England v Pakistan - Third Test

Headingley, Leeds

England: *L Hutton, G Boycott, WR Hammond, KF Barrington, MC Cowdrey, IT Botham, +LEG Ames, H Larwood, FS Trueman, DL Underwood, 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: CJ Egar (AUS) & CJ Mitchley (SAF)
Toss: England

England have never lost an ATG Test at Headingley, and armed perhaps with more than a little local knowledge, Len Hutton inserted the Pakistanis having won the toss on a dank first morning. The tourists started well, taking the score to 88-1 at one stage, but from then on wickets fell at regular intervals as Brian Statham in particular found movement both in the air and off the pitch. All bar last man Waqar Younis made it into double figures for Pakistan, but no-one was able to better Javed's 51, and a total of 284, eked out over four and a half rain-hit sessions, just about justified Hutton's decision at the toss. Statham followed up his maiden five-for at Edgbaston with figures of 6-73, but before long he would be called upon to perform with the bat as England faltered in their reply.

With Fazal Mahmood in the Statham role, England's middle order failed once again, and at 75-4 on the second evening the hosts were in distinct trouble. Len Hutton was still there though, and on a dramatic third day he went on to record a wonderful, potentially match-winning century as England clawed their way back into contention. Hutton dropped anchor as Botham (58) and Ames (39) took the attack to the Pakistanis, but the strokes were unfurled once both partners had departed, and he was finally out hooking at Akram for 135, his sixteenth ATG century. England still trailed at this stage, but a spirited last wicket stand of 52 between Trueman and Statham gave the hosts renewed momentum, and when England took the lead the roar would have been audible on both sides of the Pennines.

England's total of 310 had given them a lead of 26, and before the close of play Pakistan had stumbled to 42-3, including the key wicket of Javed, caught fending away a Botham bouncer. It had been a remarkable Headingley Saturday, and Sunday's play was full of tension as Saleem and Mushtaq set about rebuilding Pakistan's innings. The chances simply wouldn't go to hand for England, and both men passed fifty as they meticulously constructed a fourth wicket partnership of 108 to sway the advantage back the way of the tourists. Asif then upped the tempo with a cavalier fifty of his own, and when rain and bad light brought play to a premature end, Pakistan's total of 262-6 gave them a lead of 237 going into the final day of the series.

The timing of Imran's declaration would now be crucial in deciding the outcome of the match, and after completing just his second fifty in 27 innings he called time, setting England a tantalizing 271 to win off a minimum of 77 overs, weather permitting. The series was now on the line, and after just five overs of England's final innings it looked as though it would be Pakistan who would be emerging victorious. Hutton (4), Boycott (0) and Hammond (0) all gave catching practice to Majid in the slips, and England sat at a parlous 4-3, just as Pakistan had done in their final innings of the first Test. Barrington's edge behind for 24 made it 45-4 early in the afternoon session, but Cowdrey and Botham fought back with a stand of 123 in 31 overs to take England to within 120 of victory with 25 overs still to be bowled. Botham especially was batting wonderfully well, but Fazal Mahmood then struck to remove both partners in the space of five balls, and the pendulum had swung back in Pakistan's favour.

England were still 98 runs short of the winning post with both time and wickets running out, but the elements then intervened to stymie any chances either side may have had. A thirty minute rain break meant there was time enough for Pakistan to take two further wickets and for Majid to complete a record breaking four catches in the innings and seven in the match, but England's tail clung on and one of the most enthralling Test matches, and series, of recent times was drawn after five damp, but dramatic days at Headingley.

1st innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Scores
PAK 1st Inns 284 (Javed Miandad 51; Statham 6-73)
ENG 1st Inns 310 (Hutton 135, Botham 58)
PAK 2nd Inns 296-8 dec. (Saleem Malik 72, Imran Khan 63, Asif Iqbal 59, Mushtaq Mohammad 57)
ENG 2nd Inns 194-8 (Botham 74, Cowdrey 65)

MATCH DRAWN


Man of the Match: L Hutton