Majestic Eoin Morgan and Graeme Swann help
England defeat
Pakistan to win the ODI series
The final ODI in the five match series between
Pakistan and England ended as an anti-climax.
England in the end easily won a one sided match by 121 runs and with it the series 3-2. It had all been set up very nicely for the decider in
Southampton. England had won the first two matches of the series while
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, who looked down and out, made a resurgent comeback in the next 2 games and thanks largely to some brilliant reverse swing bowling from Umar Gul and
Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistan levelled the series. The final match though ended in a massive loss for
Pakistan.
Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi, after winning the last 2 tosses, could not complete a hat trick and Strauss decided to bat first on a seemingly flat track. The start for the hosts was good at first but a masterstroke from
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 got the wicket of Steve Davies. Shoaib Akhtar then struck a double blow as he first removed Jonathan Trott off a brilliant in-dipper, and then got Strauss caught behind courtesy of a brilliant catch for a change by Kamran Akmal. Paul Collingwood,
after a brief stay at the wicket, had to go off due to a migraine. Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan put on a good stand in the middle of 93 runs before Ian Bell was cleaned up by Afridi.
Collingwood then came back out to join Morgan and the two put on another good partnership. It was Umar Gul with his reverse swing once again who bowled Collingwood and later on Akhtar also cleaned up Luke Wright. Eoin Morgan
though carried on and with some good support in the power-play from Tim Bresnan, took the score to 256 in the allotted 50 overs.
The start for Pakistan was very promising and it was looking like
Pakistan would have a good platform to chase down the target to win the series. The opening duo stood firm against a potent English attack. Muhammad Hafeez was the first to go with 29 runs. He was caught brilliantly in the covers by
Collingwood. After the 62 run opening stand had been broken the collapse was on its way. Young Asad Shafiq was sent back on the very first ball as he edged one to the keeper off Stuart Broad.
Muhammad Yousuf and Fawad Alam nudged it around for a while, but the score was not going anywhere and something had to give once again. Strauss then brought on his best bowler of the summer: Graeme Swann. The off spinner
worked his magic again as he got one to drift in on the angle and move away off the pitch to get the off stump of Alam. He did not end there however. A couple of overs later he got 2 from 2 balls. First Muhammad Yousuf was bowled by a beauty; it was a classic
off spinner’s dismissal and the very next ball Afridi chopped one onto his wickets. The writing was pretty much on the wall by then. Abdur Razzaq and Umar Akmal kept the score ticking but the required rate was going higher and higher. Umar Akmal was later
caught by Collingwood off his own bowling and the rest just gave up. Pakistan were all out for just 135.
From being 62 for no loss the visitors had collapsed to just 135 all out, handing
England a massive 121 run win. It was an excellent opportunity for
Pakistan to salvage themselves and go home with their heads held high after all the controversy off the field. However it was not to be, and
England deservedly won the series 3-2.
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