Eng Pak ODI 3: Umar Gul Wins Pakistan the Match in Sensational See Saw Battle

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Sreelata YellamrazuSep 17 2010

For the better part of the match, it was hard to pick a winner. But in the end, Umar Gul swung the match decisively in Pakistan's favour as the tourists held on for a solitary win in the three ODIs thus far in the England Pakistan NatWest ODI series.

umar gul celebrates with shahid afridi pakistan te

James Anderson seemed to be the sensation earlier in the day as England made a good start to the proceedings in the third ODI at the Oval as Pakistan from two for eight to three down for thirty-one when Mohammad Yousuf departed. At that point, it seemed like England would get past Pakistan to register a series victory.

But two young Pakistan batsmen kept England waiting. Fawad Alam and Asad Shafiq showed some teeth to the Pakistan batting as Pakistan slowly inched their way towards a recovery. It was not easy as Tim Bresnan bowled a tight spell, bagging three wickets like Anderson to keep Pakistan under a leash.

But the young duo managed to break out, with Alam scoring sixty-four runs whiel Asad made forty. They were aided further by the Pakistan captain, Shahid Afridi, who brought forth a little cameo of thirty-four runs from twenty-nine balls as Pakistan finished better than initial expectations at 241 all out in the final over.

England were favourites to win the match with the England captain, Andrew Strauss, yet again putting his best foot forward and lending a semblance of sanity about proceedings even as England were reduced to two down for forty-two after Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Akhtar struck. Without Paul Collingwood who failed a fitness test, once Strauss was dismissed for fifty-seven, England went dismissally from four down for ninety-five in the nineteenth over to five down for 103.

The England rearguard action began to blossom between Luke Wright and Eoin Morgan who is quickly gaining a reputation for being England's crisis man. England's hopes were once again lifted with the ninety-eight run partnership for the sixth wicket, England always in control of the run rate but losing few too many wickets too early for their liking.

Needing fifty runs did not seem a difficult task but one man came in the way. Gul was on top of his game, swinging the ball prodigiously and pulling off the occasional yorker to devastating effect. England lost two wickets with the score on 201 in the thirty-ninth over and the most prized of them was that of Morgan who made a brilliant sixty-one runs knock.

Bresnan, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann all fell to the pace and menace of Gul, leaving Wright in desperation with an unfinished business at forty-eight runs, as James Anderson could hardly hold his own before Razzaq disturbed his stumps, leaving England all out for 218 in forty-six overs as Umar Gul finished with outstanding figures of six for forty-two from his ten overs. England still lead the series 2-1 with two matches to go.

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