Headingley September 12th 2010
Neil Whitaker reports
ANDREW Strauss hit 126 as England beat Pakistan by four wickets with three balls to spare to go two up in the Nat West Series with three matches to play.
Strauss rode his luck in his as he survived five chances. First he edged Shoaib Akhtar’s second ball but luckily for the England captain it fee short of first slip. Three overs later Strauss pulled Mohammed Irfan but the ball hit his pocket and the fielders went up for a catch which was turned down. On 23, Strauss turned Shoaib Akhtar round the corner and was dropped by Mohammed Irfan. He made another 13 when he clubbed Umar Gul just out of the reach of the reach Mohammed Yousuf at mid off. The next ball he survived an appeal for caught behind, but TV replays showed he had gloved it. He said later: “I wasn’t sure it hit my glove and the umpires are there to make a decision.” Strauss reached his fifty when drove Shahid Afridi for the first six of the England innings through mid wicket.
Strauss turned Saeed Ajmal off his legs to bring up his century in 106 balls including a six and nine fours. He eventually fell to the second ball of the power play Strauss was trapped leg before to Saeed Ajmal for 126 in five minutes over three hours with a six and 10 fours.
Chasing 295 to win the England openers 43 in seven overs then Steven Davies nibbled at one from Shoaib Akhtar and Kamaran Akmal took the catch. Davies hit five fours in his 26 from 21 balls.
Jonathan Trott joined Strauss and they put on 146 in 26 overs. Trott brought up his half century off 67 balls and hit two fours but after he faced another four balls he failed to beat Shoaib Akhtar’s direct throw from short third man.
Paul Collingwood tried to smash Shahid Afridi for a straight six but he didn’t get hold of and was caught on the long on boundary by the substitute for 19.
England took their batting power play at the end of the 44th over and Afridi put the three fielders outside the circle on the leg side.
Eoin Morgan tried to smash a six of Umar Gul but sliced his shot and was caught by Mohammed Hafeez running from the point boundary. From the last four overs they needed 31 to win, Ravi Bopara and Michael Yardy got it down 13 from two. Bopara went for the big hit and was caught by Mohammed Hafeez running from long off for 16. From the last over England needed six to win with Yorkshire’s Tim Bresnan facing. The second ball Umar Gul bowled a wide. Next ball Bresnan hooked for a four behind the stumps. Off the third ball Bresnan got the single to win the match.
Strauss said after: “It was a tough chase; I thought we were always going to get over the line and it was a very good wicket but we weren’t pleased with our fielding. It was important that someone batted through to the end of the innings. I’ve worked very hard at expanding my game. I am very happy with my game and happy that we continue to win. I like to do my talking with the bat. I think that we are a descent unit and there’s a lot of confidence there. It was a good game for the game of cricket and everyone enjoyed today. Pakistan are a dangerous side and hard team to beat.”
Pakistan won the toss, decided to bat and made 298 for eight in their 50 overs. At one stage it looked like they would get more than 300. Kamaran Akmal top scored with 74. On a sunny Sunday Headingley morning, the Pakistan openers raced to 31 in five overs with. Kamaran Akmal taking a liking to Bresnan hitting him for five fours out of seven balls. In fact Bresnan bowled three overs for 25 before being taken off. He cut Yardy to bring up his fifty off exactly 50 balls with eight fours. England got a breakthrough, but it came in the 23rd over when Kamaran Akmal was leg before to Collingwood’s second ball. His 74 came from 72 balls and included 12 fours.
Three overs later his opening partner Mohammed Hafeez tried to turn a straight one from Graeme Swann and was bowled for 43.
Mohammed Yuosuf hit Yardy for a big six into the football stand over long on off Yardy. His downfall came when he tried to cut one that was too near to him and was caught by Davies off Stuart Broad for 48 from 40 balls which included a six and two fours. His partnership with Asad Shafiq added 74 in 13 overs.
In the next over Asad Shafiq hit huge six through long on from Swann. He then cut James Anderson to Collingwood and raced through to bring up his half century which came from 57 balls and included a six and three fours. He uppercut the first ball of the batting power play and was caught by Bopara who raced in from backward point to take the catch but collided with Strauss at cover who looked the favourite to take the catch.
After hitting three fours in a row off Broad in the first over of the powerplay, Umar Akmal was the next to go when he edged him to Davies for 28. Broad had taken three wickets in seven balls for 13 runs.
Sahid Afridi a huge into the football stand but when he tried to blast another one this time into the Kirkstall Lane end but he miscued it and Strauss took the catch at long off. Shahid Afridi made nine and Pakistan looked in danger of not batting their 50 overs. Umar Gul made three and was yorked by Bresnan.
In their batting power play Pakistan scored 39 runs and lost four wickets. Saeed Ajmal miscued a pull and was caught by Strauss at point off Broad for four. During the Pakistan innings the England fielding looking ramshackle.
Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi said: “I am quite happy with the performance and they will come back in the next few games. They will play some good cricket and it was a total.”
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