Pakistan v Sri Lanka - Series Summary

PAKISTAN WON THE SERIES 3-0
Pakistan started as hot favourites in spite of the fact that they had not won a series since season IV, and a 3-0 scoreline come the conclusion of proceedings came as no surprise. Sri Lanka's batting proved itself capable, at least until the final Test, but its bowling attack was hopelessly outclassed, and the record total that Pakistan was allowed to amass in the first Test set the tone for the series.

Javed's triple century in Karachi was the undoubted batting highlight of the series, but Majid Khan was arguably Pakistan's most consistent batsman, notching two centuries and a fifty in his five visits to the crease. Mushtaq Mohammad was the only home batsman to disappoint, but he made up for this with his best ever series with the ball, culminating in his hat-trick in Lahore where he also returned the best bowling figures on either side over the course of the three Tests. Imran enjoyed a very consistent series with bat and ball, and victories in all three Tests have now placed his team right on England's shoulder in the rankings.

As for Sri Lanka, the lack of firepower in their bowling attack will surely see them continue to struggle at this level until the likes of Muralitharan and Vaas become eligible for selection in some future time. That said, the five wicket hauls returned by Ravi Ratnayeke and Rumesh Ratnayake in Lahore do offer some hope, although the wholly ineffectual performance of leg spinner Somachandra de Silva was a great disappointment. The other de Silva, Aravinda, made a most positive impact with the bat after missing the first Test through injury, and the fact that the Sri Lankans were able to pass the 300 mark in each of their first four innings shows that batting is certainly the islanders strongest suit. Gurusinha and Ranatunga will be unhappy with their contributions to the cause though, and both will be keen to make amends when their side next takes the field in a one-off Test against India.

Series averages
(click to enlarge)

Players of the Series: Javed Miandad & RS Mahanama

Pakistan v Sri Lanka - Third Test

Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Pakistan: Majid Khan, Mohsin Khan, Ijaz Ahmed, Javed Miandad, Mushtaq Mohammad, Asif Iqbal, *Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Sarfraz Nawaz, +Wasim Bari, Iqbal Qasim.
Sri Lanka: RS Mahanama, UC Hathurusingha, AP Gurusinha, RL Dias, PA de Silva, *A Ranatunga, +RS Kaluwitharana, JR Ratnayeke, HDPK Dharmasena, RJ Ratnayake, GP Wickramasinghe.

Debuts: UC Hathurusingha (SL)
Umpires: BL Aldridge (NZL) & VK Ramaswamy (IND)
Toss: Pakistan

The Gaddafi Stadium was sparsely populated throughout the duration of the third and final Test, but there was plenty of entertainment on offer for the few fans that bothered to show up. Pakistan, who were fielding Sarfraz Nawaz and Iqbal Qasim in place of the under-performing Fazal Mahmood and Abdul Qadir, rattled up an impressive 342 runs on day one, but equally impressive was the fact that the Sri Lankans had managed to claim eight wickets during that time, with Ravi Ratnayeke going on to claim the first five wicket haul in the visitors' history as the innings closed for the addition of just six further runs on the second morning.

The Sri Lankan bowlers stuck to their task admirably, and a succession of home batsmen got themselves out to shots of which they would not be proud. Ijaz was one such culprit, caught on the boundary off the recalled Dharmasena seven runs short of what would have been a maiden ATG century, and it was not until the arrival of Asif Iqbal at the crease that we were treated to some composed, measured batsmanship. Asif eventually fell to the second new ball, bowled by an excellent off-cutter from Ratnayake for 71, but Sarfraz continued to enjoy himself and was eventually last out for 48 on would prove to be a most eventful second day.

Mahanama and debutant Hathurusingha gave Sri Lanka's reply a solid foundation, but after lunch came with the score on 91-1, the innings imploded in the afternoon session as Mushtaq Mohammad ran through the card in spectacular fashion. Mahanama was bowled shortly after the resumption for 64, Iqbal Qasim getting his revenge after being struck for two huge, straight sixes before the interval, then Mushtaq took over with a spell of 6-12 in the space of 26 deliveries, the Sri Lankans having no answer to his flighted leg spin. In the midst of his amazing spell, Mushtaq also claimed the first ever hat-trick in ATG history by dismissing Gurusinha, Ratnayeke and Dharmasena with the third, fourth and fifth balls of his sixth over, Dharmasena providing Sarfraz with a steepling catch in the covers that left hearts in mouths for what seemed like an eternity before the celebrations could begin.

Sri Lanka were eventually dismissed for 194 to give Pakistan a 154 run first innings lead, and after Majid and Mohsin were both nipped out before stumps to complete a second day's play on which 14 wickets had fallen, the third day was all about Javed Miandad as his second century of the series dispelled any fanciful thoughts of winning the game that the tourists may have still harboured. Wickets fell regularly throughout the day as Sri Lanka's seamers again bowled with admirable perseverance, but Javed was the glue that held the innings together, and when he was ninth out for 112, after a 61 run stand with Sarfraz that just about hammered the final nail into Sri Lanka's coffin, Pakistan's lead exceeded 400 and the tourists' chance had gone.

Rumesh Ratnayake trumped his near namesake's efforts in the first innings by recording figures of 6-92, but unfortunately for Sri Lanka their batsmen failed to show anything like the same levels of application in their second innings, and with the scoreboard reading 86-4 at the end of day three, the writing was very much on the wall. Aravinda de Silva had fallen for a silky 46 in the day's last over, gated by a turning ball from Qasim, and without his presence the remainder of the order crumbled on day four, two stoppages for rain the only impediment to a decisive Pakistani victory. It was pace rather than spin that did for the Lankans this time, and Imran and Akram shared nine wickets between them as the innings subsided to a paltry total of 126. Sri Lanka's batting had let them down badly after it had been their strongest suit in the first two Tests, and Pakistan's series sweep, sadly celebrated in front of just a handful of spectators, was both predictable and deserved.

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
(click to enlarge)

Scores
PAK 1st Inns 348 (Ijaz Ahmed 93, Asif Iqbal 71, Sarfraz Nawaz 48; Ratnayeke 5-62)
SL 1st Inns 194 (Mahanama 64; Mushtaq Mohammad 6-29)
PAK 2nd Inns 255 (Javed Miandad 112; Ratnayake 6-92)
SL 2nd Inns 126 (PA de Silva 46; Imran Khan 5-37, Wasim Akram 4-42)

PAKISTAN WON BY 283 RUNS


Man of the Match: Mushtaq Mohammad

Pakistan v Sri Lanka - Second Test

Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad

Pakistan: Majid Khan, Mohsin Khan, Ijaz Ahmed, Javed Miandad, Mushtaq Mohammad, Asif Iqbal, *Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, +Wasim Bari, Fazal Mahmood, Abdul Qadir.
Sri Lanka: S Wettimuny, RS Mahanama, AP Gurusinha, RL Dias, PA de Silva, *A Ranatunga, +RS Kaluwitharana, DS de Silva, JR Ratnayeke, RJ Ratnayake, GP Wickramasinghe.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: CJ Egar (AUS) & S Kishen (IND)
Toss: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's batsmen performed creditably in the first Test defeat, and given first use of a rock-hard track in Faisalabad they again batted well, providing the Lankans with perhaps their best day in the ATG arena thus far as they racked up 352 runs on a helter-skelter first day at the Iqbal Stadium. Hashan Tillakaratne was ruled out of this game with a groin strain, but Aravinda de Silva was fit again, and on his recall to the side he and Roy Dias compiled a wonderful stand of 168 in an afternoon session that saw the runs come at a rate approaching a run a ball.

The pair combined in a display of truly audacious strokeplay, but both missed out on their centuries as Imran produced a devastating spell either side of tea. The innings stumbled from 240-3 to 261-8, and Imran's five wicket burst saw him become just the third player, after Malcolm Marshall and Bill O'Reilly, to reach 200 ATG wickets. Somachandra de Silva, with his first ATG fifty, and Rumesh Ratnayake rallied the innings thereafter though and their excellent stand of 78 for the ninth wicket helped push Sri Lanka's total to 352, the innings having spanned just 82 overs. However, what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, and over the course of the second day Pakistan's batsmen metered out similar punishment as the tourists' attack again struggled to either contain or penetrate.

From an overnight score of 7-0, Pakistan piled on a further 391 runs for the loss of just five wickets on day two, with Majid topping his century in the first Test by stroking his way to a career high 161 before being trapped by a good slower ball from Wickramasinghe, Sri Lanka's best bowler on the day. Majid had earlier been part of a second successive century opening partnership with Mohsin, and he added a further 116 with Ijaz, whose first ATG fifty showed promise until he was caught in the deep off Ratnayeke. With opposite number Ranatunga dropping the field back, Imran managed to give the tail end of the innings some impetus with a cultured 83, and a last wicket stand of 66 with Qadir pushed Pakistan to a total of 538 and a lead of 186 when Imran was finally dismissed on the third afternoon.

It was Aravinda de Silva who bowled the Pakistani captain, and after a rocky start to Sri Lanka's second innings it was Aravinda the batsman to the rescue as he raised his maiden ATG hundred after coming so close on the first day. Two more wickets from Imran, including that of Dias for 3 courtesy of a stunning catch in the slips from Majid, had reduced Sri Lanka to 38-3, but de Silva then got to work as Sri Lanka moved towards making their opponents bat twice for the first time in their brief ATG history. That de Silva was dropped three times during his 143 should not take anything away from the quality of his innings, and the fact that the next highest score was Kaluwitharana's 38 highlights the dominance of the diminutive maestro's performance.

Sri Lanka's final total of 327 set Pakistan a relatively comfortable target of 142 for victory, and although a three wicket burst from Wickramasinghe on the final morning finally gave the visitors something to cheer in the field, it was a case of too little too late as Pakistan got home by five wickets to take both the match and the series. Sri Lanka's batsmen had again performed admirably but, just as in the first Test, their bowlers looked far from threatening, and a 3-0 whitewash seems on the cards as the teams head to Lahore for the third and final Test.

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
(click to enlarge)

Scores
SL 1st Inns 352 (PA de Silva 96, Dias 89, DS de Silva 57, Wettimuny 42; Imran Khan 5-73)
PAK 1st Inns 538 (Majid Khan 161, Imran Khan 83, Ijaz Ahmed 69, Javed Miandad 49, Mohsin Khan 46)
SL 2nd Inns 327 (PA de Silva 143; Wasim Akram 4-98)
PAK 2nd Inns 142-5 (Majid Khan 65, Mohsin Khan 47)

PAKISTAN WON BY 5 WICKETS


Man of the Match: PA de Silva

Pakistan v Sri Lanka - First Test

National Stadium, Karachi

Pakistan: Majid Khan, Mohsin Khan, Ijaz Ahmed, Javed Miandad, Mushtaq Mohammad, Asif Iqbal, *Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, +Wasim Bari, Fazal Mahmood, Abdul Qadir.
Sri Lanka: S Wettimuny, RS Mahanama, AP Gurusinha, RL Dias, *A Ranatunga, HP Tillakaratne, +RS Kaluwitharana, DS de Silva, JR Ratnayeke, ALF de Mel, GP Wickramasinghe.

Debuts: Ijaz Ahmed (PAK); RL Dias, ALF de Mel & GP Wickramasinghe (SL)
Umpires: CJ Egar (AUS) & S Kishen (IND)
Toss: Pakistan

Sri Lanka entered into their first Test overseas with something of an injury crisis in their already thin bowling stocks, and on the flattest of tracks in Karachi, the attack that the Lankans did manage to put out onto the field was flayed to all quarters by a rampant Pakistani batting line-up. Majid Khan, with 101, was the dominant partner as the first wicket put on a completely untroubled 181, and Mohsin Khan then played second fiddle to a rampaging Javed in a third wicket partnership that took the hosts to an imposing 375-2 at the end of day one.

Mohsin passed 1000 career runs as he posted a career high 188, and his partnership with Javed had reached a national record 207 before the perspiring de Mel finally induced an edge behind midway through the second morning. Pakistan had already racked up 446 runs by this stage, and there was to be no let up for the tourists as Javed went into overdrive. Already past his hundred, Javed was determined to put on an unforgettable show for his home crowd, and his fourth ATG double century was raised off just 213 balls as he and Asif added a further 112 runs at almost a run a ball for the fifth wicket.

The score ticked past the 600 mark soon after Javed's milestone, and with the scoreboard reading a mammoth 662-5 at tea, the highest total in Pakistan's history, the toiling Sri Lankans would have been hoping and praying for Imran to call time on proceedings. It was not to be though, and after the break Javed and Imran took their partnership towards the 200 mark as Javed first passed his own national record of 284, and then became the first Pakistani to break the 300 barrier before Imran finally declared on 766-5, the third highest total in ATG history. Whilst Javed was celebrating, Sri Lanka's bowlers were left to lick their substantial wounds, with de Mel and Somachandra de Silva the first bowlers ever to concede in excess of 200 runs in a single innings, and it came as no surprise when Wasim Akram whipped out both Wettimuny and Gurusinha before stumps on day two to leave the visitors a precarious 4-2 overnight.

That the Sri Lankans did not fold completely on day three was down to two men; Mahanama blazed a defiant 92 at the top of the order then Hashan Tillakaratne rallied the tail to record his second century in succession as the total crept past 300, finally matching Javed's 304 when de Mel was last man out for a commendable, two and a half hour, 31. It was now lunch on day four, and in humid conditions and with a lead of 462, Imran enforced the follow-on, giving the Sri Lankans five sessions to hold out for an improbable draw. Wettimuny and Gurusinha both went cheaply again, but Mahanama and Dias then linked up in a partnership that saw them bat on into the final day and present the tourists with the possibility of staging one of the greatest of escapes.

Mahanama reached his century in audacious fashion, striking consecutive boundaries off Akram in the final over of day four to reach three figures and Dias, who was making his debut in place of the injured Aravinda de Silva, compiled a stoic fifty as the pair put together their nation's highest partnership to date. Their stand had reached 173 before Dias ballooned a catch off the leading edge against Mushtaq on the final morning, and unfortunately for Sri Lanka his wicket marked the start of a steady decline as Pakistan's spinners took control in the afternoon. Mahanama was finally out for 163 to go with his 92 in the first innings, and the last six wickets fell for just 52 runs as the tail melted away against the turning ball. Sri Lanka were eventually all out for 321 shortly before tea, and Pakistan claimed victory by the tidy margin of an innings and 141 runs. The visitors' batsmen had certainly not disgraced themselves but, as predicted, their bowling attack seems incapable of taking ten wickets in a match, let alone twenty, and one cannot foresee anything other than more leather chasing for the tourists as the series continues.

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
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Scores
PAK 1st Inns 766-5 dec. (Javed Miandad 304*, Mohsin Khan 188, Majid Khan 101, Imran Khan 80*, Asif Iqbal 47)
SL 1st Inns 304 (Tillakaratne 108, Mahanama 92)
SL 2nd Inns 321 (Mahanama 163, Dias 65; Mushtaq Mohammad 4-33)

PAKISTAN WON BY AN INNINGS & 141 RUNS


Man of the Match: Javed Miandad

Pakistan v Sri Lanka - Tour Match

President's XI v Sri Lankans
Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad
3 Day Game
Umpires: Amanullah Khan & Mahboob Shah
Toss: Sri Lankans

President's XI: Aamer Sohail, Rameez Raja, Waqar Hasan, Javed Burki, Ijaz Ahmed, Wasim Raja, +*Rashid Latif, Nasim-ul-Ghani, Mahmood Hussain, Asif Masood, Aaqib Javed.
Sri Lankans: S Wettimuny, RS Mahanama, AP Gurusinha, RL Dias, *A Ranatunga, HP Tillakaratne, +RS Kaluwitharana, DS de Silva, JR Ratnayeke, HDPK Dharmasena, GP Wickramasinghe.

A batsman-friendly pitch at the Niaz Stadium meant that the draw was always going to be the likely result in Hyderabad, and Asanka Gurusinha took full advantage on the first day with a fine century for the tourists. Gurusinha (109) put on 138 for the third wicket with the more circumspect Dias (65) and then, after the Sri Lankans had stumbled from 200-2 to 257-7, Somachandra de Silva and Ravi Ratnayeke revived the innings with an attacking partnership of 78, allowing Ranatunga to declare overnight with the scoreboard reading 354-8.

Coming as it did from the number eight position, de Silva's fluent 75 proved that Sri Lanka's batting certainly has some depth to it, but over the course of the second day the tourists' bowling attack was put to the sword as Rameez Raja and Ijaz Ahmed both powered their way to confident hundreds. The pair piled on 229 runs for the fourth wicket in little over three hours, but once the stand was broken the misery was far from over for the Sri Lankans as Rashid Latif smashed four sixes on his way to a quickfire fifty, and a 105 run partnership with Wasim Raja helped propel the hosts into an 85 run lead before Latif declared on the final morning. Ratnayeke was the only member of the visitors' attack to emerge with any credit, and it was now down to the batsmen to play out time and avoid the possibility of a demoralising defeat ahead of the first Test.

Wettimuny (54) and Mahanama (37) put on a trouble-free 65 for the first wicket, and although wickets fell at regular intervals thereafter, a shoddy display in the field from the Pakistanis ensured that the tourists were able to keep the scoreboard ticking over, and the game petered out into its inevitable conclusion over the course of the remainder of the day. Sri Lanka will head into the opening Test with a reasonably confident batting unit in situ, but on the evidence of the last three days, coupled with their showing in their one previous Test against England, one wonders how their bowlers will manage to take twenty wickets in a Test, and for that reason Pakistan must remain strong favourites as the series begins in earnest.

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
(click to enlarge)

Scores
Sri Lankans 1st Inns 354-8 dec. (Gurusinha 109, de Silva 75, Dias 65)
President's XI 1st Inns 439-8 dec. (Rameez Raja 149, Ijaz Ahmed 110, Rashid Latif 73; Ratnayeke 4-90)
Sri Lankans 2nd Inns 235-8 (Wettimuny 54)

MATCH DRAWN

Pakistan v Sri Lanka - Series Preview

Sri Lanka's first full ATG series takes them to Pakistan, and Arjuna Ranatunga's team will be keen to put on a good display after defeat in their inaugural Test against England last season. Sri Lanka fought hard in that match though, and whilst Pakistan will be overwhelming favourites in this three match series, they would do well not to underestimate the capabilities of their guests.

Pakistan themselves enter this series on the back of an encouraging tour of England, and if they do indeed emerge victorious here it will end a run of five series without a win, their last series triumph coming against New Zealand back in season IV. It will also be their last chance for a while to break the cycle as Pakistan have no further fixtures scheduled this season, so we should be in for some competitive cricket once the series gets underway in Karachi.

Current form (most recent result first)
Pakistan DWLDL
Sri Lanka L

Sri Lanka squad
A Ranatunga (c), HP Tillakaratne (v/c), SD Anurasiri, ALF de Mel, DS de Silva, PA de Silva, RL Dias, HDPK Dharmasena, AP Gurusinha, UC Hathurusingha, RS Kaluwitharana, RS Mahanama, RJ Ratnayake, JR Ratnayeke, S Wettimuny, GP Wickramasinghe.

England v Pakistan - Series Summary

SERIES DRAWN 1-1
An enthralling series ended with Pakistan on top, and had the elements not intervened at Headingley the tourists may well have been celebrating a glorious and unexpected come-from-behind victory. As it was, 1-1 was probably a fair result, one that the sixth-ranked Pakistanis will take far more from than will England. A crushing win for the hosts in the first Test seemed to herald the one-sided series that many had predicted, but Imran rallied his troops well and was so nearly able to hand England what would have been only their second ever series defeat.

Fred Trueman's restoration to the English attack was an unqualified success, but Brian Statham apart, the remainder of England's bowling was lacklustre, as was the performance of the middle order batting. Wally Hammond endured the worst run of form in his ATG career, with five single figure scores in six innings, and although his previous record will protect his place in the side for now, there may well be other changes ahead of the series with South Africa; England badly missed Jack Hobbs in the second and third Tests, and will welcome his return against the Proteas. Pakistan's resurgence was very much down to a team effort, with Imran's leadership binding the whole to great effect at Edgbaston and Headingley. Doubts still remain over the best opening partnership though, and Waqar's continued lack of form must now put his place in the side in doubt.

Series averages
(click to enlarge)

The draw in the final Test means that England just about hold on to the number one spot in the rankings, but anything other than a series victory over South Africa will see them concede that position, and with an Ashes tour on the horizon the next few months promise to be testing times for English cricket.

Players of the Series: FS Trueman & Javed Miandad

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

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

England v Pakistan - First Test

Lord's, London

England: JB Hobbs, *L Hutton, WR Hammond, KF Barrington, MC Cowdrey, IT Botham, +LEG Ames, JC Laker, H Larwood, FS Trueman, DL Underwood.
Pakistan: Mohsin Khan, Mudassar Nazar, Majid Khan, Javed Miandad, Saleem Malik, Asif Iqbal, *Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, +Wasim Bari, Fazal Mahmood, Waqar Younis.

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

Season 6 of ATG cricket got under way at a sunshine-drenched Lord's, and after Imran's somewhat surprising decision to insert his opponents it was England that made hay, rattling up an imposing 515-6 before Hutton declared on the second evening. A magnificent, undefeated 243 from Hobbs was the cornerstone of the innings, although it must be said that he did enjoy more than his fair share of good fortune during his twelve hour stay at the wicket. Barrington and Cowdrey both contributed to consecutive century partnerships, and then Hobbs hooked up with Les Ames to put together a new Test record for the sixth wicket, with Ames' 137 coming out of a stand of 236. With Qadir and Tauseef both pulling out before the Test, Pakistan's attack was one-dimensional on a flat wicket, and the tourists would now be on the back foot for the rest of the match.

After both openers fell cheaply, everyone bar Wasim Bari at number nine got a start in Pakistan's reply, but only Majid's 75 provided any real substance, and all of the English attack took wickets as poor shot selection saw the tourists subside to 228 all out on the third evening. Botham put in his best performance with the ball for some time to record figures of 4-44, and with a lead of 287 Hutton decided not to enforce the follow-on, armed as he was with the knowledge that the pitch was likely to offer up some uneven bounce the further the match went.

For now though the pitch was still playing well, and Hobbs and Hutton's eleventh century opening stand put the game far beyond Pakistan's reach. Both fell in the seventies as England made a final push for quick runs on the fourth day, and Hutton eventually made his second declaration of the match midway through the afternoon session, England's total of 206-3 setting Pakistan an impossible target of 494 for victory. More realistically the tourists now had four and a half sessions of batting to save the match, but a devastating spell of 3-0 in six balls from Trueman reduced the innings to 4-3 before tea, and with Mudassar unable to bat due to a broken finger he sustained in the field, the writing looked on the wall for the tourists.

Majid (31) and Imran (17) both dug in to offer Asif some support, but from 91-4 overnight England were able to wrap up proceedings before lunch on the final day, Asif last man out after riding his luck for a heroic, but ultimately fruitless 85. Trueman completed a triumphant return to the England team with figures of 6-40, his best ever analysis in ATG Tests, and England's 338 run margin of victory accurately reflected the gulf that was apparent between the two sides over the course of the five days. Pakistan will need to regroup quickly before the second Test, and they will be sweating over the fitness of a number of the squad before the teams reconvene at Edgbaston.

1st innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Scores
ENG 1st Inns 515-6 dec. (Hobbs 243*, Ames 137, Cowdrey 47, Barrington 43)
PAK 1st Inns 228 (Majid Khan 75; Botham 4-44)
ENG 2nd Inns 206-3 dec. (Hutton 75, Hobbs 73)
PAK 2nd Inns 155 (Asif Iqbal 85; Trueman 6-40)

ENGLAND WON BY 338 RUNS


Man of the Match: JB Hobbs

England v Pakistan - Tour Match

MCC v Pakistanis
The Oval, London
4 Day Game
Umpires: JS Buller & CS Elliot
Toss: MCC

MCC: DS Sheppard, JH Edrich, *ER Dexter, TW Graveney, BL D'Oliveira, TE Bailey, +JM Parks, DA Allen, JH Wardle, DJ Brown, FH Tyson.
PAK: Mohsin Khan, Mudassar Nazar, Majid Khan, Javed Miandad, Saleem Malik, Asif Iqbal, *Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, +Wasim Bari, Tauseef Ahmed, Waqar Younis.

Pakistan enjoyed a very profitable warm up ahead of the Test series with a convincing 10 wicket win over an MCC XI at The Oval. A five wicket haul from Waqar Younis helped dismiss the home side in their first innings for just 267 on what was a good batting strip, and had it not been for Trevor Bailey's five hour 72 the damage could have been that much greater. The Pakistanis were only able to take a 34 run lead at the halfway stage though, as consistent bowling from the MCC's seamers enabled Ted Dexter's team to make breakthroughs at vital times. Javed batted very well for his 69, but it was Saleem Malik's century that stood out, and the Pakistani selectors' decision to omit Zaheer Abbas in favour of Malik on this tour looks to be justified.

With the wicket now starting to break up, batting was not going to be as easy in the second innings, and the MCC side was blown away on a fourth morning that saw them collapse from 20-1 overnight to 57-7 at lunch as Wasim Akram ran riot. Tauseef's off spin cleaned up the tail in the afternoon, and a paltry total of just 85 allowed Mohsin and Mudassar to pilot the tourists to a comfortable victory shortly after tea on the final day. The Pakistanis had put in a thoroughly professional performance, and they will now head into the Tests confident that they can make a mark on a series where they are most certainly second favourites.

1st innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Scores

MCC 1st Inns 267 (Bailey 72, Sheppard 51, Dexter 47; Waqar Younis 5-53)
PAK 1st Inns 301 (Saleem Malik 102, Javed Miandad 69, Majid Khan 45; Tyson 4-59)
MCC 2nd Inns 85 (Tauseef Ahmed 4-20, Wasim Akram 4-26)
PAK 2nd Inns 52-0

PAKISTANIS WON BY 10 WICKETS