Stuart Broad starred with the ball as England put up a vastly improved performance to put it across Pakistan by 67 runs in their final World Cup warm-up game against Pakistan at the Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah on Friday.
Published: Feb 18, 2011, 09:57 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 18, 2011, 09:57 PM (IST)
Stuart Broadâs five-wicket has spells doom for Pakistan
Fatullah: Feb 18, 2011
By CricketCountry Staff
Stuart Broad starred with the ball as England put up a vastly improved performance to put it across Pakistan by 67 runs in their final World Cup warm-up game at the Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah on Friday.
Broad dented Pakistan’s chase of 274 for victory, removing Mohammad Hafeez for a duck in the second over before nipping out the Akmal brothers – Kamran and Umar to push them into troubled waters at 34 for 3 in the 10th over.
Experienced Younis Khan held fort at one end to keep his side in the hunt and built partnerships with Ahmed Shehzad and Misbah-ul-Haq but England managed to strike every time a Pakistan stand showed promise of assuming threatening proportions.
Pakistan’s hopes went up in smoke when Younis became Broad’s fourth victim, scoring 80 in a team’ score of 187 in the 41st over, coming off 101 balls, punctuated with eight fours and one six.
The bowler completed a 5-for when he dislodged Wahab Riaz as Pakistan were all out for 206 in 46 overs.
Earlier, England rode on half-centuries from Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood to scored 273 off its allotted 50 overs.
Pietersen, who missed out in the opening practice game against Canada at the top of the order, applied himself nicely to seize the initiative from the Pakistan opening bowlers who had put them in a spot of bother at 37 for 2 in the tenth over.
Speedster Shoaib Akhtar gave Pakistan a strong start, cleaning up England captain Andrew Strauss in the second over before rookie Junaid Khan snapped up Jonathan Trott.
Pietersen repaired the England innings together with Ian Bell raising 80 runs partnership for the third wicket and just when Pakistan looked liking conceding the early advantage, Abdur Rehman struck, having Pietersen stumped by Kamran Akmal for a well-compiled 78-ball 66, studded with three fours and one six.
England lost a bit of momentum when Bell fell to spinner Saeed Ajmal four overs later. But Paul Collingwood and Ravi Bopara strung another significant 82-run fifth wicket stand to ensure England post a respectable score on the board.
Collingwood made 65 coming off 73 balls and packed with three hits to the fence while Bopara chipped in with a handy 35.
Wicketkeeper Matt Prior threw his bat around before Junaid and Wahab Riaz scythed through the England lower-order bowling them out for 273 in 49. 4 overs.
Junaid finished with figures of 3 for 44 while Wahab snared 3 for 52.
Brief Scores: England 273 in 49.4 overs (Kevin Pietersen 66, Paul Collingwood 65, Ravi Bopara 35, Matt Prior 24, Junaid Khan 3 for 44 Wahab Riaz 3 for 52, Saeed Ajmal 2 for 50) bt Pakistan 206 in 46 overs (Younis Khan 80, Stuart Broad 5 for 25, Paul Collingwood 3 for 48) by 67 runs
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