Re: Pakistan v England test and ODI series - LahoriMunda's daily diary
LM's Review of the fourth ODI
Pakistan held their nerve to prevent the series from going into a deciding 5th match and sealed the series with their third successive win in as many games. This seemed like a tricky pitch to bat on with the ball not really coming onto the bat and also staying a little low. Inzi won the toss for the first time in the series and elected to bat. The Pakistani skipper had predicted before the game that a score of 270 was going to be a tough one on this pitch. Well, his batsmen got way less then that as Pakistan got all out for 210 on board, leaving Inzamam stranded at 81 not out.
Salman Butt was the first to go and then everyone else followed. English opening bowlers bowled tight spells and Butt and Akmal were kept in check for a little time. Just as they were opening their arms and run rate was picking up Butt was run courtesy of brilliant fielding at covers by Solanki. Younis Khan followed next ball and Akmal in the next over and the top order was shattered. Mohammad Yousif followed soon as well. Malik and Inzi tried to normalize the proceedings and put on a decent partnership and some fireworks from Afridi ensured Pakistan corss the 200 run mark but the total of 210 still looked a very easy target to achieve for the English batsmen.
All credit must go to the Pakistan bowlers as they all bowled spirited spells to make sure England never got easy pickings. Rana struck twice in one over as he dismissed Prior and Strauss. After the first match in which Strauss scored valuable runs he hasn’t really had a good time in the middle. Akhtar struck soon as he cleaned up Solanki leaving England at 25/3. England’s top order failed miserably yet again and only 2 of their top 6 batsmen reached double figures. Flintoff top scored with 40.
England's lower order did try to come back in the game with some fighting partnerships. Blackwell and Ali put on 50 for the 9th wicket and then Ali and Anderson put together another 35 odd runs but in the end the task was just too much for them as England bundled out for 197 handing Pakistan the match by 13 runs as well as the series.
England will have pride to play for in the next game while Pakistan should be looking to go all out to win the next game and move up to second place in the ODI rankings.