Younis Khan Century sinks England
Pakistan won by two wickets
Tue, Sep 05 England v Pakistan
A capacity 20,000 crowd at The Rose Bowl saw England's losing run in one-day cricket continue as Pakistan squeezed to a two-wicket victory with seven balls to spare in Tuesday's day-night NatWest Series International.
Having lost the toss, England totalled a challenging 271-9 off their 50 overs, but a boundary in the penultimate over took Pakistan to 274-8 after the last six wickets had fallen for the addition of 69 runs.
England, now 2-0 down with two play, must win at Trent Bridge on Friday and Edgbaston on Sunday to square the five-match series.
This third match started sensationally with England's Marcus Trescothick bowled by the fiery Shoaib Akhtar off the very first ball. But skipper Andrew Strauss scored 50 and shared a second-wicket stand of 79 with Ian Bell (42). Hampshire's Kevin Pietersen, back on home territory, made a rapid 20 before being caught at backward point to become the first of Rana Naved-ul-Hasan's four victims.
Paul Collingwood (61) and Jamie Dalrymple, top-scorer with 62, then shared England's biggest stand, adding 101 for the fifth wicket. But having reached 226-4 England lost five wickets in securing 45 runs off the last six overs.
Rikki Clarke became the second player to fall first ball and Sajid Mahmood was run out without facing a ball.
Pakistan also lost a wicket in the opening over, but a tremendous third-wicket partnership of 167 between Younis Khan, who made 101, and Mohammad Yousuf (60) left England staring at another defeat as the score reached 196-2 in the 37th over.
But with Pakistan cruising under the magnificent floodlights and another 76 runs needed with time and wickets to spare, England suddenly hit back when Khan holed out to long-on off Leicestershire paceman Stuart Broad. Skipper Inzaman-ul-Haq, the new batsman, then lost five partners, two of them off successive deliveries from 20-year-old Broad who finished with 3-57 off 10 overs.
With seven runs still needed, Akhtar joined Inzaman at 265-8 in the 48th over with Pakistan in trouble and the large crowd on the edge of their seats. But the imperious Inzaman, having hit a soaring six over long-on, settled the issue with a pull to the mid-wicket boundary off the fifth ball of the 49th over. That took him to 44 not out.
ENGLAND 271-9 (50 overs): Dalrymple 62, Collingwood 61, Strauss 50, Bell 42, Naved 4-57, Razzaq 2-44, Akhtar 2-59. PAKISTAN 274-8 (48.5 overs): Khan 101, Yousuf 60, Inzaman 44 not out, Broad 3-57, Lewis 2-32.
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