England v Pakistan - Second Test

Edgbaston, Birmingham

England: *L Hutton, G Boycott, WR Hammond, KF Barrington, MC Cowdrey, IT Botham, +LEG Ames, JC Laker, AV Bedser, FS Trueman, JB Statham.
Pakistan: Mohsin Khan, Majid Khan, Saleem Malik, Javed Miandad, Mushtaq Mohammad, Asif Iqbal, *Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, +Wasim Bari, Fazal Mahmood, Waqar Younis.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: BC Cooray (SRI) & LH Barker (WI)
Toss: Pakistan

England's victory in the first Test had been their fifth in succession, and whilst the news that Jack Hobbs would miss the rest of the series with a shoulder injury was most certainly a blow, Len Hutton's team were still firm favourites ahead of the Edgbaston Test. Pakistan received an early break though when Imran won the toss and, still smarting from his miscalculation at Lord's, he had no hesitation in batting on a pitch that was promised to provide plenty of pace and bounce.

Mohsin and Majid quickly justified Imran's decision with an opening stand of 173, the second highest in Pakistan's history, and with Majid going on to record a dominating, career best 133, the scoreboard read 360-3 shortly before stumps on the first evening. Javed fell to the new ball shortly before the close though, and the second morning saw an all too familiar collapse from the Pakistanis as Trueman completed his second five wicket haul in succession. In all, the tourists lost their last seven wickets for just 27 runs, and whilst a total of 387 was a definite improvement on the first Test, it could - and should - have been so much more.

England struggled in reply though, and after Boycott departed for a typically stoic 52 to leave the score on 145-6, it was left to Les Ames once again to bat his country out of trouble. He and Jim Laker added a crucial 105 for the seventh wicket to avoid the follow-on, the second time in three matches that the pair has shared in a century stand, but Ames eventually fell 13 short of his hundred and England's total of 282 gave the visitors a handy 105 run lead at the halfway stage.

Trueman and Statham responded by plucking out Pakistan's top three with only 31 on the board, but a stabilising partnership of 118 on the third evening between Javed and Mushtaq Mohammad - who had been co-opted into the Pakistan squad from league cricket to help alleviate the tourists' injury crisis - helped re-establish the tourists' grip on the match. Mushtaq became part of Brian Staham's first ever five-for when he was brilliantly caught by Hutton for 46, but Javed's tenth ATG century - his fifth against England - coupled with an irritating last wicket stand of 40 between Wasim Bari and Waqar Younis propelled Pakistan to a total of 245, and England now had five sessions to score 351 for the victory that would seal the series.

England has never chased down anything over 200 to win an ATG Test though, and with the wicket now showing distinct signs of wear and tear, it was the tourists who seemed in pole position for the win. Imran delivered a fierce opening burst that accounted for both Hutton (2) and Hammond (1) to leave England 18-2, and although a 100 run stand between Boycott and Barrington gave the hosts new hope, their departure on the fourth evening just about pulled the rug out from under England's feet. Another devastating spell from Imran on the final morning took out both Botham and Ames, and shortly after lunch it was all over, Imran's 6-53 equalling his best ever Test return and handing Pakistan victory by 140 runs. Imran had inspired his team wonderfully well after their rout in the first Test, and Pakistan's first win in ten matches means it is now a case of winner takes all when play gets under way in the final Test at Headingley.

1st innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Scores
PAK 1st Inns 387 (Majid Khan 133, Mohsin Khan 68, Saleem Malik 67, Javed Miandad 53; Trueman 5-77)
ENG 1st Inns 282 (Ames 87, Boycott 52, Laker 42)
PAK 2nd Inns 245 (Javed Miandad 110, Mushtaq Mohammad 46; Statham 5-74)
ENG 2nd Inns 210 (Boycott 62, Barrington 57; Imran Khan 6-53)

PAKISTAN WON BY 140 RUNS


Man of the Match: Imran Khan