistan benefited from some uncharacteristic cricket from their opponents whose bowling was ill-disciplined and fielding littered with mistakes.

And it was Fleming who was to curse his luck more than most.

Hayden took a comfortable catch to dismiss Elahi in his third over, when the batsman had made six, only for umpire George Sharp to call a no-ball.

Elahi recovered from his tentative start to become the mainstay of the Pakistan innings.

He shared an opening partnership of 61 with Saeed Anwar and a 101-ball third wicket partnership of 93 with Yousuf Youhana.

All the bowlers in Steve Waugh's armoury were punished by Elahi and Youhana after Lee had made the initial breakthrough dismissing Anwar and Abdur Razzaq for 34 and 5 respectively.

But when Shane Warne dismissed both the danger men, luring Youhana into a stumping for 44 and trapping Elahi lbw for 79, Australia were again unable to build on the breakthrough.

Pakistan's momentum was only disrupted when they reached 250-6 in the 45th over.

Fireworks scatter spectators in the stands

Pakistani supporters greeted the landmark figure by letting off fireworks around the ground and Steve Waugh, who had threatened such action prior to the match, led his players off unwilling to compromise their safety.

On the resumption of play Latif and Azhar Mahmood were quickly back in the pavilion and it was left to Wasim Akram to carry the Pakistani innings through to the conclusion.

Akram, returning to the side after recovering from a shoulder injury, hit two mighty sixes and a four to finish 28 not out off 15 balls.

And his new ball bowling partner then maintained the momentum with the ball in hand unwilling to play second fiddle to either Gilchrist or the sections of the crowd intent on disturbing play.

Teams:

Pakistan:
Saeed Anwar, Salim Elahi, Abdur Razzaq, Faisal Iqbal Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Azhar Mahmood, Rashid Latif (Wkt) Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis (capt), Saqlain Mushtaq.

Australia:
Adam Gilchrist (wkt), Mark Waugh, Matthew Hayden, Michael Bevan, Steve Waugh (capt), Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Shane Warne, Damien Fleming, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie.

Umpires: N A Mallender and G Sharp.