Cricket: Symonds inspires win

Andrew Symonds hit a half-century and took two wickets to steer Australia to a six-wicket win over Pakistan in the second one-day international to level the five-match series 1-1.

Symonds, who on Wednesday played his first match for Australia since July, found the spark his career and team needed to make 58 in 62 balls at Dubai Sports City cricket stadium. He collected 2-12 to help bowl out Pakistan for 207.

Allrounders James Hopes of Australia and Shahid Afridi of Pakistan also had good all-around games. Hopes took 2-45 with his medium-pacers and then scored 48, while Afridi claimed 2-38 with his legspinners and hit 41.

Australia lost opener Brad Haddin early when he was bowled by Umar Gul trying an ambitious slog, but Hopes and Shane Watson added 77 for the second wicket. When Hopes fell to Afridi and Watson to Saeed Ajmal on 93, it seemed the spin duo were back to haunt the Australians after having led Pakistan to a four-wicket win in the first ODI.

But Symonds and captain Michael Clarke added 90 for the fourth wicket before the former was bowled by Afridi in the 40th over. Clarke remained unbeaten on 39 off 72 balls.

Pakistan never got going before being bowled out in the 47th over. Spinners Nathan Hauritz and Symonds took a total of five wickets, and the fast bowlers were difficult to score runs from.

Opener Salman Butt top-scored with 57 off 112 balls before becoming one of Hauritz's three wickets. It was left to some late hitting from Afridi (41 from 40 balls), and Shoaib Akhtar (25 in 14 balls) to ensure Pakistan scored more than 200.

Hauritz also dismissed Misbah-ul-Haq on 12 after he reverse-swept and David Hussey took a diving catch at short third-man, and former captain Shoaib Malik, who edged a delivery onto his ankle on 7 and Haddin caught the ricochet.

Pakistan, who won the opening match on Wednesday by four wickets, made one change, bringing in 17-year-old debutant batsman Ahmed Shehzad for the injured Nasir Jamshed.

Australia made three changes. David Hussey replaced Shaun Marsh, who pulled a hamstring. Left-arm paceman Doug Bollinger comes in for Ben Hilfenhaus to make his ODI debut, while Ben Laughlin replaces Stuart Clark.