September 11, 2006	Monday	Sha'aban 17, 1427

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BIRMINGHAM, Sept 10: After spending the first half of this one-day series strutting the stage like world champions in-waiting, Pakistan departed home with their tails between their legs.

A generous explanation might be end-of-tour syndrome — and this has been an unusually long and taxing tour — but the Pakistan management will have to work hard to transform a formidable side on paper into one that wins consistently enough to become the world's best.

The state of the series effectively turned Edgbaston's game into a final and, although England's win means that the series is drawn, the moral victory goes to England.

This is a worrying outcome for Inzamam-ul Haq's team, particularly since they surrendered the Test series with a whimper even before the drama at The Oval secured Inzamam's status as a national hero.

But what The Oval shenanigans have failed to cover up is that this has been Pakistan's most unsuccessful tour of England since 1982. The batting, in particular, has been a worry other than the form of Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan, and Inzamam's captaincy leaves considerable scope for improvement.

Whether or not the batting blip is an aberration will be tested in the Champions Trophy, a tournament that has come at a good time for Pakistan to restore their confidence where the pitches offer a friendlier challenge.

There will be no hiding place, though, for Inzamam's captaincy which seems to come alive when he wields his bat or when the situation is desperate in the field. At other—crucial—times, when the game drifts away from Pakistan, Inzamam's leadership is conspicuous by its absence.

What looked like a cakewalk for England became a dance on thin ice as Pakistan did fight back in bursts to make a match of this deciding encounter and offer something to cheer their supporters who created a vibrant atmosphere on a hot day of tense international cricket.

In the absence of Shoaib Akhtar, who injured his knee in training, Mohammad Asif took the first two wickets. But on this occasion Kevin Pietersen won his personal battle with Asif to set England back on the road to victory.

Shahid Afridi, however, ended Pieteresen's aggressive knock in an equally aggressive spell. He then trapped James Dalrymple in the same over to revive Pakistan's hopes.

With Abdul Razzaq following up with two quick wickets Pakistan threatened to steal a match that had been loaded in favour of England since the toss. But in a bewildering decision, Inzamam removed Afridi from the attack and Pakistan lost any chance to exploit their opening.

It was fitting that Sajid Mahmood, who had been barracked all day by Pakistani fans, guided England home in a tense finish.

The conditions in Birmingham were unhelpful early on with the ball swinging, seaming, and holding up. Strokeplay proved difficult for Pakistan's star-studded line-up although not difficult enough to set England such a meagre target.

Pakistan's new opening partnership of Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat took the sting out of the conditions and the England attack as they watched their way to 43. But the loss of 3 wickets for 8 runs dealt a fatal blow to Pakistan. It did not help either that all three of those wickets were self-inflicted.

Inzamam, who had emerged to a rousing reception, was one of the few not to gift his wicket, even so he finished his final international match in England dismissed leg before for 2.

It was left to his probable successor as Pakistan captain and man of the series, Younis, to hold the innings together and shepherd the total above 150. To their credit, the Pakistanis managed to play out their fifty overs, a feat that helped them to be competitive. But it was not enough to salvage the match and some cricketing honour from this tour. Let's be in no doubt: this was a rookie English bowling attack, an attack that Pakistan's batsmen should have taken apart.

Inzamam, for once, did give an impassioned display in the field. In his defence, he will always be able to point to the toss and the way the pitch played in the first half of the match.

Nonetheless, Pakistan have snatched a draw from the jaws of victory in this one-day series and, whatever the excuses, this is simply not good enough for an international side that aspires to be World Champions.