da lvbet： Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif lit up a gloomy day at Lord’s with twooutstanding spells of pace bowling to set up Pakistan for an seven-wicketwin
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan at Lord's02-Sep-2006
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out – England
How they were out – Pakistan
Shoaib Akhtar bowled brilliantly for Pakistan © Getty Images
Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif lit up a gloomy day at Lord’s with twooutstanding spells of pace bowling to set up Pakistan for a seven-wicketwin. Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and latterly Inzamam-ul-Haq made lightof late afternoon conditions that grew darker by the moment to easePakistan across the line with 20 balls to spare.If the weathermen were to have been believed there was very little chanceof a full match being played, so dire was the forecast but in England suchthings have to be taken with a pinch of salt. Although the heady days ofsummer seemed a lifetime ago the rain that did arrive only reduced thecontest to 40 overs-a-side. The light during Pakistan’s chase would nothave been fit for a Test – or even first-class match – but one-day cricketis about getting results for the crowd.It would have been harsh on Pakistan if the weather had denied them for asecond time – after they’d been on top at Cardiff – as they again showedhow dangerous they can be as a one-day side. Shoaib and Asif combined totake figures of 6 for 38 from their 16 overs and blew the England toporder away with pace and swing. Shoaib returned to mop up the tail andearn himself a four-wicket haul. The key for Pakistan is how to keep himfit through the Champions Trophy and World Cup.Pakistan’s target required them to go at just over four-an-over, and meant they could negotiate an impressive new-ball spell from Jon Lewis, who took this chance to show the England selectors that he is worth an extendedrun in the team. He removed Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik with classicalseam bowling, nagging away on off stump, and could have had a third if ithadn’t been for a tight no-ball call by Billy Doctrove when Younis edgedto Chris Read on 15.Lewis bowled his eight overs off the reel, but the problem for AndrewStrauss was that the pressure wasn’t maintained at the other end. DarrenGough bowled too short while Stuart Broad, who’d never sent down a ball atLord’s, struggled to adjust to the slope which has affected many seniorbowlers too.Younis and Yousuf knew that once they negotiated the frontline seamersthere would be easier pickings against the supporting cast. The pairmilked Paul Collingwood and launched into plenty of shortofferings from Rikki Clarke. Desperate to keep seam operating, Strausstried Ian Bell but by now the batsmen were comfortable.Younis reached his fifty off 78 balls but gave the innings away when heclipped Clarke to Kevin Pietersen at deep square-leg. However, the jobwas almost complete and it was left to Yousuf and Inzamam to add thefinishing touches with some thumping strokeplay confirming, without doubt,where the balance of power lies.
Younis Khan finished things off with a commanding 55 © Getty Images
What England would give for such consummate one-day batting. Admittedlyconditions were very bowler-friendly first-up, and Pakistan’s attack is ahandful in the sunshine, but the top order found Shoaib and Asif almostunplayable. Even during their 5-0 hammering againstSri Lanka, England’s batting wasn’t the major concern (the bowlerscouldn’t even defend 300-plus) but in this series the main men have yet toeven look like firing.Shoaib started the procession when Strauss fell to the last delivery ofthe first over, before rain forced the players off for nearly an hour. Onresumption life got tougher. Marcus Trescothick tried coming down thepitch, to the displeasure of Asif, who gave him a send-off when he edgedto second slip. Ian Bell was forced back by a series of rapid bouncersfrom Shoaib, then caught prodding at deliveries pitched up until he edgedto first slip.Pietersen tried to hit his way out of the mini-slump he is suffering, but anungainly pull against his nemesis, Asif, was well caught by Rana Navedrunning in from third man. Again, Asif – who’d claimed Pietersen for thefourth time in five innings – couldn’t resist a chirp at his victim.Paul Collingwood and Jamie Dalrymple tried to rebuild, but eachpartnership was nipped in the bud as Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaqchipped in with the ball.The major boost to England’s faltering progress came from Clarke and Readwho added 53 off 57 balls. They mixed sharp running with some audaciousshots; Clarke swept Naved to fine leg while Read hooked Shoaib for six.Clarke reached a career-best ODI score before he was cleaned up by Shoaiband England couldn’t even bat out the reduced number of overs. Theirmiserable one-day run continues and it will take a monumental effort toturn this series around against a Pakistan team who are starting to hittheir straps.