England get stuffed
England gifted the Twenty20 to Pakistan on a plate. England were rubbish and got stuffed by a vastly superior Pakistan one day outfit. Shoaib Aktor recently back from injury, and Mohammad Asif (just back) bowled accurately, reducing a promising 40-0 to 55-3, with KP scoring another golden duck, his second to Asif in as many matches. Strauss only lasted a ball longer than KP, and Collingwood’s 2 in 11 balls left the score at 60 odd for 4. Trescothick looked in top form and made a match top score of 53. Jamie Dalrymple and Mike Yardy, both new to the fold, made useful twenties in the closing overs. But a total of 143 never looked like threatening a Pakistan batting lineup that was class down to number 7.
Stuart Broad on debut got a useful 2fer with a first ball scalp of Younis Khan. And although the kid looks about 12 (even though he’s 20), it’s pretty clear he’s got a promising England career ahead of him. And at 6′6″ and still growing (he’s projected to be 6′9″) he’ll make a worthy bowling partner to Steve Harmison. Assuming Harmy can get over his injury. When Shahid Afridi made it to the wicket, on Broad’s hat-trick ball, rather than a sensible block or dab, Afridi heaved the youngster back over his head. And he didn’t look like stopping, spanking Mahmood for 22 off his first over. Afridi finally departed, after scoring 28 of just 10 balls, an astonishing strike rate of 275. Not before a smirk of irony breached my face - Afridi put a Mahmood long hop out of the small Bristol ground which meant a box of balls had to be brought in to find a replacement. Fortunately, before one could be chosen the original had been retrieved, and although undoubtedly scratched and scruffed from its brutal treatment, they continued using it.
From there, the game was won, and all Pakistan had to do was run it out. Which they did. Comfortably. England’s newbies had a good day, but Darren Gough’s triumphant comeback was hardly the triumphant comeback he (or most people) would have wanted. No, 8 wickets and a brisk 50 would have been much better. It was not to be though. KP’s failure was no doubt an embarassment for him - perhaps the hype of being England’s lynchpin is getting the better of him.
A 5 match one day series of proper cricket kicks off on Wednesday at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.
Tags: England, inzamam, pakistan, stuart-broad, Twenty20Related Stories
POSTED IN: Cricket
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