Cricket: Australian get a rocket from Shoaib

CARDIFF - Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar spat blood and vomited in the dressing room after hurtling a 157.3 km/h missile at Australian batsman Adam Gilchrist to become the world's fastest bowler in Cardiff yesterday.

Shoaib, who bowled Gilchrist next ball with a "slower" 151.6 km/h delivery that cut the Australian vice-captain in half and should have been called a no-ball, was taken to hospital for tests, but was expected to be fine.

An electrifying sideshow to Australia's seven-wicket opening Tri-Series one-day match was guaranteed from the moment Pakistan replaced Wasim Akram with Shoaib.

By stumps, Brett Lee, recovering from elbow surgery, had relinquished his title of world's fastest bowler and produced the most expensive spell from any Australian in the history of international one-day cricket.

Shoaib's swiftest delivery, which Gilchrist sliced over the in-field for four, was fractionally ahead of the 157.1 km/h Lee managed during a one-dayer in Johannesburg last year.

"I couldn't care less," said Lee, rushed into the Australian side when Gillespie (hamstring), Nathan Bracken (shoulder) and Damien Fleming (calf) were ruled out. "Just as long as I'm taking wickets."

He took one wicket, but the 85 runs he conceded from 10 overs, including 37 from his last three, removed from the record books Glenn McGrath, the last bowler you would expect to have preceded him.

McGrath, who took a typically economical two for 22 from 10 overs in the Pakistan total of 257, went for 76 against Sri Lanka at the MCG in January 1996.

Lee was supposed to ease his way back via net sessions, low-key tour games and a cameo appearance for the Nottinghamshire second XI against Hampshire from June 19-21.

Shane Warne said he believed Lee, who failed to move out of top gear or the mid-130 km/h range, would give Shoaib's record - and the magical 100 mph (161 km/h) mark - a real shake as the tour progressed.

Australia produced a clinical performance to beat Pakistan, easing to their target with 4.2 overs to spare. Captain Steve Waugh (54) and Michael Bevan (56) scored an unbroken 116 for the fourth wicket.