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MANCHESTER (England), June 18: Mohammad Hafeez’s One-day International best 69 was the cornerstone of Pakistan’s two-wicket victory, with four balls to spare, against England at Old Trafford here on Tuesday (partly reported in Wednesday’s edition).
The result put Pakistan 1-0 up in the three-match series and ensured Michael Vaughan’s first international as England’s one-day skipper got off to a losing start.
Pakistan roared on by their own fans, who made up the bulk of the capacity 18,000 crowd and invaded the pitch at the finish, were coasting to victory at 139 for two before they lost six wickets for 55 runs to set up an exciting finish.
Abdul Razzaq was 12 not out and Mohammad Sami whose inside out four off debutant Rikki Clarke, took Pakistan to within two runs of victory in the 48th over, was seven not out.
Hafeez dropped on 22 by Marcus Trescothick at mid-on, after he’d chipped paceman Andrew Flintoff, faced 112 balls including eight fours.
It was the 22-year-old’s third fifty in 10 One-day Internationals.
Earlier, Pakistan restricted England, who won the toss in this day/night match, to a below par 204 for nine with off-spinner Shoaib Malik taking a One-day International best three for 26.
Lancashire quick James Anderson, 20, who claimed four for 29 in England’s 112-run win when the teams last met, at the World Cup, in Cape Town in February, finished with three for 59 as Pakistan faltered in sight of victory.
England fast bowler Darren Gough, 32, in his first England international since the triangular series final against India last year after being sidelined with a knee injury, then had Azhar Mahmood (16) well caught by debutant Jim Troughton at midwicket to leave the tourists 194 for eight.
Gough took two for 38 but not even he could pull this match round.
Pakistan’s openers put on 60 before Clarke struck with his first ball, Imran Nazir (33), skying the medium-pacer to Vikram Solanki at point.
Yasir, dropped at slip by Trescothick off Ashley Giles made 23 before the left-arm spinner had his revenge when one-day debutant Anthony McGrath, running back from mid-on, took a brilliant diving catch.
Pakistan wobbled on 139, losing two wickets with Yousuf Youhana (8) run out by Vaughan’s direct hit from cover and Younis Khan bowled by Anderson for nought.
Anderson then had Hafeez caught by Clarke at mid-on.
The series continues at The Oval on Friday and finishes at Lord’s on Sunday.
ENGLAND:
M.E. Trescothick c Rashid b Sami 18
V.S. Solanki b Hafeez 36
M.P. Vaughan c Rashid b Umar Gul 27
J.O. Troughton c Rashid b Umar Gul 6
A. Flintoff c Yasir b Razzaq 39
A. McGrath c Sami b Shoaib Malik 33
R. Clarke b Shoaib Malik 0
C.M.W. Read c Imran b Shoaib Malik 5
A.F. Giles run out 3
D. Gough not out 14
J.M. Anderson not out 6
EXTRAS (LB-6, W-6, NB-5) 17
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 204
FALL OF WKTS: 1-45, 2-64, 3-96, 4-106, 5-152, 6-152, 7-164, 8-169, 9-194.
BOWLING: Azhar Mahmood 7-0-24-0 (2nb, 2w); Mohammad Sami 10-2-52-1 (3nb, 1w); Mohammad Hafeez 10-0-41-1 (2w); Umar Gul 7-0-33-2 (1w); Abdul Razzaq 6-0-22-1; Shoaib Malik 10-2-26-3.
PAKISTAN:
Imran Nazir c Solanki b Clarke 33
Mohammad Hafeez c Clarke b Anderson 69
Yasir Hameed c McGrath b Giles 23
Yousuf Youhana run out 8
Younis Khan b Anderson 0
Shoaib Malik c Clarke b Gough 24
Azhar Mahmood c Troughton b Gough 16
Rashid Latif lbw b Anderson 1
Abdul Razzaq not out 12
Mohammad Sami not out 7
EXTRAS (LB-9, W-6) 15
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 49.2 overs) 208
FALL OF WKTS: 1-60, 2-116, 3-139, 4-139, 5-158, 6-181, 7-188, 8-194.
DID NOT BAT: Umar Gul.
BOWLING: Anderson 10-0-59-3 (3w); Gough 10-1-38-2; Flintoff 10-2-23-0; Giles 10-0-29-1; Clarke 7.2-0-41-1 (3w); Vaughan 2-0-9-0.
RESULT: Pakistan won by two wickets.
UMPIRES: D.R. Shepherd (England) and D.B. Hair (Australia).
TV UMPIRE: P. Willey (England).
MATCH REFEREE: G.R. Viswanath (India).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mohammad Hafeez.
SECOND MATCH: The Oval on Friday.
THIRD MATCH: Lord’s on Sunday.—AFP/Reuters
