Pakistan win Test, draw series

Tony Lawrence

Pakistan, inspired by Saqlain Mushtaq, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, snatched a 108-run victory over in a dramatic climax to the second Test at Old Trafford on Monday.

England, chasing 370 to win, were 174 for one just before tea on the fifth and final day but slumped to 261 all out as their hopes of a fifth series win in a row were dashed.

Wasim Akram made the key breakthrough by removing centurion Marcus Trescothick before he combined with off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq in an extraordinary passage of play as four wickets fell for one run in 13 balls, three of them to Saqlain.

England plunged from 229 for four to 230 for eight in this telling phase.

Saqlain finished with four wickets, Wasim took two and skipper Waqar Younis had three. Pakistan won with with just 6.5 overs left as their supporters invaded the pitch at the end.

It was a extraordinary turn-around after opening batsmen Trescothick, who made 117, and Michael Atherton, who made 51, had put on 146 for England's first wicket.

Controversy, however, marred the closing stages as Nick Knight and Ian Ward, England's last recognised batsmen, were both given out off what television replays showed were no-balls, with Akram's delivery which dismissed Knight for a golden duck also looking sure to clear the top of the stumps.

Dominic Cork, the ninth man out, also fell lbw to Saqlain when the bowler seemed to have overstepped the crease.

Saqlain, after bowling 30 overs in succession for 39 runs without a wicket from the start of the day, accelerated the collapse on a wearing pitch as he trapped Alec Stewart lbw to make it 229 for five.

The off-spinner then removed Ward and Andrew Caddick with successive balls to give him a hat-trick chance before Darren Gough blocked his next ball.

Both sides had still been hoping for victory in the morning as England resumed on 85 for nought on a pitch which, until Monday, had been a batsman's paradise, serving up 1,168 runs in the first four days.

Mail Cricket Editor