Congratulations go to Pakistan for winning the fifth and final ODI, and to England for taking the series. Special plaudits should also go to the Sophia Gardens groundstaff for ensuring the match went ahead on schedule, despite the prolonged spell of rain over the preceding 24 hours.
Sun may have been in short supply during the match, too, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience from seat H28, Block 2 in front of the pavilion. Graeme Swann might find 50-over cricket boring but a game like this was far more edifying fare than a brutal beer-and-boundary-fest.
Put in by Azhar Ali, England looked in control from the start. Alex Hales and Jason Roy produced some crisp strokes before the former chipped Amir to mid-on in the fifth over. There was time for one beautifully timed pull to square leg from Joe Root before he played on. Eoin Morgan then, initially, Ben Stokes struggled but Roy kept his side on a consistent seven-an-over pace.
However, despite hauling Shoaib Malik for two sixes, the two spinners Malik and Swansea’s own Imad Wasim were putting the brakes on the England innings. There was clearly not to be another 400+ total.
Stokes showed his power by clubbing a pair of low trajectory straight sixes off third spinner Nawaz, but even the feisty all-rounder was laid low when an inside edge rearranged his ‘crown jewels’ and prompted a lengthy delay in proceedings! By 40 overs, the run rate was a tad above six an over but when Hasan and Amir retuned, the wickets fell thick and fast. The Pakistan fans on the far side of the ground were chanting Amir’s name and he responded by steaming in from the Cathedral Road end, piling the pressure onto Woakes, debutant Dawson, Willey and Jordan. Some late blows managed to squeeze England past the important 300 mark but it seemed like an opportunity missed.
Such has been Pakistan’s miserable ODI campaign, it seemed rather unlikely that they would attain the 303 target, especially as Glamorgan’s pitch is not known for its run-friendly reputation. Sharjeel scratched around for four overs but when he mistimed a ball from Chris Woakes, the arrival of Babar to join his skipper prompted an improvement.
Woakes’ fifth over went for thirteen and I wondered if we may have a real contest on here. Then when Matt Wood snaffled both batsmen in the fourteenth over, Azhar after lengthy consideration by the video umpire, it looked like business as usual. 15 overs gone: 79-3; 15 short of England at the same stage. Sarfraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik, possessor of one of the worst batting records in England of any Pakistan batsman, would have to hit the ground running. They did.
The arrival of Dawson’s spin strengthened their resolve. Sarfraz in particular got the message that he had to move his feet and attack the slow bowler. There were some massive shots which didn’t quite cross the distant boundary rope and some bold sweeps to fine leg but it was Shoaib who struck the first six, well into the main grandstand. Dawson’s first four overs had conceded 41 runs and he was taken out of the firing line.
By this time, Pakistan were ahead of England. Stokes and Wood were going for a steady six or seven an over but the fourth wicket pair still had plenty to do. I thought the tourists could do it but if the partnership was broken, they couldn’t. Dawson was reintroduced in the 38th over. What was Morgan thinking? Sarfraz prepared for a few more giant blows to reach another well-deserved century. Then the debutant tossed one up, Sarfraz saw long-on glory but didn’t get enough on it. At long-on, Hales used his height wisely and made an awkward overhead catch look easy. Two overs later, Dawson got his other man as Shoaib found Roy at long-off.
57 still needed in ten overs. On the face of it, not an impossible task. But this is Pakistan we’re talking about. The 43rd over proved to be a wicket maiden for Willey but by this time Rizwan had his eye in. Dawson conceded another ten to make his figures the worst ever by an England debutant! Morgan gamely brought the field in close but the seventh wicket pair managed to nick enough singles, twos and fours to raise the nose levels amongst the Pakistan fans. A firm drive to the long-off boundary from Jordan finished things off with more than two overs to spare.
Pakistan deserved something from the series so I was glad to see Azhar Ali and his charges have something to celebrate. I decided to stay for the presentations. Interestingly, I was one of the few non-Pakistan fans gathering close to the hastily-assembled podiums. It wasn’t only the men in green receiving the cheers. England’s non-playing Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid also garnered generous applause, their Asian heritage clearly making its mark. It was nice to see.
England may have won the series, breaking a world record along the way, and setting them up for an interesting winter and next summer’s Champions Trophy. At least Pakistan proved to themselves they are capable of chasing a 300 target outside Asia, something they had never done before. Improving their ranking of nine in 50-over cricket may prove tougher….
