Australia - Pakistan match washed out

Australia and Pakistan, already sure of meeting in next week's final of a triangular one-day series, saw the first of their two 'warm-up' matches washed out without a ball being bowled.

Umpires David Shepherd and Allan Jones abandoned play without a ball being bowled in the sixth game of the tournament at 12:55 GMT, after rain had fallen throughout the day at the Riverside ground.

The two teams, who will meet in the Lord's final on June 23 after England lost their first four games of the event, get another chance to size each other up in the round-robin phase on Tuesday at Trent Bridge.

Pakistan captain Waqar Younis said the wash-out was a setback as his side prepared for the final -- a re-match of the 1999 World Cup final at Lord's, won by Australia by eight wickets.

"We really needed to play this game to get more practice against Australia to boost our confidence ahead of the final. So it's a great shame," Waqar said.

"We now really have to try to do well in our last two group games before the final.

"We have been getting better and better in this one-day tournament and hopefully, by the end, we will be right up to the mark."

Steve Waugh's unbeaten side top the table on seven points after winning their first three outings while Pakistan, who lost to the Australians in their first meeting by seven wickets in Cardiff, have five.

England saw their hopes finally disappear at Old Trafford on Thursday when they were dismissed for 86 by Australia to lose by 125 runs.

Australian batsman Ricky Ponting was equally disappointed on Saturday.

Ponting, who made 70 and 102 in his first two innings, said: "It's a little bit frustrating. We have been pretty excited by the way we have been playing at the moment, although we still feel there is a fair bit of room for improvement.

"Each game that we play from on now until the final, we think we can get a fair bit out of it."

England play Pakistan at Leeds on Sunday, followed by Australia versus Pakistan on Tuesday and England versus Australia in the final round-robin game at The Oval on Thursday.

Mail Cricket Editor