LONDON, (Reuters) – Umar Gul took six wickets in a devastating display of quick bowling as Pakistan kept the one-day cricket series alive with a 23-run victory over England at the Oval yesterday.
Fawad Alam made 64 as Pakistan set England a seemingly unimposing total of 242 for victory.
The hosts began their run chase in confident fashion with opener Andrew Strauss making 57 from 54 balls, but they lost five wickets for 68 runs as Pakistan tightened the screw.
Eoin Morgan, in tandem with Luke Wright, steadied the England ship but Gul, who had earlier claimed the wickets of Strauss and Michael Yardy, tore through England’s lower order.
He dismissed Morgan and Tim Bresnan in the same over, before taking the wickets of Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann to leave the tourists on the brink of victory.
Abdul Razzaq finished off the job with the wicket of James Anderson to leave the five-match series poised at 2-1 in England’s favour.
England’s bowlers quickly took the fight to their opponents, reducing Pakistan to 31-3.
Alam and Asad Shafiq steered Pakistan out of immediate danger, adding 64 runs before the latter was caught off the bowling of Swann.
Alam dug in and scored 64 before he was caught by Strauss at midwicket having lifted the tourists to 181-6.
Anderson and Bresnan, who claimed three wickets apiece, cleaned up the tail and England began their run chase brightly.
