England wrap it up in three

England routed Pakistan by an innings and nine runs in the first Test on Sunday with an inspired display of pace bowling from Darren Gough and Andrew Caddick.

Sixteen Pakistan wickets fell on a dramatic fourth day of the rain-affected match as the touring team, forced to follow on 188 behind after being bowled out for 203, were skittled for 179 in their second innings, sparking a joyful pitch invasion by the Lord's crowd.

Man-of-the-match Caddick, finding swing and seam movement throughout, ended with match figures of eight for 106 while Gough had eight for 101, England effectively wrapping up the game in three days after the first day was rained off.

In the process, Gough became only the eighth Englishman to pass 200 test wickets.

He stole the limelight in the morning by enforcing the follow-on with three wickets in four balls as Waqar Younis's side, resuming on 115 for four in reply to England's first innings of 391, fell 39 runs short of their target.

The honour of the final wicket of the match fell to seamer Dominic Cork, who punched the air as Waqar was caught behind off a lifter.

England, seeking their fifth series success in a row, sealed their victory without captain Nasser Hussain, who was ruled out of the rest of the rubber on Saturday after breaking his right thumb while batting. The second and final test starts at Old Trafford on May 31.

Few had expected the chance of a result after the first day was washed out by rain.

DRAMATIC INTERVENTION

Pakistan, however, who had won the toss but failed to exploit the seamer-friendly conditions, proceeded to lose their last six first-innings wickets for 88 on Sunday morning.

The only real resistance had come from Younis Khan's 58 before Gough's dramatic intervention.

The Yorkshireman claimed his 200th test victim when wicketkeeper Rashid Latif was caught behind down the leg side with his final delivery before lunch.

Waqar survived Gough's next delivery but then carved a sharp catch to Graham Thorpe at third slip. Number 11 Shoaib Akhtar followed immediately, bowled for a golden duck.

The Yorkshire pace bowler, who finished with his first five-wicket haul at Lord's by taking five for 61, flung both his arms in the air before being mobbed by his team mates.

His first ball of the second innings -- a hat-trick delivery -- rapped Saeed Anwar on the pads on the way down the leg side before Caddick, who took four for 52 in the first innings, dealt a double blow.

Salim Elahi completed a pair as Thorpe went full-length at third slip to take a one-handed catch, one of several pieces of fine fielding by the home side.

The Caddick-Thorpe combination then took care of Anwar for eight before Cork got in on the act.

ONE HANDED

He removed Inzamam for 20, wicketkeeper Stewart taking the ball one handed down the leg side as the batsman stared back at the umpire in disbelief over the decision.

Yousuf Youhana then chipped a Gough delivery straight in to Michael Vaughan's hands at short mid-wicket to herald the tea interval, and soon afterwards Younis was adjudged leg before to Cork to make it 87 for five.

Abdur Razzaq provided the only resistance this time, with a three-hour 53, including nine fours, before he was caught at first slip off Caddick.

Fellow all-rounder Azhar Mahmood was next to go, caught behind off Caddick from a ball that left him, having had a number of escapes while scoring 24.

Latif and Waqar resisted for a time but England were not to be denied their win with a day to spare.

England's close catching was exemplary throughout, with wicketkeeper Stewart holding seven catches and the slips taking another eight, four of them by Thorpe.

Stewart was in charge as England surged to success, skipper Nasser Hussain having been ruled out of the rest of the two-test series on Saturday after breaking his right thumb while batting.

Mail Cricket Editor