England Beat Pakistan by Innings and 55 Runs In 2nd Test

England drew the two-match series against Pakistan with an emphatic innings and 55-run victory within three days in the second and final Test on Sunday.

England, which got a meaningful first innings lead of 189 runs, bundled out Pakistan for 134 before tea on the third day. It was a remarkable turnaround of form from England, which lost the first test at Lord’s by nine wickets inside four days.

Stuart Broad (3-28) and offspinner Dominic Bess (3-33) both snapped up three wickets while Pakistan’s top order was rattled by the experienced James Anderson (2-35).

Earlier, Jos Buttler led the charge to the hosts’ big lead with an unbeaten 80 off 101 balls as England added a brisk 61 to its overnight 302-7 inside the first hour before it was bowled out for 363.

Pakistan paid a heavy price for dropping Buttler on 4 on the second day and his knock gave England an opportunity to put Pakistan’s inexperienced batting lineup under pressure.

Buttler finally ran out of partners after hitting 11 fours and two sixes when last man Anderson was caught in the slips.

Seamer Faheem Ashraf took 3-60 while the other three fast bowlers _ Mohammad Amir (2-72), Mohammad Abbas (2-78) and Hasan Ali (2-82) _ shared six wickets among them.

Anderson used favorable bowling conditions effectively with his twin strikes before lunch as Pakistan wobbled at 48-3.

Anderson uprooted Azhar Ali’s (11) middle stump before Bess took a splendid one handed diving catch at short mid off to dismiss Haris Sohail (8).

And just before the first session ended, England successfully went for a caught behind review against Asad Shafiq (5) as the replays showed Broad’s delivery had grazed the batsman’s glove to give wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow a leg side catch.

Pakistan’s struggle continued in the second session as Bess claimed three wickets while Sam Curran celebrated his 20th birthday with the wicket of Shadab Khan.

Young Imam-ul-Haq (34) and Usman Salahuddin (33) added 42 runs in a fourth-wicket stand before Pakistan lost its last seven wickets for 50 runs.

Bess broke the stand in his first over when he had Imam leg before wicket and then Ashraf spooned a dolly catch at backward point off a top edge.

Bess changed ends and ended Usman’s resistance before Broad finished off the match with the last two wickets.

Meanwhile, injured all-rounder Ben Stokes was ruled out of next weekend’s one-day international against Scotland and the start of the five-match ODI series against Australia.

Stokes missed the second Test against Pakistan due to a hamstring tear and will be replaced by Dawid Malan for the ODI against Scotland.

In Stokes’ absence, Sam Billings has been added to England’s squad for the early part of the ODI series against Australia.

Courtesy : indianexpress